Winter 2012-2013 newsletter - Land Conservancy of West Michigan

Winter 2012/2013
Newsletter
Shoup family conservation easement
Protecting Pere Marquette River frontage and a family’s legacy
The Land Conservancy is pleased to announce a new conservation easement that protects farmland, mature hardwood
forest, and a section of the Pere Marquette River that winds
through extensive wetland areas in Mason County.
This 130 acre conservation easement on the Shoup family’s
property was made possible by a North American Wetlands
Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant in partnership with
Ducks Unlimited. This grant will allow us to protect, in
perpetuity, the wooded ridges that line this popular section
of the river.
We asked James Shoup, one of the property’s co-owners,
to share his insights into the property’s history and why it’s
important to his family. He provided the following account:
The VorderLandwehr Centennial Farm
By James Shoup, Landowner
When the land does well for its owners and the owner does well
by his land – when both end up better by reasons of their partnership – then we have conservation.” – Aldo Leopold, 1939
Once the farms along this river belonged to a man named
William VorderLandwehr. He brought his wife, Paulina, and
their large German family to the Weldon Creek Community
at the turn of the last century when the road was no more
than a trail. William was the maternal grandfather of the
present owners: Mary Shoup, Margaret Shoup Smedley, and
James and Donna Shoup.
The Land Conservancy has worked with this close family
to preserve 130 acres of their holdings east of Custer. The
family’s common goal has been to keep the property much
as it was when their grandparents migrated from Putnam
County, Ohio. Their objective is to keep the land of nearly
¾ of a mile river frontage, wetlands,
woods, and farmland sustainable.
Shoup family
conservation
easement
An area shaped like one’s glasses is
the unique portion of this easement.
The nosepiece is a peninsula called
The Point while the lenses are each
large bayous. Remains of a narrowgauge railroad bed and steep sandy bank, the rollway, are
permanent monuments to the logging days. Nearby on the
property is the location of a Depression Era CCC Camp.
Leading to this all is a trail used in the mid-19th century for
the travel of east-west traffic in Mason County.
On top of the high ground one has solitude in the midst
of beauty and plenty. Abundant wildlife such as eagles and
red-tail hawks nest and soar. Badger, bear, beaver, bobcat,
cougar, coyote, deer, fox, muskrat, otter, wolves, and woodland rodents have been seen at various times.
The Pere Marquette River is well known for fishing, especially fly-fishing the German Brown Trout. Yet it is the bayous
beckoning water fowl, enveloped by state and federal lands,
which make the property unusual.
There is something about the place, something that undoubtedly attracted William VorderLandwehr and has held his
descendants here. Six generations have remained in the area
enchanted by THE FARM – a spot one can turn to instinctively when all the world seems to collapse on one’s head.
The present owners agree, “Besmam and Bespop (Grandmother and Grandfather) and Mother and Dad would be
pleased to see what is taking place. We believe future generations will be equally pleased.”
From the Executive Director
In this issue...
From the Executive
Director
Where is your favorite place
outdoors in West Michigan?.........2
Land Protection
Protecting Pere Marquette River
frontage and a family’s legacy.......1
New bridge reduces pollution
and improves fish habitat..............6
Two new Newaygo County land
protection projects..........................6
Opportunities for Muskegon
River watershed landowners.........7
Flower Creek Dunes Nature
Preserve in Muskegon County.....7
Stewardship
Stewardship at the Land
Conservancy.....................................3
Battling invasive species.................3
The many faces of stewardship
at the Land Conservancy...............4
Calvin students do research at
our nature preserves.......................5
“Homes for the Holidays”
series kicks off.................................5
Donor spotlight
In memoriam: Anne Copps..........8
A new way to donate......................8
Bequest completes Flower
Creek Dunes project......................9
Matching gift challenge..................9
35th anniversary donors..............10
News & Events
Calendar of events.......................11
Join our Fifth Third River
Bank Run team.............................12
Where is your favorite place outdoors in
West Michigan?
My hunch is your favorite place is defined in part by
your senses; sights, sounds, smells, touch, and even
taste. Think of your favorite outdoor place for a
moment. What do you hear? What does it smell
like? How does it feel underfoot? How does the
light look coming through the trees (or reflecting
off a lake…)? Just conjuring a place engages the
senses in longing for it.
Favorite places are also defined by their restorative
character; the ability to prompt us to relax, breathe Vaughn Maatman, Executive Director
more deeply, see more clearly and think differently.
When I pull into the parking area for one of my favorite places, my senses engage
and the restorative character of the place pulls me physically and mentally away
from the latest problem brought to me by my computer screen, the latest intrusive
interaction, and the places I store tension – neck, shoulders and hips – relax and my
breathing deepens.
Is it merely the romance of nature? Not really. In August, the magazine The Week
threaded together several related topics. We have known for some time that we are
too sedentary and too attached to our devices. According to the New York Times,
“Internet use disorder” will be listed in the appendix of the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders. Newsweek reported brain research that our constant use
of electronic devices over time grows more neurons receptive to speedy processing
and instant gratification. The Atlantic indicates, “Americans now put in an average
of 122 more hours per year than Brits, and 378 hours (nearly 10 weeks!) more than
Germans.”
