MICHIGAN CHAPTER
Special Issue 2005
protecting
271,338
acres
The sun sets over Mitchell Lake — just one of more than 300 lakes, 516 miles of rivers and 52,000 acres of
wetlands protected by our Northern Great Lakes Forest Project. (see project map on page 8-9 inside).
Announcing our $78 million Campaign for Conservation — see page 12
http://nature.org/michigan
Wish list items, letters to the editor or questions for
“Ask the Expert” can be directed to the Lansing office.
Michigan Field Office & East Michigan
Program Office
101 E. Grand River, Lansing, MI 48906-4348
(517) 316-0300 – Fax (517) 316-9886
Email: [email protected]
Upper Peninsula Program Office
125 W. Washington St., Ste. G
Marquette, MI 49855
(906) 225-0399 – Fax (906) 225-6731
Email: [email protected]
West Michigan Program Office
3728 W. River Dr. NE
Comstock Park, MI 49321
(616) 785-7055 – Fax (616) 785-7065
Email: [email protected]
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Philip H. Power, Chair
Gerard M. Anderson, Vice-Chair
Alan R. Pfaff, Jr., Treasurer
J. David Allan
Robert Anthony
Christine B. Armbrecht
Essel W. Bailey, Jr.
Thomas L. Baldini
Marcie Brogan
Marge Byington
Thomas Cook
Starr Foster
Steven K. Hamp
Paul Hillegonds, Life Trustee
Olivia P. Maynard
Dennis R. Minano
Mark A. Murray
Anton A. Reznicek
Doug Rothwell
Lloyd A. Semple
Richard D. Snyder
Donald Tilton
Fred Upton
John E. Utley
Barbara Van Dusen, Life Trustee
Gary R. Veurink
CORPORATE ADVISORS
Randolph J. Agley
Anthony F. Earley, Jr.
William K. Howenstein
Richard A. Manoogian
James B. Nicholson
Kenneth Whipple
Dear Friends:
You’ve probably been hearing a fair amount about The Nature Conservancy
recently. Over the years, The Nature Conservancy in Michigan has preserved
more than 83,000 acres, protecting our state’s last great places for us all. But it
is our recent announcement that has captured much attention. Our agreement
with the State of Michigan and The Forestland Group will preserve 271,000
acres of pristine forest, water and shoreline landscape in the Upper Peninsula—
the single largest land preservation deal ever executed in Michigan’s history, and
one that stitches together a landscape of more than 2.5 million acres of wild and
natural places across the entire UP.
You will read more about this unprecedented project in the coming pages,
but there’s even more we want to share with you. You have already shown an
interest in preserving the last great places in Michigan, and we wouldn’t have
been able to accomplish such a tremendous victory for Michigan without that
support. But there is still much to be done, and though this project can never be
duplicated, it is the inspiration for doing all we can to save the rest of Michigan’s
natural character.
Over the past 25 years, The Nature Conservancy has grown to fill a unique
niche among conservation organizations in Michigan, and serve as a leader in
our strategic approach: we’re science-based, market-oriented, and we collaborate
with partners in the state, country and around the world. It’s this approach that
has worked so well and that resonates with so many of you.
You cannot put a price on our natural resources nor the effort needed to protect them. But, we can prioritize through science and understanding what is
most vulnerable now. With your help, we are launching a capital campaign to
save the last great places in Michigan for future generations. Our total goal for
the campaign is $78 million, but we’ve already raised about $68 million, including contributions from Michigan’s leading foundations (see page 14). This
means we’ve got to raise about $10 million to meet our goal.
Quite frankly, we have no idea what you might consider giving to this monumental effort. But what we do know with absolute certainty is the incredible
scope and serious urgency of Michigan’s conservation needs. If we do not act
now, our best opportunity will be lost. Forever. This is The Nature Conservancy’s moment to act, and we sincerely hope you will be inspired to join us in
protecting our great state.
With best wishes,
MEMBERSHIP
Regular membership in The Nature Conservancy
starts at $50 per year, and includes membership
in both the international organization and the
Michigan Chapter. Interested in joining? Call
or write to us at the numbers above.
