Spring/Summer 2013 - Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy

Landscapes
www.SWMLC.orgSpring/Summer 2013Vol. 21, No. 1
Natural Communities for an Urban Community
The Benefits of Bow in the Clouds Preserve
Working in cooperation with the Kalamazoo Fire Marshall, SWMLC uses prescribed fire to deter invasive buckthorn and restore
natural community health to Bow in the Clouds Preserve. Here, David Mindell, leader of the professional burn crew from PlantWise,
lights the head fire from the boardwalk at our burn last fall. Photo by Nate Fuller.
T
he sedge meadow of Bow in the Clouds Preserve
experienced fire for the first time in several generations
last fall. In some ways, it was the culmination of over
two years of hard work, cutting back invasive shrubs to a point
where native sedges could grow thick enough to carry a fire.
In another way, it marked the beginning of the next phase of
stewardship at this urban preserve.
“During the past five years, volunteers have cleared
invasive brush, a seasonal crew funded by grants with the
Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Kalamazoo
Community Foundation opened up savanna and sedge
meadow habitat, and the Kalamazoo Nature Center brought
in a stewardship crew to treat invasive hybrid cattails,” stated
Nate Fuller, SWMLC conservation and stewardship director.
(continued on next page)
Mission, Vision, p. 2 • Meet Kristin, p. 3 • Ford Farm Conservation Easement, pp. 4-5 • Glen and Edite Walter, p. 6
Jeptha Lake Conservation Efforts, p. 7 • Stewardship for Habitat Resiliency, pp. 8-9 • Upcoming Workdays, p. 10
The Celery Pond Stands, p. 11 • St. Joe River Watershed, pp. 12-13 • 2012 Donors, pp. 14-18 • Thank You, pp. 18-19
Keeping Our Beaches Beautiful, pp. 20-21 • Monarchs, Milkweed and Clare, p. 22 • 2012 Year-End Report, p. 23
(continued from front page)
S
Mission Statement
WMLC conserves ecologically important and scenic
landscapes that give our region its natural character —
now and for generations to come.
SWMLC seeks to:
• Safeguard natural areas, open spaces, and waterways
through gifts and purchases of land and conservation
easements;
• Strategically identify ecologically important areas to
protect and steward through conservation planning;
• Encourage broad, public participation in conservation
through a nonpartisan, nonadversarial approach;
• Provide places where people can recreate, reflect, and
grow in their knowledge and love of the natural world; and
• Preserve and restore natural areas so they can sustain
ecological diversity and function.
S
Vision
WMLC envisions a southwest Michigan that is
environmentally healthy, economically vibrant, and
naturally beautiful.
SWMLC received the National Land Trust Excellence
Award in 2010 for its pioneering work in conservation.
www.SWMLC.org
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“And later this summer, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
will assist us in “un-ditching” portions of the wetlands, taking
the habitat from good to excellent!”
Urban Setting. Within the Kalamazoo city limits,
tucked behind the former Nazareth College, are 60 acres of
forest and wetland threaded by Spring Valley Creek. It’s a
pocket paradise that’s invisible from the road, sheltered by
timbered ravines and blissfully set apart from the clamor of
urban life.
“It’s hard to believe you’re just steps away from the city
with the soothing sound of the crystal clear water flowing in
the oxbows of the creek. And there are always birds singing
— it doesn’t matter what time of year it is,” said Kristin
Schinske, SWMLC program assistant. “It really is a special
place, and it’s wonderful we’re able to share this unique
natural area with the community.”
The public preserve was donated to SWMLC by The
Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in 2007. It’s a place
where visitors can traverse a lush wetland from the relative
comfort of a 1,000-foot boardwalk. Or hike on a mile of foot
paths, including a footbridge over a rushing stream where
students from Spring Valley Elementary School often hunt for
tadpoles and crayfish.
Raising the Bar. Having a high-quality natural
community in an urban setting offers a rare opportunity
to raise the bar for the public’s natural area understanding
and appreciation. For the vast majority of people, all “green
space” is equal in their eyes. Whether an area is a thicket of
invasive shrubs really has no relevance to their daily lives —
or does it?
Natural areas have the potential to impact a community’s
quality of life in a number of different ways, through things
like water quality, pollution absorption, sound and light
levels, wildlife, scenery, and many other components of
our daily lives. There is also a safety and comfort factor to
stewarding our natural areas. Native shrubs rarely grow in
extensive, dense thickets that the invasive honeysuckle and
buckthorn brush create, leaving people feeling crowded and
vulnerable.
And then there are the harder to define services that
come from simply having a natural area accessible to a
community to explore and enjoy. What is the value of giving
a child the experience of flipping rocks to find critters in a
crystal clear stream? Or of watching a box turtle peek back at
you from the thick leaves of a skunk cabbage?
“I still remember how excited my three-year-old son was
to find fox tracks along the boardwalk this winter,” said Fuller.
“He started chattering on and on about foxes and rabbits
so fast, I couldn’t understand a thing he said as we followed
the tracks as far as we could. I was so pleased we both got
to experience that. And it wasn’t at some far off, almost
mythical, kind of land that I think people
tend to imagine wildlife lives in. It was
just a few minutes from our front door.”
Improved Access. One of the
challenges for this special place has been
accessing the trail system. You not only
had to know it was there, you had to
navigate through the Nazareth Campus
and find a place to park that was not an
imposition to the surrounding businesses.
And once you found a trail head, you
were greeted by a three-story flight of
stairs down the hillside.
SWMLC is very excited that this will
soon be changing. With support from
the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, Bow
in the Clouds Preserve will be getting its
own parking area that provides universal
access to the preserve.
“The Bow in the Clouds Preserve
excited the Gilmore Foundation’s staff
and board as an opportunity to support
a community building project in the
east side of Kalamazoo, one not merely
centered in nature but so focused on
people via educational and recreational
activities made available to all,” stated
Rick Hughey, the Gilmore Foundation’s
CEO and executive vice president.
SWMLC is working with the
Disability Network Southwest Michigan
and the landscape architecture firm of
O’Boyle, Cowell, Blalock & Associates
to assess the existing trail system and
determine how it could be improved to
allow every visitor to experience what
Bow in the Clouds Preserve has to offer.
With a safe and accessible entrance
to the preserve, the preserve has the
potential to become a valuable resource
to surrounding communities. For many,
it will simply be a beautiful place to take a
walk and let children play and explore.
Going Forward with the
Community. Bow in the Clouds
Preserve has long been appreciated for
its natural values. Sr. Ginny Jones spent
decades bringing students and scouts into
the property’s woods and wetlands. In
2011, the City of Kalamazoo adopted a
resolution acknowledging the preserve’s
value to the greater community. But the
true value of this resource is just
Meet Kristin
A
southwest Michigan native, having
grown up in Sister Lakes, Kristin
Schinske, SWMLC program assistant,
is excited to be working to conserve and
improve the lands and waters of “her
own backyard.” Though Kristin has
always had an appreciation for nature,
she had planned to study journalism
in college — but, after taking a few
environmental science courses, she
soon realized she wanted to explore the
conservation field.
Kristin earned her bachelor’s degree
from Western Michigan University in
2010, double majoring in geography
and environmental studies. She worked
for WMU’s Natural Areas Program for
two years, where she was involved in
everything from coordinating volunteers
and growing native plants to writing land
management plans, GIS mapping, and
web design.
Kristin began working part-time on
SWMLC’s stewardship crew in August
2011, focusing mainly on our Sustain
Our Great Lakes (SOGL) project which
beginning to blossom — there is so much
potential.
Currently, SWMLC is engaging
community groups within the eastside
neighborhood to examine how we can
better share this natural area and fully
develop it as a community resource.
Might there be a community garden
component? Is there potential for
youth leadership programming in the
ongoing restoration of the preserve?
How do we promote passive recreation
and encountering nature to the broader
public while caring for its ecological
values?
During the next several years, we
will be asking these questions and more,
seeking to understand and identify all of
the opportunities available so that we can
share this wonderful gift.
It is our belief that Bow in the
Clouds Preserve will become one of
SWMLC’s most visited preserves
and a great resource for learning and
appreciating healthy, natural areas.
— SWMLC Staff
involved documenting and treating
invasive plants in the Lake Michigan
coastal region. After recognizing
Kristin’s strong work ethic and diverse
skill set, we hired her full time in
October 2012 to continue stewardship
work, as well as provide support to
other programs within the organization.
Kristin is an excellent photographer
and writer, and provides SWMLC with
material for our website (including our
blog) and Facebook.
Kristin loves to be outdoors, and
feels blessed that she is able to assist
SWMLC in its overall mission and
educate others about the beautiful
southwest Michigan landscape.
(Photo of Kristin with her Siberian husky,
Kira, taken by Aris Adams.)
3
Inez Ford: One Exceptional Woman
Conserving the History and the Land of Ford Farm
The History of Ford Farm
Ford Farm began its life under
cultivation in 1838 when John
Marshall purchased the 198-acre
property via a land grant from
the United States government.
However, it was John’s brother,
Robert, who homesteaded the farm
in 1842 and eventually passed the
land to his grandson, Robert S.
Marshall. In 1911, Earl and Inez
(Searles) Ford purchased the land
from Robert, Inez’s cousin. This was
where Earl and Inez would start their life
together in rural Barry County.
At the time, the property contained
a modest log cabin and barn situated
by a lake named after the original
owners. With plans for a large family,
Earl and Inez replaced the cabin with
a big farmhouse, and the old peg barn
was disassembled and moved a half
mile south to its present location near
Hickory Road on the hill at Ford Farm.
The couple had three children: Maurice
kept all of her old kerosene lamps from
the time before electricity for just such an
occasion.
Shortly after Earl’s passing,
Inez’s bachelor brother Maurice, a
carpenter by trade, came to live with
her and help run the farm. They
used horses and a hand-held plow to
work the field; the first tractor was
not purchased and used on the farm
until 1941. One evening, before
the days of the tractor, there was an
impending storm. Maurice needed to get
the hay off the field as quickly as possible,
and Inez ran out to help guide the horsedrawn rake, getting it off the field and
stored before getting soaked.
The area presently under cultivation
has been consistently farmed since the
1950s, with the exception of the ten acres
on the northwest hill behind the lake.
The farm horse disliked walking over the
bridge to get to those ten acres, and the
area eventually became too hard to plow.
Today, there’s no evidence of the bridge,
and that corner of the property has
grown into a young forest.
Most everything they ate was grown
on the farm, and Inez had a big garden,
an apple orchard, and a peach tree here
and there. She was especially known
for her gigantic spring-time servings
of strawberry shortcake with fresh
strawberries from her garden, and the
best biscuits in the world that could not
be duplicated since the recipe was never
written down.
