GRAND LEDGE, Mich. — Dozens of trees at Lincoln Brick Park in Grand Ledge have been marked for removal as part of a forest restoration project.
- The project aims to make the forest safer and healthier while attracting more visitors to the park.
- Proceeds from cutting trees will fund planting of new native trees and shrubs to increase biodiversity.
Eaton County Parks is launching a forest restoration project at Lincoln Brick Park in Grand Ledge that will remove dozens of marked trees to create a healthier forest ecosystem and enhance visitor experiences.
WATCH: Grand Ledge park begins forest restoration to improve forest health
The project began after a 2023 wind storm necessitated a major cleanup of fallen trees in the park, prompting officials to take a broader approach to forest management.
"By doing projects like this, we're only going to elevate those experiences," said Ethan Jacobs, Interim Parks Director for Eaton County.
Visitors to the park will notice trees marked for removal in the coming months as the project gets underway.
James Gray, a forester with Natural Capital Forestry who is helping implement the project, explained the environmental benefits.
"We're going to create opportunities for forest restoration, so we're actually going to use proceeds from the cutting of the trees to plant new trees and shrubs, and other plants so that we have a very high level of biodiversity," Gray said.
The restoration effort is already generating interest from park visitors like Constance Tate and Beth Walker, who traveled over an hour to explore Grand Ledge's park system.
"It's her calling me, saying hey, want to go for a little hike," Walker said.
While the pair chose Fitzgerald Park for their recent visit, they're interested in discovering other Grand Ledge parks, including Lincoln Brick.
"It gets me and my friends outside more and just away from being plugged in all the time," Tate said.
Jacobs said logging crews will begin work within the next few months, with long-term benefits expected for both the ecosystem and visitors.
"In the long run, we may see more wildlife coming in, we'll see more birds coming in, which will all lead to more opportunities for passive recreation," Jacobs said.
The prospect of an enhanced natural experience has park visitors excited.
"It makes me feel very excited," Tate said.
"We need it, we're too focused on electronics," Walker said.
For residents with questions about the project, Eaton County Parks will host two community information nights at Lincoln Brick Park on October 9 and 16.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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