Design by Lynne Brown–Media Graphics, Williamston, MI
Cover Photograph: Michell Lake Sunset © Richard Baumer
Helen Taylor
State Director
Philip H. Power
Chair, Board of Trustees
© Courtesy of Phil Power
© Douglas Elbinger
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
IN MICHIGAN
Shoreline Protection Update
1,103 Acres Along Lake Superior Saved
Best Remaining Great Lakes Coastal Marsh Saved
Once staked for subdivision, 1,103
acres including 1.5 miles of Lake Superior
shoreline will now be forever protected
thanks to The Nature Conservancy.
Stretching along Lake Superior in the
Keweenaw Peninsula, Bete Grise is recognized by the Michigan Natural
Features Inventory as the single most
important coastal marsh community
remaining in the upper Great Lakes
region because of its size, diversity and
intact hydrology.
Characterized by a high diversity of
grasses, coastal marshes are home to a variety of rare and declining migratory and
bird species and provide invaluable
habitat for spawning fish and breeding amphibians. These areas also
serve as natural water purification
systems, and above all, are the base of
the food chain for the entire Great
Lakes ecosystem.
“The diversity of our environ-
ment is something that makes Michigan
unique, and is worth protecting,” said
Steven E. Chester, Director of the Dept.
of Environmental Quality in Michigan.
“This project will preserve coastal wet-
marsh
\‘märsh\ n : An
herbaceous wetland community.
Contrary to typical marshes,
the water level in coastal marshes
fluctuate dramatically over many
years, giving them distinctive species
composition, high in biodiversity.
lands and uphold our great tradition of
responsible environmental stewardship.”
With the acquisition of Bete Grise,
The Nature Conservancy has now helped
protect more than 11,000 acres—including 14 miles of Lake Superior
shoreline—in the Keweenaw Peninsula,
Michigan’s northernmost mainland tip.
The area serves as habitat for more than
900 species of flora as well as large, wideranging mammals like black bear and
moose and migratory birds.
The Nature Conservancy is spearheading fundraising efforts with several
local partners to generate $450,000 to
match $1.5 million in grant monies.
The project also received funding
from the estate of Isotta Cesari,
and the Conservancy is currently
pursuing an adjacent 770-acre tract
with a mile of frontage
along Lac LaBelle.
© Michael D-L Jordan, courtesy of the C.S. Mott Foundation
Special Issue 2005 | Michigan | 3
Forest Protection Update
State Making Progress Toward Forest Certification
Certified “Gold Standard” Forests
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
announcing her plan for state forest certifiardship is a value all Michigan residents
staff across the state are hard at work to
cation last year. “We cannot have one
share, and it is integral to our quality of life.”
ensure that by this time next year, our nearly
without the other and expect to prosper as a
The key to sustainable forestry is time.
4 million acres of state forests—the largest in state. A strong sense of environmental stew- Sustainable forestry emphasizes harvesting
the nation—will be certified by the “gold
which imitates the way nature works in
standard” of sustainable forestry.
removing trees and regenerating the forest.
State Forest System
Certification of our state forest system
The Nature Conservancy worked
will demonstrate to interested stakeholders
closely with Gov. Granholm’s office as she
and markets that natural resource managedeveloped her proposal, and continues to
ment practices are sound and comprehensive.
work with MDNR as it seeks certification
It will maintain markets for state forest timby December 2005.
ber, and continue our ability to manage
Assuring proper management and
habitats for wildlife, recreation opportunities,
protection of the state’s publicly owned
and maintenance of forest health. While the
forests is a major goal the Conservancy.
current focus is on forestlands, the state is
During a comprehensive, science-based
also considering certification of other statereview of the Great Lakes ecoregion,
the Conservancy identified
owned lands, such as state game areas
approximately 1.7 million acres of
and parks.
state-owned forest as areas that play
“This proposal goes to the core of
certification:\s r-t -f -‘kā-sh n\ n: The state
a significant role in the region’s
my administration’s belief that ecoof being documented as to the truth of something.
biodiversity.
nomic development and a healthy
Certification of sustainable forestry practies by
environment are not mutually excluindependent auditors will ensure the management
sive,” Governor Granholm said when
of our state forest system meets the highest management standards. Factors for certification include:
protecting water quality, maintaining wildlife habitat and ensuring proper forest regeneration.
e
e e
e
4 | Michigan | Special Issue 2005
© TNC Archives
Water Protection Update
Rogue River Watershed Protection Underway
270–Acre Conservation Easement
© TNC Lara Kramarz
section of the watershed, significantly
benefiting the water quality of the Rogue.