Inez lived in a time when community
harvest was the custom. Men worked
hard, and women cooked huge noontime
meals of fried chicken, mashed potatoes,
pickled beets, and homemade bread
and pies, while neighbor kids played
together. Two big wash tubs of water were
available for cleaning up, and the last
person to wash was stuck using the black,
dirty water!
Their primary motivation was
to conserve this centennial farm
that has 175 years of
family history.
(Sonny) and twins Wilma and Thelma.
When Inez was three months pregnant
with their fourth child, Eloise, Earl
contracted cholera. Earl was making
a slow recovery, and when the visiting
doctor accidentally brought scarlet fever
from a sick neighbor, Earl was too weak
to fight it. He died without ever meeting
Eloise.
A single woman raising four children
on the farm, Inez was one tough lady
— a force to be
reckoned with.
The local police
department
called her “Dead
Eye Inez” due to
her exceptional
shooting skills.
Apparently, she
was trying to kill
a starling sitting
on the electric line
with her 22 (it was
a hobby of hers
to help eradicate
this invasive
species), and she
accidently hit the
line and broke it
right in half — or
at least that’s how
the story goes. It
was okay if her
power went out,
Left to right: Inez Searles Ford with children Maurice (Sonny),
because she had
Wilma, Thelma, and Eloise. Photo provided by the Ford family.
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Eventually, the oldest son Maurice
(Sonny) took over care of the farm, and
later the farm was passed on to his son,
Russel.
When this exceptional woman died
at the age of 94, Thelma, one of the
twins, and Eloise, the youngest child,
became owners. Their goal was to
keep the farm intact and in the family.
They’ve succeeded, and Inez would be
proud that the farmland and natural
areas are now forever protected through
a conservation easement.
It’s been a family effort to keep the
farm going, and that spirit still exists
today. Thelma’s daughter, Carole, has
recruited her cousins to help, too. They
helped side the garage, offered farming
advice, and they still love to hunt the
property and hike back to the lake.
And now Carole’s daughter
Courtney and husband Jason Wiersema
Marshall Lake lies on the Ford Farm and was named after the original settlers. The Ford
are caring for the farm. Support and
Farm is in the Augusta Creek Watershed, one of SWMLC’s targeted conservation areas.
interest in their venture as a young
Photo by Emily E. Wilke.
married couple to restore the old
farmhouse and raise a family together
for research and educational purposes,
attended this landowner meeting in
on the farm was evident last fall when
including
another
quarter
mile
of
creek
October and were immediately ready to
a Ford family gathering turned up
frontage.
The
conservation
values
jump on board and protect their land.
28 people at the farm. Just as family
protected by the Ford Farm easement
Their primary motivation was to conserve
rallied to rescue Inez many years ago,
multiply by proximity to the MSU
their centennial farm that has 175 years
her descendants today take pride in
property
and
to
SWMLC’s
40-acre
of family history.
continuing the family legacy and the 198
Pitchfork Valley conservation easement
Over the next two years, SWMLC
acres known as Ford Farm.
will be working with other landowners
— Carole Smith less than a mile to the north, creating a
large
area
of
conserved
land.
in the Augusta Creek watershed through
Conserving Ford Farm
In August 2011, the Four Township
the 319 watershed matching grant.
The Ford Farm Conservation
Water Resources Council and SWMLC
On Saturday, June 8, we are planning
Easement is the first major accomplishwere
awarded
a
Michigan
Department
a tour of two private properties at
ment of SWMLC’s Augusta Creek
of
Environmental
Quality
(MDEQ)
319
the headwaters of the creek. Stephen
Project, protecting 193 acres of the
Watershed matching grant to purchase
Hamilton, professor of ecosystem
Ford Farm, over one mile of Augusta
development rights in the Augusta Creek ecology and biogeochemistry with the
Creek — a tributary of the Kalamazoo
watershed. Augusta Creek is recognized
Kellogg Biological Station, will lead
River, and half of the five-acre Marshall
by the MDEQ as one of the most
the tour. Everyone who attends is sure
Lake. The Ford Farm property is about
important, high-quality water bodies in
to learn something new about Augusta
one-half agricultural land and one-half
the
state
for
conservation.
Creek and our natural world.
forested upland with a variety of wetland
If you are interested in attending,
types. High-quality wetlands cover about In September 2012, the Augusta
Creek Advisory Committee invited
let us know and we will make sure you are
one-third of the property surrounding
approximately
20
priority
landowners
on the invitation list. Call the office at
Marshall Lake and Augusta Creek,
in
the
potential
conservation
areas
to
a
(269) 324-1600 or email ewilke@
including prairie fen and rich tamarack
landowner meeting to explain the grant
swmlc.org.
swamp.
and land conservation options though
— Emily E. Wilke
Directly east of the Ford Farm are
the
grant.
Courtney
and
Jason
Wiersema
140 acres held in trust to Michigan
and Courtney’s mother Carole Smith
State University (MSU) to be conserved
5
Solitude Secured
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Life Goal Fulfilled for Long-Time SWMLC Members
hen the time
was ripe, Glen
and Edite
Walter made good on a
promise they made long ago
to themselves and to their
land. Now protected under
a conservation easement
with SWMLC, the Walters’
137 acres of forest, farm,
prairie, and swamp stretches
out among quiet, bucolic
surrounds, where you begin
to sense you’ve broken
free of the suburban fringe
of Battle Creek and have
entered “the country.”
Roughly half of
the Walters’ land has been in family
ownership for 140 years, and while it
exhibits a familiar landscape among
southwest Michigan’s rural tapestry, it
also possesses many distinctive elements
— a prominent glacial esker, scattered
shingle oaks growing at their farthest
northern limits, kettle-hole wetlands,
a picturesque tree-lined farm lane, and
some of the largest, naturally occurring
dogwood trees you’ll probably ever see.
Glen has lifelong ties to the Battle
Creek area, growing up on the same
land he now owns, and both he and
wife Edite were career educators with
a shared passion for nature. SWMLC
is fortunate to have connected with
these two wonderful people and to have
assisted them in their endeavor. Here is
some of what they had to say about their
accomplishment and their property.
On the things they appreciate most
about their land:
Glen — The changing seasons, spring
erupting with bird song, that first skunk
cabbage poking through the ice. Our
land is a moving picture, and there is
always something
new and exciting to
see and experience.
Every time I walk
the land, a new
discovery.
Edite —
Any time of day
or night, I can go
out and walk and
there is solitude. I
can escape from
civilization. It’s
not a tree, bush,
or flower, but the
solitude, the ability
Top: A view of the Glen Oaks Conservation Property taken by
to escape and at the
Geoffrey D. Cripe. Above, Glen and Edite Walter.
Photo provided by the Walters.
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same time not be intrusive
where I wander. What
Glen enjoyed during his
childhood here, I am
enjoying in adulthood.
On their primary
motivation to permanently
conserve the land:
Edite — In the late
'60s, early ' 70s, I had the
privilege of knowing Dr.
H. Lewis Batts, a nationally
renowned environmentalist
and Kalamazoo College
professor. He gave me
opportunities to see natural
things, introduced me
to the concept of nature
and living with nature. And he has
influenced my life ever since. During
that time, word of the conservation
easement concept arrived in the Midwest.
Examples were shared from Brandywine
Valley in Pennsylvania and other
areas on the East Coast experiencing
development pressure. Around that time,
most of southwest Michigan was being
subdivided, and one of the most beautiful
areas in Battle Creek, with a pristine
stream flowing through it, became the
Lakeview Square Mall. After Glen and
I married and moved to the farm, we
watched areas with incredible natural
values being destroyed all around us. I
realized that it could happen here.
Glen — I grew up on this property,
and I spent much of my free time in
the woods. For me, the driver was
maintaining the natural state of the
property, doing what we can to see
that what we have here has a chance
for survival after we are gone. We’ve
experienced significant deforestation
all around us. I don’t want to see these
forests get butchered. This is living land
with an incredible history. We knew
what we needed to do, and today we feel
at peace to have fulfilled our promise.
— Geoffrey D. Cripe
What a Complement!
Hering Family Bolsters Lower Jeptha Lake Conservation Efforts
F
or years, the small lakeshore parcel
adjacent to the western boundary
of SWMLC’s Jeptha Lake Fen was
presumed more of a detriment than a
potential complement to the preserve.
An open area along the shoreline had
become a scrap yard of sorts, littered with
blue hazard barrels and creosoted wood
pallets.
This daily reminder of potential
environmental degradation, coupled with
lake-owner lament over a spoiled scenic
shoreline, inspired Chicago residents Jim
and Susan Hering’s acquisition of the 16acre parcel, which is situated in Columbia
Township, Van Buren County. Jim and
Susan additionally own 70 acres on the
southwest edge of the lake — forest land
they may someday protect.
Immediately, they cleaned up the
littered areas. In the process, they
recognized the considerable redeeming
natural values the parcel had to offer,
calling upon SWMLC to help them
expand the permanently protected
area along the exceptionally clean and
clear Lower Jeptha Lake. According
to the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources, the water quality
of Lower Jeptha Lake is impeccable,
and its characteristics make it a unique
find among inland lakes in southwest
Michigan.
The shoreline
along this
springfed, marlbottomed
beauty is
mostly natural,
courtesy
of limited
ownership and
development
— seven
landowners
share complete
ownership of
the lake.
The
Herings’
vision for
the property
started
simply, but
they quickly
developed the
desire to renaturalize onsite tributary
drains to the
SWMLC now protects 65 acres of land and over 2,500 feet of shoreline lake, improve
around Lower Jeptha Lake, a lake which represents Pure Michigan very shoreline
habitat
well. Map by Geoffrey D. Cripe.
threatened
by populations of Phragmites and
other invasives, and ensure that their
conservation improvements would
not be undone. They bring a wealth of
habitat improvement and management
experience to bear through their
Chicago-based company, Thornton
Equipment, an environmental
contracting company focusing on
ecological restoration projects, such
as stream-bank restoration, wetland
revitalization, and wetland creation.
The Herings’ conservation easement
expands the conservation area started
by SWMLC’s Jeptha Lake Fen, protects
high-quality wetland habitat on-site,
and extends the protected shoreline by
1,000 feet to the west. Their donation
of development rights also has been
leveraged as federal grant-match to enable
the protection of other critical water
resource areas in the region.
With enormous gratitude, we
thank the Herings for their actions
and management vision in the name of
conservation.
— Geoffrey D. Cripe
Building Blocks of Conservation
A widely known and regarded rule
in wildlife management: many
species require large expanses of
intact, unfragmented habitat to
thrive. SWMLC is grateful for the
opportunity to protect significant
land adjacent to parcels we have
already conserved. In 1997, SWMLC
purchased the 49-acre Jeptha Lake
Fen, which features open meadows,
diverse swamp forest, and prairie fen
with a boardwalk — the fruits of a
lot of skilled volunteer labor — that
lures visitors out into the preserve’s
namesake fen. One of southwest
Michigan’s more spectacular sights,
this fen is often transformed into a sea
of marsh blazing star in mid-summer.