What is the cure? There is growing research that spending time in nature is important to our mental and physical health, right down to our chemistry and the way
our brains work. Richard Louv’s latest book, The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with
Life in a Virtual Age (2012), argues that the restorative powers of the natural world
boost mental acuity and creativity; promote health and wellness; build smarter and
more sustainable businesses, communities, and economies; and ultimately strengthen
human bonds. Supported by groundbreaking research, anecdotal evidence, and
compelling personal stories, Louv offers renewed optimism while challenging us to
rethink the way we live.
By the time you read this, LCWM will have two new nature preserves (see pages 6
and 7). A couple of more are on the radar screen. Why? Because the Land Conservancy of West Michigan really does believe that nature nearby is critical to our wellbeing, and that we need to weave our affinity for nature together with our day-to-day
activity and surroundings.
The next time you are tempted to fill an additional hour of your day with another
interaction that requires you to boot-up, tweet, text, email, or surf, pull on your coat,
comfortable shoes, and check out that park or preserve near where you live. Your
body and brain will thank you.
We’re moving!................................12
2
www.naturenearby.org
Stewardship
Stewardship at the Land Conservancy: What, why, and how
By Jacqueline Bilello, Stewardship Coordinator
I recently attended a Land
Trust Alliance
conference where
there was much
discussion about what stewardship means and how it is carried out. While most people are in agreement that stewardship involves taking care of their properties, many omit what
I think is the most important component of stewardship:
the concept that what we are caring for ultimately does not
belong to us, but in reality belongs to our children’s children.
Treat the earth well
It was not given to you by your parents
But loaned to you by your children
- Native American proverb
Stewardship at its most basic can be defined as the “careful,
responsible management of something entrusted to one’s
care” (Webster’s Dictionary). Here at the Land Conservancy,
careful, responsible stewardship means that the properties
we have committed ourselves to protect will be in the same
or better condition ecologically for future generations to
enjoy. In other words, we make our stewardship decisions
not just for our benefit today, but with the knowledge that
we must work to safeguard those features that make these
natural areas special long into the future.
To accomplish our goals, we take the following steps to
stewarding each of our properties:
Document: We carefully document features on the property
that are special and represent examples of natural communi-
ties found in West Michigan. We also examine the potential
threats – such as invasive plants, erosion, and misuse – to
those features.
Plan: We develop an action plan to minimize the threats to
those special features while maximizing the public’s ability to
appreciate the wonderful aspects of these places.
Action: Working with contractors, interns, and volunteers,
we perform the actions necessary to implement the plan.
Evaluate: We evaluate our actions to make sure that we are
indeed protecting and enhancing the natural features we have
committed ourselves to protect.
Education: One of the major threats to maintaining natural
communities on our preserves is surrounding land use.
Therefore, we provide trainings, workshops, and outdoor
classrooms for neighbors and communities.
Crew member Camilla Voelker documents invasive species.
Responding to invasive species and unintended consequences
By Vaughn Maatmn, Executive Director
As discussed in the above article, “careful, responsible
stewardship” leaves the land “in the same or better condition ecologically for future generations to enjoy.” When it
comes to invasive plant species, however, a broader, strategic
approach is required. Invasive plant species are no respecters of property boundaries. A regional effort is required to
protect lands with high ecological value. To that end, the
Land Conservancy of West Michigan sometimes engages
with other partners to address invasive species’ threats to
what makes West Michigan special.
Along with other conservancies along Lake Michigan’s
eastern shore, the Land Conservancy was a sub-award grant
partner of The Nature Conservancy on a federal grant
entitled Sustain Our Great Lakes (SOGL), awarded by the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to address coastal
invasive plant species. Within its own service area, Saugatuck
to Ludington, in 2010-2012 Land Conservancy crews sur-
veyed for three invasive species. The first, lyme grass (Elymus
arenarius), competes with native dune grasses in sandy dune
habitat. The second, Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), is a fast growing vine that overtops and smothers native
trees and shrubs. Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is the
third, and is widely regarded as one of the worst non-native
invasive species in the U.S. Japanese knotweed eliminates
native species by encircling and choking them out to create
a monoculture. Like many non-native invaders, these plants
are extremely difficult to eradicate and chemical (herbicide)
control is often the only practical option. The herbicide used
by Land Conservancy staff in the summers of 2010 and
2011 was approved by the EPA and applied using approved
methods by certified applicators.
Sometimes our best intentions have unintended consequences. In late the spring, the Land Conservancy began to receive
reports of stressed trees in certain treatment areas where
www.naturenearby.org
continued on page 4...
3
Stewardship
The many faces of stewardship at the Land Conservancy
Individuals, groups, and businesses all
come together to help us with stewardship projects on our preserves. Jacqueline, our Stewardship Coordinator would
like to give a big shout out to these
groups for all of their hard work this year.
SOGL Stewardship Team: Anna Weesies (team leader), Camilla Voelker,
and Allene Smith. This team, supported through the Sustain Our Great Lakes (SOGL) grant, surveyed and mapped
invasive plant species along the Lake Michigan shoreline
from Allegan County north to Ludington State Park in Mason County.
