As we wind down a fantastic summer, I am grateful for the deeply missed opportunities to share some of the glories of nature with friends and family this season. For those of you who joined us at the Maple Bay Farm for our Preservation Celebration in July, the hugs, laughter, and encouragement shared were especially meaningful to me.
As I reflect on the many conversations I’ve enjoyed this past year, I’m humbled by the varied ways in which people find their connection to our mission.
Inside this issue of Landscript, you’ll read some of those stories.
Like the inspiring story of the Silk family (see pages 18-21) who, while being new residents of our spectacular region, were motivated to join us in protecting the proposed Turtle Cove Nature Preserve and create their own lasting legacy by naming a trail there.
Another is the story of Rick Bellingham (page 40), who values our work so deeply that he volunteers his professional services to enrich board and staff culture. You can also find Rick building trails at various properties and helping tend the garden at Maple Bay.
Dave Edel shares our love of the land and protected his one-of-a-kind property on the Manistee River with a conservation easement in 2011 and is now engaging in exemplary stewardship of that land, restoring its integrity via an ambitious tree-planting project. You can read more about this interesting and ground-breaking project on page 36.
And Marla Morrissey, who has embraced our work so fully that, after already helping us protect Upper Manistee Headwaters: the Milock Family Preserve, has now made a 70-acre addition to that preserve possible, fulfilling not just her desire to live next to a nature preserve, but also our goal to continue the protection of the critical habitat within the Upper Manistee River corridor. Read more on pages 22-24.
The Conservation Center at Mitchell Creek Meadows: The Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve will undoubtedly introduce more people to the importance of protecting and restoring the lands and waters which sustain us. We are so looking forward to opening the preserve and welcoming our volunteer colleagues and visitors in 2023. Please save the date of July 15, 2023, for an exciting Preservation Celebration that you won’t want to miss!
With 17 active land protection, restoration, and access projects underway and another 20 in the pipeline, we need everyone to find their place in this important work.
The opportunities to connect are endless. Learn about unique natural features and habitats by visiting any of our beloved natural areas and preserves or joining us on a guided hike. If you’re a landowner or a farmer who wants to protect your land, call us! If you have time and energy to share your talents, volunteer outdoor and indoor opportunities abound! If you are interested in supporting land protection, there are myriad ways to give, and every single donation makes a difference!
So tell us, what is YOUR place in the mission of protecting significant natural, scenic, and farmlands–and advancing stewardship–now and for future generations?
I look forward to connecting with you, and I value your generosity and friendship,
Glen Chown, GTRLC Executive Director
Perhaps no other Conservancy property embodies our mission of protecting significant natural, scenic, and farm lands–and advancing stewardship–now and for future generations better than the Maple Bay Farm and Natural Area.
This unique landscape is a place where agricultural fields meet forests, dune ridges connect critical wetlands, and scenic trails lead to the pristine waters and stunning beaches of East Grand Traverse Bay. The historic farmhouse and surrounding lands throughout the US31 North corridor provide an idyllic setting for land preservation, local agriculture, community collaboration, public access, and volunteerism, representing nearly every aspect of the Conservancy’s work.
“The more you discover the property, the more you realize it’s a quintessential example of everything we love about northern Michigan,” said GTRLC’s executive director, Glen Chown.
With a rich history in agriculture and numerous orchards and vineyards nearby, farming is intrinsic to the land surrounding Maple Bay and a significant part of the region’s culture. Yet over time, certain agricultural practices in the protected Natural Area have degraded some of the property’s natural features and conflicted with recreational uses.
GTRLC’s senior conservation project manager, Vic Lane, hopes a new initiative will improve the balance between recreation, agriculture, and the property’s sensitive natural features.
“We know farming is important in that corridor, and we sought to find a way to enhance habitat that could be useful for farming, without actually farming the Natural Area, which was protected for access and passive recreation.”
A diverse mix of native plants will enhance habitat for pollinator species, insects, and nesting grassland birds while benefiting nearby farms.
The proposed solution is to replace existing row crops with native habitat in targeted areas to support grassland birds and pollinator species, including bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Open meadows will buffer agricultural activities from the property’s natural features and recreational uses, support native wildlife habitat, and improve pollinator activity for nearby farms.
It could be a win-win-win.
“We will enhance the habitat and add diversity, but we’ll also replace habitat that has been lost in other areas,” Lane continued. “Short-grass prairie and grassland meadow habitats are in decline, habitat for pollinating insects is becoming rarer, and grassland bird habitats are declining. We want to create a habitat that would support all those things while solving the challenges we face at the property.”
The project is a collaboration between GTRLC, Grand Traverse County Parks and Recreation, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. In three phases between 2022-2024, we will plant a mix of 24 species of native wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs carefully selected to sustain agriculture and enhance natural ecosystems, with plans to maintain each site for the long term.
Ninety acres of farmland most susceptible to conflicts and natural area degradation will be converted to a prairie ecosystem, creating a natural buffer to protect the property’s sensitive wetlands, wildlife habitats, and recreation areas.
That buffer will also help to protect Petobego Creek, Petobego Pond and East Grand Traverse Bay.
Lane explained, “Any time you create natural spaces
between intensive land uses and wetlands and slopes, you’re preventing runoff of nutrients and sedimentation from entering the waterways. These buffer strips and borders will help protect the water quality in Petobego Creek, Petobego Marsh, and East Grand Traverse Bay.”
Meanwhile, the remaining farming activity will more appropriately focus on 90 acres of upland soils on the east side of US-31, distant from sensitive natural features.
“It’s really a neat spot to do this. Maple Bay offers all of the requirements of pollinating species - the food, overwintering areas, water features, nesting shrubs, and another brush cover for their reproduction,” said Lane. “And then to be so close yet protected from the orchards–it’s going to be a little haven for the insects that then can go out and help those orchards.”
While many perennials take time to set deep roots and outcompete weeds, early wildflowers like rudbeckia and coreopsis may bloom as early as next year. By the fourth and fifth years, the converted areas will resemble a grass meadow, and visitors will have a chance to view the enhanced habitat while hiking along the Magliochetti Trail.
Thanks to the generous support of an anonymous donor, fundraising for the project’s initial three phases is nearly complete. “We are enormously grateful for this gift,” said Chown. “It is such a unique opportunity. This donor deeply understands the importance of native habitats for our pollinators and wants to help them thrive.”
To learn more about this new program or share your support, contact Vic Lane at vlane@gtrlc.org or (231) 929-7911.
PHOTO: ANGIE BOUMA
PHOTO: ANGIE
When the Conservancy’s Executive Director Glen Chown visited the Hoffman Farm near the heart of the Old Mission Peninsula, he knew the property was under intense pressure for development.
For nearly 150 years, the 70-acre fruit farm has sat proudly on one of the highest points of the peninsula, with the natural elegance and deep agricultural heritage that make the area so unique. The farm is highly visible along the Old Mission’s main thoroughfare, with considerable unspoiled frontage on Center Road, and offers sweeping views of rolling cherry orchards and forested hillsides against a stunning backdrop of West Grand Traverse Bay.
GTRLC has long recognized the value of protecting the farm for its rich farming legacy and significance to one of the region’s most iconic agricultural viewsheds. Yet while touring the land, Chown was struck by its remarkable ecological features.
“This farm feels like a nature preserve,” he said, noting its substantial wetlands, healthy forests, and the impressive volume of water that flows through the western side of the property.
The farm contains 20 acres of hardwood forest, a pond that originates from a spring, and numerous creeks and tributaries–including a creek that flows directly into West Grand Traverse Bay. It also features five acres of wetlands that provide habitat for sensitive species and serve the critical role of filtering water before it enters the bay.
Protecting healthy, wetland ecosystems like this holds meaningful benefits for wildlife and water quality in any location but is extraordinary for the Old Mission Peninsula.
“There aren’t many springs on the peninsula, and it’s
especially rare to find agricultural land and wetlands on the same property,” said GTRLC’s farmland program manager, Laura Rigan. “Everything that happens on this property flows into West Bay.”
The placement of a conservation easement on the farm builds on the protection of contiguous, previously protected farmland while preserving the property’s critical natural ecosystems and deep agricultural roots.
Neighboring the Old Mission Peninsula School and St. Joseph Catholic Church, the Hoffman Farm is one of the oldest farms in the area that has remained in the same family and is an irreplaceable part of the Old Mission’s history. For four generations, the Hoffman family has produced cherries, apples, pumpkins, and other crops from the property’s unique and locally important agricultural soils.
In 1879, John Hoffman and Matilda Lardie, whose family owned the Old Mission General Store, established a livestock farm and store with their team of oxen. Their son, William, eventually took over the farm and planted cherry trees before transferring the property to the next generation. Tom and Irene Hoffman worked the land and sold a portion of the property to the school district, which became the site of the Old Mission Peninsula School.
Since 1984, Monica Hoffman and her late husband Bill have carried on their family’s long tradition of farming–a legacy they had always hoped would continue.
“Bill had always wanted to preserve the farm,” Monica said, explaining that while it didn’t happen during her husband’s lifetime, they had intended to sell the land’s development rights for some time. “It was a place the siblings loved coming home to, and it was part of the family.”
Concerned the family’s unique farming legacy would be lost forever after her husband's passing, she contacted GTRLC to protect the farm with a conservation easement. The easement would prevent future development on the land and enable new owners to sustain the farm's proud agricultural tradition by making the land more affordable.
Simultaneously, two neighboring growers to the north and south reached out with interest in purchasing the farm. Once the land is protected and the transfer is complete, they plan to share the property and utilize the acreage to expand their current farming operations.
“It means a lot to me that Bill knew and respected both of the farmers buying the farm,” said Monica.
The Warrens, who also own a protected centennial farm to the property's southwest, have been friends with the Hoffman family for over 100 years. Jeremiah Warren plans to expand his family’s apple orchards and maple syrup operation, while Chris Fifarek grows grapes for wine and would like to expand his vineyards
Thanks to the landowner’s generous bargain sale of her property and funding through the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program, GTRLC is privately fundraising for the remaining quarter of this project’s total cost to ensure its permanent protection.
For more information about supporting this project, contact Marissa Duque at mduque@gtrlc.org or (231) 929-7911.
A creek flows through the western portion of the property into West Grand Traverse Bay.
When Dick Cooper, a well-known local forester, and his wife Jan Tennant approached the Conservancy about selling some of their land, protecting a forested parcel along M-22 in Honor was a no-brainer for Chris Sullivan, GTRLC’s director of land protection.
“This property has always been a high priority for protection,” Sullivan said.
Though a beautiful woodland on its own, the proposed Birch Point Nature Preserve sits humbly between the scenic shorelines and dramatic vistas of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It is an essential part of a significant, larger landscape.
Nestled between Rush Lake and Big Platte Lake, just south of where M-22 crosses the Platte River, the 114-acre property connects an important migratory corridor for wildlife and extends critical wooded dune and swale habitat only found along the shorelines of the Great Lakes.
“As we learn more about the potential impacts of climate change, we want to protect large blocks of land with high-quality habitat. But we also want to protect corridors that link those islands of good habitat, which promote diversity and provide pathways for plants and animals to move between protected lands,” Sullivan explained.
Longtime friends and supporters of GTRLC, Cooper and Tennant had previously protected key ecological corridors with conservation easements that link the Deadstream Swamp to Sleeping Bear Dunes and preserve critical habitat along the North Branch of the Platte River. As they look to the future, they are pleased to work with the Conservancy to ensure their land won’t be developed.
“It’s a relief to know the land will be kept as a forest,” Tennant said.
Having run a successful timber management business in Benzie County for 40 years, Cooper expertly understands the value of healthy, functioning forests.
“All large, vacant, forested properties are important to protect for their scenic beauty, wildlife, and water quality,” he stated.
He has hoped to see GTRLC protect significant tracts of forested land for some time, and is excited about a new GTRLC initiative called the Regional Forest Protection Program (RFPP), which emphasizes the importance of protecting properties that tie together critical landscapes and recognizes the role of sustainably managed, working forests in achieving this goal.
“Forestry is the art and science of growing trees, that just so happens to produce periodic income to the owner,” he explained. “We’ve wanted the Conservancy to adopt this approach as another way to protect and preserve large parcels of forest land for the benefit of society, and (when and where appropriate) to produce periodic income that can be used to finance other projects.”
While plans for the Birch Point parcel are to let nature take its course, allowing early successional trees like white birch and poplar to thrive while the oaks, maples and slower-growing species grow, the goals for the property’s protection align with the RFPP; by building upon years of regional landscape planning and approaching conservation at the landscape level, GTRLC can achieve more significant benefits than those gained from protecting isolated, disconnected parcels.
The proposed Birch Point Preserve contains approximately 64 acres of dry-mesic northern forest and importantly includes 47 acres of a critical 2,600acre wooded dune and swale complex found near Lake Michigan’s Platte Bay.
This unique natural community was profoundly affected by glaciation long ago when Lake Michigan
extended into this area. As the ancient lake receded, it deposited mounds of sand and sediment in a series of ridges running parallel to the lakeshore, creating the alternating pattern of sandy ridges and narrow wetlands that we see today.
“Wooded dune and swale landscapes are only found in a few locations in northern lower Michigan and are considered globally rare,” said GTRLC’s Senior Land Steward Angie Bouma. “So the few we have are incredibly important to protect.”
Mostly existing along Lake Michigan’s shoreline and extending several miles inland, dune and swale complexes provide extraordinary biodiversity, water quality, and ecological benefits for wildlife and people. They represent some of the largest remaining blocks of undeveloped habitat, yet a finite number of them exist and they are often located in areas vulnerable to development and fragmentation.
The Conservancy has been fortunate to protect portions of several significant dune and swale complexes at the Pyatt Lake and Reffitt Nature Preserves and Antrim Creek, Maple Bay, and Petobego Creek Natural Areas.
The swales in these systems are most often fed by groundwater seepage or small streams and are home to a diverse array of native plants, amphibians, reptiles, and insects.
“The complex topography of dry ridges and wetland swales provides structure and nutrients to many species of flora and fauna, contributing to the high species diversity in these habitats,” described Bouma.
A host of slow-moving amphibians and reptiles require this type of interconnected, undisturbed habitat for successful nesting, whereas whitetail deer find needed warmth and food in the swales during northern Michigan’s long winters.
PHOTO: NATE RICHARDSON
Swales directly adjacent to upland dunes provide critical habitat for diverse species.
Pink lady’s slippers can be found on the proposed Birch Point Nature Preserve’s dune ridges, and Bouma was excited to discover a healthy population of a unique plant called Cucumber root (Medeola virginiana) growing on drier portions of the hemlock forested ridges. Sensitive to disturbance, this native species can be indicative of an older-growth forest.
“Because they are such slow-growing trees, although they aren’t large, some hemlock in the dune-swale system on the northern half of this property could be over 100 years old,” she explained. “And the young forests on the southern half of the property are likely good habitat for grouse and other species.”
A mosaic of aspen, cedar, oak, red maple and, of course, birch trees grow in various life stages on the property, interspersed with a rich tapestry of wetlands. The unique landscape offers critical foraging and nesting habitat for warblers and other migratory songbirds, who flock to Lake Michigan’s shoreline in the spring and forage for insects and arthropods in the swale’s wooded conifer swamps.
In addition to safeguarding the dune and swale complex, the protection of this property would provide a forested buffer for this rare and important habitat and enhance the natural resilience of nearby lands and waters in the Platte River watershed.
The entire northern edge of the property borders a section of Sleeping Bear Dunes known for its backcountry wilderness, abundant wildlife, and the outlet of the Platte River.