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Stewardship for Habitat Resiliency
L
A Bumblee Finds Its Flower
ate last summer, bumblebees wandering through WauKe-Na discovered an unusual treat. In a small woodland
meadow, the flower specialized for pollinators of their heft
were blooming in profusion. These flowers — woodland betony
(pictured far right) — were not there by accident, but due to the
efforts of natural area stewards.
If we are to embrace the role of ‘steward’ for
our landscapes, what does it entail? What are
we seeking to restore, maintain, or change?
These are questions that blur the line
between science and philosophy. Science
offers insight into the complexity of
ecosystems and the way they function.
Philosophy offers the question of
what role humans should play in these
ecosystems.
An ecosystem is a dynamic
compilation of plants, animals, fungi,
bacteria, and soils that interact and form
relationships centered on the availability
of sun, water, and nutrients. Many of
these relationships appear relatively simple,
but under closer inspection reveal a web of
interconnected components that shift roles
depending on weather, chemistry, and chance.
Bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii, above) is a kneehigh blue flower that blooms during late summer in a few wet and
sunny places at Wau-Ke-Na. Often, people’s first response to seeing
it is, “That’s pretty; when will it open all the way?” This gentian
has evolved a relationship with bumblebees to be its exclusive
pollinator, because they are the only pollinator strong enough to
pry open the petals to get at the nectar and pollen. Bottle gentian is
a fairly specialized plant that requires the right combination of sun,
soil, and water as well as specific pollinators to grow and
spread. These complex relationships have been evolving
for thousands of years, and humans have played a role
all along the way.
Constant Change
The Great Lakes region has been changing
for thousands of years. Glaciers retreated, forest
communities shifted as the climate gradually warmed,
and prairies pushed up into what was later to be
defined as southwest Michigan. Even as a warming
climate altered ecosystems, humans were managing the
landscape. Fire was an annual tool to improve hunting
and foraging, maintaining open woodlands, savannas,
and prairies.
8
With constant changes
in weather, active use of the
landscape by people, storm
events, beaver damming,
unimaginably massive
flocks of passenger
pigeons feeding and
defecating, and many
disturbances we’ll
never know of, ecosystems
had to be dynamic or they’d disappear. The
important part is that the change was usually
gradual, and there was a rich diversity of
species to fill niches. There were opportunities
for complex relationships to develop, such
as a gentian, which needs a strong-man for a
pollinator and open wet meadows that thrive
when burned.
However, the change over the landscape
in the last couple hundred years has not been
gradual, and the pool of species available to fill
niches has been greatly altered.
Resiliency
When an ecosystem is healthy, it can support a wide range of
conditions and still maintain complex relationships between species
for long periods of time without significant loss. In a wet year, there
are plants and animals that thrive, while the more drought-adapted
organisms play smaller roles. A few seasons of exceptionally warm
and dry conditions will shift the balance toward those droughttolerant species. Healthy natural areas are dynamic and resilient
systems, rich in a diversity of species.
The world has been changing
forever, and there is no exact baseline
condition for land managers to aspire
to. This is why stewards are best
served to manage for ecological health
rather than historical conditions.
It was only relatively recently that
large-scale development, intensive
agriculture, and global exchange of
species began making changes to
the region’s fundamental soil and
water conditions. The impacts of
these actions are widespread and
dramatic. Complex relationships
between species that took generations Clearing of brush left the soils bare (above)
to develop are being interrupted
— but only briefly before the wildflowers
on many levels. Some of these
filled in (right). Swathes of asters, gentians,
relationships can be restored by
orchids, and ferns responded to the return of
simply removing the stresses imposed sunlight.
by outside forces. Others have been
animals that
permanently changed and a different
are long
approach is needed to find a way towards ecological health.
gone. Intense agricultural uses of that land have changed the site’s
soil and the way water moves through it. You could plant beech
Restoring Relationships
and hemlock trees, but it wouldn’t be a healthy forest ecosystem
Wau-Ke-Na offers opportunities to explore a variety of
anymore than a Hollywood backdrop is a real town full of homes,
approaches to restore relationships. In the case of the bottle
businesses, schools, families, pets, teachers, bankers, mechanics, etc.
gentian, the areas that once supported it and a host of other
In this case, restoration needs to start with the basics.
plants, insects, fungi, and other ecosystem components are simply
When starting from a severely degraded ecosystem, such
compromised by too much shade. Much of this shade suppression
as a corn field, a steward is best served by starting with the most
comes in the form of invasive honeysuckle and autumn olive,
fundamental of relationships: soil and water. Grasses are the
but some also from early successional trees and shrubs that once
most efficient at rebuilding soils and storing water. They can grow
would have likely been less dense. The simple act of clearing
quickly and hold the soil in place and begin the process of building
woody vegetation to allow more sunlight onto the ground has had
more complex relationships. A true prairie is full of as many
dramatic effects. Within two growing seasons of expanding one of
complex relationships as any forest, and simply planting prairie grass
Wau-Ke-Na’s wet meadows, the bottle gentian count went from a
and a few dozen wildflowers does not make a prairie ecosystem.
single individual to dozens. Along with it came all sorts of sedges,
However, it prevents the degradation of the site and provides a
asters, rushes, lilies, grasses, orchids, ferns, and untold numbers
starting place for native species to begin to rebuild resiliency.
of insects, bacteria, and fungi that can once again resume their
complex relationships.
Long-term Process
But when a landscape has been so altered that the fundamental
These efforts can never be quick fixes, and the best action
relationships between soil and water bear no resemblance to what
is always prevention of degradation. Restoration of complex
they once were, simply reintroducing historic plant species will
relationships is a long journey, and every site is unique in its history
have little chance of success. The corn fields of Wau-Ke-Na were
as well as present state. SWMLC makes an effort to examine each
once forests of huge beech, hemlock, basswood, and yellow birch
site individually for its history and potential and then restore its
with a diverse understory of forest wildflowers and home to many
health.
Stewards are faced with the challenge of working with so many
One of the fields of Wau-Ke-Na’s south tract before and after
unknowns that it can be daunting to even begin. There are always
restoration. While under active cultivation, the fields of Wauchallenges, and things don’t work out like you might expect. But
Ke-Na were shedding water, soil, and nutrients into surrounding
there are times when the results exceed your expectations, and you
natural communities. Prairie grasses and wildflowers were sown
get to witness the beauty of a restored relationship, like watching a
and have eliminated much of the erosion problems and wildlife is
bumblebee pry open a bottle gentian.
finding more space to live.
— Nate Fuller
All photos by Nate Fuller.
9
The Celery Pond Endures
Upcoming Workdays
SWMLC Helps City With Urban Conservation Project
All workdays below occur on
Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to Noon.
Registration is requested so that we
have enough refreshments and tools
for everyone.
Please call the SWMLC office
(269-324-1600) by the Thursday
before the workday to register, join
the carpool, or to get directions.
April 27
Chipman Preserve, Kalamazoo
County
Ball Peen Hammer Hands for
Restoration
Mowers and herbicides are the sledge
hammer approach to invasive species
control that is only appropriate for
severely degraded natural areas.
Better quality areas need a gentler
touch, but that requires many hands
— please lend yours! We need the
selective eye and gentle footprints
of volunteers to pull garlic mustard
from the highest quality woodland
sites of the preserve.
Around the turn of the century, celery was
grown in the marshy area of the wetland
near the downtown, designated as “Celery
Pond,” by virtue of its use. Commodity
thinking had arrived in South Haven.
The wetland and the channel thus became
property of private individuals, and later,
also the municipality.
— Excerpt from celerypondadvocates.org
T
This looks more like a fall workday than a January workday! Cabin fever brought many
volunteers to Spirit Springs Sanctuary earlier this year to do some selective thinning of
brush and small trees in order to help the hepatica and sedges thrive.
Photo by Peter D. Ter Louw.
May 18
Bow in the Clouds Preserve, Kalamazoo County
Picking up the Bluebirds’ Slack
The bluebirds have moved into the oak savanna restoration site
and are great at catching grasshoppers — but lousy at pulling
garlic mustard. The oak savanna is really starting to take shape
at Bow in the Clouds Preserve, but we need to keep the garlic
mustard at bay while the native plants become established.
Enjoy a spring morning under the oaks and beside the stream
as we weed out the invasive plants.
June 29
Spirit Springs Sanctuary, Cass County
Forest Floor Appreciation Day
With garlic mustard season finished, we can now take on
invasive brush! By clearing the invasive brush, the underappreciated sedges, mosses, ferns, and diminutive wildflowers
of the preserve will have a fighting chance. Enjoy the rolling
hills of this Cass County gem of a preserve and help us open
up the woodland for the sake of wildlife, forest health, and
lovely views.
10
July 27
Sora Meadows, Van Buren County
Brand New Fresh Wetland — Act Now While Supplies Last!
Sora Meadows was transformed this past winter and spring
as SWMLC completed its wetland restoration project with
the Van Buren Conservation District and Ducks Unlimited.
Come see the recently re-wetted wetlands, and help cut back
the autumn olive that persists along the edges.
he Celery Pond is a “place of the
heart,” with a unique history and
a symbolic importance to a city
that depends on navigable waterways to
accommodate boating tourism. Situated
a few hundred yards from the Black River
in a residential/industrial urban transition
zone, the pond offers a rare oasis of blue
and green among a downtown grid of
manufactured terrain.
An efficient natural soil and pollution
filter, the 22-acre Celery Pond happens to
be the lone remaining significant wetland
within the South Haven city limits, and
it has been the subject of land-use battles
in the city for the greater part of the last
decade. After years of debate, the fate
of Celery Pond was finally put to rest
this past December — its value to water
quality, wildlife, and as a scenic resource
forever preserved.
It was just a few years ago when a
group of concerned regional residents,
the Celery Pond Advocates, formed in
response to a marina development plan
that would swallow the Celery Pond with
it. At that time, several landowners had
claim to a piece of this wetland complex,
which also serves as the outlet for the
North Phoenix Drain, draining roughly
half of the land within the city limits.
With the help of the Advocates, the
development proposals lost momentum,
and when the city administration changed
several years ago, the focus turned toward
protecting the site to ensure it would not
be developed. The Two Rivers Coalition,
a watershed-advocacy organization formed
in 2008, helped convene the appropriate
parties to move the issue toward a
conservation solution. However, it was
the generosity of landowner Mid-West
Family Broadcasting that initially opened
the door.
In mid-2012, Gayle Olson, Mid-West
Family Broadcasting president, announced
August 10
KEKA Preserve, Kalamazoo County
Busier than the Beavers
We can only ask so much of the beavers, and then we need
to do some management ourselves. While the beavers have
been busy in the wetlands, the oak woodlands of KEKA
Preserve could use a hand. The woods have responded nicely
to previous selective woody species removal, and we’d like to
expand our efforts with your help.