The conservation easement will protect
the land surrounding the lake by
watershed \’wo-ter-sh d\ n :
e
The Nature Conservancy’s Rogue River
Project is officially underway with the
completion of a conservation easement on
270 privately owned acres in Kent County,
one of the largest tracts in the watershed.
The private property has been in the
landowners’ family since 1914, and has
remained relatively intact since it was first
acquired. It is especially noteworthy for its
significant water features—encompassing
an entire inland lake and considerable
frontage on another, which are associated
with the recharge of the Rogue River.
Kent County Parks also protects a 230acre property to the north that
includes additional lake frontage.
The Rogue River Watershed is
primarily threatened by rapid rural
and suburban development to
accommodate the growth of Grand
Rapids. With this single easement,
the Conservancy will double the
area of protected land in this
The land that drains water into a
particular stream, lake, or river; the
entire area from which a river
receives its water supply. Because a
river is fed by all other surrounding
streams and lakes in the watershed,
its overall health is dependent on
those bodies of water.
prohibiting any further habitat manipulation and limiting additional building to
one seasonal cottage on the private
property. The landowners hope others will
see the difference and preserve some of
their own land.
The project is part of the continuing
Dunes & Savannas Project with the Land
Conservancy of West Michigan.
“We’re very excited to have another
river project off the ground in West
Michigan,” said John Legge, West Michigan Conservation Director. “Being able to
protect such a large tract has an immediate
impact on the Rogue, and creates
a strong foundation for future
conservation. It’s amazing that
this land has been in the same
hands for 90 years, and with this
conservation easement, it will
remain equally intact for
future generations to
enjoy.”
Special Issue 2005 | Michigan | 5
largest
conservation project
in
state
history
protects
© Lynne A. Brown
271,338 acres
On Jan. 6, 2005, Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm joined Helen Taylor
of The Nature Conservancy to announce that an agreement had
been reached with The Forestland Group, LLC to protect more
than 271,000 acres in the Upper Peninsula.
very summer for almost three
decades, John Allen and Edith Maynard have exchanged university life in
Ann Arbor for the slower pace of the
Upper Peninsula. There, the couple hike
through Luce County’s northern woods.
They occasionally pause to classify a
E
wildflower, identify animal tracks or listen to the sound of a distant warbler.
The retired biology professors serve
as monitors, tour guides and field catalogers for The Nature Conservancy’s
nearly 3,000-acre McMahon Lake Preserve that is close to their hideaway cabin.
Sunlight shines through a forest in the Two Hearted River Watershed © Richard Baumer
While this region was first made
famous in Ernest Hemingway’s short
stories about the Two Hearted River, it
made headlines again when it was
recently included in the largest land protection deal ever in the history of the
Conservancy in Michigan.
“When we heard this land would be
preserved, we were ecstatic. There’s a
great deal of state forests, federal forests,
private forests, and lots of unsettled land.
As a nation, we have very few places east
of the Mississippi in this kind of unsettled state,” said Maynard, who describes
herself and her husband as “your basic
hikers and explorers.”
Early in 2005, Michigan Gov. Jennifer
M. Granholm and staff of the Conservancy announced an agreement that
protects more than 271,000 acres in
the Upper Peninsula and links together more than 2.5 million acres of
protected federal and state land in eight
counties.
Many, including
the governor who was
involved in behindthe-scene
negotiations, point to
the sheer magnitude
of the project as its
greatest strength
because it provides a
contiguous, protected
landscape of woods
and water for more
than 30 miles. Conservancy staff called it
“the best opportunity
we will likely ever see in Michigan for
conservation at such a large scale.”
For the governor, the contract ensures
that “magical places and breathtaking
shorelines” still will exist a century from
now for people to enjoy—whether they
are Michigan residents or visitors.
The project costs $57.9 million. At the
time of the announcement, the Conservancy had secured more than $40 million
from private foundations, including a sixyear, $10-million grant from the Mott
Foundation.
Additional support included $10 million from the Michigan Natural
Resources Trust Fund, and funding from
many Michigan foundations including
the Carls, Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow,
Frey, W.K. Kellogg, Kresge, Harry A. and
Margaret D. Towsley and Wege Foundations.
For the Conservancy, moving the project along has been a lesson in patience
and persistence, continuing for many
years with different players. In addition to
a broad range of funders, the project
received bipartisan support from the
state’s congressional delegation. John
Engler, Michigan’s previous governor,
“Long after all of us are gone,
future Michiganders will look back
and say, ‘Thank you’...”