“The Birch Point Preserve would be a fantastic addition for connectivity between the national lakeshore and other protected lands,’ said Tom Ulrich, deputy superintendent for Sleeping Bear Dunes. “It connects to the National Park property at a spot where we have only a narrow strip of land on the south side of M-22, so this would expand habitat and primitive recreation in a key location.”
Meanwhile, the southern end of the property abuts state land that borders a privately held conservation easement, for a collective total of nearly a mile of frontage on Rush Lake. On the other side of Rush
Lake sits Embayment Lakes Nature Preserve, and across Platte Lake sits Mount Minnie Nature Preserve–both critical lands protected as part of the Campaign for Generations.
This unfragmented corridor would benefit turtles, snakes, and other wildlife sensitive to disturbance, as well as species like bobcats, black bears, and redshouldered hawks, which require large areas for diversity and dispersal.
The property’s protection would also safeguard the water quality of surrounding inland lakes and groundwater by preventing nutrient inputs associated with development.
“The health of our national parks is directly linked to having healthy land, waters, and wildlife in the region,” said Kira Davis, who works to protect and enhance national parks in the Great Lakes region with the National Parks Conservation Association. “Preserving Birch Point provides a migratory corridor from Sleeping Bear Dunes to Rush Lake, and it ensures protection of dune and swale habitat while providing new recreation access to residents and park visitors alike.”
From a recreational standpoint, the proposed Birch Point Nature Preserve would build on passive recreation opportunities in one of the state’s most unique and beautiful wilderness areas.
Sullivan noted, excited to share this rare and interesting property with the public, “This is a great opportunity for people to clearly see a geological formation that’s unique to our area and all the diverse types of habitat there.”
Hunting opportunities will continue to be allowed at the property and its upland portions could accommodate a relatively short, sensitively designed trail.
Cooper and Tennant have generously offered the Conservancy until the end of 2024 to complete the land’s purchase. If fundraising is successful, the property would open as a nature preserve the next year.
If you’d like to support this project or learn more, contact GTRLC’s Director of Development Marissa Duque at mduque@gtrlc.org or (231) 929-7911.
More and more attention is being paid to the ecosystem services that forests provide–things like groundwater recharge, soil erosion prevention, clean air, carbon sequestration, fire suppression, and how important they are to natural and human communities. These services are at risk or completely eliminated when larger forested landscapes are fragmented.
The Regional Forest Protection Program (RFPP) targets the protection of forested parcels that tie together critical habitats and are essential for landscape-level connectivity and flow.
The RFPP aims to enhance ecological resilience, preserve migratory corridors for the flow of plant and animal species, protect air and water quality, and blunt the effects of climate change. The program primarily accomplishes these goals by working with willing landowners to voluntarily place conservation easements on their land. These parcels can be sustainably managed as working forests to preserve forest health while making the prospect of an easement financially viable and attractive.
“The reality of these lands that connect the landscape is that they often have to have a ‘purpose,’ and if they don’t they will likely be sold and clear-cut or developed. So the best functional purpose that aligns with the Conservancy’s strategic goals is for them to be managed as working forests,” GTRLC’s Senior Conservation Project Manager Vic Lane said. “If they meet the requirements of managing forests in a truly sustainable manner that maintains the ecosystem services, and can also produce timber income for the landowner, they will continue to serve our community by providing important ecosystem benefits.”
GTRLC is also carefully evaluating lands it owns or may acquire to see where ecological management aligns with the broader goals of the property.
For more information about this effort, contact Senior Conservation Program Manager, Vic Lane, at vlane@gtrlc.org or (231) 929-7911.
Connected Sites and Landscapes: Healthier and More Resilient
Connected Sites and Landscapes: Healthier and More Resilient
Protected High Quality/Resilient Site
Protected High Quality/Resilient Site
Lands between high quality/resilient sites are extremely important for species flow, habitat connectivity and overall resiliency at both the site and landscape levels
Protected High Quality/Resilient Site
Protected High Quality/Resilient Site
good flow within good flow within
Lands between high quality/resilient sites are extremely important for species flow, habitat connectivity and overall resiliency at both the site and landscape levels
good flow between
good flow within good flow within
good flow between
Biodiverse lands with good ow within and between them provide species with places to move at both the site and landscape levels if their current habitat becomes compromised. ese factors tend to make them more resilient.
Biodiverse lands with good ow within and between them provide species with places to move at both the site and landscape levels if their current habitat becomes compromised. ese factors tend to make them more resilient.
Disconnected Sites and Landscapes: Less Healthy and Resilient
Protected High Quality/Resilient Site
Protected High Quality/Resilient Site
Protected High Quality/Resilient Site
Protected High Quality/Resilient Site
good flow within good flow within
Left unprotected the habitat quality of lands between sites could be greatly diminished. This can obstruct species flow and habitat connectivity, eventually degrading overall biodiversity and health at both the site and landscape levels
Left unprotected the habitat quality of lands between sites could be greatly diminished. This can obstruct species flow and habitat connectivity, eventually degrading overall biodiversity and health at both the site and landscape levels
good flow within good flow within
poor flow between
poor flow between
If the ow from one high quality area to another is blocked, species’ ability to nd suitable habitat is compromised and can degrade overall biodiversity and landscape health. Connective land, even if of lower overall quality, is critical for healthy landscapes.
If the ow from one high quality area to another is blocked, species’ ability to nd suitable habitat is compromised and can degrade overall biodiversity and landscape health. Connective land, even if of lower overall quality, is critical for healthy landscapes.
For Beverly and Spencer Silk, moving to their home on East Grand Traverse Bay marked a new chapter in their busy lives.
While living in the Detroit area, Beverly ran a property management company while Spencer spent his career in consulting for businesses and universities. The pair met later in life, each with two children from previous marriages, and have been married for nearly 20 years.
When they were able to break away from work, they traveled abroad and explored cities across Europe. While at home, they worked in their yard, walked their dog, and raised their children.
“My whole life was work and kids,” Beverly reflected. “We worked very hard, and we had our parents living near us.”
On top of all that, Spencer did pro bono work for nonprofits and they were actively involved with many local organizations, The Nature Conservancy, and other philanthropic endeavors.
Life moved fast.
When they retired, the Silks set out to buy a cottage where they could finally relax and enjoy time with their children and grandchildren. They spent years searching along Lake Michigan’s coast for the right place, touring homes from Douglas to Cross Village.
But when they drove along the tree-lined streets of their new neighborhood and walked into their East Bay home for the first time, the decision was almost instantaneous.
“I don’t make quick decisions. I’ve made quick decisions
PHOTO: KATIE AUWERS Spencer and Beverly Silk with their dog, Quinn.maybe five times in my life. Marrying him was one of those,” Beverly quipped.
Spencer added, “We walked about ten feet in, looked at these windows, and said, ‘Yeah, I think we want this.’”
The view looks out to the couple’s top two requirements for their new home–a diverse canopy of trees and a spectacular view of the water.
“It was just pretty, and I love trees so much. At our house downstate, we planted every tree on our property except for one. And we have all sorts of trees,” Beverly recalled.
They have kept a natural look to the yard and throughout much of the home. The interior is tastefully and elegantly decorated with artwork they collected from local galleries, fairs, and Beverly’s parents. The main feature remains the windows overlooking a grand view of the bay, where they admire their natural surroundings year-round.
“Everything about being here is outdoors,” said Beverly. “I like watching squirrels jump from tree to tree and the trees swaying in the wind. We can see eagles, and right here–we had a fox walk under one of these trees and fall asleep.”
While the Silks spent most of their lives in cities, they have enjoyed the slower pace of life that came with retiring up north. They take their Goldendoodle, ‘Quinn,’ on long walks, hunt for Petoskey stones with their grandkids, and strike conversations with their neighbors and folks around town.
“I couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to be,” said Beverly. “I breathe better here.”
When they bought the house, it was early in the pandemic, and traveling abroad didn’t seem like a safe option. Instead, they began exploring their local surroundings.
“She has wanderlust, and we used to go from West Bloomfield to Saugatuck,” Spencer explained, recalling their day-long trips to see Lake Michigan. “But up here, on any given day, we’ll go somewhere. And it could be to Charlevoix or Frankfort–just for the day. And wherever we went, there were these little parks. And we thought, ‘Wouldn’t that be great if we could help keep
land from being built upon and leave a remembrance for our children?’”
During one of those trips, the Silks were headed north along a particularly scenic highway and noticed several nature preserves along the way.
“We saw lots of road signs for preserves dedicated to whomever, and thank you to so and so, and we said to each other, ‘This is something we should do. It’s beautiful here and stops people from building in a very buildable area, and we need to do this,’” Spencer remembered. “And then we looked into it.”
They had only recently moved to northern Michigan and weren’t yet familiar with the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. They had previously supported The Nature Conservancy, however, and Beverly called their headquarters interested in contributing to the protection of a nature preserve.
A helpful staff member explained to her that their office was located in Minnesota and pointed them to GTRLC.
“She told me, ‘You need to talk to Marissa,’” Beverly said. Right away, she called Marissa Duque, who was just getting her feet wet as the Conservancy’s director of development.
“The Silks’ passion was evident from our first phone call,” Duque recalled. “I could see how much they love this area and how lucky they feel to be here. They wanted to get involved in the community and help protect the places and experiences that drew them north.”
She sent Beverly a copy of the Conservancy’s new strategic direction and asked her to look it over, and let her know what appeals to her, and why.
“I liked this about her,” Beverly said. Enjoying the assignment, she wrote a two-page paper about the synergies between the Conservancy’s vision and their philanthropic interests.
At the top of their list was leaving a lasting legacy for their children and grandchildren. Through their support for museums, religious organizations, schools, hospitals, and other causes, Beverly and Spencer’s parents had instilled a spirit of giving in them, and they wanted to do the same for their children.
Beverly explained, “We wanted to contribute to something that was uniquely Beverly and Spencer–”
“–And would stay here forever,” Spencer added.
While they were interested in protecting northern Michigan’s beautiful woods, waters, and other natural scenery, they also wanted to support something people could enjoy.
At the time, the Conservancy had barely wrapped up fundraising for the Campaign for Generations before launching an effort to protect the proposed Turtle Cove Nature Preserve, a massive $2.47 million project to create a public preserve and safeguard an ecologically significant bay on Arbutus Lake.
Duque and her team recognized this project would take enormous effort and they’d have to be creative to raise the funds needed.
“We knew it would take some incredible generosity to
get to the finish line and we’d have to look for help from outside the Arbutus Lake area,” said Duque. She shared information about the proposed Turtle Cove Nature Preserve to the Silks, hoping that the project would be a good fit.
They loved the idea.
“I have daughters, and I like bright, young, capable women,” said Beverly, adding, “Marissa was just very responsive and helpful.”
“There’s just so much nature there,” Spencer added. “Learning what was on that property–the whole list of flowers, birds, the fish–it was really exciting to listen to.”
But just as they were settling into retirement up north and excited about the future, their lives took another turn; the source of persistent pain in Spencer’s back was diagnosed as a malignant tumor and he required treatment immediately.
Thanks to a generous conservation buyer and GTRLC’s incredible supporters–including Beverly and Spencer Silk–fundraising for the protection of the proposed Turtle Cove Nature Preserve has gained significant momentum.
This gorgeous, 120-acre property with remarkable ecological significance is one of the highest-ranking parcels identified for protection in our priority land atlas. The parcel encompasses most of a shallow-water bay, along with additional frontage on the main body of the lake, and has more than three-quarters of a mile of undeveloped water frontage. The protection of this property is critical for water quality on Arbutus Lake, which is part of the Boardman River watershed that flows into Grand Traverse Bay.
The shallow water of Turtle Cove provides habitat for scores of fish, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrate species. Along with emergent marsh and bog habitats, the property also contains mesic forest with areas of open field (dominated by bracken fern and little bluestem) and early-successional forest. There is also an active eagle nest on the property.
The property also benefits from being contiguous to Pines Park (a natural area owned by East Bay Township) along with a tract of state land. Such connectivity is critical for wildlife movement throughout increasingly fragmented habitats. The property will also lend itself to a scenic and enjoyable trail system.
With undeveloped shorelines becoming increasingly scarce throughout GTRLC’s service area, this protection effort presents a rare chance to safeguard unspoiled habitat.
They didn’t let the diagnosis change their plans, though. Rather, the thought of leaving this world sooner than expected made them want to expedite the process.
“I always felt positive that I was going to have a good outcome on my health. But having a good attitude about it does not guarantee that’s going to happen,” Spencer explained. “So at the particular time we were talking to Marissa, it was early in the game and we didn’t know where I was, and I was feeling really down. Not day in and day out, but bouts of downness…So we wanted to make sure we’d do it.”
Motivated to follow through with their plans, the Silks signed a leadership pledge for the protection of the proposed Turtle Cove Nature Preserve in the spring of 2022.
"The Silk's pledge helped provide momentum going into the summer," Duque said. "Their generosity has propelled the project forward and I couldn't think of a more fitting
place to honor their legacy."
Fortunately, Spencer’s treatment has been successful and after a long period of uncertainty, they are starting to feel optimistic about the future again.
Located only a short drive away from their new home, the Silks are looking forward to when they can walk along the ‘Beverly and Spencer Silk Nature Trail’ at the preserve and share their legacy with their children.
“For me, being able to experience the area,” Spencer reflected. “When the kids come to visit us, it’s a quick drive to be able to see it.”
Beverly agreed and added, “We are just so happy that we can contribute.”
If you are interested in donating to the Conservancy, contact Director of Development Marissa Duque at mduque@gtrlc.org or 231-929-7911.
PHOTO: NOAH JURIK Protecting the proposed Turtle Cove Nature Preserve safeguards water quality in Arbutus Lake and the Boardman River watershed.The first time Marla Morrissey visited northern Michigan, she toured Upper Manistee Headwaters: The Milock Family Preserve on a beautiful day in October. The air was crisp, and the forests were beginning to burst with color.
“The trails were so lovely, and I just thought, ‘this is paradise,’” Morrissey said, remembering her hike through the woods with GTRLC’s senior charitable giving specialist, Kate Pearson, and director of facilities, David Foote.
That day, Marla fell in love with the preserve. But her support for protecting the area’s critical lands began before she stepped foot in Michigan.
Morrissey has long been an advocate for the environment along the West Coast. She has a knack for convening diverse groups around a single cause and is particularly passionate about wildlife habitat protection and watershed restoration. From working across California’s party lines to get a $1 billion conservation project on the ballot to fulfilling her childhood dream of raising animals on a hobby farm in Oregon, she finds energy in pursuing projects she can successfully achieve.
Following the advice of a savvy real estate advisor, Morrissey invested in a commercial building in Traverse City several years ago but didn’t feel right about having a presence in the community without contributing in some way.
Naturally, she looked up GTRLC. Marla first spoke with Kate Pearson and enjoyed learning about how the Conservancy prioritizes land protection efforts and incorporates biological assessments. She appreciated how GTRLC works cooperatively with diverse groups and individuals and directs resources to high-priority projects.
“As I grew to know the Conservancy, I thought, ‘You guys really have your act together,’” she recalled. “And I recognized you had all the parts for great success, and that’s why you were having good success. I wanted to contribute to that.”
Since that call, she has helped the Conservancy protect several natural lands, including Maplehurst Natural Area, Lower Woodcock Lake Nature Preserve, Mitchell Creek Meadows: The Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve, and the Upper Manistee Headwaters Preserve.