— Nate Fuller
A summer view of South Haven’s Celery Pond which sits behind a marina.
Photo by Peter D. Ter Louw.
that, “COSY Radio is happy to donate
our 12 acres to the City of South Haven
so that its citizens and visitors may enjoy
the Celery Pond’s natural beauty for many
generations to come. It’s clear that public
sentiment supports preservation of the
Celery Pond, and we’re pleased to help
make that possible.” The radio towers were
removed and, upon the city’s acquisition,
its council voted to enter into a declaration
of restrictive covenant with Southwest
Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC)
to protect both the donated land and
adjacent 10 acres owned by the city that,
together, comprise roughly 80% of the
Celery Pond wetland complex.
City of South Haven mayor Robert
Burr expressed that he is “grateful for the
opportunity to collaborate with SWMLC
to help preserve this unique wetland
habitat, which works toward the goal of
creating more park and public spaces. This
is one more example of the City Council’s
efforts toward developing a healthy,
vibrant, friendly environment throughout
the City of South Haven and surrounding
communities.”
Given its history of use, and the
nature of some of the surrounding uses,
the pond is not pristine by any stretch of
the imagination. However, as a relatively
natural system, Celery Pond has been
categorized as part of a “drowned river
mouth.” The site serves multiple wetland
functions, especially related to water
quality, but also provides suitable habitat
for diverse bird species, including the
state-listed black tern.
As summarized by Peter Ter Louw,
executive director of SWMLC, “The
Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is
pleased to participate in this collaborative
effort to protect this beloved natural
area in the heart of South Haven. The
conservation of these natural area wetlands
provide wildlife habitat and protect the
waters of Lake Michigan.”
— Geoffrey D. Cripe
11
The Modern Explorers of the Mighty St. Joe
A
Meeting New Faces and Discovering New Places Through Bi-State Wetland Partnership
s the earliest explorers must have experienced hundreds
of years ago, the opportunity to discover and study new
territory is purely exhilarating. Three thousand square
miles of Michigan landscape — more than half of Southwest
Michigan Land Conservancy’s nine-county service area — and
an additional 1,685 square miles in the Hoosier state drain to
the St. Joseph River before its waters empty into Lake Michigan.
This massive land area is the St. Joseph River Watershed (SJRW),
and it contains over 20 “sub-watersheds,” most of them largely
in agricultural use but each with unique natural areas and
conservation values.
The sheer enormity of the land base has made the task of
prioritizing SWMLC’s conservation focus a formidable one. To
date, SWMLC has created strategic conservation plans for the
Rocky and Paw Paw River subwatersheds, and has participated in
the creation of the Dowagiac River subwatershed management plan
— all to help steer our outreach and work. Most recently, SWMLC
made another commitment to conservation planning in the SJRW,
accepting a key outreach role in a bi-state, multiple partner wetland
conservation effort, which commenced in 2012 and concludes this
fall of 2013.
The holy grail of the project is an intensive study of every
wetland area throughout the SJRW, to determine the wildlife and
water protection functions they serve. The resulting dataset gives us
a foundation and direction to help us better understand the region,
to connect with a whole new segment of southwest Michigan’s
population and refine our knowledge of what is most critical to
preserve. We are the modern explorers of the mighty St. Joe and
eager to help lead the charge to protect more of it.
The Partnership
The project partnership was born in 2011, when the Friends
of the St. Joe River Association (FotSJR) received project funding
from the U.S. EPA, through its National Wetland Program, to
study existing wetlands throughout the 4,685 square mile St. Joseph
River Watershed (SJRW) and reach out to the people who own and
benefit from them.
The greater purpose
of all of this: protect
Great Lakes water
quality. The SJRW
is the third largest
contributor of water
into Lake Michigan
and has lost more than
50% of its wetlands
since this region was
settled.
The partnership
recognizes the
importance of a
balance between
agriculture and natural
resource protection,
and strives to uphold
that balance by
safeguarding the most
critical of what is left
and restoring historical
wetlands in areas no
longer in agricultural
production. Perhaps
not surprisingly, the
study reveals that
not all wetlands are
The above map shows existing wetlands and wetland loss.
created equal, that
Map available for view at Friends of the St. Joe River website: fotsjr.org.
12
FotSJR and Southwest Michigan Planning
Commission have also attended dozens of
municipal meetings to inform local officials of
the project. SWMLC will coordinate three
additional landowner meetings throughout
2013 in Buchanan, Three Rivers, and Colon,
Michigan. You can track these continued
efforts at www.fotsjr.org/wetlandpartnership.
Onward we go, where opportunities
abound. For the SJRW and its conservation
potential, we shout “Carpe commodum!”
— Geoffrey D. Cripe
Geoffrey Cripe presents information to attendees
at an FotSJR workshop at the Wellfield Botanic
Gardens.
Photo by Peter D. Ter Louw.
certain wetlands have a greater capacity to filter soil and pollution,
for example, or break down nutrients that can disrupt the natural
balance of its receiving water body.
Simply stated, the project is another opportunity for SWMLC
to continue advancing its mission in a strategic direction. It
empowers FotSJR and SWMLC, as a project partner, to begin
working to reverse the trend of wetland loss and to bring awareness
of conservation solutions to private landowners who own these
important wetlands. The larger dataset is useful to many end-users.
It equips land trusts, soil and water conservation districts, drain
commissioners, municipal planners, and even municipal public
works professionals to better safeguard wetlands and the functions
they serve.
What’s Been Done, What’s to Come
At the outset, FotSJR forged a strong partnership with
Indiana and Michigan conservation organizations to steer the
larger project, with SWMLC leading and coordinating the larger
landowner outreach effort. To date, SWMLC and partners have
convened three public forums: “Conserving Wetlands” held at the
2012 Branch County Conservation District Expo in Coldwater,
Michigan, “Wet N’ Wild at the Wellfield” held at Wellfield Botanic
Gardens in Elkhart, Indiana (photo above), and “Conserving
Wetlands for Water Quality: the What, When and Why in Howe”
held at the Howe Military School in Indiana. These three forums
averaged attendance of 35-40 people, with each featuring an array
of speakers and sponsoring organizations. Several conservation
“leads” were generated, with many landowners inquiring about
protection programs and permanent conservation strategies. Project Timeline/Tasks:
Phase I: In the first phase of the project, a landscape-level
wetland function assessment was developed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in conjunction with FotSJR,
creating data for every existing wetland in the SJRW. The result
was a dataset that determines which of 15 water quality and wildlife habitat functions these wetlands serve. Outcome: A wealth
of information to organize and disseminate for conservation use.
Phase II: In the second phase of the project, the project
partners dissected all of this data, added geographic attribute
data pertinent to the study, and ranked the wetlands against each
other based on their size, the functions they serve, and how well
they perform those functions. Outcome: A set of prioritization
tools that will equip land trusts, soil and water conservation
districts, drain commissioners, municipal planners, and even
municipal public works professionals to better safeguard wetlands and the functions they serve.
Phase III: Since the spring of 2012, FotSJR has been working in partnership with SWMLC and the Southwest Michigan
Planning Commission to accomplish the third phase of the
project. This third phase seeks to share this phenomenal dataset with landowners and those involved with land use and land
management tasks and decisions in their everyday work. The
partners are also sharing information about programs and land
conservation tools available for protecting and restoring wetlands. Outcome: Protect and restore thousands of acres of critical
wetlands and surrounding uplands in the SJRW.
13
2012 Donors
2012 Donors
The health of natural lands is critical to cleanse and protect our inland waters. In a real sense, to save the blue, we
must protect the green. The donors listed below have made a significant financial commitment to our organization
through their participation in our Blue Green Society.
Elizabeth King and Richard Atwell
Catherine and Dan Augenstein
Robert S. Baker
Frank D. Ballo
Mac and Susan Behnke
Chuck and Jan Benner
Carole S. Birch
Jim and Patti Birkes
Brian and Lori Bosgraaf
Sharon Boudeman
Sherwood and Sharon Boudeman
George and Pat Burgoyne
Mary Cary
Larry and Barbara Case
Patricia Chipman
Dave and Maggie Coleman
Shawn and Joanne Connors
Randy and Sally Crockett
Kalman and Becky Csia
Larry and Sharon Edris
Howard and Gussie Farris
Elisabeth R. French
John and Sharon Garside
Alfred and Jean Gemrich
Dana S. Getman
Florence F. Goodyear
Fred and Jeane Groos
Nick and Hanna Groos
Tom and Lisa Groos
Grant Funding
Keto and Kathryn Gyekis
Susan Houseman and Curtis E. Hall
Bill and Pat Hanavan
Blake and Mary Jo Hawk
Larry and Noel Hayward
Larry and Jerrilyn Holcomb
Mary and Daniel Houser
Joel and Barbara Huber
Kensinger and Alice Jones
W. Jack and Nanette M. Keiser
Rob and Donna Keller
Kenneth and Marlena Kirton
George H. Lauff
Charles and Phyllis LaVene
Robert and Joyce Leppard
Timothy and Joy Light
Tom and Pam Mansager
Jerry and Betty Mason
Hugh and Connie Mehaffie
Philip Micklin
Verne and Cindy Mills
Russell and Cleora Mohney
Bob and Kay O’Boyle
Michael and Cindy Ortega
Martha Parfet
Karen and Tim Pederson
Melanie Perry
Stan and Connie Rajnak
Joanne and Edward Rebek
EPA – Southeastern Lake Michigan Wetland Protection & Restoration
The Gilmore Foundation
Kalamazoo Community Foundation, Spirit of Community
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality – 319 Grant for Paw Paw
and Black River Watershed Management
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality – 319 Grant for Augusta
Creek Watershed Management
14
James and Lois Richmond
Patrick Sage
Todd and Amy Sanford
Carol and Robert Scallan
Lawrence J. Sehy
Richard and Martha Shaw
Joel and Jennalie Shepherd
Mark Smith
Tom and Nancy Springer
Lynn and Mike Steil
Peter D. Ter Louw
Rebecca Sive and Steve Tomashefsky
Paul and Che Shen Tomich
Maren and Christopher Uggen
Virginia Van Dalson (deceased)
Bo and Mel Van Peenan
Dave and Janice Varney
Bradley and Cheri Weller
David and Joan Wendling
TJ and Julia Wilkinson
Philip and Judith Willson
Jim and Maggie Woodruff
Tom and Nancy Woodworth
John A. Woollam
Jack N. Wykoff
Arno and Pam Yurk
Anonymous
North American Wetlands Conservation Act – Southeast Lake Michigan
Coastal Habitat
Sustain Our Great Lakes – National Fish and Wildlife Foundation –
The Nature Conservancy
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program
The donations listed below reflect
cumulative amounts donated during
calendar year 2012. Donations were
received as memorials, honor gifts,
gift memberships, honorariums, new
memberships and renewals, annual
campaign, year-end appeal, birdathon, land acquisition, stewardship,
monitoring, grants, and United Way
gifts. Corporate matching gifts, or
soft credits, are included in the donor’s giving amounts. We apologize
for any omissions.
