Title
Resolution to Name the Property Purchased from BRE Nixon Road Associates, LLC as "Oakwoods Nature Area" and Combine the Property with the Existing Adjacent Oakwoods Nature Area
Memorandum
Attached for your review and action is a resolution to approve the naming of the property acquired from BRE Nixon Road Associates, LLC as "Oakwoods Nature Area" and combine the property with the existing adjacent Oakwoods Nature Area.
In December 2016 the City of Ann Arbor purchased the 25.68 acre parcel from BRE Nixon Road Associates, LLC. The property is contiguous with Oakwoods Nature Area and shares many of its ecological features, including oak-hickory woodlands, small ponds, and a large wetland that is located in the center of the property.
The property also features an upland savannah remnant. It provides an addition to a nearly continuous greenway connecting Sugarbush Park and Oakwoods Nature Area, with plans to expand the corridor to Foxfire East and South Parks and Dhu Varren Woods Nature Area with future anticipated parks acquisitions.
With its variety of upland and wetland habitats, the property can support a wide variety of different plant and animal species, making it a great place to view wildlife, including ducks, migratory birds, and reptiles and amphibians. The site features a rich diversity of trees, including oaks, hickories, ironwood, beech, and basswood. In the spring, the forest floor is covered by wildflowers, and later in the year a carpet of sedges replaces the spring ephemerals.
Given that the property is contiguous with the existing 22 acre Oakwoods Nature Area and shares many of the same features, Parks staff recommend that the nature area be named "Oakwood Nature Area" and that it be added to the existing Oakwoods Nature Area.
The Park Advisory Commission unanimously recommended naming the property "Oakwoods Nature Area" and adding it to the existing Oakwoods Nature Area at its December 19, 2017 meeting.
Attachment: Location Map...
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