While she was preparing to sell her home in Los Osos, California, she began searching for real estate in northern Michigan. She was always attracted to the Northwoods, and living near her building was a logical choice, but she also desired to live next to one of the Conservancy’s nature preserves.
At the same time, GTRLC supporters Steve and Nancy Taylor had been talking with the Conservancy about protecting their 80-acre property directly east of the Upper Manistee Headwaters Preserve.
“It’s a beautiful property,” Steve said, describing the land and how he became attached to the preserve before it was protected. “I spent all my summer vacations up there working at the camp, and during my time off, I would be fishing in the lake.”
The Upper Manistee Headwaters Preserve ranks among the state’s most ecologically significant and rare habitats, with exceptional biodiversity and an impressive array of vital wetlands.
The Taylors’ 80-acre parcel contains close to 770 feet of frontage along the Manistee River’s north branch and extends the preserve’s forested wetland habitat that helps to safeguard water quality and stream habitat throughout the watershed. The parcel, which
predominantly consists of dry-mesic northern forest, also provides a critical buffer for these sensitive habitats.
The Taylors held their breath when the camp went up for sale, worried it would be purchased and developed. “When we found out the Conservancy was trying to preserve it, we rejoiced over that,” Steve said. “And we really rejoiced when it happened.”
They adored their property for its privacy and quiet beauty and couldn’t have asked for a better place to retire. While they were excited about protecting their land, their discussions with GTRLC were put on hold when the pandemic hit and Nancy became ill.
“When she passed, everything went by the wayside for a while,” Steve said. He stayed in the home for some time, but living with the memories they shared there became too difficult, and he eventually decided it was time to move on.
Steve still wished to preserve the property, but he needed to sell it in its entirety to find a new place to live–and soon. The price for the parcel with the threebedroom home was much higher than it would have been for the land alone, however, and the Conservancy would need about two years to fundraise for the acquisition.
In situations like this, GTRLC sometimes seeks help from a conservation buyer–someone who can purchase the property quickly and give the Conservancy time to fundraise for the land’s acquisition.
Kate Pearson had already been sharing property listings with Marla Morrissey and sent her information about the parcel and home adjacent to the Upper Manistee Headwaters. Morrissey was ecstatic. She quickly decided to purchase the entire property, but rather than acquire the land as a loan to the Conservancy, she offered to donate 70 acres as an addition to the preserve and keep the remaining 10 acres and the house.
“It checked the first box,” Morrissey described. “I could combine a donation of land to make the preserve bigger and live next door. So that was number one, two, three, four, and five probably!”
Morrissey had initially believed that her ranch in Oregon would be her last big project, but the physical work was becoming too challenging, and she was bothered by the realization that it wasn’t a sustainable endeavor. She found wonderful homes for the animals and instead began looking forward to helping safeguard the water quality of the Manistee River watershed and protecting the significant wetlands and wildlife habitats.
Conscious of how buffer properties and edge habitats are important to wildlife, the opportunity has also ignited her passion for a new project; she intends to manage her 10 acres in a way that will enhance and preserve the integrity of the preserve.
“My energy contributing something to the Upper Manistee Headwaters feels so much more right,” she said. “I know that it will continue to be preserved and managed when I’m gone in a way that will help the habitat, the wildlife, and the people. This will be a fantastic project.”
The north branch of the Manistee River divides the addition from the existing preserve. Yet the high-quality wetland communities found on the preserve extend into the neighboring areas and benefit a variety of sensitive species that require undisturbed, connected habitats.
“Many of our amphibians and reptiles are slow moving and need connected habitats like this,” explained GTRLC’s senior land steward, Angie Bouma. “The lack of disturbance to the wildlife allows nesting to be more successful–benefitting the base of the food chain on up.”
The property’s relatively untouched upland habitats are also important for connectivity and provide a natural buffer for the forested wetlands that are in decline and listed as vulnerable in Michigan. And thanks to Marla's generosity and the Taylors' commitment to preserving their land, these habitats will continue to thrive for generations to come.
“The more you can protect the upland areas near a wetland, the healthier that wetland is–and the more ecological benefits you’ll receive,” Bouma said. “Seventy acres of upland habitat with wetlands is significant. This habitat will help protect water quality throughout the watershed by filtering sediment and nutrients. And the intact wetlands provide a base for the animals and insects that rely on healthy and functioning ecosystems.”
While Marla Morrissey plans to generously donate the parcel as an addition to the preserve, every project incurs costs that involve stewarding properties in perpetuity, and GTRLC is raising the last dollars needed to fund this work on the land. To contribute to this project, contact our Director of Development Marissa Duque at mduque@gtrlc.org or (231) 929-7911.
Right: Bryophytes, or mosses, liverworts and hornworts, are small but important species that benefit plants that live near them.
Once the Conservancy protects a nature preserve, sanctuary, or natural area - before making decisions about managing the property - floristic inventories are conducted to understand more about the property's high-quality habitats.
GTRLC staff often conduct rapid ecological assessments to provide an overview of the habitat types and infer which species may be associated with them. As we learn more about these properties, however, we have found many of our protected lands contain species that require extra knowledge, like bryophytes and lichens.
These small species comprise mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens. Although tiny, these hardy organisms cover 8% of the earth’s land surface - much of which is concentrated in the Arctic and Antarctic regions - but they are also common in northern Michigan. In some cases, these species play a foundational role in supporting the vegetation on our protected lands.
Bryophytes are a group of plants that lack true vascular structures - meaning they don’t have roots or vascular tissue. Instead, they absorb water and nutrients through their surface (or leaves), which are then slowly released to support soil formation. They thrive in wet environments and places where other plants cannot
grow and quickly reproduce by microscopic spores that spread through air and water.
Lichens are a unique group of organisms that, albeit abundant, are easily overlooked. They are known for their symbiotic relationship between an algae and a fungus. The algae produces food for the fungus, and the fungus provides a structure for the algae to live.
According to Janet Traub, a new GTRLC volunteer, as we learn more about this enigmatic group, they could almost be considered to have their own ecosystem.
Traub and her husband, Jim Toppin, are field seminar leaders from Ohio with expertise in lichen and bryophyte identification. The pair graciously volunteered their time to survey three GTRLC protected lands this summer, and are studying the species diversity of the various properties they visited.
They were amazed at the diversity of species they observed in such a short time and pleased to see so many species doing well in northern Michigan, as some of the same species can no longer be found in northern Ohio due to air pollution and habitat loss. The volunteer researchers collected numerous specimens for study and are eager to return. Until then, you can read more about lichens and bryophytes at ohiomosslichen.org.
Thirty years ago, the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy protected Pyatt Lake: The Bill Carls Nature Preserve. GTRLC's first-ever nature preserve is a fascinating, botanically diverse site that has long provided a haven for sensitive wildlife species and has become a beloved destination for passive recreation on the Old Mission Peninsula.
Last year, the first universally accessible trail system on the Peninsula was installed at the preserve, allowing people of all ages and abilities to connect with nature while enjoying the lush forests and tranquil views of Pyatt Lake and its associated dune-swale wetlands.
Thanks to a recent 18-acre addition to the northwest section of the preserve and with support from the Carls Foundation and other GTRLC contributors, work is underway to improve access to this beautiful and ecologically significant place.
GTRLC recently launched the construction of a much-needed and desired new trailhead and parking area off Peninsula Drive. The new entrance will allow easier entry to the preserve and alleviate congestion at the original trailhead, which has limited parking spaces and can only be accessed from a seasonal, unmaintained road in a quiet residential neighborhood.
We are also working to connect the new entrance to the existing trail system along the north side of Pyatt Lake. A half-mile aggregate trail and a small footbridge over a seasonal stream will improve access to the northern section of the preserve while protecting sensitive ecological features.
Since the original 60-acre plot’s protection, Pyatt
A new trail will allow visitors to access the northern section of the preserve.
Lake has been expanded nine times and nearly tripled in size, with the most recent addition protected near the end of 2021.
Once the largest unprotected parcel bordering the preserve, the addition was formerly owned by the late Jack and Violet Solmonson. The couple operated the Peninsula Telephone Company and previously donated an eight-acre parcel with critical wetland habitat as one of the earliest additions to the preserve. Jack and Vi’s daughters inherited the land and, wishing to honor their parents’ immeasurable love of the Old Mission Peninsula and Pyatt Lake, the sisters generously sold to the Conservancy through a discounted bargain sale.
"Jack and Vi loved the land and were among the first to recognize why Pyatt Lake is so special and important to
protect," GTRLC Executive Director Glen Chown reflected. "They cared deeply about the community, and I am thrilled and thankful that their daughters have honored their legacy by choosing to work with the Conservancy. Through their generosity, this family's enduring land protection legacy has not only grown but will benefit our community for generations to come."
Two other additions, the three-acre Brickman property and a two-acre parcel generously donated by the Fry family will also soon be protected in perpetuity. Containing a mix of wetlands and an upland ridge, the properties are contiguous to one another and border the southwest corner of the preserve. Like the Solomonson parcel, they were linchpin additions that provide ideal
terrain for a trail corridor and create a natural buffer to protect Pyatt’s sensitive wetland complex.
These additions open up the opportunity to realize a long-held dream of the community and GTRLC - a loop trail encircling Pyatt Lake. To understand the feasibility of this endeavor, the Conservancy has put forth initial funding for a study to evaluate the project’s fundraising needs, staff capacity, and timeline.
All of these opportunities are being made possible through the generous support of our community, who have helped preserve the beauty and wonder of this remarkable place for generations to come. Stay tuned for future updates!
Despite escalating real estate values, real development threats, and other challenges for our regional land protection efforts, the pace of land preservation has not slowed since the conclusion of GTRLC’s Campaign for Generations.
Passionate supporters, volunteers, landowners, and friends who have connected to our mission are finding ways to make a difference for the lands and waters
we love every day. Thanks to these courageous people who believe in this vital work, wonderful things are happening in this beautiful place we call home.
Read on to learn about a few additional projects happening right now, and head over to GTRLC.ORG for more information about this critical work and how you can become involved.
With fundraising complete, this incredible, 385-acre farm overlooking Torch Lake will soon be protected in perpetuity.
The purchase of a conservation easement will support the generational transfer of farmland and protect this property from the possibility of development - which could be of substantial scope and density considering Central Lake Township’s lack of zoning.
As one of the largest unprotected parcels in the vicinity of Torch Lake, the farm’s protection is significant to safeguarding water quality in Torch Lake, preserving prime agricultural soils, and protecting critical viewsheds of both Torch Lake and Grand Traverse Bay.
Since the former Mitchell Creek Golf Course was permanently protected during the Campaign for Generations, several critical additions have been added to Mitchell Creek Meadows: The Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve, which is now more than 220 acres.
The preserve sits in the center of one of the fastest-growing townships in Michigan and at the heart of the Mitchell Creek watershed, which was recently listed as impaired and flows directly into East Grand Traverse Bay, the source of Traverse City’s drinking water.
The protection and restoration of the property is a priority for GTRLC and organizations like The Watershed Center, Conservation Resource Alliance, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Grand Traverse Conservation District and FLOW. Alongside these groups, we are working collaboratively on a comprehensive plan to restore the health of this critical watershed.
Crews continue to restore habitat on the property by removing invasive species, like autumn olive, and planting native species. We are also working to install Universally Accessible trails and educational signage to help people appreciate the land's history and cultural significance and to understand the restoration processes that they will have a chance to observe firsthand.
Remaining
If you have visited the Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve recently, you may have been disappointed to discover that the lower section of the staircase leading to the beach was removed, and visitors have been discouraged from accessing the lakeshore to protect the dunes’ sensitive habitat.
The staircase was damaged after a period of high water levels and strong wave action in Lake Michigan caused the entire beach to erode to the base of the stairs. As a result, part of the staircase was removed to keep trail users safe and prevent further harm to the infrastructure.
The water levels have since receded, and the beach has again formed. The Conservancy is working to replace the removed section of the staircase that will allow beachgoers safe access to Lake Michigan’s shoreline while protecting this critical coastal habitat.
Longer-term plans for the preserve include rerouting the trail system to a more sustainable location. A sensitively-designed trail will enhance recreational experiences and protect coastal forest habitats at this stunning preserve.
Remaining Need: $103,429
The Braun/McVeigh Family Matching Gift Challenge will match your gift dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000.
Over time, with the help of countless supporters, friends, and private landowners, we have protected hundreds of acres of land and thousands of feet of undisturbed shoreline on Lake Bellaire. After years of hoping for the opportunity, fundraising is underway to protect a 28-acre parcel that connects Golden Days Loon Sanctuary to a large swath of privately protected land, creating a contiguous 350-acre tract of high-quality habitat that includes nearly 1.75 miles of shoreline.
Today, Lake Bellaire is home to four pairs of nesting loons, and the protected land serves an important role in preserving water quality in our beloved Chain of Lakes.
Remaining Need: $350,129
When we protected the Lower Woodcock Lake Nature Preserve, a 230-acre jewel in the Platte River watershed, we knew that there was tremendous potential to protect the sensitive habitats found there and help foster a deep appreciation for them by providing better access. GTRLC is working to expand the trail system and install infrastructure at this beautiful and ecologically important preserve.
Earlier this year, a floating dock was installed that allows the launch of non-motorized boats such as kayaks and canoes, and a small parking area will be placed where guests can easily access the launch.
As early as this fall, visitors will have a chance to explore three miles of trail through the preserve’s multiple habitat types. The expanded trail system includes a scenic one-mile loop around the lake, which will cross two bridges spanning the lake’s outlet into the Platte River and inlet from Upper Woodcock Lake. Please be aware that a portion of the trail will be closed seasonally to protect nesting birds that have been documented on the property.
Remaining Need:
Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of GTRLC’s supporters, a sanctuary in the heart of the Chain of Lakes watershed with tremendous ecological significance has been protected forever. The 56-acre Finch Creek Nature Sanctuary contains significant wetlands and groundwater springs, 1,400 feet of frontage on Finch Creek, and 1,100 feet on Crow Creek. The protection of this sanctuary will help safeguard water quality upstream of the cherished Grass River Natural Area, located just over a mile downstream.
Sanctuaries provide safe homes for plants or animals that are exceptionally rare or particularly vulnerable to human disturbance. Unlike public preserves, they do not contain trails or parking lots and have limited signage. While GTRLC permits passive recreation at our sanctuaries, we do not encourage people to visit these sensitive and vital habitats.
The Conservancy is actively fundraising to protect a 10acre addition to this beloved and storied preserve. The proposed addition would extend the scenic US-31 corridor north of Elk Rapids and protect water quality in Lake Michigan by preventing development, particularly on paved surfaces so close to the lake. Previously used as the Elk Rapids Sportsman’s Club, the former shooting range’s lead contamination issues have been completely cleared, and the land's ecological health is ready to be restored.
Remaining Need: $11,747
Almost 30 years ago, GTRLC teamed up with the Little Traverse Conservancy to protect the St. Clair Lake-Six Mile Lake Natural Area, an incredible 255-acre property with rich biodiversity.
Now, GTRLC and the Little Traverse Conservancy are working together again to acquire a beautiful seven-acre addition to this special and ecologically significant place, building on a decades-long effort to protect critical habitat and water quality in the Chain of Lakes watershed.
Already this natural area protects an impressive stretch of undeveloped shoreline, with 2.3 miles of frontage along St. Clair Lake and the Sinclair River. Adjacent to the existing preserve's western border, the proposed addition would protect another 416 feet of shoreline along St. Clair Lake and safeguard a significant area of high-quality riparian wetlands. The shoreline is predominantly a shallow-water wetland known as an emergent marsh that provides crucial habitat for aquatic invertebrates, fish, waterfowl, and mammals like muskrat.