$1,000 and over
Audubon Society of Kalamazoo
Alex and Kathy Bozymowski
The Burdick-Thorne Foundation
Nancy Malcomson Connable Fund
The H.P. and Genevieve Connable
Fund
Marybeth Pritschet-Davis and
John E. Davis Jr.
ExxonMobil Foundation
Friends of the St. Joe River
Association, Inc.
Jerry and Becky Gray
Hastings Point LLC
Kalamazoo Community Foundation
Kellogg’s Corporate Citizenship
Fund
Richard Malott
Henry and Martha Miller
Pfizer Foundation Matching Gifts
Program
Pfizer United Way Campaign
Samuel J. Qualls
Pamela and Roger Schultz
Tyden Ventures LLC
Christine Valentine
Lawrence and Sylvia A. Wong
Foundation
Anonymous
In Memoriam
Joanne Holden
Vera M. Wallach
Under $1,000
Judy Mayo and Sid Aaron
Nancy Acker
Elaine F. Adams
Jill Allread
Paula M. Allred
Amy Anderson
Dale Anderson
Jim and Joy Andrews
Charles J. Andrysiak
Ed Appleyard
Robert and Joanne Arvidson
Ned and Neva Asplundh
Erica and Ethan Aubin
Rob and Erin Augustine
Donald and Dorothy Ayer
Ralph E. Babcock / Wooden Toys
& Boxes
Phil Johnson and Mary Baggerman
Michael E. Bailey
Carol and Bernard Baker
William H. Baker
Bud and Judi Baldwin
George J. Balogh
Phyllis J. Barents
Charles S. Barr
Stephen and Martha Bartlett
David K. Baute
Thomas F. Beauvais
Frank and Arlene Behie
Sally Muniz and Vernon Bennett III
Ann G. Bennett
Gerald and Mickey Benson
Andy Gould and Vicki Berglund
Jill Berglund
Bijoy and Janet Bhuyan
Dave Foerster and Sheila Birdsall
Rodger and Barbara Bittner
Glenn and Dolores Bjorkman
Black River Habitats / Keith Kluting
William and Linda Blackmore
Suzanne Blair
Frank Blaise
Jack Bley
Barbara and James Blondia
Melinda J. Bloom
Norman E. Bober Family
Susan L. Bond
Karen W. Bondarchuk
David M. Boshka
Bosley Pharmacy
Sally Birger Botkin
Barbara Boven
Gilbert Bowman
Richard Bowser
Jane Brady-Ertz
William and Victoria Brander
Katy Takahashi and Richard Brewer
Bob and Gail Brickman
Jo Beth Bridleman
Rick Brigham
Bronson Healthcare Group
Susan and Tom Brooks
David and Barbara Brose
Donald and Mary Brown
Hugh J. Brown
Karen Brown
Robert M. and Susan C. Brown
Dick and Lois Brunvand
Fred and Sharon Buckley
Roselee Bundy-Hansen
Jewell D. Burdette
Burke View Garden Club
Dennis and Janice Burke
Dan Burton
Philip and Patricia Burton
David Butkovich
Richard C. Byce, Jr.
Robin K. Byrn
Ruth E. Caputo
Mary Ann Carey
Jon and Patricia Carlson
John L. and Sally Carton
Catherine Case
Marilyn A. Case
Kay A. Caskey
Peggy Cauchy
Teresa and Steve Cavanagh
Karen J. Chadwick
Richard and Joanne Chamberlin
Kristi Chapman
Len and Pat Chase
Jean Chope
Charles Christianson
Linda Clark
Carl Steidtmann and Kathleen Cline
Dan and Nancie Closson
Barbara Clysdale
Matthew Clysdale
Robert and Elizabeth Code
Thomas C. Coder
Henry and Becky Cole
Serena L. Cole
Carolyn G. Coleman
Devon and Jeanette Collins
Ruth L. Collins
Tom and Lynette Colmey
Daniel and Lucianne Conklin
Tenho S. Connable
The Conner Lab at
Kellogg Biological Station
Nina L. Consolatti
Roark Consolatti
Consumers Energy
Harry G. Conway
Harry and Mary Ellen Cotterill
Doug Coulter
James Coury
Patricia C. Crane
David and Erika Cripe
Geoffrey D. and Sarah Echols Cripe
Karen Halsted and Patrick Cronin
Randy Counterman
Alica N. Cummings
Donald Cummings
Bruce and Judy Cutting
Bernie and Beth Dahl
Jim and Jennifer Daniels
Nancy and David Daugherty
Ken and Teri Davis
Park Davis
Michele Cudahy and David DeBack
Pete and Mandy DeBoer
Deer Creek Open Space Assoc.
Alaine Depner
Carole Deutch
Pamela Dewey
Lucy Bland and Christopher Dilley
John and Judy Dircks
Al and Karen Dixon
Suzanne Dixon
Dave and Sue Doan
Brian J. Dobbie
Dick and Sharon Dodson
Michael Dombos
Carol B. Donnelly
Marilyn Doolittle
Sharon Doolittle DVM
Marilyn H. Dopp
Jeff Douglas
Ed and Karen Dzialowski
Keith and Peg Edmondson
Emily Egan
Nancy D. Ehrle
Victor and Ruth Eichler
Lisa and Nathan P. Eimer
Robert C Eisenberg
Trey and Becky Eldridge
Helen Elkiss
Marcus Clark and Lorrie Elliott
David and Nikki Elrod
Ted and Jo Emerson
Hans Engelke
Joseph and Nancy Engemann
Thomas and Bertha Erdmann
Randal K. and
Maria J. Romero Eshuis
Ann S. Evans
Monica Ann Evans
Fabius Township Citizens’
Coalition, Inc.
Judith Farmer
Howard E. Farris
Pat and Larry Farris
Ann and Greg Feldmeier
Lori Feldpausch
Lillian Fencl
Connie and Steve Ferguson
Joseph Ferrara
Kate Ferraro
Wilbert and Joyce Fink
1st Tuesday Garden Club
James and Alice Fish
Randall Day and Betsy Floria
John C. Floyd III
Elaine Fluck
Chris and Laura Fluke
Christopher M. Flynn
Elizabeth A. Fox
Karl and Gloria Frankena
Ann and John Fraser
Hether and Matt Frayer
John White and Sue Frederick
Freedom Village
Gabriela Freese
Garth and Sarah Fuller
15
2012 Donors
Kent and Jeryl Fuller
Nate and Erin Fuller
James A. Funke
Galien River Watershed Council
Donald G. Galow
Mary Rachel Garcia
René and Bill Garrity
Judy B. Gaspar
Eugen and Mary Gawreliuk,
System Components Inc.
Judith E. and James H. Geary
Betty Anne Geib
Matthew and Tomomi Geisler
Maynard Kaufman and
Barbara Geisler
Thomas and Barbara Keith Gelehrter
Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Geudtner
Geum Services, Inc.
Billy and Beth Gibson
Robert James Gibson
Paul and Janet Gilbert
James Gillard
Susan and John Gillett
Edith Gilmore
Jeff and Bette Glindmeyer
Loretta Gold
Charles and Nancy Goodrich
Matthew Gorentz
Bruce and Leslie Gosling
Linda Gosling
Elmer R. Graber, DVM
Great Lakes Adventure Club
Ed and Kelly Gregory
Gary Gross
Laurel A. Grotzinger
Richard and Pat Grupp
Pat Gudlaugsson
Ernest and Janit Guess
Jack Haeger
Pam Miller and Tom Hagadone
Kevin Haight and
Mindy Russell-Haight
Richard and Alice Haight
MaryEllen Hains
Dean and Cynthia Halderson
Linda and Charles Hall
Suzanne Sippel and Steve Hamilton
H. Nicholas Hamner
Robert and Sharon Handelsman
Ladislav R. Hanka
Bill and Kathy Hanley
Douglas Davies and
Tobi Hanna-Davies
Gerald and Lelane Hardie
Thomas C. Harkness
Donald and Ronnee Harrell
Barbara Hasan
Robert and Mara Hayes
Ruth D. Hayes
Larry and Noel Hayward
16
Jim Tobin and Gina Heagney
Phillip and Lynne Heasley
James and Mary Heaton
Phil Hecksel
Donna Hellman
Ed Henby
Erin M. Heskett
Ed and Ginnie Hessler
William and Cindy Hetrick
Jim Hewitt
Sherry L. Higgins
Jerry Hill
Cynthia Hingtgen
Susan Allen and Donald Hinman
Donna Hippensteel
Jocelyn and Richard Hodgman
Mark Hoffman
Rick and Mary Hoffman
Kay and Bill Hokanson
Allen Holcomb
Tom and Lauri Holmes
Susan F. Hook
Wayne and Sally Householder
Candice Gancia and John Howe
Connie and Fred Hubbell
Patricia A. Huberty
Patrick Hudson and
Gina Frasson-Hudson
Gunther Fonken and Agnes Hughes
Chad and Kristin Hughson
Rochelle Habeck and Allan Hunt
Donald D. Hursh
Bruce Hutchinson
IBM International Foundation
Vincent L. and Jane S. Iannelli
Anna and Carl Ill
Rosemary Insidioso
Dr. Terry Allen Jackson
Jerre H. James
Allan and Pamela Jarvis
Mark and Cheryl Jenness
Amy Johnson
Andrew F. Johnson
Rhoda Johnson
William and Deborah Johnston
Judy K. Jolliffe
Bill and Mary Jones
Patrick M. and
Celeste Chambers Jones
Sister Virginia Jones, CSJ
Wynn Harris Jones
Rose Jordan
Marie Louise Josephsen
Frank and Gail Jurenka
Jody C. Simoes and Katherine J. Kahl
Wilma J. Kahn
Kalamazoo Garden Council Inc
Valdis and Laila Kalnins
Thomas R. and Gail Kasdorf
Dorothy Anne Kasunic
Robert and Ellen Kaufman
Thomas and Susan Kavanaugh
James A. Keesler
Richard and Brenda Keith
Nancy A. Kellogg
John and Marty Kendall
Stephanie B. Kennedy
Judith A. Kepler
Susan and Robert Kinde
Doug and Kathy Kirk
Evelyn J. Kirkwood
Jacqueline P. Kirley
Susan Kitchen
John and Mary Kittredge
Renee Kivikko
Marilyn Kleb
Ronald and Suzanne Klein
Bob and Nancy Klesert
Kevin L. Kline
Paul C. and Joyce R. Kline
Mike and Carol Klug
Peter Kobrak
Nathan Koenigsknecht
Margaret Kohring
Jerry and Michele Kollig
Keith and Catherine Konvalinka
Victor A. Kordish
Kenneth M. Kornheiser
Rob and Ellen Korstanje
William Krasean
Pat and Cheryl Krause
Patricia Smetana and Thomas Krol
Jeff and Marelyn Krueger
Sandra L. Kuentzel
Matthew Kuiper
Lonnie and Sharon Kuntzman
Bob and Margaret Laatsch
Jacqueline G. Ladwein
Lake Michigan Beach Property
Owners Association, Inc.
