Stoneco Donates Former Quarry to Ducks Unlimited

NOTD Stoneco 150

NOTD Stoneco 400An Oldcastle Materials company, Stoneco, donated a 262-acre former sand and gravel quarry near Ann Arbor, Mich., to Ducks Unlimited to support wildlife conservation efforts.

The donated land, appraised at $2.1 million, is on Zeeb Road in Lodi Township outside the city of Ann Arbor.

“We are proud to donate this land to Ducks Unlimited,” said Rick Becker, Stoneco vice president and general manager. “Our company, employees and families do business, live and work in Washtenaw County and this is a natural extension of who we are and what we do.”

The former quarry site was active until 2014 and has since been undergoing a reclamation process. The area has tremendous potential for wildlife habitat development through wetland restoration, grassland plantings, reforestation and management of the reclaimed mine pit.

Ducks Unlimited is exploring using the property to build a permanent headquarters for its Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional office staff, which consists of biologists, engineers, GIS technicians, administrative staff and fundraisers dedicated to wetlands conservation. The Great Lakes/Atlantic Region covers 21 states from Minnesota to Maine and south to Kentucky. Ducks Unlimited currently leases office space in Ann Arbor.

The land donation will support Ducks Unlimited’s Rescue Our Wetlands Campaign, a seven-year, $2 billion effort aimed at changing the face of conservation in North America. Rescue Our Wetlands is the largest wetlands and waterfowl conservation campaign in history. The public portion of the campaign was launched in May and so far the campaign has raised more than $1.1 billion.

David Brakhage, director of operations for Ducks Unlimited Great Lakes/Atlantic Region, said the land donation will help the organization with its mission to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl.

“We are very grateful to Stoneco for making this donation in support of our mission,” Brakhage said. “With the right support and fundraising, we are hopeful to transform the site from a former mining operation into a functional green space that will attract all types of wildlife and benefit the community.”

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