From a scenic perspective, the parcel will protect views of the natural landscape along Six Mile Lake Road and sights of undeveloped shoreline from St. Clair Lake and its opposing shores. The addition would also contribute to the natural area’s reputation as a scenic, peaceful destination for quiet water sports and viewing wildlife.
Remaining Need:
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shown on this map are more than 19 high-priority projects encompassing over 1,500 acres and nearly 5 miles of shoreline in various stages of our process leading up to board approval.
opportunities continue to arise, and we carefully evaluate and prioritize each potential project.
Deep in the heart of the Huron-Manistee National Forest is the “Riverview Ranch,” a sprawling, rustic property that spans nearly 400 acres and contains a two-mile stretch of the Manistee River. The ranch sits high on top of a bluff overlooking panoramic views of wildlife and the river below. It is a place to go to refresh and enjoy the natural surroundings–an outdoor lover’s paradise.
As the story goes, millionaire lumber baron John Canfield, who lived in nearby Manistee, previously owned the land and logged its shoreline extensively.
Dave Edel has proudly owned the ranch since 1985. He purchased the original parcel with his late wife, who had roots in the Manistee River.
“My wife’s love for the river was unmeasurable,” he said. “And it’s become part of my heart as well.”
Gradually, they assembled 380 acres, purchasing adjoining parcels as they came up for sale. According to Edel, “We were the only people to buy parcels to put the property back together.”
An outdoorsman to his core, Edel loves to observe the diverse wildlife that inhabit his land. His love for the Manistee and the natural life it supports led him to protect the property with a conservation easement in 2011, selling his development rights to the Conservancy for only a fraction of their appraised value.
“I didn’t want to see it developed,” he explained. “And besides, I like living in the woods with no neighbors. It’s kind of like going out into my own country.”
In terms of conservation value, GTRLC had identified his property as one of the highest priority parcels in the Lower Manistee watershed. A major inholding within the national forest, it helps provide a continuous corridor of
An island in the Manistee River is the site of a reforestation project at the Riverview Ranch, a protected and privately owned property connecting an important migratory corridor.
protected land from Tippy Dam to the City of Manistee and supports critical habitat for species like the Blanding’s turtle, lake sturgeon, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Bald Eagle.
The property’s defining feature, of course, is its more than two miles of undeveloped frontage on the Manistee River, which alternates between high sandy bluffs and flat riparian wetlands. To date, the parcel represents the largest stretch of river frontage that GTRLC has preserved through a single land protection project.
Located between Tippy Dam and the river’s confluence with Bear Creek, this section of the stream is wide and meanders at a leisurely pace. By the 1980s, the adjoining land had a chance to recover from the previous logging activity and massive trees towered over the property, shading the river and its shores.
For those who knew it, it was spectacular.
“It was a magnet,” Edel recalls of their early days on the Manistee. “We couldn’t stay off of it.”
Today, this stretch of the Manistee is nearly unrecognizable from when Edel and his wife first began exploring it. The emerald ash borer was discovered nearby and, within a few years, had decimated nearly 30 acres of stunning ash trees that once covered the land. Without a canopy to provide crucial shade along the river
corridor, the water’s temperature rose to lethal levels for coldwater fish.
Edel, an avid angler, was devastated. Not one to sit on his heels, he decided, “I wanted to do what I could for the property I own.”
He began by planting a mix of red pine seedlings and small trees along the riverbanks. However, young seedlings can be more challenging to establish, and he had limited success.
He attempted a second planting. Still, the young trees struggled to take root.
On a regular monitoring visit to the Riverview Ranch, GTRLC Conservation Easement Steward Jake Blessing met with Edel and took an interest in his story.
“Jake was the one that made it awesome,” Edel recounted. “He got the ball rolling.”
Determined to return the Manistee River to its previous splendor, the pair worked on a plan to attempt a third tree planting.
Blessing reached out to Michael Seefried at Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA), a Traverse City-based nonprofit that focuses on restoring streams and manages a largescale tree-planting effort named Wild Roots. CRA agreed
to fund the seedlings’ purchase, and Seefried advised consulting with Josh Shields, a forester and wildlife biologist with the Manistee Conservation District, on the species’ selection.
Shields provided a list of recommended tree species for the site, and the team decided on a mix of Black Elderberry, Red Osier Dogwood, Swamp White Oak, and Black Gum (Tupelo), all supplied by Black Cap Nursery in Onekama.
Dave, wanting to make the project as successful as possible–as well as provide food for wildlife and provide vital shade for the river sooner–opted to source larger, five to six-foot potted trees rather than the planned bare-root seedlings and financed the difference in price and the majority of the project himself.
With help from the Michigan DNR’s Wildlife Habitat Grant Program and other sources, CRA provided funding for the original cost of seedlings, fabric mulch to reduce competition from other plants and retain moisture, and a portion of the wire fencing used to protect the trees from deer browse.
“It was a great multi-benefiting project,” said Seefried. “We are grateful that Dave wanted to do this with his property and was willing to bolster the project to give it a running start.”
The larger plants required more hands to help, though, and for the first time, GTRLC recruited volunteers to plant trees on privately held protected land.
“Easement stewardship is about being a partner in conservation,” Blessing said of the Conservancy’s role. “This was a great example in that we were able to bring expertise and manpower together to help Dave realize his goals for the land.”
Over two sunny days in April, a small group of volunteers and staff from GTRLC and CRA joined Edel and planted all 60 trees on an island along the river corridor.
“This collaboration added value to the land’s protection,” explained Blessing. “It’s a relationship that continues, and it shows that landowners and the Conservancy can collaborate further for the benefit of wildlife habitat, water quality, and other conservation values.”
While this pilot project took place on private land, it significantly improves the quality of the habitat for the abundant wildlife that crosses between private and public properties. In time, a canopy of trees will shade the river corridor and enhance its vegetation buffer, reducing the water’s temperature, safeguarding water quality, and adding scenic and recreational values for the thousands of anglers and paddlers who enjoy the river.
For Dave Edel, this project leaves him hopeful for the future of the Manistee River.
“The Big Manistee is the heart of our family. We always wanted to keep it beautiful,” he said. “I hope I live long enough to see the trees grow and to see our work go to a good cause. I’d really love to see it go back to its grand splendor.”
If you are interested in learning more about protecting your land, contact GTRLC's director of land protection, Chris Sullivan, at csullivan@gtrlc.org or (231) 929-7911. Learn more about GTRLC’s upcoming volunteer opportunities at www.gtrlc.org/volunteer/.
Protecting private lands with easements that restrict development is an essential tool used by GTRLC to achieve its land protection goals. This kind of protection accounts for nearly 66% of all GTRLC-protected land and is essential for ensuring our region's long term health, beauty and economic vitality.
Residents and visitors alike benefit from private land protection:
After meeting Rick Bellingham, it doesn’t take long to realize that he is an exceptional human being.
Though he likely would never say so himself, he is undeniably intelligent, endlessly fascinating, and speaks with a tenacity that can captivate the stoniest audience.
“Rick’s contributions are immeasurable,” described the Conservancy’s Executive Director Glen Chown, who has worked closely with Bellingham. “He has all this wisdom born from experience. He is a deep thinker and one of the most well-read people I’ve ever met.”
Bellingham grew up in Plainwell, Michigan, and earned a doctorate in counseling psychology from Western Michigan University. He is a veteran of the war in Vietnam - where he later returned to apologize for
his participation - and a lifelong student of Asian philosophy. For the last 20 years, he has practiced ‘qigong,’ a moving meditation and healing practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine.
Professionally he is an organizational psychologist who has spent the last four decades helping create healthy, innovative, and productive work environments in jails, non-profits, major corporations, and other organizations worldwide. He has written numerous articles and books on culture change, leadership development, organizational health, and more.
Though Bellingham has lived on both coasts and traveled to all seven continents, northern Michigan has always been part of his life. As a child, he visited a family
property on Elk Lake that his uncle purchased long ago, and today he shares his love for the area with his wife, children, and grandchildren. After splitting his time between San Diego and Michigan, he and his wife are happy to have settled in Elk Rapids.
He has instilled positive change all over the world, but he also generously shares his time, talents, support, and friendship with GTRLC.
“I really believe in what you’re doing,” Bellingham said, reflecting on the Conservancy's mission. “There is not a single organization that is more deserving.”
Rick was first introduced to GTRLC thanks to a mutual friend and stalwart volunteer, Gary Stauffer. He began by building trails, tending the fruit and vegetable beds at the Maple Bay Farmhouse, and meeting with the public as a preserve steward.
He loves this work and continues to help with these more traditional volunteer tasks. Rick and his wife, Bobbitt, have also included the Conservancy as the primary recipient for their planned giving. However, his most significant contributions have occurred at the organization’s highest level and primarily out of view of most of GTRLC’s stakeholders.
Director of Communications and Engagement Jennifer Jay was one of the early members of GTRLC’s staff to meet Bellingham. She was reading books that Gary Stauffer recommended to her and remembered, “I was having trouble wrapping my head around one particular thing and asked him, ‘do you think that Rick Bellingham would talk to me?’”
The two got together for lunch, and Jay quickly realized that Rick, who has such exceptional talent, could also offer exceptional value to the Conservancy beyond his typical volunteer service.
As soon as she returned to the office, she suggested a meeting between Glen Chown and Rick. Glen invited him to lunch the following week, and they hit it off immediately. Shortly after, they decided to get the team together and just...talk.
In what became an annual retreat, Bellingham led GTRLC’s first ‘culture audit’ with the entire staff clustered in the great room at the Maple Bay Farmhouse.
At the time, the Conservancy already had motivated employees, an engaged board, and incredible support from the community. Yet culturally, the team felt they were often working in silos.
“The whole idea with culture change is to come up with norms and values, which are important in achieving goals,” Bellingham explained. “You have to have a vision of where you’re going, why you’re doing it, and what you’re doing. If you don’t know, you’re lost!”
In his online blog ‘Perspectives and Possibilities: Invitations to Meaningful Conversation,’ which is worth perusing at www.rickbellingham.com, Rick makes his readers feel they’ve gained access to insights typically reserved for exclusive lecture series and college courses. He weaves esoteric concepts with anecdotes from his personal experiences, covering topics that range from ‘spiritual leadership’ to ‘systemic sensitization’ in a digestible way.
Using his gift for distilling and boiling down information, Rick guided the staff through meaningful conversations and quickly identified interdependence as a goal that required their attention.
“From that meeting, the concept of having multidisciplinary project teams took shape,” recalled Jay, referencing GTRLC’s working groups that directly engage every team in land preservation projects. “And we absolutely do a better job because of that.”
Since that first culture audit with the staff, the list of Bellingham’s contributions has grown extensively - and he’s done everything as a volunteer.
“He gives so generously of his time and talents, and his talents are really extraordinary and considerable,” said John Collins, a member of GTRLC’s board of directors and the former board chair. “It’s difficult to overstate his importance and what he’s brought to the Conservancy in the last few years.”
In addition to his ongoing work with the staff, he has helped the board of directors with governance and improving their cultural alignment. He has facilitated activities like self-evaluations, exit interviews, onboarding, and training and has counseled one-on-one with Chown on leadership development.
Reflecting on these processes, Rick noted that the Conservancy’s staff are working more interdependently with each other, and their relationships with the board of directors have improved, too.
“The annual “culture audit” has been extraordinarily positive, the best I’ve ever seen,” he explained. “They learned to better understand one another and respect each other’s boundaries.”
Through his honest, kind, and thoughtful approach, he helped align the values of the staff and board so that they were consistently working in the same direction. In the process, he gained the trust of both, allowing him to play an instrumental role in updating the Conservancy’s strategic direction.
“His insights were invaluable,” said Jay, who joined Rick as part of a working group responsible for penning the strategic direction. “He was ground-truthing us, asking things like ‘what do you mean when you say that?’”
Chown believes his work with the staff and board is directly reflected in the Conservancy’s values and stated, “He helped us think about who we are and who we aspire to be–and that’s a good place for any organization to spend time.”
For the team’s leadership, Rick has become a trusted thought partner and friend–he is someone they call to go on a hike while trying to work through a problem or need honest, constructive feedback.
On a personal level, the Conservancy’s long-time executive director feels that his friendship with Rick has helped him become a better leader.
“He’s been a mentor to me–someone I can just call and let it all hang out. Before Rick, my tendency was to avoid hard conflicts. But I can’t do that as a leader–I owe it to the organization to solve problems,” Chown acknowledged. “I’m on this journey and I’ve been at it for the last 31 years. But I’d say I had the most growth in the last five years, and I give a lot of that credit to Rick.”
In a blog post in which he cited his work with GTRLC as ‘the most satisfying experience of his entire career,’ Rick wrote, “Perhaps my main contribution to GTRLC has been to emphasize the importance of collaboration in its
dealings with each other, with sister agencies, and with the community at large.”
Chown agrees. As a result of working with Rick, he believes the organization has improved collaboration with other non-profits.
“He’s helping all of us non-profits work better together, which isn’t always easy,” he said.
Since working with the Conservancy, Rick has helped numerous local organizations, including TART, Rotary Charities, the Discovery Center, Grass River Natural Area, and Elk Rapids’s 13 Ways Project. He has also provided guidance and promoted collaboration in the community by working with many local environmental stewardship groups ‘striving to protect and preserve natural resources, provide equal access for all constituents, and enhance and restore our environment.’
Looking toward the future, as GTRLC prepares to work more interdependently at the Conservation Center, Rick hopes the Conservancy will provide a model for the nation. “The Conservancy is working on the right things with great intentions and a critical purpose,” he said. “This is what every community should be doing–it’s deserving of that attention.”
Thinking about the work he has accomplished with the team - and the work that lies ahead, Jennifer Jay credits Rick for helping the organization mature and better position itself to handle a new set of challenges.
“Rick makes you want to be a better person,” she said. “He’s not going to let you slide on your weak points, but he does it in a way that makes you want to grow. He’s like that healthy soil. He puts people and organizations in an environment that is nourishing and sustaining and healthy and makes you thrive. We are so fortunate to have him in our circle.”
As the Conservancy gets ready to move into its new headquarters, GTRLC is looking for volunteers with unique talents more than ever before. If you'd like to share your skills, please contact Volunteer and Events Program Manager Jon Throop at jon@gtrlc.org or call (231) 929-7911.
When the Oleson brothers helped the Conservancy protect Mitchell Creek Meadows: The Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve, we were thrilled to restore this former golf course’s natural health and create highquality recreational opportunities for the community. With frontage on two key tributaries of Grand Traverse Bay, an active bald eagle nest, and habitat for brook trout, the property’s protection was crucial to safeguarding water quality in the impaired Mitchell Creek watershed and preserving a natural oasis in the heart of one of the most rapidly growing areas in northern Michigan.
As we grew to know the land, we began visualizing how we would collaborate on wetland and watershed restoration projects with other environmental groups and help connect a safe, non-motorized route to school for thousands of local students. We also realized there was an opportunity to house GTRLC’s offices in an unbelievably beautiful location and to engage the public more directly in our mission.
“The more we looked at it, we realized what a perfect location it would be not only for our offices but for a Conservation Center,” said GTRLC’s executive director, Glen Chown. “It will be a place where we can engage and collaborate with people and organizations to become better stewards of our waters, landscapes, and natural heritage.”