Freya E. Lake
Frank and Joan Lamb
Chris and Mary Lampen-Crowell
Charles and Mary Ann Landefeld
David and Jan Landry
Andrea Lanier
Steven Leuty and Maureen Lannon
Cheryl A. Larabee
Roger and Barbara Larsen
Pamela and Lee Larson
Dr. and Mrs. A. Gregory Laurell
Gail Lauzzana
Linda M. Law
Sona Kalousdian and Ira Lawrence
Carol LeFevre
Peter LeFevre
Bruce Heustis and Marcia LeMay
Nancy S. Lee
Suzanne Stimson Leech
Amy Lehman
2012 Donors
Dave and Bridget Lemberg
Candace Cole Leonard
Richard Leonard
Brian Leppard
John Lerg
Mitchell C. Lettow
John and Maureen Lewandowski
Julie and Keith Lewandowski
Christopher U. and Margo R. Light
Douglas and Taraynn Lloyd
Linda and Paul Locey
Erika Loeffler
Donna and Ron Lorenzini
Joanne Lowery
Alicia Ann Luft
Sarah E. Jordan and Patricia Lutsky
Annette Lyons
Peter and Karen Maas
Paul and Gail MacNellis
Karen Macklom
George and Linda Macleod
Robert M. Macleod
Christopher J. Magson and
Bonnie Jo Campbell
Jacqueline V. Mallinson
Wayne and Dora Mann
Jim and Paula Marcoux
Mary A. Murray Martin and
William F. Martin
Coral Mason
David C. Maturen
Jeannette and B. W. Maxey
Judith L. Maze
David Jackson and
Margaret McAllister
Lester B. and Elaine McAllister
Helen McCauslin
Alice McCorry
Russell and Connie McFee
John B. McKay
John and Connie McKeague
Jan McLain
Mike and Cathy McMinn
Denny and Eileen Mead
Tom Mears
Susan R. Benner and John M. Meeks
Matt and Danielle Meersman
Penny L. Meints
Dan Collison and Elizabeth Meister
John P. Mellein
James and Amy Melvin
Mary Ann Menck
Merck Partnership for Giving
Bettina Meyer
Jamie and Phil Michael, Design
Group III
Dr. and Mrs. David Millard
Anna Mae S. Miller
William A. Minshall
Donald and Martha Minter
Anna and Gary Miron
Katherine Gross and Gary Mittelbach
Yolanda Mitts
Cindy Mom
Fred and Teresa Morris
Kate and William Morrison
Wayne and Karen Moss
James P. Motiff
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Alan G. Mueller
James and Beverly Munson
Violet M. Murphy
Jane E. Murray
Christopher D. Nagy and
Shannon Thornton
Doris B. Nathan
Amelia Hansen and Paul Nehring
David P. Nesius
George M. Nielsen
Fred and Audrey Nietering
Niles Garden Club
Sandra E. Nordmark
Jane Norton
Terry O’Rourke
Laura Strehlow and Walt Oberheu
Mark and LaRae Odland
Paul D. Olexia
David E. Olson
Layton E. Olson
Betty Lee Ongley
Anita Orlikoff
Joel J. and Florence Upjohn Orosz
Richard M. and Jerie Kull Oxhandler
William and Janet Paarlberg
Sally Padgitt
Anne and Paul Pancella
Sareen Papakhian
Rodger Parzyck, Heritage Company
Walter and Shirley Pascal
Rebecca A. Patterson
Jeffrey and Emily Pearson
William A. and Geraldine M. Peet
Lynda L. Pelkey
Janet H. Pendergrass
Laura A. Pernice
Ralph Pernice
Ann M. Perry
Kay D. Perry
Petal Pushers Garden Club
David G. Dvorak, M.D. and
Karol Peterson
Gregory Petty
Pfizer, Building 149
Gerald A. Phillips
Julie and Michael Pioch
Barbara E. Plampin
Robert H. and Mary Jo Poel
Wynne Noble Potter
The Presecan Advised Fund at
The Community Foundation
Serving Riverside and San
Bernardino Counties
Ken and Cyndy Priest
Molly Fairbanks and Richard Pulaski
Kathy and Tim Pullano
Allan S. Puplis
Mr. Janis Putelis, Jr.
Chuck Quoss
Kathy Rabbers
Phyllis Rappeport
Lee Redman
Valerie F. Reed
William H. Reed and
Leslie Lami-Reed
Eric and Martha Reid
Rentalex
Patsy Richardson
Donald C. Richmond
Lance R. Richmond
Rita A. Rifenberg
Beatrice C. Ritchie
Charles E. and Donna Lou Ritter
George and Louise Robeck
Eleanor Roberts
Philip and Ellen Robertson
Jean M. Ketchum and
Michael E. Robie
John G. and Maureen Robinson
Margaret and Dwyer Roche
Dr. and Mrs. William F. Rocker
Terry Hluchyj and
Richard Roosenberg
Judy Kraft Rowe
Mr. and Mrs. John C. Roy
Tom Ruesink
Tom and Susan Rumsey
Jan Ryan
Mary and Donald Ryder
Janet Ryskamp
Ed and Jan Sackley
Louise D. Safron
Mike and Judy Salada
Douglas Salerno
Barbara A. Rider and Fred Sammons
Saugatuck-Douglas Garden Club
Larry Saunders
David and Janet Scarrow
Steven and Karen Schada
Charles R. Schadel
Randall and Joyce Schau
Susanne L. Schipper
Robert and Georgette Schirmer
Schlessman Seed Co.
Beth A Schluckbier
Ruth E. Schmitter
Moselle and Steve Schoenfelder
Laura Andersen and Jackson Scholl
Robert Schram
William P. Schreiber
Jean M. Schroder
Janet S. Schroeder
Tonya Schuitmaker
Donna Schumann
Jennifer Schwab
Kathleen V. Schwegel
Lucinda A. Sebald
Rachelle Secson
Seedlings Garden Club
Rebecca J. Shank
Jack Shapiro
Win and Judy Shaughnessy
David and Barbara Sheldon
Howard S. Shelp
Maxine Sherburn
Beth L. Shirley
Craig L. Shumaker
Bruce A. Shurtz
Jeffrey Conner and Beth Silverman
Kim Sinclair
J. Dan Skean
Michelle and Steve Skedgell
Bradford S. Slaughter
George and Harriet Slomp
Tom and Ruth Small
R. Ann Smith
Carole G. and John C. Smith
Lawrence and Babbette Smith
Lois Smith
Marian M. Smith
Norman and Mary Smith
Robert L. and Carol Payne Smith
Thomas J. Smith
Fred and Ginny Snell
Bruce C. Snook
Paul and Pamela Sotherland
South Haven Garden Club
Ann Spaeth
Gary and Deb Sparbel
Ronald Spears
J. Glenn and Sylvia K. Sperry
Tom and Nancy Springer
Geraldine R. Statler
Kathryn Steadman
Dennis J. Stelzer
Sylvia S. Stevens
Jane Steward
Jerry Stewart, Native Connections
Joan G. Stewart
Joseph and Jennie Stezowski
Robert G. Stickland
Judi Stimson and Bill Myers
Ellen L. Harrington and
John D. Stodola
Diana and Houston Stokes
Michael R. Stoline
Donald and Beatrice Stoner
Ursula B. Storb
Phillip and Susan Stott
Bob and Kathy Straits
Marcia V. Stucki
Charles Stull
Richard and Mary Sutton
Sky Suydam
Robert Swaney and
Mary Stephenson-Swaney
Leo A. and DeVon F. Swiat
Larry Syndergaard
Donald T. and Linda Szeszycki
Dana Buoscio and John Szewezyk
Jane Ter Louw
Gordon and Carol Terry
Timon Tesar
William E. Thacker
Claren Schweitzer and
Thomas Thornburg
Gerald Tilmann
Carolyn and Gary Tolliver
Lynwood and Joan Topp
Michelle and Chris Tracy
Stephen and Irene Trivers
Ruth Trowbridge
Jean Tsao
Nick and Nancy Tuit
Roger and Jeanne Turner
Maren and Christopher Uggen
Roger and Carole Ulrich
United Way of Greater Battle Creek
Greater Kalamazoo United Way
Elizabeth Van Ark
Peter E. and Jeannette H. Van Nice
Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Van Zoeren
Barbara and Joel VanDyken
Carol VandenBerg
William and Carol Venema
Alfons and Joan Verwilst
Ann Videtich
Lawrence and Susan Vihtelic
Louis A. Villaire
Tim Wixted and Ana Clelia Vincenti
Kyle Vonk, DDS
John P. Vrbancic
Douglas C. and Karen F. Wagner
William and Susan Wagner
Joe and Holly Walls
C. Glen Walter and
Edite Balks Walter M.D.
James S. and Sheila Ware
Weavers and Fiber Artists Inc.
Fred and Cam Weber
Kenneth Weirich
Clifford and Margaret Welsch
Glenn and Nancy Wengert
Richard and Susan Westin
Westwood Garden Club
Donald and Ann Wheat
Sean T. Whelan
Barbara and Richard White
Bonnie L. White
Susan L. Whitney
Courtney Smith Wiersema
17
Wightman & Associates, Inc
Martha Otto Wilczynski
Emily and Brook Wilke
Bruce and Jeannie Williams
Deloris Ann Williams
Roy James and Donalee A. Williams
Melody and Dan Williamson
Genevieve Willson
Thank You
Welcome and Thank You to Our
New Members and Supporters
November 2012 - April 2013
Bijoy & Janet Bhuyan
Judy Bigney
Bronson Healthcare Group
Terry Coleman
The Conner Lab at Kellogg Biological Station
Sharon & Dick Dodson
Jack & Linn Dreyer
John Folks
Gamma Theta Upsilon/Geography Club
at Western Michigan University
James & Judith Geary
Gary Gross
Peter Kobrak
Nathan Koenigsknecht
Matthew Kuiper
Rebecca Lyman
Steve & Jane Marks
June Meints
Kyle & Jill Meints
Tobin & Morgan Meints
Fred & Teresa Morris
Anita Orlikoff
Philip & Ellen Robertson
Carol & Robert Schinske
Jared Schinske
Beth Schluckbier
Jean Schroder
Robert Stickland
Carolyn & Gary Tolliver
Michael & Rebecca Vasko
Sharon Gill & Maarten Vonhof
Barbara & Richard White
Thanks also to all who renewed their
membership, supported us through their
United Way program, or contributed to our
annual campaign, year-end appeal, and other
fundraisers. Our sincere apologies for any
omissions.