Landowner Incentive Program intern: Scott Jones.
Through a grant from the Michigan DNR: Landowner
Incentive Program, Scott worked at the Lamberton Lake
and Maas preserves to remove invasive species and improve
the habitat for the plants, animals, and birds that call these
preserves home.
Calvin College: Biology 123. Over the course of several
semesters, students visited our Lamberton Lake Preserve to
learn about the unique environment and perform a variety of
stewardship tasks including invasive species removal, purple
loosestrife beetle collection, seed gathering, planting, and
removing seed heads from invasive plants.
GVSU: Restoration Ecology Lab. The class utilizes our
preserves to learn management practices and to obtain hands
on experience in the many activities that they will encounter
in their careers.
Jacqueline Bilello with GVSU Honors College students
GVSU: Honors College students. Through our preserves,
students received first hand experiences addressing environmental issues such as invasive species and human impacts to
natural ecosystems. The students have also assisted with restoration efforts at Castle Park Reserve and built bat houses
for our preserves.
Holland Scout Troop 147. The troop provided help with
trail maintenance, invasive species removal, and trash pick up
at our Kuker-Van Til Preserve.
Steelcase. As part of United Way’s Day of Caring, Steelcase
volunteers visited our Lamberton Lake Preserve and helped
with ongoing restoration efforts including seed planting,
removing invasive plants, and helping move boardwalks.
Lowe’s. Local Lowe’s stores have donated construction
materials for bat houses, message boards, and a boardwalk
for our preserves.
New preserve stewards
Gabriel Smith: B.D. White Preserve
Tim and Grace Aldrich: Kuker-Van Til Preserve
Scenic Expressions: Several Kent County preserves
Responding to invasive species, continued from page 3
trees did not leaf out or leafed-out abnormally, further complicated by abnormal spring temperatures and drought in the
summer. Staff visited each reported site, and the Land Conservancy hired a horticulturalist from Michigan State University, Dr. Bert Cregg, to investigate what happened and how
best to respond. It will take time to know whether trees will
recover, or if restoration is required. This fall, soil sampling
was done to determine the amount of residual herbicide in
the soil, and soil will be sampled again next spring to determine the herbicide’s dissipation rate. This will tell us when it
is safe to undertake restoration, if it proves necessary.
The Land Conservancy’s insurer is engaged in responding
to this situation, and in addition to Dr. Cregg, it has hired
an arborist and Cardno JFNew, an environmental evaluation
and restoration firm, to help us plan next steps. Dr. Cregg’s
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reports, along with information about the effects of invasive
species and why herbicide is used in treating them, can be
found on our website at www.naturenearby.org.
The Land Conservancy is a network of people committed
to preserving West Michigan so future generations enjoy our
natural heritage. In all we do, and especially when problems
emerge, we are committed to being responsive and responsible. Our mission, keeping nature nearby, remains unchanged.
Land protection and stewardship remain the center of our
efforts. Our commitment to stakeholders also remains
unchanged. As with everything we do, we will utilize the best
environmental science we can in responding to this situation,
and our response will be consistent with our mission and
characterized by timeliness, transparency, and integrity.
www.naturenearby.org
Stewardship
Calvin College students perform research at our nature preserves
Castle Park Reserve
“First Year Research in Earth Sciences (FYRES): Dunes” at
Calvin College is an undergraduate science course in which
students learn science through engagement in research experiences focused on real issues in the region.
Last fall, a team of FYRES students selected Castle Park
Reserve as their project. They investigated the relationships
between dune characteristics and the invasive species Oriental bittersweet. The team determined that the dune at Castle
Park is active with some evidence of advancement according to the Michigan Dune Features Inventory. The team
presented their findings at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the
Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters.
This fall, a FYRES group returned to Castle Park Reserve to
follow up on last year’s research and further investigate the
effectiveness of recent restoration efforts on dune activity.
Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve
Another FYRES team will be working at what will be our
newest preserve, Flower Creek Dunes, by mapping the location of trails, vegetation, and interesting dune features. They
will then make management recommendations based on this
information that will help the Land Conservancy to insure
public use on the preserve will not negatively impact the
endangered pitcher’s thistle plant that is located there.
Castle Park Reserve
Wege Natural Area
Meanwhile at our Wege Natural Area, six Calvin College
seniors in the Investigations in Agroecology class (Lucas
N’bunh, Dan Meiste, Karyssa Schrouder, Miguel Sieglaff,
Kelsey Vande Vusse, and Taylor Fleet) are conducting novel
research with the non-native and invasive autumn olive to
learn about ways this nitrogen-fixing plant alters nutrient
availability in soil and water, and the impact of these changes
on other plants growing on the preserve. Improved understanding of how autumn olive interacts with the environment in the Wege Preserve will help with future stewardship
efforts of this and other area preserves.
“Homes for the Holidays” series kicks off
On October 27th, the Land Conservancy kicked off its
“Homes for the Holidays” event series with a bat house
building workshop.
urban areas where natural
resting locations, such as large
dead trees, are in short supply.