© Ken Jacobsen, Jr.
enthusiastically backed efforts to make
the dream a reality in the early planning
stages.
The property is officially known as the
Northern Great Lakes Forest Project.
While 23,338 acres were purchased by the
Conservancy, the bulk of the land—
248,000 acres—was protected through a
working forest easement with its owners,
The Forestland Group, LLC. The timberlands investment firm, based in
Chapel Hill, N.C., bought the land at a
2002 auction from the previous longtime owners, the Kamehameha Schools
Trust of Hawaii.
“The easement and purchase agreement satisfies the needs of many diverse
groups, such as businesses, environmentalists and residents,” said Helen Taylor,
state director of The Nature Conservancy in Michigan.
The easement keeps much of the land
in the hands of private business owners,
which benefits the local economy by
keeping the majority of the property on
the tax rolls and helps maintain lumbering jobs. The agreement also protects the
environment by promoting sustainable
forestry practices and limiting development, she said.
Taylor cited a study by the Conservancy that showed timber harvesting
in the region supports nearly 3,000
jobs and generates almost $200 million annually.
While the land
purchase and
easement provide
permanent
preservation of
treasured lakes,
streams and
rivers, it also
ensures ongoing
tourism jobs for
local families. In
addition, the
agreement allows
public access to
the land for outdoor sports,
including hunting, fishing, snowmobiling
and other recreational activities important to U.P. residents and visitors.
“Long after all of us are gone, future
Michiganders will look back and say,
‘Thank you’ because we helped make this
conservation project possible,” Taylor
said.
Another of those who is appreciative
today, and who is certain his grandchildren and great-grandchildren will
be grateful in the future, is William
Ferguson.
Like many U.P. residents, Ferguson
was thrilled when he heard that the Conservancy’s agreement included continued
public access for recreational activities.
As the owner of Curley’s Paradise Motel,
he depends on seasonal tourism—in
every season of the year—to support his
family.
(continued on page 10)
Special Issue 2005 | Michigan | 7
our northern great lakes forest project
connects 2.
to create the
largest
Legend
Northern Great Lakes Forest Project
New Protected Areas
Working Forest Conservation Easement
Fee Land – The Nature Conservancy
Existing Protected Areas
State Conservation & Recreation Lands
N
Federal Conservation & Recreation Lands
Areas with High Ecological Value
Developed for The Nature Conservancy:
nature.org/michigan
We need your help
While it may look like the Northern
Great Lakes Forest Project is a done deal,
we still have much work before us. You,
and our congressional delegation, can
make the difference for us, and for our
forestland in the Upper Peninsula.
More than $18 million is still needed
for the project, including $10 million that
we hope to secure over the next three
years from federal funding, which you can
affect. Congress is currently considering
contributing $3 million to this project
through Forest Legacy funding contained
in the Interior Appropriations Bill for
Fiscal Year 2006.
As a member of The Nature Conservancy, your communication could make
the difference for federal support of this
historic project. Please help us secure
that funding by contacting any or all of
the congressional delegation listed below
and urge their support:
nnects 2.5 million acres
conservation corridor
in the midwest
Artwork by Barbara Hranilovich, mapping data by Steve Sobaski, TNC
Senator Carl Levin
269 Russell Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6221
Fax: (202) 224-1388
Senator Debbie Stabenow
133 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4822
Fax: (202) 228-0325
Congressman Bart Stupak
2352 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4735
Fax: (202) 225-4744
largest conservation project in sta
(continued from pg. 7)
Detroit’s traffic jams drove Ferguson
to the Upper Peninsula 34 years ago; the
region’s natural beauty is what keeps him
there.
The Northern Great Lakes Forest
Project is one of the largest in the
Conservancy’s 54-year history and will
protect:
the Presque Isle River;
• More than 31 miles of land bordering
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore;
• About 10,000 acres around Tahquamenon Falls State Park and an
additional 10,000 acres around Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park;
• More than 300 natural lakes;
• More than 52,000 acres of wetlands;
• 192 miles of Class I trout streams,
including the Two Hearted River and
• Habitat for state and federal endangered species, including bald eagles,
© TNC Archives
“Everybody who lives up here is here
because of the outdoors in one way or
another. We’re up here to stay, so I’m glad
to know that the land will be protected,”
said Ferguson, the father of five and
grandfather of four.