18
2012 Donors
Willson Insurance Agency
Michael W. and Linda Lou Winkel
Brian W. Winne
Elizabeth J. Winther
Carol and Bart Woloson
Nicholas and Claire Wolterstorff
Rachel L. Woodard
Dennis W. Woodland
Diane D. Worden
Andrew D. and
Rachel Parfet Worgess
Patricia Wright-Flessner
Jonathan Wuepper
Richard and Julie Wyrwa
Betty Hannon Yagi
George Yeager
Cyrus H. Young
Steve Youngs
Joel Zemans
Don and Sally Zenas
Anonymous
In Memoriam
Colleen D. Potter
Maryellen Hains
Tom & Ruth Small
by Thomas H. Seiler
Tom Seiler
Tom & Ruth Small
by Maryellen Hains
Bessie G. Mueller
Bessie Woolner
by Alan G. Mueller
Cynthia Hingtgen
by Cottage Home
The holiday season and to commend the good
work SWMLC has done in 2012
by The Conner Lab at Kellogg Biological
Station: Jeff Conner, Anne Royer,
Raffica LaRosa, Cindy Mills
Ross Stanley Powell
by Teresa & Steve Cavanagh
Son Stan’s co-workers at Pfizer Bldg. 149
Ruth Trowbridge
Rich & Julie Powell Wyrwa
Honorariums
In appreciation for a program given by Nate
Fuller, an honorarium was donated by the
Saugatuck-Douglas Garden Club.
Wayne Schoneboom
by Jim & Alice Fish
Nancy Mollhagen & Bruce Jaksa
by Pam Miller & Tom Hagadone
Bob & Joyce Leppard
by Brian Leppard
Leadership Contributions
The people and organizations listed below
made significant contributions to support
SWMLC’s program, land acquisition, stewardship, monitoring, and endowment funds.
We thank them for their generosity and
support.
Gift memberships were given to:
Judy Bigney
Jane Meints
Kyle & Jill Meints
Tobin & Morgan Meints
by Penny Meints
Paul Olexia
by Catherine Niessink
Harry G. Conway
Alica Cummings
Deer Creek Preserve Open Space
Jim & Alice Fish
Christopher Flynn
Robert James Gibson
Friends of the St. Joe River Association, Inc.
Deej & Hunter Leggitt
Dave & Bridget Lemberg
Rebecca Lyman
Richard Malott
Helen McCauslin
Henry & Martha Miller
Tim & Kathy Pullano
George & Louise Robeck
Pamela & Roger Schultz
Craig L. Shumaker
South Haven Garden Club
Dennis Stelzer
Bob & Kathy Straits
Christine Valentine
Elizabeth Van Ark
Bonnie L. White
Lawrence & Sylvia Wong Foundation
Rich and Julie Wyrwa
Steve & Jane Marks
Michael & Rebecca Vasko
by Cottage Home
Melanie Perry
by Arnie & Debby Johnston
Matching Gifts
The organizations listed below made matching gifts on behalf of SWMLC members.
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Kellogg’s Corporate Citizenship Fund
Merck Partnership for Giving
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Pfizer Foundation
J. A. Woollam Foundation
United Way Agencies
Greater Kalamazoo United Way
Pfizer Foundation United Way
Steve Perrault of Bend, Oregon
by Alan Baudler
Jared Schinske
by Carol & Robert Schinske
Donations were made in honor of:
Woody Boudeman
by Judi Baldwin
Jan & Dave Brigham
by Rick Brigham
Larry Case
by Catherine Case
Nancy & Dave Clark
by Mary & Rick Hoffman
Marilyn Doolittle
by Sharon Doolittle
S
Eric & James Gelehrter
by Thomas & Barbara Gelehrter
Alfred Gemrich
by Robert James Gibson
Marion Mostyn
Maureen Mostyn
by Monica Ann Evans
Phillip Villaire
by Louis A. Villaire
Vera Wallach
by Jim & Alice Fish
Business Supporters
WMLC is grateful for all the assistance provided by various business supporters during 2012, which allowed us to be
successful in our mission and which helped us to share our protected land. Thank you!
Berrien Birding Club for stewardship at Kesling Preserve
Black River Habitats for financial support
Bosley Pharmacy for financial support
Café Julia, Seasonal Grille and Love Your Mother for
hosting our Plein Air art
Cottage Home for assistance in many ways
Erbelli’s for food at our volunteer recognition event
Geum Services, Inc. for financial support
Great Lakes Adventure Club for financial support
Houser & Baiers PC for meeting space and financial
guidance
Nate Fuller
by Rachel Woodard
Adam Geisler & Anna Coyle
Nate Geisler & Carrie Berger
Douglas & Nancy Geisler
Jennifer & Dan Meyer
by Matt & Tomomi Geisler
Memorial Contributions
The following gifts were made in memory
or remembrance of:
Staff Sgt. Mark Schoonhoven
by Monica Ann Evans
T
Lake Michigan Beach Property Owners Association, Inc.
for financial support
Murdoch Marketing for assistance with our website
Native Connections for financial support
O’Boyle, Cowell, Blaylock & Associates, Inc. for design
and planning assistance
Sanford Financial Services for sponsoring our 2013 calendar
Schlessman Seed Co. for financial support
Wightman & Associates, Inc. for financial support
Willson Insurance for providing the space for our Painted
Sanctuary Art Hop Event
Woollam Challenge 2013
he J. A. Woollam Foundation has issued another $15,000
challenge to boost our 2013 fundraising efforts! The
Foundation pledges to match every dollar raised that meets
these requirements:
• New memberships;
• Memberships that were lapsed in the past year (or years)
and are renewed in 2013;
• Any increase in membership level (for example, an
existing $25 member who renews at the $50 level will have the
$25 increase matched by the Foundation); and
• Any donation greater than $500.
We hope you’ll participate and help make this year’s
challenge an even bigger success than last year’s. Thank you!
Our apologies to Dick Brunvand for misspelling his name in our last newsletter.
19
Keeping Our Beaches Beautiful
O
A Community Effort
ver the last year and a half, Southwest Michigan Land
Conservancy’s (SWMLC) stewardship crew has
traversed over 80 miles of shoreline and over 3,000
acres of foredune, backdune, forested uplands, marshy lowlands,
and everything in between — all for the sake of improving the
habitat of our globally unique coastal ecosystem. With each
push of a button on our handheld GPS, we painted a picture
of potential threats to the Lake Michigan coast. Over 350
individual infestations were documented. Looking at the bigger
picture, what does this mean?
We are not only attempting to document and control
invasives in our region, we are basically doing a “health
assessment” of the entire Lake Michigan shoreline by working
in collaboration with conservation organizations statewide.
Through various surveys and monitoring, we’re beginning to
understand which species are eradicable locally, regionally, and
state-wide and how the distribution of
these species is changing over time.
For instance, Oriental bittersweet
is pervasive in southern Michigan but
it is still in early stages of infestation
in the north. So although Oriental
bittersweet may never be eradicable in
our region, northern Michigan may be
able to eliminate this species before it
has detrimental effects. This is the first
time anyone has done a fine-scale survey
of the coastline, so a big piece of this
project is simply gathering information
and learning more about the system.
An organization can spend countless
hours fighting invasives or restoring
wildlife habitat, but if the people who
live in the community are not engaged
in the project, a large piece of the puzzle
is missing. The wonderful thing about
working on Lake Michigan is it isn’t too
difficult to find people who want to get
involved. Thankfully, one of our board
members, Jim Birkes of Fennville, has
organized a stewardship group to care
for our Wau-Ke-Na Preserve, located
within a priority area in the Allegan
Bluffs Region. It is comforting to know
that even if grant dollars disappear, there
are others who care about these beautiful
places and that our efforts will not be
wasted.
In addition to helping to care for
an important natural area, Jim is also
raising awareness about the importance
of a healthy landscape, which can have
a ripple effect on the surrounding area.
When asked why he decided to form
Northern portion of SWMLC’s survey area. This map illustrates how important it is to
have community interest and support. As you can see, the majority of invasives documented this group, Jim stated, “The Wau-Ke-Na
Preserve is a tremendous asset to the
are located on private property.
lakeshore community. It is important
Map by Kristin Schinske.
20
that it be maintained in an ecologically sound and sensible manner for
the enjoyment of present and future generations. A good plan, executed
through a regular sustained effort, can achieve that goal, and I believe
this can be accomplished with a group of resident volunteers who are
committed to the task.”
We have been working with The Nature Conservancy to coordinate
plans with partners all along the lakeshore. Together we developed a
list of invasive species to target. Of the nine species we are targeting on
our surveys, baby’s breath, lyme grass, swallow-wort, and kudzu are the
only species that truly fall into the early-stage category in our southern
coastal region. But many species could be considered early-stage
locally — meaning they may be widespread in the region, but there may
only be one or two instances of the species on a particular property.
So, in addition to eradicating these regional early-stage species, we’ve
prioritized our efforts in areas that include some of the highest quality
protected lands (state parks and nature preserves) that represent the
most important resources for biodiversity. It is possible that we
could eradicate many of our target invasive species from some of the
high-quality parks and preserves near the lakeshore.
We plan to hold multiple educational workshops over the next year
so community members can learn more about this project and how to
identify and control invasive plants on their own land. To follow our
stewardship crew in their field adventures, check out our stewardship
blog, Notes from the Field (http://www.swmlc.org/notes-fromfield), and visit our website for more information on invasive plant
identification.
— Kristin M. Schinske
A nice representation of open dune, free of invasive species. North of Van
Buren State Park, South Haven Township.
Photos by Kristin Schinske.
Have You Seen Me?
Japanese honeysuckle vine (Lonicera japonica)
in early summer. Leaves are opposite and flowers
occur in pairs along stems.
Phragmites or common
reed (Phragmites australis) in late fall. This
grass can grow over 15'
in height and sends out
underground runners
which can grow 10' or
more in a single season.
Typically found in
wetlands.
Lyme grass (Leymus arenarius) in late summer. The
lyme grass is conspicuously blue and is easily differentiated from the greener native marram grass.
Please join us for an invasive species workshop this summer! Learn how to
identify and control invasives on your own property. Dates and locations to
be announced. Visit www.SWMLC.org and click on “Upcoming Events.”
21
Take a Monarch to Lunch: Plant Milkweed
O
ver the last ten years, the
monarch, our best known
butterfly, has been in serious
decline due to habitat loss not only at
their overwintering sites in Mexico but
also in their spring and summer breeding
range in the U.S. and Canada. The
problem in Mexico is illegal deforestation of protected areas, increasing the
monarch’s vulnerability to inclement
weather. In the northern breeding range,
the problem is the loss of milkweeds.