Two dozen people came out to the Wittenbach Education
Center in Lowell to find out the truth behind some common
myths surrounding bats and in the process learned some
fascinating facts about these amazing mammals. They then
stayed to build bat houses to put up at our preserves over the
next few months. Each family also got to take at least one
bat house home to put up on their own property. Bat houses
provide a safe way to attract and retain bats in suburban and
A special thanks to Lowe’s for
donating toward the cost of
materials and to Greg McKernan for donating his time and
equipment to prepare the kits
for us to put together.
A completed bat house and
the construction crew.
Fun facts about bats.
Myth: Bats are rodents. Fact: Bats are not rodents, and are in fact more closely related to humans than to rodents.
Myth: Bats drink blood. Fact: Most bats are insectivores with a single bat able to eat more than 1,000 mosquitoes per hour.
Myth: Bats are blind. Fact: Bats see about as well as humans, but since they hunt at night, they use echolocation to find their prey.
Myth: Bats want to fly in your hair. Fact: Bats do not want to fly in your hair, but do like to inhabit buildings where they can come in
contact with humans.
Myth: Bats have rabies. Fact: Only about five percent of bats test positive for the rabies virus. Bats are one of only a few mammals
that can develop immunity to the disease.
www.naturenearby.org
5
Land Protection
New bridge reduces pollution and improves fish habitat
Cobmoosa Creek (a
tributary to the North
Branch of the White
Pierce Road
River) in Oceana
bridge at
Cobmoosa Creek
County now boasts
cleaner water and a
more fish-friendly
habitat. This is due to
the building of a new bridge over the creek at
Pierce Road.
The bridge replaces a corrugated steel culvert.
Many rural streams and creeks were spanned
by roads and intersected by culverts in the
The Pierce Road stream crossing: before and after the bridge construction.
20th century to simply get to the other side
“perched” which segments the stream and prevents many
without much thought to stream habitat. Because of
fish from moving upstream.
that, many of the water bodies were “channelized” through
corrugated culverts and then gravel and dirt was filled in
The new Pierce Road bridge was made possible by grant
around these culverts to create level road surface for passage
funding and a partnership between the Land Conservancy,
over the creek.
Department of Environmental Quality, and the Oceana
County Road Commission. The Oceana County Road ComMany of these stream crossings are now adding sediment to
mission has also led the efforts with the U.S. Forest Service
the water. The sediment is a heavy polluter to the habitat
and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to replace five other
because it covers fish spawning habitat in gravel or cobbled
culverts in the past two years, with two more replacements
areas. Another problem with culverts is that they are often
planned for 2013.
Two new Newaygo County land protection projects
Stay tuned for more information on these projects.
New nature preserve:
This 120 acre property will be our 15th nature
preserve and our first in Newaygo County. Two
different wetland areas frame the property that
also shares two boundaries with the U.S. Forest
Service.
6
Conservation
easement
Nature
preserve
www.naturenearby.org
New conservation easement:
This 215 acre property will be protected as a conservation easement. The conservation easement
will protect ¾ of a mile of property on both sides
of the Little South Branch of the Pere Marquette
River and extensive wetlands.
Land Protection
Grant provides opportunities for Muskegon River watershed landowners
The Land Conservancy is proud to
be part of a collaborative effort that
was recently awarded a grant from
the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
(GLRI). Led by the Muskegon River
Muskegon River
watershed
Watershed Assembly (MRWA), this
two-year grant will allow the project
partners to focus restoration, preservation, and outreach efforts on critical lands in the Muskegon River watershed.
The Land Conservancy’s sub-award grant will allow us to
work with conservation-minded landowners in the lower
Muskegon River watershed. The landowners will be offered
the opportunity to protect their natural land through purchased conservation easements.
This work follows from a remarkable partnership between
the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Purdue University, Grand Valley State University, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. They produced an
ecological model for the Muskegon River that is the first to
address how climate change will likely affect local hydrology.
Their model shows that climate change will increase the
number and intensity of flood events, causing more streambank erosion and sedimentation. Their report recommends
the preservation and restoration of natural habitats along the
river, which allows floodwaters to spread out, slow down,
and drop some of its sediment.
The Land Conservancy has been preserving river corridor
Muskegon River tributary. Photo credit: T. Ratliff
land for years to protect native biodiversity, keep streams
cooler with natural shade, filter out pollution coming from
adjacent lands, and provide habitat materials and food for
aquatic species. It is the cost-effectiveness of this approach
that led the researchers to recommend this practice.
We look forward to working with our project partners to
preserve the natural habitats that keep our West Michigan
river systems resilient in the face of change.
Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve opening in Muskegon County
By early 2013, the Land Conservancy will open
our 14th nature preserve: Flower Creek Dunes.
This project was made possible in part by a
generous bequest from Elizabeth (Libby) Getz
(see page 9).
Flower Creek Dunes is located on the shores
of Lake Michigan in northern Muskegon
County.
Join us for a guided
hike at 1:00 p.m. on
New Year’s Day to see Flower
this magnificent prop- Creek Dunes
Nature Preserve
erty for yourself. (See
the calendar on page 11
for more information.)
Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve
www.naturenearby.org
7
Donor Spotlight
In memoriam: Anne Copps – Longtime volunteer, donor leaves lasting legacy
Driven by a love of
nature and a passion
for conservation, Anne
Copps will be remembered for her quiet
presence and unwavering support for the Land
Conservancy of West
Michigan. Prior to her
passing this year, Anne
arranged to continue
that support indefinitely
through planned giving.
A resident of West
Anne Copps Michigan most of her
life, Anne was a great lover of nature, birds, and the environment. She joined the Land Conservancy in 1991, where
her willingness to jump in and help and her can-do attitude
quickly became invaluable to the then all-volunteer agency,
helping transition to a professional staff.
Over the years, Anne was a generous donor and served on
both the Board of Directors and the Stewardship Committee, volunteered at preserve workdays and events, acted as
a liaison with the Grand Rapids Audubon Club, and was
a tireless volunteer in the office. She was named the Land
Conservancy’s “Volunteer of the Year” in 1999. Our March
2000 newsletter proclaimed: “Whether it was packing boxes
for the move, stuffing envelopes, or working on the Stewardship Committee, we could always count on Anne!”
Former Land Conservancy Executive Director Julie Stoneman remembers Anne similarly: “Her great smile and readiness to laugh made her a real joy to be around. She loved
the mission of the Land Conservancy, and many people do
not know that Anne made significant gifts to land protec-
tion projects that ensured their success. She didn’t want a
spotlight, but gave her donations quietly without acknowledgment per her wish. And that was Anne – quiet, effective,
with a generous heart and a deep love for nature.”
“I can never remember a time when she didn’t go out of her
way to visit some of her favorite woods, creeks, or dunes,”
recalls her son, Tom. “Bird watching was a favorite pastime
of hers, but I sometimes thought it was just a good excuse
to slow down and watch the world around her. She believed
strongly in preserving the natural areas, both for their own
sakes and for the sake of the people who will visit them. She
was proud to be associated with the Land Conservancy and
their ongoing efforts to make sure that there are natural areas
in West Michigan to be enjoyed by future generations. She
passed these values on to her kids and grandchildren, and
we share her pride at her association with the Land Conservancy.”
Before her passing, Anne requested memorial contributions
be made to the Land Conservancy and another favorite charity. Anne also named the Land Conservancy as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, and as one of the beneficiaries
of a charitable remainder trust. The latter gift now provides
the foundation of the Land Conservancy’s new permanent
endowment fund, which will provide income and stability to
the agency in perpetuity.
Anne’s legacy will be
preserved in some of
West Michigan’s finest
natural lands for the
enjoyment of future
generations. Her dedication, generosity – and
smile – will be greatly
missed.
Planned Giving:
For information on
planned giving opportunities with the Land Conservancy, contact Brian at
616-451-9476 or
brian@naturenearby.org.
A new way to donate: Consider an automatic recurring credit card donation
Did you know that you can set up automatic recurring credit
card donations to the Land Conservancy? Doing so means
no more check writing for you, and no more membership
renewal letters from us.
Recurring gifts can be set up for monthly, quarterly, and annual donations through Network for Good, the website that
the Land Conservancy uses to securely and cost-effectively
process credit card donation. To set up a recurring donation,
simply click the “Donate” button at the top of our website
at www.naturenearby.org. If you have any questions, contact
Diane at 616-451-9476 or diane@naturenearby.org.
8
Thank you to our current yearly and monthly Network for
Good donors:
www.naturenearby.org
Nancee Biank
John & Debra Byl
Brent Geurink
Nancy Hamlin
Steven Mueller
Elise & Tom Roe
Pam St. Amour
Scott Warsen
Todd & Jackie Brayman
Paul & Barbara Cooper
Mary Louise Graham
Kay Hammond
Joe & Marti O'Brien
Tom & Diane Sampson
Robert Synk
Donor Spotlight
Bequest completes Flower Creek Dunes project
John and Libby Getz led lives filled with adventure and
service. After their marriage in 1941, John was inducted into
the army during World War II and went to the Pacific with
an armored division. Libby joined the Red Cross and served
in the European theater. One of her treasured memories was
having dinner and playing a game of bridge with Supreme
Commander General Dwight Eisenhower in Berlin at the
end of the war.
will leaving $1 million to
the Land Conservancy
of West Michigan, to be
used for the purchase
and preservation of dune
land and shoreline property near her Fruitland
Township home.
After the war, Libby and John discovered their love of travel,
so with additional schooling, John joined the U.S. Foreign
Service. They served in various U.S. embassies around the
world including Saigon, Rome, and Bangkok. They lived in
Paris for three years while John served as the assistant to the
secretary general of NATO. Their last posting before retiring
was Malta, where John was the American ambassador. After
retirement, they enjoyed their summers at a home they built
in 1981 near the Getz Family cottages at Michillinda, near
Whitehall, Michigan. John passed away in 2003.
Recently, co-executors
of their estate gave their
approval to use a portion
of these funds to complete the fundraising for
John and Libby Getz
the Land Conservancy’s
Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve on the shoreline just
north of Montague. (See page 7 for more about Flower
Creek Dunes.)