“This will be here for my grandkids to
use so they can go out and enjoy a stream,
maybe get some brookies [brook trout] out
of it, if they’re lucky. It’s also nice to know
that the bird watchers will still have a place
to go to. We get a lot of those up here.”
Porcupine Mountains
Pictured Rocks
20,000 Acres of Buffer
10,000 Acres of Buffer & Inholdings
“Sometime in 1943 or 1944 an axe will bite into the snowy sapwood of a giant maple. Then the giant
will lean, groan and crash to the earth: the last tree of the last virgin hardwood forest of any size in
the Lake States.”
The renowned conservationist and author Aldo Leopold penned this statement in June
A monument to the beauty of Michigan’s
Upper Peninsula, Pictured Rocks has been
heralded since the first French explorers
1942 as an epitaph for the primeval forests of Michigan’s Porcupine Mountains. Certain the
landed in 1658. Today, multicolored sand-
Midwest’s last hardwood wilderness would be sacrificed for the war effort, Leopold joined a
stone cliffs, miles of unspoiled beaches,
citizen’s movement to preserve this
sand dunes, waterfalls, inland lakes, wildlife
and the forests of the Lake Superior
last sample of the “Great Uncut.”
The Save-the-Porcupine Mountains
Association became the impetus for
Porcupine Mountain
State Park
shoreline beckon nearly 500,000 visitors a
year.
Towering above Lake Superior these cliffs
the purchase of 46,000 acres in the
Porkies as a roadless park and
reach to a height of 200 feet above the lake
forest museum, “in order that what
and are continually shaped by wind, ice and
happened to Michigan’s pine may
pounding waves. The sculptured rocks
not also happen to the last of our
create images in your mind, with names like
hardwood.”
See page 8 for legend.
10 | Michigan | Special Issue 2005
project in
state history
common loon, osprey and gray wolf;
• 23,338 acres of land adjacent to the
Conservancy’s existing nature preserve
in the Two Hearted River watershed;
“ Michigan is literally defined by its environmental treasures
and today we
• 30,000 acres adjacent to Hiawatha
National Forest;
• 27,000 acres adjacent to Ottawa
National Forest; and
take a bold and courageous step forward
to preserve those treasures as a legacy
for our children and our children’s children”
— Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm
© TNC Archives
© Janet Haas
• About 100,000 acres adjacent to several state forests.
(continued on page 13)
Tahquamenon Falls
10,000 Acres of Buffer & Inholdings
Miner’s Castle, Lover’s Leap and Chapel Rock.
As US-123 weaves through Paradise and beyond, the roar of rushing water beckons all
With our easement protecting more than
to Tahquamenon Falls State Park. The centerpiece of the park is the Tahquamenon River
31 miles of land bordering Pictured Rocks,
and its renowned waterfalls. The Upper Falls is one of the largest waterfalls east of the
the hike to view this spectacular scenery will
Mississippi, second only to Niagara in its size and power. With over 1 million annual
forever look as it does today.
visitors, Tahquamenon Falls State Park remains one of Michigan’s most memorable
destinations for generations.
The Nature Conservancy’s
Two Hearted River
Pictured Rocks
National Lakeshore
working forest easement on
10,000 acres around the park
and its falls will help keep these
forests healthy, it will keep the
Tahquamenon River and its
Tahquamenon
Falls State Park
awe-inspiring waterfalls as we
know them now.
See page 8 for legend.
See page 8 for legend.
Special Issue 2005 | Michigan | 11
$78 million campaign for conservation
largest
the
conservation
fundraising
campaign
in state’s
history
T
PRIORITY PLACES •
he Nature Conservancy in Michigan
recently launched an unprecedented
$78 million fundraising campaign to protect Michigan’s forest, water and
shoreline at a scale never before achieved
or even dreamed of in this state. From
our flagship Northern Great Lakes Forest
Project (see pgs. 6-11) to new water initiatives (see Rogue River story, pg. 5) to
shoreline endeavors already underway
(see Fall 2004 newsletter), the Campaign
for Conservation will protect our woods,
water and way of life in Michigan for generations to come.
To date, $71.6 million has been raised,
leaving us in need of $6.4 million more
from private sources, including people like
you. The funds raised will help protect priority places around the state (see box and
map below) and catapult our science and
stewardship capacities to new levels.