To counteract the loss of
milkweed, Monarch Watch, a monarch
conservation organization based at the
University of Kansas, started a “monarch waystation” project, encouraging
people to plant milkweeds and nectar
plants to help preserve the wonder of
our monarch and its unique migration.
Of course, other pollinators would also
be helped by this. Local conservation
groups are teaming up to help establish
waystations in their communities. In
the Kalamazoo area, the local chapter of
Wild Ones has been working with Western Michigan University’s greenhouse to
rear milkweeds to be added to waystations sponsored by Audubon Society
of Kalamazoo, Stewards of Kleinstuck,
SWMLC, and others.
Waystations can be as small as a
flower bed in a suburban yard to large
areas of prairie restoration projects, the
latter providing much greater habitat
needs. Since the project’s inception in
2005, over 6,000 waystations have been
registered nationwide. Michigan is #1
with 518 waystations registered, while
Texas trails in 2nd place with 444. (As
the Texans like to point out, their waystations are “bigger.”)
But not all Michigan waystations
are small. For example, #36 on the
Michigan list is SWMLC’s 55-acre
prairie planting at Sand Creek Preserve.
With an array of four milkweed species
and a great variety of native nectar plants
blooming from spring into late fall, it is
a haven for monarch reproduction and a
great resource for monarch migration in
the fall.
Recently SWMLC has registered
14 more of its preserves as monarch
waystations. Some of the habitat was
created from scratch, like at Sand Creek
Preserve, and at other preserves, habitat
of already existing milkweeds and nectar
plants was greatly enhanced by removing invasive species. Already plans are in
place for more monarch habitat creation
or restoration at several other SWMLC
preserves to be registered in the next
year or two.
As SWMLC’s conservation and
stewardship director Nate Fuller
stated so well, “It is a great collaboration
between conservation organizations,
providing an opportunity for people to
be actively engaged in the conservation
of a charismatic critter that everybody
knows and appreciates.”
For information on creating
and registering monarch waystations,
visit Monarch Watch at:
www.monarchwatch.org.
— Ilse Gebhard
Monarch Watch Conservation Specialist
SWMLC Preserves that
are Monarch Waystations:
Bow in the Clouds Preserve
Chipman Preserve
Coldwater Fen
Consumer’s Power Prairie
Cook Lake Fen
Dowagiac Fen
Hidden Pond Preserve
Jeptha Lake Fen
KEKA Preserve
Marc’s Marsh
Paw Paw River Preserve
Davis/Pritschet-Davis Preserve
Sand Creek Preserve
Wau-Ke-Na
Woodlawn Preserve
Clare Maguire, our WMU intern during the
winter 2013 term, attended a workday at
Spirit Springs Sanctuary in the fall and found
an Acadian flycatcher nest. Here, she shows it
to one of our younger volunteers as Nate Fuller
zeros in to examine it. Clare is graduating
with a major in sociology and a minor in
biology. She plans to take a year off before
pursuing a master’s degree.
Photo by Peter D. Ter Louw.
22
I
2012 Year-End Report
n 2012, SWMLC successfully completed
In a partnership with the Ruffed Grouse
the Land Trust Alliance’s accreditation
Society (RGS), we purchased a conservation
program, and we are now an accredited
easement on the 285-acre Gun Lake tract,
land trust. Beyond being recognized as one of through funding provided by the USF&WS
only 15% of land trusts that are accredited, it
North American Wetlands Conservation Act.
strengthened many areas of our conservation
This former Menasha Corporation property
work.
provided pulp for paper. It consists of wet
At the same time, SWMLC’s board and
early successional forest, and the RGS will
staff undertook strategic planning to evaluate use the proceeds to hire a staff biologist in
our organizational and program areas for
Michigan.
improvement and growth. Through this
SWMLC continues to work with
process, we identified goals for organizational landowners who want to leave a land legacy.
growth and revenue generation, and fineIn Calhoun County, we conserved Glen
tuned our stewardship vision to increase the
and Edite Walter’s Glen Oaks Conservation
impact of our conservation work.
Easement, 137 acres of agricultural fields
In our efforts to expand our impact,
and forest with a buttonbush wetland. And
SWMLC has increased its focus on securing
bordered on two sides of the Allegan State
state and federal funding to assist in our
Game Area, there are an additional 40 acres
conservation work, which leverages your
protected through the Davis/Pritschetdonor contributions. As a result of our
Davis Conservation Easement, which is the
previous conservation planning efforts, in
second property protected with SWMLC by
the past five years we have been awarded over
Marybeth Pritschet and John Davis Jr.
$3 million in matching grant funding from
To facilitate a gift from the owners of
the USF&WS, MDEQ and MDNR. This
COSY FM 103.7 to the City of South Haven,
funding has allowed us to protect ecologically SWMLC now holds a Restrictive Covenant
valuable sites along the Paw Paw River, Black
on the 22-acre Celery Pond wetland. The
River, and Augusta Creek. In addition,
restrictive covenant allows us to enforce
we continue to develop and participate in
protections on the site’s wildlife habitat and
planning and outreach projects, such as
wetland and provide assistance to the city on
the St. Joseph River Watershed Wetlands
habitat management.
Partnership Project.
The sum total of SWMLC’s land
We are extremely pleased with the results protection work included seven land
of the MDEQ-funded Paw Paw/Black River
conservation projects protecting 750 acres
Watershed Project that was created to protect in Allegan, Barry, Calhoun, and Van Buren
water quality and wildlife habitat in these
counties, which brings the total acreage
two watersheds. This year we protected
conserved to 11,000+ acres.
two properties in Van Buren County: the
Along with the increase in the number
Robert Heuser Memorial
Conservation Easement,
Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Revenue
71.5 acres in Lawrence
Membership
Dues
$
Township, and the Hering
Contributions
$
Family Conservation
Grants
$
Easement, 16 acres in
Investment
Income
$
Columbia Township, which
Special
Events
and
Other
Income
$
is adjacent to SWMLC’s
Total
Support
and
Revenue
$
Jeptha Lake Fen preserve.
The Ford Farm
Fiscal Year 2011-2012 Expenses
Conservation Easement,
Program Services
$
which protects 193 acres
Grants
$
with one mile of Augusta
Management and Fundraising
$
Creek in Barry County, is
Total Operating Expenses
$
the first property purchased
Additions to Designated Funds and Land Acquisition
$
with MDEQ grant funding
Total Expenses and Additions to Designated Funds
$
as part of the Augusta Creek
Conservation Project.
of SWMLC’s preserves acquired in the past
several years, is an increase in our stewardship
efforts. In June, we dedicated and opened
Spirit Springs Sanctuary in Cass County,
the result of countless hours of hard work
by volunteers with the assistance of Waste
Management. This 123-acre natural area now
contains over two miles of marked trails that
allow you to discover the unusual diversity of
habitats in this preserve.
In July, SWMLC held a celebratory
event in South Haven Township at Pilgrim
Haven, where we unveiled the proposed
master plan to balance a natural area that
surrounds the demands of lakefront beach
access. All of the structures have been
removed except for the dining hall fireplace,
so the site is now clean and safe. SWMLC
has begun a second phase of site planning and
is assessing how to improve the site’s habitat.
In Kalamazoo County, we began work
on the KL Avenue Nature Preserve, creating
a new trail with PNC Bank volunteers,
holding several stewardship workdays, and
convening an informational field trip with
Oshtemo Township. And in the City of
Kalamazoo, SWMLC continues its public
use and ecological restoration efforts at Bow
in the Clouds Preserve, establishing a native
plant propagation garden with support
from WMU, expanding the trail system,
and performing a prescribed burn in late
November.
And, as always, a big part of our success
is your volunteer support, which continues
to grow and is essential to our work. This
past year, almost 300 stewardship and land
protection volunteers
contributed over 2,500
hours of time on a diversity
45,456
of tasks, including invasive
325,564
species management and
1,124,869
caretaking of SWMLC
213,825
preserves, monitoring of
11,621
conservation easements, and
1,721,335
evaluating proposed land
conservation projects.
Thank you for all of
493,211
your support of SWMLC’s
150,906
conservation mission.
118,161
— Peter D. Ter Louw
762,278
959,057
1,721,335
23
Nonprofit Organization
U.S. Postage PAID
Kalamazoo, MI
Permit No. 50
Board of Directors
George E. Burgoyne, Jr., President
Brian Bosgraaf, Vice-President
Mary Houser, Treasurer
Susan Houseman, Secretary
Jim Birkes
Larry J. Case
W. Jack Keiser
Donna Perry Keller
Philip Micklin
Robert L. O’Boyle
Betty Lee Ongley
Todd Sanford
Richard H. Shaw
Bruce C. Snook
Janice Varney
6851 S. Sprinkle Rd.
Portage, MI 49002-9708
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Staff
Peter D. Ter Louw
Executive Director
Randy Counterman
Land Steward
Geoffrey D. Cripe
Land Protection Specialist
Nate Fuller
Conservation and Stewardship Director
Pamela Weaver Larson
Communications Director; Landscapes;
Website and Social Media
Kristin Schinske
Program Assistant
Emily E. Wilke
Director of Land Protection
Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy,
Inc., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.
Federal EIN 38-3038708. MICS 10463.
For more information:
Write: SWMLC
6851 S. Sprinkle Rd.
Portage, MI 49002-9708
Call:
(269) 324-1600
Fax:
(269) 324-9760
E-mail: ConserveLand@SWMLC.org
Website:www.SWMLC.org
Like us on Facebook.
www.Facebook.com
Preserving wild and scenic places for today — and keeping them healthy for tomorrow
Printed with soy inks on paper containing 50% recycled content with 25% post-consumer waste
M
6th Annual Art Walk
entered to win an original painting to be
ark your calendar for Saturday,
raffled off at 4 p.m.
August 24, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Art Walk will be held rain or
Our Annual Art Walk at Wau-Keshine (but not lightning and thunder).
Na, William Erby Smith Preserve, has
For more information, visit our
become a true tradition, so help us celwebsite at SWMLC.org or call (269)
ebrate our 6th annual event. We hope to
324-1600.
offer something extra and new this year
(details were still being worked out as
our newsletter went to press).
The Plein Air Artists of
West Michigan (PAAWM)
will have 20 or more artists
on site again this year. Several
of West Michigan’s finest galleries will be in the Art Barn.
Self-guided tours will feature
signage to help you identify
native flora and fauna.
Ice cream and water
will be for sale, and free
wagon rides will be available
throughout the day.
PAAWM artist Kathy Putnam shares her technique
Purchase our 2014 Paint- with a visitor at last year’s Art Walk.
ed Sanctuary calendar and be Photo by Keith Lewandowski.