ADVOCACY
A Michigan park stretches along the Detroit River.
A Three-Pronged Approach to the Success of Michigan’s Parks By Tina Nowakowski
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f the past two years have taught us anything, it is that nobody can succeed on their own, and the success of parks and recreation is certainly not exempt. In 2020, Michigan Recreation and Park Association (mParks) joined forces with a broad and diverse coalition of like-minded nonprofits, private-sector organizations and municipalities to tackle their biggest advocacy effort to date — Proposal 1: Vote Yes for MI Water, Wildlife and Parks. The proposal, which appeared on a contentious November 2020 ballot, expanded the work of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) and helped protect the state’s drinking water sources, wildlife habitats and parks for the future. The amendment sought to safeguard a constitutionally protected revenue source for conservation and recreation efforts for future generations, insulating it from partisan gridlock. “We are so lucky that more than 40 years ago, our advocates had the
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forethought to create [the MNRTF] program to protect Michigan’s lands and waters,” says Clay Summers, executive director of mParks. MNRTF serves as a key funding source for Michigan’s park and recreation agencies, allocating more than $1 billion from oil and mineral royalties to protect the state’s natural resources and to develop outdoor recreation opportunities for residents.
Grassroots Efforts mParks members were pivotal to the
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success of Proposal 1. While park and recreation departments were unable to encourage their communities to vote for Proposal 1, they stood up to tell the importance of the MNRTF. More than 20 municipalities in Michigan adopted resolutions endorsing the ballot proposal.
Partner Organizations The Nature Conservancy, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, Heart of the Lakes, Michigan Environmental Council, Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, and mParks spearheaded the efforts in support of Proposal 1. Together, these organizations created branding, messaging and ballot language; gathered endorsements, sponsorships and worked to get press