Over the last several months, you may have noticed quite a bit of activity at the Mitchell Creek Meadows Preserve on Three Mile Road. Crews have been working to repurpose the former golf course’s facilities into a regional hub for conservation - the Conservation Center. And let us tell you, we can’t imagine a more inspiring venue for advancing land stewardship across the region.
The “clubhouse” has been transformed into the Conservancy’s permanent offices with additional space to host educational and hands-on learning events onsite; a gallery to welcome the public with information about land protection; and a library with a vast collection
of conservation works. While looking out the windows to a picturesque view of the preserve, it’s easy to picture the insightful conversations and collaborative work that will take place in this special place.
Much progress has also been made at the Bob and Pauline Young Family Stewardship Workshop, which we look forward to opening to our dedicated family of volunteers. Once a pole barn, the workshop has been converted into an enjoyable setting where staff and volunteers can work together to have a transformative impact on our region. For the first time, we will welcome volunteers to a centrally-located, year-round space where they can help us leverage more land protection and stewardship across the five counties we serve. Next to the stewardship workshop, the greenhouse is also taking shape, where we will propagate native plants to help restore critical ecosystems across our service area.
Sustainable components like high-efficiency insulation, solar panels, geothermal energy and a rainwater capture system are integrated throughout the campus, which strives to be net-zero in terms of carbon emissions. The Conservation Center will also have a goat barn and herd of goats to help control invasive species on the property, like autumn olive, bird-protection glass, and native landscaping surrounding the building.
We can't wait to collaborate with the community on a level we have never before when we open the Conservation Center’s doors in early 2023.
We feel incredibly fortunate to live and work with a community of people that care deeply about northern Michigan’s extraordinary landscapes and are willing to dedicate their time, energy, and resources to protecting and stewarding them. Over the years, we have been delighted to get to know many interesting and talented individuals that have shared their talents in many ways to help us achieve our mission. The work that our volunteers have accomplished is awe-inspiring!
As we prepare to move into the Conservation Center and open a new chapter in the Conservancy’s history, we hope our community of volunteers will bring their unique skill sets to elevate this vital work for the future.
At the top of our list of identified needs are volunteer ambassadors. During our regular office hours, these volunteers will greet guests at the Conservation Center, answer questions, and serve as GTRLC representatives.
Thank you to the following donors who made generous gifts to support the construction of the Conservancy's new home, the Conservation Center at Mitchell Creek Mead ows: The Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve.
January 1 - June 30, 2022
Daniel and Linda Cline Frey Foundation Wendy and Paul Greeney Jim and Diana Huckle Brian and Jennifer Jaffe Susan McCraven and Robert Reider
Gail Parry and Norman Bell
Steven and Linda Rogers
Neal Wankoff
Margaret Ward
John Robert Williams and Terrie Taylor
John and Marylou Zaloudek
The Conservancy will provide thoughtful training for ambassadors so they can independently speak with visitors about our nature preserves, the Conservation Center, the tools of land protection, avenues for donating, how people can become involved in our work, and more. These volunteers will be essential members of our team who enjoy engaging with the public and may help with other critical tasks at our new headquarters.
The Conservancy’s volunteers are essential partners in our shared mission to protect land in northern Michigan. We strive to embrace volunteers in our inclusive culture in a way that is both meaningful and impactful for all.
Interested in helping at the new Conservation Center? We would love to hear from you! Please get in touch with our volunteer and events program manager, Jon Throop, at jon@gtrlc.org or (231) 929-7911 for details.
For the last three years, we have been looking forward to a time when we could gather with our staff, board members, supporters, volunteers, and friends to celebrate all that we have accomplished together. On July 23, we finally reunited with old friends and met new ones at the historic Maple Bay Farm for the Preservation Celebration, and it was almost as though no time had passed.
Blair Miller's blues tunes kept the good vibes flowing, the food was fantastic, and the weather was, well, it was sweltering. But that did not stop the crowd from keeping the mood optimistic and energy high while we celebrated our achievements and looked forward to the important
work that lies ahead. The best part of the day was hearing about what our work means to you - the people responsible for making land preservation possible. We can't thank you enough for your commitment to this critical work.
To those who joined us - thank you so much! If you missed this year’s event, we hope you will join us for a special Preservation Celebration on July 15, 2023, at the Conservation Center. Until then, we would love to reconnect with you at one of our upcoming events! For a list of opportunities, check out our volunteer schedule and event calendar at www.gtrlc.org.
The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy has protected and cared for the region's natural, scenic, farm and forest lands since 1991. With the help of our supporters, volunteers and friends, nearly 46,000 acres of land and 149 miles of shoreline have been protected along the region's exceptional rivers, lakes and streams.
Fully accredited by the Land Trust Alliance, the Conservancy is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with by-laws, policies, board, budget, and staff.
GTRLC's Directors support our mission through giving hundreds of hours of their time, sharing their considerable talents, and generously dedicating their contributions. Learn more about the Conservancy's Board of Directors at www.gtrlc.org/about/board
Kevin Russell, Chair Cortney Danbrook, Vice-Chair Linda Cline, Treasurer John Bercini, Secretary Perry Adams Betsy Calcutt Don Coe John Collins JoAnne Cook Kathleen Guy Jim Huckle Koffi Kpachavi Chip MayBarbara Nelson-Jameson
Annie Olds
Susan Palmer Greg SemanEvan Smith
Maureen Smyth Terrie TaylorYour donations to the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy help protect significant scenic, natural, and farm lands from development, ensuring that the most critical lands will continue to provide local food, open space, clean water, and healthy habitat, now and for future generations. You can donate with confidence, knowing that you are contributing to an accredited, effective, and fiscally responsible organization.
The accreditation seal AFFIRMS national quality standards are met.
Sound Finances
Strong Transactions
Excellent Land and Easement Stewardship
Effective Governance
January 1 - June 30, 2022
The following donors made gifts to the Conservancy during the first half of 2022. Your donations are the lifeblood that keep the momentum of land protection and stewardship moving forward in northern Michigan. Every gift helps to protect the diverse forests, wetlands, dunes, farmland, and fresh water that define our region. Thank you for your generosity and supporting this critical mission!
Gifts of $25,000 or more
Community Foundation –GTRLC Endowment Fund
Casey and Dana Cowell
Barbara McWilliams and Thomas Piraino Barry Hibben
Dan and Lynne Mixer Philip Ruedi and Laura Staich Carol Stein
Gifts of $10,000 - $24,999
Deborah Crowe and Todd Wilson Rich and Susan Erwin Martha Garber
Ken and Susan Morrison Thomas and Kathleen Volle
Gifts of $5,000 - $9,999
Rosemary Berardi
Doris and Donald Duchene Foundation
Debra Edson Blair and Gordon Jones W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Kresge Foundation Mariel Foundation Estate of James Meyer
Timothy and Margaret Price
The Edward and Elyse Rogers Family Foundation
Gifts of $2,500 - $4,999
Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation Anonymous
Cindy and Gary Barta
Scott and Christine Blackhurst Bill and Kathy Main John and Nancy Morris
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation William and Amy Ranger Dan Remahl
Barclay Shultz and Lori Amsterdam
Estate of Susan Stearns
Dori Turner
Gifts
Anonymous (2)
Barton Malow Foundation
Rick and Elizabeth Bellingham
Benevity Fund
Carl Benner
John Boals
Joe and Elise Brooks
Bruce and Jennie Brown Craig and Martha Burns Bruce Campbell Robbie and Archie Carmichael
Carolus Family Charitable Gift Fund
Roger Clason
Richard and Jill Claybour Chris and Julie Conger
Chris and Merrie Corbett William and Romona Crain Paolo and Patty DeMaria
Joe Fisher
Gates Foundation Edward Graft
Mike and Anne Groleau Jim and Leslie Hamp Louise and Larry Haskett Bill and Kirty Heald HP Foundation Matching Gift Program
Dennis and Janice Hudson Brian and Jennifer Jaffe Rosalind Jaffe and Pat Balmer
Lee Jasinski
Thomas and Jane Jenkins Edward and Ann Kalat Kevin Kelly Ray and Jane Kendra Pauline Lackie and Mary Hoiles
Louise Ladd
Thomas and Alison Larabel Harold and Pamela Lassers David and Marty Leavenworth Jeffrey and Marcia Lee John and Cynthia Lhost
Gerald Linn and LuAnn Orbeck
Scott and Vickie Lizenby Community Foundation LouAnn’s Endowment for Women’s Leadership
Brad Lyman
Mark Maddox and Sarah Sutton Peggy and Graham Martin John Matz
Michael and Karen McMahon Robert Montgomery Nels and Lynda Nichols Erin O’Connell Paradise Family Fund Karl Pearson Gary Pomeroy Robert and Connie Pulcipher Larry and Donna Purcey Polly Rea
Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, Inc. Michael Roberts and Phyllis Laine
Patricia and Edward Robinson
Barb and Mike Rodenberg
Pug Rundio
Tom Sampson and Nancy Wonch
Schlichting Theisen Fund Shell Matching Gifts Program
Peter Swartz and Lori Franz Giving Account Nancy Swift
Jim Taup Lester and Joanne Teague Sylvia and Jim Walworth
George Warrington and Drew Gores
Gloria Whelan
Mac and Marilyn Whisner Joy and Theodore Whittlesey Wayne and Sharon Workman
Charlene Abernethy and Mike Gill
Jeff Ackerman
Jane and William Adams Jay Adams
Perry and Mary Catherine Adams Kirk and Cathy Agerson Thomas and Judy Aja Catherine Alfred Jerome and Sharon Allaire
James and Mary Allender Amazon Smile Foundation
Gary Ancinec
Joe and Kathryn Anderson John and Kristin Anderson Jeff Andreasen Roland and Marilyn Andreasson Thomas and Marsha Andres Anonymous (18) Katherine Armstrong AT&T Employee Giving Richard Atterberry Christopher and Vicki Avery Jeremiah and Kristi Avery
Anna and John Bachman Nancy Baglan William and Jennifer Baguley Stephen Bahlke Nicolaas and Rhonda Ballintyn Carl and Nancy Ballou Deborah and John Balser Keith and Kelly Bandli Stephen and Theresa Bangle Jennifer Baragar
Donald and Anita Baron Cheryl Bartholic
James Bauer
Bay View Flooring Beverly Beauchamp
Arthur and Elizabeth Beaudoin Curtis and Barbara Bedbury Dan and Nancy Behring
Reverend Ted Beiderwieden
Sally Bell
Travis and Joan Bell Marcia Bellinger
William and Sharon Bellinger Rosemary Benedetti
John and Rebecca Bercini
Eugene Berg
John Bergman
Matt Bertram
Scott Bertschy
William and Lynn Bila
John and Jan Biliti
Lillian Billmeier
Don and Bonnie Bills
Dr. Evan Black
Alan Bliss and Jan McNish Carolyn and Richard Block Kathleen Bloomfield
Tim and Cheryl Bloomquist Laurie and David Boccia Gilbert Bogley David and Roberta Bolig
James Bonney
Joan and Alfred Bonney Wenche Borgnakke Andre and Jamie Borrello
Bosher/Perez-Sanz Fund Suzanne Bosler
Kenneth and Jennifer Bosma
Bowerman, Bowden, Ford, Clulo & Luyt, PC.