The Way We Work
We achieve lasting results by working
collaboratively and in partnership with
other land trusts, private landowners,
public agencies, community organizations, foundations, businesses and
individuals. We do this through our collaborative, non-confrontational approach
that utilizes market-driven, sciencebased strategies to produce long-term
results to benefit biodiversity. In keeping
with the Conservancy’s commitment to
tangible, lasting results at scale, our campaign outcomes span the spectrum from
outright land acquisition to innovative
management agreements, and from public policy to joint environmental
awareness campaigns.
A Race Against Time
Today’s complex world brings with it a
host of looming threats that require
fresh, innovative approaches. In the next
three years, The Nature Conservancy’s
Campaign for Coservation will intensely
focus on the top four “killer” threats to
biodiversity in Michigan: invasive species,
water use, fire suppression and climate
change.
SAV I N G TH E L AST G R EAT P L AC E S I N M I C H
Forest
1. Northern Great Lakes Forest
Project
More than 271,000 acres, including
300 lakes, and 516 miles of rivers,
streams, and tributaries.
2. Michigamme Highlands
Protecting mature, high-quality
forests connecting state parks and
national forests.
3. West Michigan Forests &
Savannas
Working with West Michigan Strategic Alliance toward 18,000-acre
“green infrastructure” goal.
4. Grayling Outwash Plains
Restoring fire regime to jack pine
forest breeding grounds of endangered Kirtland’s warbler.
12 | Michigan | Special Issue 2005
Water
5. Two Hearted River Watershed
Protecting more than 42,000 acres,
including 60 miles of premiere trout
streams.
10. River Raisin Watershed
Ensuring survival of at least 84 fish
species and 216 aquatic insects that
live in this pressured watershed.
6. Western Upper Peninsula Rivers
Watersheds
Includes Presque Isle River, one of the
top 10 canoeing rivers in America.
11. Detroit River
Assisting with first-ever International Wildlife Refuge to protect
flyover site for 3 million birds.
7.
Rogue River Watershed
Studying effects of development
pressure changing coldwater system
into warmer waterway.
Shoreline
8. Paw Paw River Watershed
Protecting prairie fen at the river’s
headwaters.
12. The Les Cheneaux
Long-term protection efforts to
preserve Northern Lake Huron
shoreline.
9. Shiawassee River Watershed
Implementing new conservationtillage techniques to reduce
agricultural impact.
13. Grass Bay
Expanding beyond our world-class
preserve where our state wildflower,
the dwarf lake iris, grows.
271,338 acres protected
(continued from page 11)
Investing In The Future
We must make sure that our work
endures for generations to come. How
we care for the lands we have already
protected is every bit as important as
saving them in the first place. Our Campaign for Conservation will fund
critically important activities such as
stewardship, monitoring, and measuring
our results.
There can be no greater legacy.
There is no better time to act than
now. Please join us. With your
support of the campaign, we can
and will save the last great places in
Michigan and beyond.
News of the agreement thrilled Marcia
Young, a Minnesota native and fourthgrade teacher at Munising’s Central
Elementary School in the Upper Peninsula.
It’s a place she has called home for 10 years.
When educators elsewhere around the
country are welcoming spring, Young is
tromping through the nearby national forest and still enjoying winter. She’s
accompanied by a group of schoolchildren—each strapped into snowshoes and
earnestly searching for signs of wildlife.
“The students love it. They enjoy anything we do outside, anything that’s hands
on.”
Young thought of those youngsters
when she heard about the project. She said
it was terrific to know that long after she is
gone, there can still be teachers and stu-
dents sharing similar outdoor adventures.
As a teacher, U.P. resident and amateur outdoor photographer, Young is
pleased that the pristine landscape she
has come to cherish will not be lost to
growth and development.
“I was surprised by the breadth of the
project—just the sheer amount of land
that is being protected is wonderful. And,
there is also the beauty of it. This really is
the last wilderness in the Midwest. It’s
like the last frontier.”
____
By Maggie I. Jaruzel
Reprinted with permission of the
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation,
Flint, Michigan. Visit http://www.mott.org
to see a slide show of the project.
• PRIORITY PLACES
L AC E S I N M I C H I G AN
17
5
14. Saugatuck Dunes
Partnering with public and private
officials to protect last undeveloped
river mouth along Lake Michigan.
15. Point Betsie
Providing critical habitat for piping
plover and Pitcher’s thistle.
16. Garden Peninsula
Working with private landowners
to protect 3.5 miles of shoreline.
