Technical Advisory Committees

Ordinance Number 128 established citizens groups to advise the Parks and Recreation Commission on land purchases under the Natural Areas Preservation Program. There are two Committees: one for natural area and one for agricultural land.

Natural Areas Technical Advisory Committee (NATAC)

The Natural Areas Technical Advisory Committee (NATAC), is comprised of County residents with expertise in land trust/conservation, wildlife management, environmental education, real estate / development, land use planning, botany/forestry and fisheries/aquatic ecology. Members were first appointed in the summer of 2001 and have been meeting regularly since September of that year. NATAC's major objectives are:

  • Recommend properties for acquisition
  • Provide technical information relevant to management and long-term protection of potential acquisitions
  • Suggest opportunities to collaborate with local, state and federal government agencies and non-government organizations, as appropriate

Agricultural Lands Preservation Advisory Committee (ALPAC)

ALPAC helps review nominations for natural areas with active farm land. It is the goal of the Committee to preserve Washtenaw County's farming economy by identifying those parcels of land that, through permanent preservation will contribute to:

  • Preservation of working farms, particularly those including prime and unique soils
  • Preservation of working farms that support the ecological integrity of wildlife habitat or important natural habitats
  • Complement the existing network of publicly and privately preserved lands
  • Maximize the public benefit