During their time in Michigan, Libby and John developed a
deep love for the dune lands of the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Before her death in 2008, Libby established a bequest in her
Following the completion of the Flower Creek Dunes project by the end of this year, the Land Conservancy will begin
exploring other suitable properties for preservation in the
area to complete Libby and John Getz’s legacy.
continued on page 10...
Matching gift challenge
Once again this year, the J.A. Woollam Foundation and
several anonymous donors have issued a $45,000 matching
gift challenge to our members. Your contribution will be
matched dollar-for-dollar if it meets one of these criteria:
•
•
A new membership gift
A renewal of a lapsed membership
•
•
An increase from last year’s gift (the amount of the
increase will be matched)
Over $500
Double the impact of your gift – make a donation to keep
nature nearby today! Use the donation form below or donate by credit card securely online at www.naturenearby.org.
Please help the Land Conservancy protect West Michigan’s natural areas.
□□ Yes! I want to help keep nature nearby with a gift of $___________.
Donor levels:
$10,000 - Landmark Champion
$5,000 - Landmark Guardian
$2,500 - Landmark Leader
$1,000 - Land Patron
$500 - Land Protector
$250 - Land Benefactor
$100 - Land Steward
$50 - Friend
$30 - Member
Name_______________________________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________________________________
City___________________________________________State________Zip______________
Phone____________________Email________________________________
Donate by credit card online at www.naturenearby.org, or make your
check payable to the Land Conservancy of West Michigan and mail to:
1345 Monroe Ave. NW, Ste. 324, Grand Rapids, MI 49505.
www.naturenearby.org
9
Donor Spotlight
35th anniversary donors
A number of our supporters have made contributions in honor of the Land Conservancy’s 35th anniversary this year. We want
to express a special thank you to these donors as we reflect on our past 35 years and look forward to the future.
35th Anniversary donors
$3,500+
Anonymous
Berghoef/Boyle Foundation
Jeff & Anya Byam
Ken & Judi Carpenter
Anne Copps
W. Dale Crooks
J.A. Woollam Foundation
Jan & Christine Deur
John & Kristine Fox
Gene & Tubie Gilmore
Sandy & Dick Hansen
Hansen Charitable Foundation
Joey & Teke Hoffman
Korth Family Foundation, Inc.
Jamie & Penny Ladd
Tom & Dawn McDonald
George & Dawn Schumann
Smith Family Legacy Foundation
Valley City Environmental Services
Todd & Liz Warnock
Wege Foundation
35th Anniversary donors
$350+
Robert & Cindy Ackerman
Alcoa Howmet
Donald & Cindy Anderson
William & Jennifer Baguley
Dwight & Tamara Baker
Baker Publishing Group
Jerry & Linda Bakke
Steven & Tiffany Balk
Leon & Paula Ballast
Mary & Arthur Barrows
Bata Plastics
Douglas Beltman
Judy & Kenneth Betz
Paul & Maude Bigford
Mike Bily
Patty Birkholz
Mark & Cathy Bissell
BISSELL Inc.
Thomas Blair
Jon & Jane Blyth
Conrad & Margaret Bradshaw
Scott Brew
John & Shelley Brocci
Brooks Family of Holland
Chris & Maureen Bunch
Chuck & Mary Jo Burpee
John Cameron
Cardno JF New & Associates, Inc.
Stephen Clark
Tom Clinton
Dotti Clune
Dennis Cole
Commercial Manufacturing &
Assembly
Douglas & Leigh Conant
David & Janice Cornelius
Elizabeth Crosby
Tom & Lynn Dandridge
Dan & Cecilia Decook
Denise Dewys-Gilbert
Stanley & Betsy Dole
Dole Family Foundation
Pat & Julie Donahue
Dave Dunneback
Frank G. Dunten
Jack R. Dykstra
Forest Hills Foods
Founders Bank & Trust
Robert & Ruth Fountain
John & Kristine Fox
Tom & Mickie Fox
Tripp Frey
Frey Foundation
Don & Diane Geese
Mary Louise Graham
Grand Haven Area Comm Fnd
Doris Griffith
Growco Indoor Garden Supply
Michael Hayes
Helen J & Allen I Hunting Fdn
Mark Iverson
Martin & Dorothy Johnson
Robert & Connie Johnson
Susan Johnson
Stacy Jones
Christina & Andy Keller
Keller Foundation
Brian & Mary Kelly
Jack & Martha Ketchum
Fred Kraft
Steve & Mary Kretschman
Blake & Mary Krueger
Scott & Donna Lachniet
Keith & Bernice Lamkin
Louise & Jan Leestma
Scott & Elisabeth Loos
Horace Lothmann
Vaughn & Jan Maatman
Darci Maldonado
Bruce & Cathy Martin
Samuel & Jean Martin
Stephen & Victoria McCarthy
Paul McEnroe
Sidney McKnight
John & Barbara Mervenne
Diane & Bob Meyer
Phil Miller
Carol Mills
John & Gretchen Mousel
Bernie Mulder
Richard & Susan Muzzy
Bill & Fran Myers
Dave Neven
Craig & Jennifer Niemann
W. Baldwin Ogden
Robert & Carla Ohse
Herman Outcalt
Shelley Padnos
Douglas Paprocki
Randolph Paschke
Patriot Realty
Timothy Pennings
Mark & Patricia Piekarski
John Pimm
Rudolph & Fernande Pruden
Monica Randles
Richard A. Rasmussen
Mark & Tami Redfield
Milan S. (Budde) & Sheryl Reed
Susan Reel
Matt & Gretchen Roe
Barbara & Milt Rohwer
Tom Rooks
Fritz & Carol Rottman
Robin Rudden
Saint Mary’s Health Care
Dean & Elaine Salisbury
Jean Santa Maria
Paul & Christine Santoro
Karen & Robert Schermer
Rubin & Mary Schmidt