1
2
1
1
12
6
13
16
15
4
17. Bete Grise in the Keweenaw
Peninsula
Finest remaining example of coastal
marsh in Upper Great Lakes
region.
3
7
9
14
8
10
11
Campaign Launched in Detroit and Grand Rapids
eaders and supporters of
The Nature Conservancy
announced a plan on April 19
in Detroit and Grand Rapids
Steve McCormick (left), president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy (worldwide) publicly kicked off our Campaign
to protect Michigan’s most
for Conservation on April 19 in both Detroit and Grand Rapids.
ecologically sensitive areas by
raising an unprecedented $78
position at the intersection of economic
million by the end of 2006.
Michigan’s philanthropic leaders
and environmental progress,” said Gerard
“Increasingly, we are working on a
have already committed to the
M. Anderson, president of DTE Energy.
larger scale because we recognize that, due
following generous gifts:
to the rate at which change is occurring, we “I encourage the corporate community to
join me in committing to this campaign.”
need to dramatically increase landscapeFoundations
The campaign will also benefit locascale protection for future generations,”
tions from Brazil to the Bahamas, which
C.S. Mott Foundation, $10 million
McCormick said. “When the Michigan
serve
as
winter
habitat
for
the
Kirtland’s
Kresge Foundation, $5 million
Chapter’s campaign is complete, we will
warbler,
an
endangered
bird
that
nests
in
have protected four times more acreage
$2.5 million of the Kresge gift comes at the end
the jack pine forests of Michigan’s northof the campaign in the form of a challenge grant.
than what we had conserved since we
Each dollar you contribute gets us one step closer
ern
Lower
Peninsula.
started protecting land here in 1960.”
to meeting that challenge.
At the press conference, DTE Energy
We cannot do this work alone. Protecting our
W.K. Kellogg Foundation, $5 million
Foundation announced a commitment of
land, water and way of life is a commitment
Herbert H. & Grace A. Dow Foundation,
$500,000 to the Michigan campaign
we must all make. Please consider supporting
$4.5 million
while DTE Energy will provide about $2
Carls Foundation, $2 million
our Campaign for Conservation protecting
million in additional funding for a major
Harry A. & Margaret D. Towsley
Michigan’s last great places.
Foundation, $2 million
reforestation project on Louisiana’s
Frey
Foundation, $1 million
famous Cat Island, one of the last known
Contact: Mary O’Connor,
Wege
Foundation, $1 million
locations of the ivory billed woodpecker.
Director of Philanthropy
Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation,
“DTE Energy recognizes its unique
(517) 316-2267 or [email protected]
$1 million
L
DTE Energy Foundation, $500,000
The Power Foundation, $500,000
Our Campaign for Conservation will produce enduring results
for generations to come. Through this effort, we will leave a lasting legacy on the Michigan
landscape. By the end of 2006, funding from the campaign will have protected at least:
555
81
260
192
28
30
52,000
44
habitat for 85
miles of rivers and streams
primary lakes
secondary lakes
miles of Class I trout streams
miles of Great Lakes shoreline
major rivers
acres of wetlands
miles of easements bordering important natural areas
occurences of state or federally listed species
Public Agencies & Individuals
Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Robert W. Wilson Challenge, $2.4 million
J.A. Woollam Foundation, $2.15 million
Isotta Cesari Estate, $1.78 million
W. Powell Cottrille Estate, $348,000
Anonymous (2)
Many, many generous individuals have
already made transformative gifts.
© Lynne A. Brown
President
Steve McCormick
Helps Announce
Ambitious Campaign
nature.org/michigan
Home
|
How We Work
|
Where We Work
|
About Us
Want to burn carbs while helping
the environment?
There are a variety of fun and rewarding
ways to get involved and get outside with
The Nature Conservancy. You can find a
schedule of workdays and other
volunteer opportunities at nature.org/
michigan/volunteer. For the most
current postings, subscribe to U-VOL,
the volunteer newsletter distributed
monthly on e-mail. Just send a message
to [email protected] using the e-mail
address you want to subscribe.
© TNC Archives
Coming to a town near you!
