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ABOUT THE PARK
Palmer Park Habitat Restoration Project |
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GET INVOLVED AND HAVE FUN LEARNING!
People for Palmer Park will be keeping you updated here on this page as each zone goes through its transformation throughout the seasons. The City of Detroit, Detroit Exploration and Nature Center (DEN), People for Palmer Park (PFPP) and a team of ecological experts are working to make Lake Frances and Witherell Woods more healthy, usable, and beautiful. Our team is undertaking habitat restoration in Palmer Park as one of seven projects in southeast Michigan selected to receive grant funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Over the next year, we will clean up the Lake, replace invasive species with native plants, and improve walking and biking paths on the South end of the park. We will also be developing a long-term ecological restoration and management plan for the remnant woods in the center of the park. The ecological transformation in Palmer Park will provide a myriad of opportunities, including education, research, and public access to nature. We have begun planning, design, permitting and community engagement for this effort, including a public survey. We are also in the process of seeking participation from allied stakeholder groups, agencies, and institutions, all of whom are essential to the long-term success of this effort.
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Click for a map of the Habitat Restoration Project area
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PROJECT TIMELINE
BE SURE TO SCROLL THROUGH OFTEN AS EACH OF THE 3 PROJECT PHASES WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED!
BE SURE TO SCROLL THROUGH OFTEN AS EACH OF THE 3 PROJECT PHASES WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED!
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Drain and Dredge Lake Frances
FALL 2022 8-24” of nutrient-laden sediment to be removed from the bottom of the pond. |
About Lake Frances
The roughly 3-acre lake was initially created as a recreational and scenic amenity for the park and is lined with a clay liner in order to hold water. The lake is fairly shallow, ranging from one foot to eight feet deep at the drain-down location towards the southern end. The water in the lake has very high levels of nutrients (as confirmed with water and sediment testing provided by University of Detroit-Mercy faculty and students) likely stemming from goose inputs, lack of water circulation, and sediment from runoff over time.
There are a series of small islands in the lake. Originally planted with ornamental trees and shrubs, they are currently densely overgrown, with some dead or dying vegetation, and very weedy. The vegetation shades out the ground plan and prevents healthy, naturalized plantings from growing. This leads to shoreline erosion, which is occurring in some locations.
The lake has a limited fish population, primarily carp, and attracts a large population of urban geese, which feed on the adjacent lawn as well as the nearby golf course within the park. They are also attracted by park patrons who feed them. The geese defecate on the adjacent walks and lawns, which makes it unpleasant for use and contributes nutrients and other pollutants to the lake.
Source: “Lake Frances Revitalization for Palmer Park” (October 2016) Prepared by Conservation Design Forum, Lombard, IL
The roughly 3-acre lake was initially created as a recreational and scenic amenity for the park and is lined with a clay liner in order to hold water. The lake is fairly shallow, ranging from one foot to eight feet deep at the drain-down location towards the southern end. The water in the lake has very high levels of nutrients (as confirmed with water and sediment testing provided by University of Detroit-Mercy faculty and students) likely stemming from goose inputs, lack of water circulation, and sediment from runoff over time.
There are a series of small islands in the lake. Originally planted with ornamental trees and shrubs, they are currently densely overgrown, with some dead or dying vegetation, and very weedy. The vegetation shades out the ground plan and prevents healthy, naturalized plantings from growing. This leads to shoreline erosion, which is occurring in some locations.
The lake has a limited fish population, primarily carp, and attracts a large population of urban geese, which feed on the adjacent lawn as well as the nearby golf course within the park. They are also attracted by park patrons who feed them. The geese defecate on the adjacent walks and lawns, which makes it unpleasant for use and contributes nutrients and other pollutants to the lake.
Source: “Lake Frances Revitalization for Palmer Park” (October 2016) Prepared by Conservation Design Forum, Lombard, IL
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DUCKS & GEESE
POSTED 6/4/2021 In preparation of this first stage, it is important that we begin to think about the waterfowl that have made Lake Frances their home over the years. We know that feeding the ducks and geese at Palmer Park can be a harmless and enjoyable experience, and often brings back fond memories with our friends and families. But did you know…
As we prepare for the draining and dredging of Lake Frances, we need visitors to be mindful of their role in protecting the waterfowl. Their current environment will be going through some drastic changes and it is the perfect opportunity for us to do our part to help them relocate and stay wild. 
EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE
POSTED 7/15/2021 Visitors will start to see this signage around Lake Frances in the coming weeks as a reminder of our efforts to encourage the ducks and geese to relocate. Thanks in advance for your help! DEN NATURE CAMP KIDS HELP HABITAT PROJECT!
POSTED 8/28/2021 Kids participating in the summer nature camp program at the Detroit Exploration + Nature Center (DEN) at the northeast end of Palmer Park learned about the importance of not feeding the wildlife and even helped us place our temporary educational signage around Lake Frances. More permanent signage will be installed in the future weeks. Learning to not feed the geese and ducks is going to be an new experience for the whole community—young and old—but such an easy and important way to help. |
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Naturalize Lake Shoreline
SPRING-SUMMER 2023 Expand habitat plantings to adjacent areas by playground, old baseball field and tennis courts. Construct interactive walk along shoreline edge. |
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Habitat Naturalization & Connection to
Witherell Woods ONGOING Educational signage, walk improvements and Phase 1 restoration activities. |
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IS WITHERELL WOODS A VIRGIN FOREST?
POSTED 7/14/2022 The forest ecosystem at Palmer Park is relatively intact, meaning there are many examples of native trees, shrubs and other plants. It was never cleared for agriculture or development and there has been a forest since before European settlement. So can we call it a virgin forest, often defined as a woodland untouched by humans? >> Hear members of our Habitat Project discuss on WDET here. ECOLOGICAL SITE WALK
POSTED 8/3/2021 Last week, Dr. Gerould Wilhelm led an on-site walk through Palmer Park to share his observations and suggested stewardship practices as we move forward with our restoration activities. Dr. Wilhelm is a nationally acclaimed botanist and ecologist, author, founding member of Conservation Research Institute and one of the ecological restoration experts on our Habitat Project Team. Participants were able to ask questions and gain a better understanding of the site ecology and botanical aspects of the habitat. Dr. Wilhelm shared his observations on the meadows of the park and of the forest growth—native and invasive—we know as Witherell Woods. It is a fascinating site walk and we encourage you to listen and learn more about the cultures and history that shaped it, and what we can learn from it to work toward naturalizing the habitat again. FULL AUDIO OF THE WALK (1 hour, 6 min) ASH TREE RESEARCH INITIATIVE
POSTED 12/7/2021 Several Ash tree species are native to Michigan (White Ash, Green Ash, Blue Ash), and are valued for a number of qualities. Many were planted in parks and parkways to replace other tree species wiped out by disease, including the American Chestnut and the American Elm. The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive insect that has killed many Ash tree species in Michigan (and much of the U.S.), including the Ash trees in Palmer Park. The Greening of Detroit has partnered with the USFS to test and research the viability of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) resistant Ash Trees. Seeds of Ash trees known to have a high level of resistance to EAB have been germinated and raised into seedlings. Greening of Detroit has acquired 100 of these seedlings, and are planting them in several City of Detroit parks to test their ability to thrive in various settings. Palmer Park is one of the parks where these trees were planted. Twenty EAB-resistant seedlings were planted, and twenty non-resistant seedlings of the same age were also planted. Wire cages were placed over the trees to keep them from being eaten by deer or other animals. Palmer Park is an ideal location to test the trees, as it contains a remnant forest (Witherell Woods), a natural woodland that offers a broader range of test conditions than most typical park settings.The trees will be observed over the next several years, and the findings will be recorded and distributed to other researchers and agencies doing similar work. The research on EAB resistant Ash tree species will assist the continued advancement of strategies to protect, restore, and improve our urban tree canopy, especially in light of the increased challenges of rapidly changing climate, introduction of other new insect and diseases, and other threats. Members of the City of Detroit's General Services Department, DEN, community stakeholders planting the resistant ash tree seedlings in Palmer Park.
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For more information on how you can get involved, please contact:
Farhat Chaudhry, Project Manager / Designer
(313) 224-1100
chaudhryf@detroitmi.gov
Farhat Chaudhry, Project Manager / Designer
(313) 224-1100
chaudhryf@detroitmi.gov
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Core project partners:
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