John Bowers
Anne Bowles
Gloria and Jerry Boyd Kevin Bozung
Ed and Jennifer Bradford David Bradley and Beryl Krasner
Marilyn Branco
Anne Brasie
Katherine Brege
Carol Breimeier and Fred Nelson
Pepper Bromelmeier and Thomas Brown
Robert Brook
Fleda Brown
Laura and Jim Brown Robert L. Brown William Brown Eleanor Brownell
Linnea and Gary Brunk Linda and Buzz Bryson
Allie and Art Bukowski
Stephen and Christine Burke James and Barbara Burkholder Doug and Susan Burns Bruce and Rhoda Bush Edward and Leslie Butt Susanne Buxton Tim Calkins and Carol Saltoun Grant Campbell John and Mary Campbell Maureen Campbell Robert and Candy Campbell Robert Campbell Candelles Team
Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Margaret Carmody Katherine Carr
Janice Carter Melia Carter William and Sandy Cartwright Dan Casey Julie and Albert Catallo Dawn Chalker Mary and Lew Chalker Stephen and Jeannine Chapman Kay Charter Alice Chema Linda and David Chesterfield
Carol and Fred Chidester Marty and Carole Chirgwin Glen and Rebecca Chown Julie and Paul Christian
Norman and Laura Christopher Bill and Karin Chung Kay Clark
Kevin and Janell Clayton Julie Clynes
Daniele and Michael Cobb Max and Reatha Cochran Thomas and Barbara Cole
John and Lynn Collins Michael and Carolyn Collins Birgit and Keith Conway Doug and Sally Cook Jeff Cook Joseph and Leslie Cook Nancy Cook
Robert and Karin Cooney James and Darlene Cooper James Cooper William Cooper and Mary Wright Mark and Joan Cordeniz Susan Flynn and Jeff Corwin David and Glenys Cowperthwaite Kenneth and Cynthia Cox Emily Crandall Charles and Susan Crawford Tom and Jeanne Crosby Elizabeth Crowdus Tom and Judy Croxton Ruth Cunningham Rick and Chris Curran Arthur W. Curtis, III J. Dewey and Barbara Daane Raymond and Julie Daly
Cortney and Chris Danbrook Nancy Dash and Cheryl Thompson
Mark and Karen Davey John Davies
Jeff and Sharon Davis John and Josie Davis
Sarah and Jason Davis Alison and Tom Dayton Sharon Dean
Ann and Richard DeBoer Ellen Dehm and Catherine Adler
Colleen DeKay
Margaret Delor Bill and Sandy Derman Robert Dettling
Michael and Teckla Dettmer Paul and Christine Deyo Harold and Edna DeYoung William and Roberta Dickie Nancy Dickinson
William and Julie Diehl Tessa Diem
Virginia Dike and Ijeoma Dike-Young Victor Dinsmoore
Angela Dollaway/Helfrich Jean Donaldson
William and Ginny Dorner Steve and Betsy Duede Sue and Tad Duemler Charles and Marge Dumanois Sylvia and Thomas Duncan Cheryl and Bill Dundon Judy Dunmire and Mark Plamp Marissa and Manny Duque David Durham William Dvorak and Gela Boebel
Theresa and David Dysarz
Chris and Donna Earle
Sue and Charles Ecker
David and Judith Eckrich
Phil Edwards and Laura Reid
Russell and Pat Ehler
Charles Ellinwood Frank Ellis
Steven Elyakin Memorial Fund
Dorothea and Bill El-Yasir Tom and Diane Emling Mackenzie and Marcia Endo Endoman Promotions, LLC
Bill and Gail Ericson
Carol Faber
Bill and Denise Faler
Fred A. Farage Jr. and Carl J. Strebel Barbara Farrell Terry and Kim Farrugia Roche and Leslie Featherstone Joan Ferrari Beth Ferris
Brett Fessell
Charles and Mary Fierle Mary Jo Fifarek
Jane Fiore, Faye Conley and Judy Rich
Jane and Steve Fish Barbara and Ted Fisher
John Fisher
Margaret Mudd Fletcher Charitable Foundation
Tiara Flewelling Kimberly and Steve Flynn David Foley and Margaret Willman George and Mary Ford Robert and Sandra Forsman
Scott Forthofer
Judy Foulk
DeAnne and Todd Frank Susan Franklin
Joanne and David Frantz Charles and Julie Frayer David and Esther Frey Madelyn and James Frick Becky and Mark Fries
Frontstream
Andrea Fry and John Floyd Stephen and Susan Fry Richard and Rebecca Gagnon
Larry and Debra Galehouse Joseph Gallagher Ignacio and Tracey Gamboa Karen Garber and John DesMarais
Dilys Tosteson Garcia and Lola Jackson Dawn Garrock William Gates Keith Geiger Mark and Mary Beth Gentry Gregory Gerstner Jeremy Gibson and Carolyn McDonald James Gies Marc and Pauline Gilbert Michael Gillman Mark Gilmore Dean and Sharon Ginther Jennifer Ginther Nicholas Glauch Karen Gleason Patricia and James Glossi Kenneth Goebel The Gold Family Fund Doug and Karen Goodkin Jack and Liz Goodman
Janet and Stanley Goodman
T. James and Marilyn Goodwin
Anita DeMarco Goor Barb and Leonard Graf Marcia and Ross Graham
Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation John and Kathryn Gray Rose and Mary Green Robert and Valerie Griffith Nancy and Richard Grote Michael J. Grusenmeyer Charitable Fund Angela Gu Ronald Gurdak Kathleen and Mark Guy Jan and Dave Gwinnell Christine Haack and Mark Hood
N. Richard and Karen Haas Fred and Sheila Hackley David and Elizabeth Hague Carolyn Hahne
Rick and Chris Halbert Gail Halliday and Tim Laney Halo Helpers
Rochelle and Steve Hammontree Melissa Hamp Geraldine Hansen Mary Ann and Gary Hansen John Harden Perry Harmon Mark and Cathy Harrell Jack and Ruth Harris Kathryn Harris Louise Hartung Charles Hathaway
Charles Hausman
Gerry and Mary Haw Hayden Foundation
William Hayes
Donna and Christopher Healy Robert Heavenrich
Will Heelan
Robert, Barbara and Pat Heflin
Thomas Hegewald
Paul and Cathy Heidel Johannes Heijmans and Janis Schiller
Laura and Scott Heintzelman Gregory Hekel
Richard and Linda Helfrich
Ronald and Sherryl Hellenga Donald and Lori Helms
Judy Henderlight
Sandra and Mark Henschell
C. Richard and Susan Herrold Carol Hess Sean Hickey
Doug and Martee Hickman Paul and Ruth Anne Hickman Ann and Don Highlands Cheryl and Richard Hiipakka
Audrianne Hill and Misti Trap
John and Jane Hilliard
Mollie Hilliard
Zachary Hillyer
Kathleen Hintz
Art and Carol Hoadley Peter Hoag
George and Mary Hobig Nancy and Frederic Hoblit Carol Hoffman
Mary Sue Hoffman
Steve and Annie Hogler
Robert and Jane Holdeman
Carolyn Holt
Howard Family
Charitable Fund
Edward and Joyce Howard
Michael and Marsha Howard
Don Howson
Robert and Suzette Hoxie
Mary Hubbard
Hudson Livestock
Management Services LLC
John Hudson
Pam and Lance Huffer
Dennis and Tina Hughes
Larry and Diane Hughes
Nancy Hulka and Duane Dunlap
Mary and Robert Hurley
Teresa and Daniel Husted Amy Hutchinson
Catherine Irwin
Bob and Ann Ivinskas
Abdeen Jabara and Holly Maguigan
James Jackson
T. Michael and Joan Jackson
Lee Jameson and Barbara Nelson-Jameson
Mary Janik
Mark and Janet Janis
Thomas and Linda Janson
Jennifer Jay and Evan Johnstone
David and Christine Jaymes
Hollis and Karen Jencks
David Jeschke
Steve and Morgan Johanson
Michael and Jean Johns
John and Joanne Johnsen
Bruce Johnson
Gary and Carol Johnson
Jeff and Joann Johnson
Jill and Ron Johnston
Paula Jonas
Molly and William Jones
Cyndi Kadzban
Elaine and David Kanski
Gifts
James and Tisha Kartsimas
Laurie Katz
Brian and Angie Keas
Lisa Keder and William Pohlman Linda Kehr
Charles and Margaret Keil Bill and Nancy Lou Kelly
Patrick and Mary Kelly Ellen Kerr
Anne Ketner Ellen Ketz
Jacquelin Kilburn Janet Killian
Donald and Barbara King Paul and Dorita Kint Lewis and Char Kirchner Thomas and Leah Kirchner Anthony Klain
Jack and Jan Kline Donna and Jerry Klinefelter Jerry Knoppow & Sharon Knoppow Charitable Fund Annette Knowles
Carol Kozelka
Dr. Stephan and Pamela Kozelko Fred Kraft and Gayle Davis
Rev. Oscar and Shirley Kraft Charles and Judy Kraus Barb Krause
Walter and Karen Kreger
John and Mary Krieger Dennis and June Krus Karen Kuehlhorn Kenneth Kuenzer
Kuhl Studios
Jerry and Judy Kulka Kurburski Family Fund Rodney and Christine Kurtz James Lagowski
Kenneth and Diane Lahti Bruce and Andi Laidlaw Ashton Lamb Lois Lamb
Keith and Bernice Lamkin Becky Lancaster Gregory and Audrey Landsfeld David and Crystal Lang Joe, Laura and family and Chris Lange Laura Lange Marilyn Latterman and Frederick Hambly Frances Laue Douglas and Ellen Law Paula Leach Dan and Angie Lemon Joseph and Betty Lepak Marilyn Leppek Dorothy and John Lewis Richard and Colleen Lewis Lisa Lightfoot and Marshall Rugg Ross and Cathy Lillie Jim and Jan Lindner Orly Lindner Jean Livingston Craig Locke and Jannine Baker Robert Logee Matthew Lohrentz John and Catherine Loomis Katie Lowran Barbara Lukasiewicz Nancy and John Lukasiewicz Phillip and Usha Lundberg Dan Mach and Kathy Flynn Mach Magagna Family Foundation Tom and Gladys Maguire Roger and Aimee Mali
Kathryn and Gary Manthey
Will Manty
Joseph and Norma Mariage Richard and Lori Marl
Josephine Marquis
Dirk and Mary Martin Charlotte Marx Bill and Lorna Mason Susan Matyiku
John Matz and Terry Griffin Brian and Lynette Maxey Mike and Linda Mayer Dale and Karen Mayhew Jeffrey and Mary Mazure John and Havala McCall Kathleen and Thomas McClanaghan John and Susan McConnel Ann and Doug McInnis John and Anne McKinney McKinsey and Company Jane McKune Margaret McMaster Terry and Kim McMillan Gary and Nancy McRay Timothy and Nancy Mead John Meade
Jo Meller and Jim Sluyter Rita Melotti and Andrew Bishop Julian and Victoria Mendoza David and Jan Merrell
Robert and Adeline Metzger Microsoft Corporation Matching Gifts
Pat and Jim Middleton Katherine Miller Mary and Emmett Miller Mary Beth and James Milliken Jennifer and Jay Mills
James and Peggy Miner
Paul and Lauren Moeller Andrew Moore
Dennis and Linda Moore Bob Morningstar Herbert Morris
Dr. and Mrs. Paul L. Morris Elliot and Florence Morrison
Barb and Gregory Mort John and Victoria Moseley Megan Motil
Timothy Moynihan Anne Mudgett and Scott Furgueson
Richard and Marilyn Mumaw Carol and Henry Mundie Ann Murphy
Barbara and Brian Murphy Dave Murphy and Sue Peters Dennis and Judy Murphy Michael and Dustine Murphy Victoria Murphy Rich and Elizabeth Murrell Yvonne Myers
John and Sharon Nedlo Eileen and August Neitzel Roger and Stephanie Nelsen Thomas and Scott Nelson Maxi Neugebauer Gerald and Jan Neumann Rick and Kathy Newman Mary Ellen Newport Robert and Cristine Nichols Shirley and Jerry Niemi Greg and Jean Noah James and Anne Noffsinger Richard and Sondra Nordin Gary Noteware Ken and Marilyn Nowak Laura and Timothy Nyquist
Bill and Kim O'Brien Giving Fund
Liz, Jan, Doug, Mat, Nate and Mindy ODonnel
Annie and Jay Olds
Elizabeth Ong
Clifford Onthank Sue Oppliger
Oryana Community Co-op Lauren Osuch
Thomas and Bonny Ottney
Judy Owen
Michael and Victoria Pachulski Roland and Sara Pandolfi George and Donna Parker Gloria Parsons
Kathy Partin
Patrick and Kaitlyn Pasik Richard B. Paulsen Donor Advised Fund
Leo and Patricia Paveglio Julie Pearson
Kate Pearson and Steve Cruzen Muriel Peavler
Sarah and Lawrence Peck Victoria Peck and Brendan Hunter
Diane and Thomas Pederson
John and Denise Peppler Elizabeth Perkett
Elmer and Ruth Peterman Curtis and Gussie Peterson George Petritz
John and Amy Pflughoeft Joyce Phelps
Grant Piering
Walter and Judy Popyk
Heide-Marie Post
Bruce and Susan Potts
Tim Prescott and Linda Wessels
Roger Priest
Judith Primak
Lynn Prust and Mitch Purst
Charlotte Putney
Daniel Putt
Robert and Elaine Rabideau
James Rainey
Eric and Joni Rammelkamp Elsie and Don Randall James and Lisa Randall
Richard and Judith Rathburn Arnold and Joan Ratkowski
Andy Ray Bradley and Marilyn Raymond Melissa Reed Kent and Mary Ann Reynolds Dean and Bonnie Rhoads Kara Richardson Karen Richardson Nate Richardson Yasmin Richmond and Ruth Hoppe James and Kathleen Rickard Lou and Kathy Ricord Ridgeline
Heather Rinkel
Nathan Ritter
Thomas and Diane Roach Dale and Judy Roberts Alexander and Patricia Robinson Michael Robinson Michael and Libby Robold Rochester Lawn Service Inc. Charles and Sara Rodeck Kristen and Paul Roell
Ann Rogers
Richard Romanowski
Susan Ross
Tracy and Judy Ross
Diana and Basil Rowe Anthony and Natalie Rupard Rudy and Jill Ruterbusch Belinda Loomis Rutt
Nancy and Hubert Ryan Madelyn Safronoff
James and Verna Sak
Pat and Lyn Salathiel Janie Saltarelli
Diane Samarasinghe John and Suzette Sanborn Edna Sargent
Matt and Sara Satkowiak Douglas and Laura Savela Terry and Gloria Savory Linda Schiele Jan Schmidt Kurt and Karen Schmidt Randy and Maryann Schmidt Thomas and Beverly Schmitt Callie Schneider Corinne Schneider Davina Schneider John and Elizabeth Schneider Brent and Laurie Schnell Robert and Sharron Scholz Russell and Joanne Schopieray Wallace and Patricia Schroth Erin, Alan, Rowan, and Fianna Schug Marilyn Schuler Katherine and Steven Schultz Dr. Robert Schwert Peter Schwich
Betty and Richard Scott
John and Gloria Scott
William and Laurie Sears John and Lesa Seefeld Ewa Shannon
Sarah Sheafor
Jim and Marilyn Sheets Susan and David Sheldon Susan Shimmons
Edward and Susan Shipman Mary Shirley
Robert and Dana Sholten Mason Showalter
Will and Marilyn Shroyer Steve and Carol Shuckra Heather and Rick Shumaker Peter Shumar
Jane and Francis Sievert Robert Sigler David and Tami Simonelli
David Simpson and Anne Pawlak-Simpson Michael Sipkoski Patricia Skifstad
Thomas and Maura Slack
Donna Sloan
Catherine and Mark Smith Donald and Linda Smith
Julie Smith
Mark and Ann Smith Patrick and Kathleen Smith Steve Smith Gerald Solanics
Freda and Patrick Southworth Donna Sowers and Louis Wojtowicz
Jeff and Judy Spencer
Jim and Dottie Spousta Reg Sprik
Michele and Tom Squires
Kristen Staggs
Nick and Rachel Stagman
John Stamm
Don Stauffer
Gary and Jane Stauffer
Lynn Steben
Matthew Stedman and Katie Ororke-Stedman
Patti Steinmayer
Steve Stephens
Yvonne Stephens Elizabeth Stevenson William and Kathleen Stevenson
R. Troy and Carrilyn Stobert
Mr. Chuck and Shelley Stockwell Nancy and Mickey Story Sue and James Strabel John and Marilyn Strader Richard Streit
Scott Strelow and Pat Burns-Strelow Judith Strickland Kristin Stuedemann, Andrea Lovendusky and Molly Steck Elizabeth Stumbo
James and Mary Stutelberg Chris and Ali Sullivan
Robert and Cheryl Sunday Thomas and Lisa Suntrup
Jerry Sura Marian and Thomas Sutter Charles and Linda Svec Ann Swaney
Steven Swaney Joel and Ann Swanson Jim Swearingen
Stephen and Joan Szynal Kingsley Taft and
Gillien Todd Makram Talia Sonia and Samir Tanna James and Roberta Teahen Margaret and Timothy Tewson
Robert and Janice Thomas Connie Thompson
Dennis Thorpe Doug Tinnette
Paul and Sally Ton Harriet Townsend Linda and Stuart Travis
Art and Sarah Trembanis Lewis Tripp Alexis Troschinetz
Dave and Karen Tubolino Sara Tucker Kathy Tuckerman James Tuller Joseph Tylutki UBS Employee Giving Program
Molly Updike Steve and Cindy Utic Michael Vahey Eric and Julie VanderHaagen Mark and Michelle VanderVelde Joan Osborn VanGunten Mark and Margaret VanHoose Beth Varty Larry Vasher Mark and Rachel Vaughan Family Lois Verbrugge Richard and Mary Vervisch Alan and Bev Vicstein Tom and Maggie Vinette John and Lynn Vinkemulder
George and Alyce Voulemenous
David and Pat Vranesich
Karen Wachs
Dawn Waggett Rep. Howard and Dianne Walker
Michael and Andrea Wall David and Frances Wallace Nancy and Kent Walton
Harmon and Joyce Ward Priscilla Ware and Robert Davis
James Warren
Washtenaw Master Gardners Becki and Richard Watson Richard and Lucinda Weiermiller Bob and Maurine Weisenburger Steve and Mary Weiss Charles and Ann Weitz Doug and Cheryl Welday Brad and Cheri Weller Robert and Michelle Wentworth Dale and Barbara Wentzloff Carol and Mark Werts Dale and Tracy Westerman Leigh Whelpton
Whistling Frog Tile Erin and Ben Whiting Rick and Raj Wiener Bryson and Emily Wilbert Diane Wilbur and Jim Szalay Jeanie Williams Rebecca Wilson
Steven and Mary Wilson Michael and Arlene Windbacher Julie Winkler
Nathan Winkler and Jenna Scheub
Karla and Stan Woell Pam and Dean Wohlers Wendy Wolfe and Paul Wawrzynek
Robert and Barbara Wollak
Susan and James Woodburne Randi and Mark Woodworth Tom Workman
Franklyn and Diane Wosek Mike Wylie
Steven and Margot Wynkoop Gary and Janet Yankee
Thomas Yeo
Richard and Loretta Young Chester and Marjorie Zbojniewicz Douglas Zernow and Merilyn Ueno Amy Zesbaugh and Tim Tibbetts
Thomas Zieziul and Natalie Killingstad Paul Ziliak and Katie Hanson Stephen and Nancy Zirkle Constance Zoutendyk
January 1 - June 30, 2022
Your donations have enabled the Conservancy to pursue land protection and stewardship projects that will have an immense impact on the ecology and quality of life in northern Michigan. Each preserve, each trail, each natural area, and each farm, all have their own unique legacy that you are now a part of. Thank you for helping to weave these stories into the larger narrative of land protection we are writing together.
Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve Additions
Natalie Johnson
William and Kathleen Parsons
Benzie County Land Protection
Dr. David, Kathryn and Keiana Snell
Paul and Ingrid Turner
Birch Point Nature Preserve
Chris and Diane Anderson
James Bauer
Anthony and Susan Baynard
Lori Beer
Bell Title Lakeshore Nena Bonadarenko
Gloria and Jerry Boyd
Dorothy and Harold Byers
Michael and Nancy Call Harold and Marsha Case Julie and Lonnie Christopher Patrick Clagett
Daum Family Fund
Jules and Sharon DePorre
Ned and Barbara Edwards Cathy Eubanks
Ruth and Keith Griffioen
Melissa and Martin Havlin Alan and Elizabeth Hindmarch Ed Hoogterp Joseph Hulsebus
Judith and Thomas Ivacko Tom Jackson
Barbara Johnson
Darrell and Shirley Kinnan
Joyce Kirshner and Frances Wyatt Susan Koenig
Amy and Victor Lane, Sr. David and Jane Lean Connie Leutloff
Lauren Mayer
Judith Miller
Susan E Miner Donor Fund Molly Murbach
Mike and Nancy Nerbonne Richard and Debra Northway Maureen Passalacqua Mark and Kim Rapanos
Robert Robbins
Richard and Jennie Schmitt Peter and Mary Jo Solwold James and Kelli Spencer Lee and Tom Stoltmann Robert and Cheryl Sunday John and Nancy Taylor
Julie Tebo and Paul Danes Michael Vahey Phyllis Valentine
Saskia van Wolferen Mark and Jane Vogel Family Foundation Steven Walton Brad and Cheri Weller Mary Wila
Chain of Lakes Land Protection
Carls Foundation
Chain of Lakes Watershed Dole Family Foundation Sub Fund
Dole Family Foundation
Charlie Kehr Memorial Trail Connector at Railroad Point Natural Area
Suzanne Voltz Falender Family Endowed Fund James and Fran Falender
Finch Creek Nature Sanctuary Alden State Bank
Stephen and Louise Anella Tammie and Alan Brown Rob Chandler
Cameron Clark Charitable Fund
David and Nadine Collier Arthur W. Curtis, III John and Susan Davis Fred and Ann Dean Christopher Eckrich
Quan Gerville-Reache Susan and Gerald Hoar Bill and Kay Hokanson Ruth Ann Hubner
Craig Kapson
Margaret Larson
Judd Leighton
Foundation, Inc.
Stewart McMillan
William Mittler
Mary Lou Mullen
Kerri and Darrel Ritchie
Barton and Bonnie Shroyer
Barbara Snell
Neal Wankoff
Barbara Wind
Chris and Cathy Wynne Golden Days Loon Nature Sanctuary Addition
Ken Beck and Jana Tuckerman Frey Family Fund
Garry Gardner
Jonathan Gardner
Steven Gardner
Bonnie Joyce
Tom and Elise Roe
Dorothy Singleton
Bonnie Topper-Bricker
Thomas and Jane Weaver
Hoffman Farm Conservation Easement
Ellen Kerr
Tom and Diane Rensberry
Land Preservation and Protection Projects –continued
Kiessel Ridge Farm Conservation Easement Anonymous
Carls Foundation
James Grady
Andrew and Trish Narwold Susan and Tom Palmer
Nancy Podurgiel Katie Roth Diane Stevens
Land Acquisition
Andrew Mach
Lower Woodcock Lake Nature Preserve Michael Beauchamp-Cohen Peter and Eleanor Blitzer Joseph Hulsebus Marilyn Kamp Eric Maxwell
Curt Mayes
UBS Employee Giving Program
Misty Acres: The Borwell Preserve USDA - Soil Conservation Service
Mitchell Creek Meadows: the Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve
Additions, Restoration and Access
Debra Benton
Michael and Mary Foley
Leonard and Karen Franseen David and Terri Goodwin Zachary Hillyer
Jay Jasinski Andrew McCall Oleson Foundation Nate Richardson
Anita and Chris Scussel Bonnie Topper-Bricker Luann Wieber
Mount Minnie Nature Preserve Dave and Lori DeHaan
Cheryl and Bill Dundon Joseph and Gail Frank
Old Mission Peninsula Land Protection Ken and Susan Morrison Denis and Martha Pierce
Pyatt Lake: The Bill Carls Nature Preserve Improvement and Expansion Project
Carls Foundation Gretchen Deo Ashley Thompson Fred and Barbara Woodruff
Railroad Point Natural Area
Cheryl and Bill Dundon
Skegemog Lake Wildlife Area
Community Foundation Evelyn A. and Charles H. Drummond Skegemog Lake Wildlife Area Education Endowment
June Janis Stewardship Endowment Carls Foundation
IBM Corporation
Rotary Camps and Services of TC
Torch Lake Nature Preserve Christopher and Martie Conner
Jane Kirkeby
Turtle Cove Nature Preserve
Ross and Emily Abrahamson
Anonymous
Gerald and Katherine Batka
Curtis and Barbara Bedbury
Sally and Gary Betz
Sheri Blok
Martha Campbell
Tom and Jody Case Giving Fund
Sam Clark
Tim and Teresa Cook
Kent and Victoria Des Jardins
Caitlyn Dolan
Nadine Dolan
Russell and Pat Ehler
William English
Caitlin and Brandon Falenski
Susan Foster Pamela Fraker
Sebastian Garbsch
Charles and Jeanne Gembis
Edith Gibbs
Emily Gibson
Michael Gillman
Caralee Giuntoli
Robert Haake
Joyce and Garland Hicks Dennis and Janice Hudson
Pam and Lance Huffer Harry and Faye Knol Ronald Kovacs
Jeff Kroeger
Carol and Craig Kuesel
Steve and Sharon Largent
Jim Lemire
Catherine Lewis
Amanda Macaluso
Sue and Howard Maniloff
Dennis Mann
Frank and Lisa Maynard Andrew Morrill
David Mudd
Jeff Peters
Steven and Carol Reichard Christie Robnett
Timothy Sitts
Bill and Anne Sleeman Chris Sloane
Adam and Theresa Smith Marguerite Smith Kim Steffes
Mark and Ann Stephens
Jason Stringer
Kim and David Stringer
Kathleen and Philip Swanson
Scott and Allyson Tinker
Emily Votruba
Joe and Michelle Will
Holly and Larry Winter
Wolff Family Fund
Kent and Molly Woodrow
Upper Manistee
Headwaters: The Milock Family Preserve
Dick Sadler
Joshua Weber
Wilcox-Palmer-Shah Nature Preserve Additions Betsy Davis
Janet KillianJanuary 1 - June 30, 2022
Land Champions generously commit to supporting the Conservancy with monthly donations, providing the stability needed to implement strategic land protection and stewardship throughout the region. Your gifts protect critical habitats and water quality year round, while maintaining open access to nature for all. Thank you for your stalwart devotion to the land!
Charlene Abernethy and Mike Gill
Jeff Ackerman
Perry and Mary Catherine Adams Joe and Kathryn Anderson Anonymous Katherine Armstrong
AT&T Employee Giving Jeremiah and Kristi Avery Nancy Baglan Nicolaas and Rhonda Ballintyn Carl and Nancy Ballou Bay View Flooring Beverly Beauchamp
Travis and Joan Bell Marcia Bellinger Andre and Jamie Borrello Ed and Jennifer Bradford Anne Brasie Robert L. Brown
Allie and Art Bukowski Doug and Susan Burns Melia Carter Dan Casey
Marty and Carole Chirgwin Glen and Rebecca Chown Norman and Laura Christopher Richard and Jill Claybour Julie Clynes
Birgit and Keith Conway Joseph and Leslie Cook Robert and Karin Cooney
William Cooper and Mary Wright Charles and Susan Crawford Arthur W. Curtis, III Colleen DeKay Paul and Christine Deyo Virginia Dike and Ijeoma Dike-Young Sylvia and Thomas Duncan Marissa and Manny Duque David Durham Tom and Diane Emling Fred A. Farage Jr. and Carl J. Strebel Brett Fessell Jane and Steve Fish David Foley and Margaret Willman George and Mary Ford Madelyn and James Frick Stephen and Susan Fry Karen Garber and John DesMarais Dawn Garrock Mark and Mary Beth Gentry Jeremy Gibson and Carolyn McDonald Mark Gilmore Doug and Karen Goodkin Jack and Liz Goodman John and Kathryn Gray Kathleen and Mark Guy Gail Halliday and Tim Laney Jack and Ruth Harris Will Heelan
Robert and Barbara Heflin
Laura and Scott Heintzelman Sean Hickey
Mollie Hilliard Pam and Lance Huffer
Abdeen Jabara and Holly Maguigan Lee Jameson and Barbara Nelson-Jameson Jennifer Jay and Evan Johnstone
Jill and Ron Johnston Linda Kehr Donald and Barbara King Ashton Lamb Becky Lancaster Gregory and Audrey Landsfeld Ross and Cathy Lillie Matthew Lohrentz Katie Lowran
Josephine Marquis John Meade
Rita Melotti and Andrew Bishop Barb and Gregory Mort Megan Motil
Timothy Moynihan Anne Mudgett and Scott Furgueson Richard and Marilyn Mumaw Mary Ellen Newport Lauren Osuch Kathy Partin Julie Pearson
Kate Pearson and Steve Cruzen
Victoria Peck and Brendan Hunter George Petritz
Tim Prescott and Linda Wessels
Robert and Elaine Rabideau James Rainey Eric and Joni Rammelkamp
Polly Rea
Kara Richardson
Nate Richardson Yasmin Richmond and Ruth Hoppe
Heather Rinkel
Michael and Libby Robold Kristen and Paul Roell Diana and Basil Rowe Anthony and Natalie Rupard Diane Samarasinghe John and Suzette Sanborn Matt and Sara Satkowiak Randy and Maryann Schmidt Erin, Alan, Rowan, and Fianna Schug
William and Laurie Sears
Edward and Susan Shipman Robert and Dana Sholten Mason Showalter
Catherine and Mark Smith
Julie Smith
Jeff and Judy Spencer Michele and Tom Squires Nick and Rachel Stagman
Lynn Steben
R. Troy and Carrilyn Stobert
Chris and Ali Sullivan
Dilys Tosteson Garcia and Lola Jackson
Linda and Stuart Travis
Sara Tucker
Kathy Tuckerman
Dori Turner
Molly Updike
Tom and Maggie Vinette Rep. Howard and Dianne Walker
Charles and Ann Weitz Carol and Mark Werts
Leigh Whelpton
Erin and Ben Whiting
Rick and Raj Wiener
Diane Wilbur and Jim Szalay
Jeanie Williams
John Robert Williams and Terrie Taylor
Julie Winkler
Nathan Winkler and Jenna Scheub
Wendy Wolfe and Paul Wawrzynek
January 1 - June 30, 2022
Many people support the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy because they know the best way to ensure our region remains vibrant, healthy and beautiful is to protect the critical places we all love - forever. Your planned gifts are an investment in the long-term sustainability of the Conservancy, benefiting generations to come.
Martha Aemisegger ‡
Anderson
Hal and Kathryn Armstrong
Marjorie E. Arney ‡
Judy and Paul Arnold Christine Arvidson and Henry Doss Robert and Nancy Baglan
George and Martha Bailey Tom and Ellen Baird
Jannine Baker and Craig Locke George ‡ and Merry Ball
Daniel P. Baumhardt
Rosemary Benedetti
Carl and Sally ‡ Benner
John and Rebecca Bercini Barbara Arnold Bigalke
Naomi Borwell ‡
Kenneth and Jennifer Bosma Nancy Eshelman Brickman Grace and Eric Bries
Jill C. Byron
Kathleen Carpenter
Ruth W. Catton
Glen and Rebecca Chown
Bob and Cindy Clement Richard ‡ and Marilyn Cobb Sara Cockrell
Rob and Diane Collier
Jane R. Comings
Birgit and Keith Conway Bonnie Craig and Dan Sylvester Karen and Ronald Culp Jim Cunningham Marcia and Ted ‡ Curran Kate and Rick Dahlstrom
Robert and Arlene Dean Lois R. DeBacker
Graydon and Sherri DeCamp Jock ‡ and Sue Denio Michael and Barbara Dennos ‡ Alice J. Detzler
Betsy and Stan Dole
Thomas P. and Stacy A. Dunning Trust Diane L. Dupuis Debbie Edson
Phil and Laura Edwards
David and Linda Egeler Arthur Elliott ‡ Rich and Susan Erwin
Fred A. Farage Jr. and Carl J. Strebel
Jeannette M. Fehner ‡
Jamie and Beverly Finlayson John H. Fisher Dean and Nora Francis Karen Garber and John DesMarais, In Memory of Dr. Frank W. Garber and Ellen A. Garber
Andrew Gerber
Michael J. Gillman Lois Goldstein and John Heiam Tom Greensmith Anthony Grybok ‡ Jessica A. Hatch
Victor C. Hayes ‡
Mr. and Mrs. John R. Hicks Tom ‡ and Myrna Hitchman Tom Hitchman and Keith Hewitt
Anne M. Hoffa William Holland Donald E. Hunt William A. Hyslop Brian and Jennifer Jaffe Harry ‡ and June Janis Jennifer Jay
Jerry and Pat ‡ Jehle Susan K. Jennings Walter H. Johnson Joyce Keillor ‡ Karen G. Kerrigan
The Rev. Dr. Kathleen L. Kircher Wayne and Ruthanne Kladder Richard Kooyman and Melanie Parke
Oscar H. Kraft ‡ Kima M. Kraimer
Edith Krause ‡
Robert Charles and Patricia Cosner Kubic Roger and Ann Looyenga Richard and Marlene Loughmiller ‡ Wendy MacGaw
The Joseph Magliochetti Family Rosemary Malocsay Kent ‡ and Barbara Manning Josephine "Jody" Marquis Bob and Nancy Marshall Diane McDonald ‡ Christie McGue and Robert Calt Donald McIntyre, Jr. ‡ Dick and Shirley McNally ‡ Mark and Catherine McPherson Deb Menninga Robert and Joyce Mims Elizabeth S. Mitchell ‡ Amy and Jim Moore John and Nancy Morrison ‡ Tim and Janet Mulherin Ruth Luse Myers ‡ Ray and Paula Nichols Elaine Oeflein ‡
Julie Pearson
Kate Pearson
Mary J. Pitcher Eula Pray ‡
David and "Weezie" Reese Dan Remahl
Harriet Rennie-Brown Patricia D. Robinson ‡ Tom Robinson ‡ Elizabeth B. Rodgers
Daniel and Martha Rogalny
Edward and Elyse Rogers
John Ross
Don Schuster
Eda June (Novak) Scott ‡ Gregory D. Seman
Chris and Michele Shafer
George E. Shambaugh, Jr. ‡ Jodi Simpson
Marilyn Slabaugh
Colette Stanish
D.W. and Joyce ‡ Stibbs Erik Takayama ‡ Ann and Allen Taylor
Terrie E. Taylor, D.O. Herbert H. Tedder ‡ William and Mary Todt Andrew M. Vander Molen ‡ Dana Vannoy
Chip Visci and Marty Claus Suzanne J. Voltz
Phil and Barb Von Voigtlander
Ralph A. and Margaret von Walthausen ‡ Lorenzo E. and Beverly F. Wagner ‡ M. Sue Waltz Anne W. Warren
Donna M. Weitz and Bill O. Smith
Gloria Whelan
Frank and Judith Wilhelme
Randi and Mark Woodworth John Wunsch and Laura Wigfield Ron and Marty Yocum
January 1 - June 30, 2022
Your gift is helping to protect our finite and precious natural resources for all time. You are honoring lives well-lived and building the foundation of a priceless legacy for future generations.