Many opportunities exist to explore
some of the remarkable places you’ve
helped to protect. Trips include bird
watching at Erie Marsh, walking among
the wildflowers at Grass Bay, visiting
amphibian breeding pools at Camp
Swampy and hiking up Lookout Mountain in Keweenaw County. Guided by
scientific experts, there’s no better way
to greet the spring and see some of our
© TNC Archives
Member Field Trips in 2005
With so much conservation activity
occurring around the state, it’s time to
get the show on the road and bring an
update directly to you. State Director
Helen Taylor will join our regional conservation directors at local membership
meetings this fall in the following areas:
• Detroit metro area
• Grand Rapids
• Kalamazoo
• Central Michigan
• Northern Lower Peninsula
• Marquette/UP
Postcards will be sent to members in the
immediate vicinity. To find out additional
details, visit our website later this summer at http://nature.org/michigan.
See you there!
greatest preserves. All event dates and full
activity descriptions can be viewed on our
website at nature.org/michigan. All
trips require registration by contacting
Carol Bryson, at (517) 316-0300 x 206
or [email protected].
New Educational Materials From Michigan Dune Alliance
he Nature Conservancy is working
with local land trusts and other environmental organizations to protect one of
Michigan's greatest resources and summer
destinations: Lake Michigan's shoreline.
With funding from the Department of
Environmental Quality, the Michigan
Dune Alliance is working to protect dunes
and other coastal systems. The Alliance
recently completed new communications
tools, including five colorful fact sheets
explaining the components of the dune
system and a new brochure providing
options for private landowners interested
in conservation of their land.
T
The new materials proved handy for
many people who participated in the third
annual Sand Dune Day on May 19, including more than 100 people who toured the
Saugatuck Dunes site (see Priority Places,
page 13) with the Land Conservancy of
West Michigan.
Visit nature.org/michigan for more
information on the Conservancy's work
with the Dune Alliance, or to download
pdf files of the new brochure and fact
sheets.
Special Issue 2005 | Michigan | 15
World-Renowned Photography Exhibit
Opens in Detroit
Elizabeth A. Lowery, GM vice president of Environment and Energy,
handed over the keys of a 2005 Chevy Tahoe—powered by Ethanol—
to state director Helen Taylor, along with a major contribution to our
Campaign for Conservation. The exhibit, In Response to Place, ran
until June 26 at GM World in the Renaissance Center.
Battleground Point #20 ©Richard Misrach
he landscape of downtown Detroit expanded this past May
to include some of the world’s most spectactular mountains,
prairies, and rivers among its skyscrapers as The Nature Conservancy’s In Response to Place photography exhibit officially opened
at GM World in the Renaissance Center.
Nature Conservancy President and CEO Steve McCormick
returned to Michigan to join more than 500 people celebrating the
official grand opening. The exhibit featured more than 130 photographs of ecologically sensitive areas protected by the Conservancy
worldwide. Images were taken by some of the world’s most
renowned photographers, including Annie Leibovitz and William
Wegman.
“For many, these pictures will be the only opportunity to see
these places,” said State Director Helen Taylor. “But as we continue our conservation efforts worldwide and here in Michigan, we
are ensuring that images will not be the only thing that remains.”
The exhibit ran through June 26 thanks to generous support by
presenting sponsor Merrill Lynch and official sponsors Cadillac,
Georgia-Pacific Corporation, MBNA America, Millstone Coffee
and 3M, with additional funding from GMAC for the Detroit
exhibit.
© Lynne A. Brown
T
Wish List • Wish List • Wish
Visit:
http://nature.org/michigan
for more information
If you’d like to grant any of our “wishes,”
please contact Stacey Molenda at
(517) 316-0300 or by e-mail at:
[email protected]. Thank you!
• All-terrain vehicle for spraying tree
seedlings and taking soil samples
• Book: Birds of Ohio
• Digital camera: 2003 model or newer
• Gift certificates to give volunteers
• GPS (global positioning system)
units
• Hip waders: men’s size 8 or 9
• Plastic tote bins: 25 gallons or larger
• Plywood
• Slide projector
• Tractors: 4-wheel drive
• Trailer: 8’ enclosed
• Vacuum cleaners
• Vehicles
• VGA projector
• Vinyl flooring: good condition
• Visqueen: black, opaque plastic
sheeting in large pieces
Who We Are and What We Do
The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities
that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.
The Nature Conservancy in Michigan is the local chapter of a global organization, The Nature
Conservancy, protecting natural lands worldwide.
Recycle your newsletter...pass it on!
Moving? Please send us your new address right away and
be sure to enclose your old address information.
Printed on recycled paper
The Nature Conservancy in Michigan
101 East Grand River
Lansing, MI 48906-4348
(517) 316-0300
Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #488
Lansing, MI