Doug & Nancy Schrank
Sara & David Schreur
Jennifer Schuham
Dave & Kerry Scripps
William & Mary Seeger
Stephen & Tanya Sheridan
Thomas & Cathy Slatterly
Robert Smith
Kenway & Deloras Smith
Clay Stauffer
Steelcase Foundation
John Sutton
Arthur Tai
Steve Tenelshof
Jane Underwood
Robert Vanderkamp
The Vogt Foundation
Jeff & Nancy Vanwinkle
Varnum LLP
Bill & Marla Veit
Werner Veit
Gary Vos
Keith Walker
David Warnock
George Wickstrom
Marguerite & Kenneth Winter
John Worst & Ruth Tucker
Bruce & Susan Young
Bob Zylstra
Flower Creek bequest, continued from page 8
“My Uncle John grew up spending summers on Lake Michigan at Michillinda,
a bit south of the White Lake channel,” said Katrina Veerhusen, John and
Libby Getz’ niece. “During their long marriage, Libby learned to love the area
as well. Libby was an accomplished artist, whose eye for beauty and harmony
often focused on the interaction between the water of Lake Michigan and
the dune lands upon which Michillinda sits. After John retired from the State
Department in the 1970s, John and Libby built a house adjacent to Michillinda
and spent roughly six months a year there until their respective deaths. Both
John and Libby would be thrilled to see that their bequest helped make possible the purchase of the gorgeous Flower Creek Dunes property and that it
will be preserved for future generations to admire and enjoy.”
10
www.naturenearby.org
Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve
News & Events
Calendar of Events
We have a lot of events coming up in the next six months that we are excited to share with you! We hope that you will be
able to join us for one or more of these events. Some event details are not yet finalized and some are subject to change
based on weather and other variables. Learn about event updates, as well as new event announcements, by signing up for
our e-newsletter (email keri@naturenearby.org), follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and/or visit the events page on our
website. RSVP: If you plan to attend an event, please RSVP to keri@naturenearby.org or call 616-451-9476.
Holiday Hike Challenge
December 15 – January 15
Celebrate the holiday season by enjoying our nature preserves.
Observant hikers will spot a tree on each preserve that has been
decorated with a simple red bow. Between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15,
email jacqueline@naturenearby.org a picture of yourself or family
with each decorated tree and be entered for a chance to win prizes.
See our website for more details. Location: Throughout West Michigan.
Guided Hike: Flower Creek Dunes
January 1 – 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Come ring in the New Year on the Land Conservancy’s newest
preserve! You’ll be able to pick your own adventure, either staying
on the lakeshore for the entirety of the hike, or for a more strenuous option, you’ll be able to hike to the top of the dune on the
property to look out over Lake Michigan on the first day of 2013.
Location: Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve.
4th Saturdays and Homes for the Holidays: Owls
January 26 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Outdoor Discovery Center will show us live owls and we will
learn all about these amazing animals. Afterwards, participants
can build an owl nest box for our preserves. Nest boxes will be
available to take home for a $10 donation. The GRCC Biodiversity
Club is also helping us with this workshop. We will be using power
tools, so children must be accompanied by an adult.
Location: Yankee Clipper Branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library.
4th Saturdays Series: Winter Animals
February 23 – 10:00 a.m to 12:00 p.m.
Join us as we explore the preserve and look for signs of winter residents and their activities. We will also be removing invasive plants
from the preserve as we go along. Location: Wege Natural Area.
4th Saturdays Series: Wetlands in the Springtime
March 23 – 4:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m.
The wetlands will be springing to life. Learn about unique adaptations of wetland species including how to identify some common
frog calls. Stay to help clear the trails and prepare the boardwalks
for the season. Location: Minnie Skwarek Nature Preserve.
Land Conservancy’s Annual Meeting
April (exact date TBD)
Join us as we celebrate nature in West Michigan and celebrate the
Land Conservancy. Stay tuned for more information.
Location: Aquinas College
Guided Hike: Tallmadge Woods
April 21 – 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Celebrate Earth Day with a walk through beautiful Tallmadge
Woods. We will walk through the wooded dunes at the heart of
this 110 acre conservation easement property. At the end of the
trail is a view over the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area and Lake
Michigan that will put you in a Thank-Goodness-for-Earth-Day
kind of mood! Location: Tallmadge Woods.
4th Saturdays Series: Preserve Restoration
April 27 – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Learn about ongoing restoration at this preserve and the unique
plants and animals that we are protecting. Volunteers will also learn
about various methods conservationists use to remove invasive
plants from sensitive wetlands. Location: Lamberton Lake Preserve.
Fifth Third River Bank Run
May 11
All Land Conservancy supporters are invited to join our River
Bank Run charity partner team and participate in the race by either
running or walking. For more information, see page 12.
Location: Downtown Grand Rapids
Homes for the Holidays: Flowers and Pollinators
May 11 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Did you know that many flowers have interesting relationships
with their pollinators? Bring Mom out for a hike as we explore
adaptations that wildflowers and their pollinators have that allow them to help each other. We will also construct bee blocks
and bumblebee nest boxes for our preserves. Boxes will also be
available to take home for a $10 donation. Location: Saul Lake Bog
Preserve.
4th Saturdays Series: Invasive Species & Restoration
May 25 – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
In the morning, help out at Dune Pines by removing garlic mustard and other invasive species. We will then hike to Castle Park to
have lunch and continue with dune restoration efforts.
Location: Dune Pines Preserve and Castle Park Reserve.
4th Saturdays Series: Butterlies
June 22 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Learn about butterflies and how to perform an abundance survey.
We will be removing spotted knapweed from the preserve while we
count butterflies. Location: Maas Family Preserve.
Conversations with the Land Conservancy
Dates TBD
Join in the conversation at this brown bag lunch series. You will
learn about our recent land protection and stewardship projects,
and you will have the opportunity to ask us your questions about
protecting and caring for West Michigan’s natural resources.
Stay tuned for more information, including dates and locations.
Lend-a-Hand
Most Thursdays in April, May, June – 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Join us in spring clean-up activities at our local preserves. Activities
include trail maintenance, invasive species removal, vegetation surveys, and other restoration activities. Stay tuned for the activity schedule.
For more details about these events, visit
the events page on our website:
www.naturenearby.org.
www.naturenearby.org
11
Mission
To keep nature nearby, the Land
Conservancy of West Michigan
permanently protects natural
and scenic lands.
Land Conservancy of West Michigan
1345 Monroe Ave. NW, Ste. 324
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Grand Rapids, MI
Permit No. 906
Board of Directors
Penny Ladd, Chair
Jon Jellema, Vice Chair
Deborah Steketee, Secretary
Jan Deur, Treasurer
Dwight Baker
Margaret Idema Cheff
David Dornbos
John Fox
Susan Hoekema
Dawn Holtrop
Dawn McDonald
Marti O’Brien
Peter Schmidt
Clay Stauffer
Jeff VandenBerge
Robert VanStright
Staff
Vaughn Maatman
Executive Director
April Scholtz
Land Protection Director
Pete DeBoer
Land Protection Coordinator
Jacqueline Bilello
Stewardship Coordinator
Nealy Molhoek
Conservation Easement Specialist
Brian Obits
Development Officer
Keri Amlotte
Communications Coordinator
Diane Sampson
Membership Coordinator
Gretchen R. Mousel
Accountant & Office Manager
Land Conservancy of
West Michigan
1345 Monroe Ave. NW, Ste. 324
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
Phone: 616-451-9476
Fax: 616-451-1874
www.naturenearby.org
lcwm@naturenearby.org
LCWM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization. All contributions
are tax deductible to the full
extent of the law.
Healthy you. Healthy environment.
Join our Fifth Third River Bank Run team.
Healthy lifestyles and healthy natural environments go hand-in-hand. Research shows
that access to nearby natural areas encourages fitness and healthy lifestyles.
Be active and help us protect natural areas at
the same time. Join the Land Conservancy’s
2013 Fifth Third River Bank Run team as a
walker or runner.
Land Conservancy team benefits include:
• organized trail walks/runs
• a wicking t-shirt
• gear check at our tent on race day
• a supportive team atmosphere
• the satisfaction of knowing that you’re
running on behalf of a worthy cause
The funds you raise help us further our goal
to preserve natural areas and create healthy
environments in West Michigan. And your participation means a healthy you.
Events include: 5K walk and run; 10K run;
25K run, handcycle, and wheelchair.
Visit our web page for more information
and registration instructions: www.
naturenearby.org/RiverBankRun.tab.aspx.
If you have any questions about our River Bank Run
team, please contact Keri at keri@naturenearby.org or by
phone at 616-451-9476.
We’re moving!
In January 2013, the Land Conservancy of
West Michigan will be moving into new office space on Ann Street in Grand Rapids.
Since we moved into our current office
space on Monroe Avenue in 1999, our
staff has tripled. The opportunity recently
presented itself to move into larger, yet still
12
Elise Roe & Jeanne Ferro,
2012 Land Conservancy team members
affordable office space which will provide
more square footage to accommodate our
need for more work stations, conference
rooms, and storage.
As of mid-January, our new address will be:
400 Ann Street NW, Suite 102
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Newsletter printed on recycled paper