DeAnne and Todd Frank
Steve Bass
Joe, Laura and family and Chris Lange
Tim Boursaw
Janet and Stanley Goodman
Archie Carmichael Robbie and Archie Carmichael
Selma Carter Melia Carter
Jon Chrestensen Kristin Stuedemann, Andrea Lovendusky and Molly Steck
Karen Connor Catherine Alfred
Tom Crampton Robert and Barbara Wollak Gordon (Mac) and Glennis Fletcher
David and Crystal Lang
Liz, Jan, Doug, Mat, Nate and Mindy ODonnell Mark and Michelle VanderVelde
Alan (Al) Flory Barbara Farrell
Beth Ferris
Barbara and Ted Fisher Joyce Kirshner and Frances Wyatt
Lynn Prust and Mitch Purst Steve Stephens Scott Strelow and Pat Burns-Strelow
John and Lynn Vinkemulder Pam and Dean Wohlers
George and Madalynne Gardner
Garry Gardner
Jonathan Gardner
Steven Gardner Bonnie Joyce Dorothy Singleton
Abby Gartland Jennifer Baragar
Gerald Solanics
Joseph (Joe) Griggs John and Rebecca Bercini Katherine Brege Angela Dollaway/Helfrich Richard and Linda Helfrich Mary Beth and James Milliken Ann Rogers Constance Zoutendyk
Jane Heywood Anne Bowles
Angela Higgins Kathleen Hintz
Deborah Hogan Elizabeth Stumbo Michael Holdeman Robert and Jane Holdeman
Donald Holman Matthew Stedman and Katie O’Rorke-Stedman
Jack Hood Christine Haack and Mark Hood Michael J. Houlihan Fred and Sheila Hackley Peter Hoag Belinda Loomis Rutt
Kim Michele Hughes Robert Heavenrich
Phyllis Ann Husted Teresa and Daniel Husted
Robert James Kobs John Matz and Terry Griffin
Carolyn Lewis Connie Thompson
Amy Lyman Jim Swearingen Terry Malone Christopher and Martie Conner
Clarissa and Andrew Marckwald Louise Ladd
Robert James (Rob) Marshall Lillian Billmeier John and Lynn Collins Michael and Teckla Dettmer Judy Foulk Keith Geiger
Larry and Diane Hughes Brian and Jennifer Jaffe Jennifer Jay and Evan Johnstone
Dale and Karen Mayhew Patricia and Edward Robinson Art and Sarah Trembanis Mike Wylie
Kona Miske Perry Harmon
Margaret (Biani) Moran Melissa Reed
Theodore (Ted) Mullett Stephen and Louise Anella
Tammie and Alan Brown
Rob Chandler
Cameron Clark
Charitable Fund
David and Nadine Collier John and Susan Davis
Fred and Ann Dean Christopher Eckrich David and Judith Eckrich
William Gates
Quan Gerville-Reache Susan and Gerald Hoar
Bill and Kay Hokanson Ruth Ann Hubner
Judd Leighton Foundation, Inc. Craig Kapson
Laurie Katz
Margaret Larson Stewart McMillan
William Mittler
Mary Lou Mullen Kerri and Darrel Ritchie Linda Schiele
Barton and Bonnie Shroyer Barbara Snell
Barbara Wind
Chris and Cathy Wynne
Barbara Nickelson Carol Hoffman
Orley Norris
Halo Helpers Susan Ohm Johannes Heijmans and Janis Schiller
Frances Laue
Althea Petritz
Nancy and Mickey Story
Richard Petrovich
Anonymous
N. Richard and Karen Haas
Muriel Peavler
Rebecca Wilson
Constance Riopelle
Pauline Lackie and Mary Hoiles
Dennis F. Sanderson
John and Mary Campbell
Karen Kuehlhorn
Bruce Sharp
Charles and Judy Kraus
Randall Smith Reynolds-Jonkhoff
Funeral Home, Inc.
Patricia (Pat) Stringer Matt Bertram
Dr. Evan Black
Candelles Team
Kay Clark
Robert and Valerie Griffith
Jacquelin Kilburn
Margaret McMaster
Elizabeth Stevenson
Alexis Troschinetz
Gerald (Gerry) Swaney
Rochelle and Steve Hammontree
Ellen Kerr
Heather and Rick Shumaker
Ann Swaney
Steven Swaney
Sonia and Samir Tanna
Paul Swidorski
Douglas and Laura Savela
Joseph Hajduk Taylor
Donna and Christopher Healy
Charles and Madeline Tyson Catherine Irwin
Norman Ueno
Douglas Zernow and Merilyn Ueno
Margaret Wegner
Dorothy and John Lewis
January 1 - June 30, 2022
By honoring your friends and loved ones with your gift to the Conservancy, you are making an enduring tribute while helping protect northern Michigan’s beauty and natural resources. We are pleased to honor the following people through your support of the Conservancy.
Scott Blackhurst
Mary and Emmett Miller
Al Bonney
James Bonney
Gary Bowerman
Bowerman, Bowden, Ford, Clulo & Luyt, PC.
Emily Crandall
Lois Breimeier
Carol Breimeier and Fred Nelson
Peter Schwich
Allison Brook
Robert Brook
Selma Carter
Melia Carter
Glen Chown
Kay Charter
Mary Cobb
Rev. Oscar and Shirley Kraft
Elizabeth Crowdus
Ridgeline
Bob and Arlene Dean
Nancy Cook
Carlton Fry
Andrea Fry and John Floyd
Virginia Gerstner
Gregory Gerstner
Amy Goldberg
Katherine Carr
Matthew Hilliard
John and Jane Hilliard
Mollie Hilliard
John and Jane Hilliard
Jim Huckle
Nancy and Kent Walton
Kathy Magliochetti
Steve and Mary Weiss
Joyce Mims
Jane Fiore, Faye Conley and Judy Rich
My Grandchildren
George Petritz
Mary Ellen Newport
Orly Lindner
Don and Bette Oswell
Gloria Parsons
Jeff Riddle
Daniel Putt
John Sargent
Bill and Anne Sleeman
Shari Spoelman
Corinne Schneider
Ryan Swanson
Kathleen and Philip Swanson
June Thaden
Steve and Betsy Duede
The Rogers Family and Chimney Corners Resort
Dr. David, Kathryn and Keiana Snell
Turner/Schmitt
Families and Our Friends at Watervale
Thomas and Jane Jenkins
January 1 - June 30, 2022
With your charitable gifts to the Conservancy, you join other respected businesses and community leaders who share how deeply they value and care for northern Michigan’s natural resources. The ongoing support of our business community shows a commitment to northern Michigan’s farmland heritage, the protection of natural lands and the preservation of clean air and water.
Alden State Bank
Bell Title Lakeshore
Bowerman, Bowden, Ford, Clulo & Luyt, PC.
Candelles Team
Endoman Promotions, LLC
Frontstream
Halo Helpers
Hudson Livestock
Management Services LLC
Kuhl Studios
Oryana Community Co-op
Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, Inc.
Rochester Lawn Service Inc.
Whistling Frog Tile
We are deeply grateful to these supporters for the generous contributions of their products, goods and services.
Rick Bellingham
Tim Johnson
Richard and Patricia Hager Michael Murray
Public grants help leverage and maximize the value of your private investment. The Conservancy is a direct recipient or a subawardee of grant funding from these agencies and organizations.
USDA - Soil Conservation Service
US Fish and Wildlife Service – Great Lakes Restoration Initiative – Coastal Program
January 1 - June 30, 2022
Company sponsored matching gift programs encourage employees and retirees to donate to charitable causes like the Conservancy. By taking advantage of your employer’s matching gift program you provide additional resources to support the work of land protection in northern Michigan. These companies made donations to match their employees’ gifts to the Conservancy.
AT&T Employee Giving
Benevity Fund
Gates Foundation
Google Matching Gifts Program
HP Foundation Matching Gift Program
IBM Corporation
W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Kresge Foundation
McKinsey and Company
Microsoft Corporation
Matching Gifts
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Shell Matching Gifts Program
UBS Employee Giving Program
ViacomCBS
Over 280 individual landowners work with the Conservancy to manage voluntary conservation easements on their privately owned lands. These properties comprise more than half of the land we have protected with significant characteristics that will protect and enhance land, water, or wildlife habitat quality. We extend our sincere gratitude to the following landowners:
Acme Township
Christopher and Ann Adams
Douglas Adams
Alan R Adams Trust
Dorance and Julia Amos
Roland and Marilyn Andreasson
Antrim County
Antrim County Conservation District
Anway Farms LLC Baillio Company
Elizabeth Banker
Mark and Karen Barbera Bash Enterprises Ardis Bauer
Bay Harbor Club Association
Bayshore Real Estate Associates #1
Dennis and Jacquelyn Beal Leon and Shirley Beal Bill and Marti Beals
Margaret Beck
Michael and Leah Bell
Robert and Barbara Below Roland Bielert
Black Star Farms
Boardman Township
Dave and Jackie Bos Mary Ellen Boucher
Matthew and Joni Brengman James Dalley and Lois Brennan Bret Bachert Trust Lee and Richmond Brown James and Justine Buck Andy and Beth Buelow
Keith Burns
The Gary D and Elizabeth A Burns Trust Bruce and Rhoda Bush Jon Bylsma and Jennifer Johnston
Kathryn Bytwerk Robert and Candy Campbell Pat Capps
Archibald Carey David and Nancy Carey John Carey and Vicki Arroyo Andrew and Andrea Carolus Shirley Carris Terrance & Marlene Caszatt Trust Cedar River Group, LLC. Mike Champion Charles and Jeanie Chapin David A Charlton Trust Tom and Janice Cook Chartwell Properties, LLC. Glen and Rebecca Chown Mark and Leslie Churella Heidi, Michael and Michael Cooper Richard Cooper and Jan Tennant Tom Cooper Vince Cooper Spencer and Amy Couturier Croft, LLC
Crystal Highlands Owners' Association Richard and Linda Cushman Tom and Martha Dalluge Alice and Jerry Deck DEER Development Engineering
G. Michael and Barbara DeGraeve Michael and Claudia Delp Michael and Ann DeVries Charles and Lorie DeYoung Harold and Edna DeYoung Lance and Allyson Docken Kay and Frederic Dohm
J. Bennett and Tauna Donaldson Deborah Doyle Roger and Angelica Dunlap Earl and Susan Dutton Julie and Jim Dutton E Company, LLC.
Martin Easling Laurie Eberhardt and Peter Martin Dave Edel Phil Edwards and Laura Reid Russell and Pat Ehler Carl Eklund
Phil and Rita Ellington Jeff and Marilyn Elliott
EPIKERDIS Manistee LLC
Evans Brothers Fruit Company Katherine Farrell Jim and Kari Fisher Laura Fisher
The Estate of Mary C. Francis Alison Fredericksen John and Teresa Frey Charter Township of Garfield G.D.O. Investments LLC John Gehring and Lisa Leininger Gene Gerring
Brian and Lisa Getty
Jeremy Gibson and Carolyn McDonald
Gordon Gienow
Judy Gienow
Ron and Diane Gillison Matthew Godlewski and Jacob Whitman
Gloria Goodale and Dan Wood Margo Goodale Nick Goodale and Wendy Asselin
James and Sharon Goodheart Charles and Bethany Goodman Raul Gomez and Emma Smith
Edith Elliott Queeny and Warner Guild Queeny Ann and Harold Gurian
Martha and Ed Hammer Anne Hammond
Thomas Hanna
Bryan and Elaine Hanson
Alan and Carol Hart Thomas and Annette Hart Trust
Charlene Heim
Jerry and Jamie Heim Jane and Timothy Hemenway Matthew Hemenway
Jed and Dawn Hemming
Henry Orchards Inc
David and Barbara Henton
Todd Herber
Carol Highsaw
Jim Highsaw and Linda Prentice
Art and Carol Hoadley
Paul and Deanna Hoadley Richard Hoadley
Stephen Hoadley
Russell and Kay Hughes Mark and Sharon Hullman
Inn at Watervale, Inc.
J-4 Enterprises LLC
Vicki Jacobs
Travis Jacobsen
JD Leelanau LLC
Jeffers Family Trust Village of Kalkaska
Julie Kavner and David Davis
David Kelley
David and Katy Kern Kingsley Area Schools Kladzyk et al.
Anthony Kramer and Barbara Bailey Brent and Tami Kroll Bruce and Libby Krone Margery Kroupa Louise Ladd
Cliff Larkins
Leelanau Conservancy William Lentz
Joe and Kathy Lessard Timothy and Jessica Lindstrom
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
The Wendy J Ljungren, Trust
Long Lake Township
Anna Love Charles Lyon
Susie Mackay
Todd Mahoney
Bob and Kris Mampe
Robert and Lois Manigold Francia Mann
Kirk Marckwald and Chris Desser
Dirk and Mary Martin
McCool Joint Trust
Robert and Joni Metiva Amy and Dan Meyer Philip and Connie Micklin Janet E Miller Kelly and Debra Miller Susan and Monte Montei Neahtawanta Resort Association
Steve and Kathleen Newman Scott Nugent
Wendy O'Brien Leobardo and Carmelita Ocanas
OCS Watervale, Ltd.
John O'Hair
OHK-SEK
Peter Ohrnberger
Ohrnberger Properties, LLC Brad Oleson
DJ and Lisa Oleson Oleson Foundation
Anders Olson and Jacqueline Ewing Dustin and Kim Ordway Paradise Township
The Pasch Revocable Trust Patrick and Kaitlyn Pasik Paul Pelica
Cheryl Petrie
Shirley J. Petrie Trust Pine Warbler LLC Gary Pomeroy
James and Anne Porritt Steve Pray Brian and Dodie Putney Charlotte Putney
Loy Putney Putney Real Estate Holdings, LLC. Marvin and Jodi Radtke Rammelkamp Family Cottage Trust
Ranke Family Partnership
Michael H Raphelson & Carla J Langerveld Trust Ray Ravary
RF Reiley Family Partners, LTD
Ridge Runner Properties LLC Jared Ringwald
Riverview Rod & Gun Club
The Jack B Robbins Revocable Trust Phyllis Robinson
Robert and Penelope Rosi Jenipher Roslund
Rotary Camps and Services of TC
Brad and Annie Rowe Wayne and Joan Rowe Royal Farms Properties LLC Samuel and Anna Runkel William Sage
Sarah E. Schin Trust John P & Margaret A Sargent Trust
SC Realty Partners LTD Michael and Melissa Scanlon
The Robert L. Schiewe Living Trust
Nathan Schultz and Stephanie Woodfin Anita and Chris Scussel Mark Seasholes
Send Brothers Properties L.L.C.
Rick and Diane Shaffer Shaffer Family Partnership David and Ingrid Shambaugh George and Roberta Shambaugh Michael and Amie Shaw Michael and Shanna Shea Hebe and Jim Shipp Robert Sigler Peggy and Kimberly Simpson Richard and Diane Simpson Loring Sims
Nicklaus Slocum
Dale and Carolyn Smith
Julie and John Smith
Mary Ann and Rich Smith
Snyder Farm, LLC
Steve and Nikki Sobkowski
Glenna E. Southwell Trust Reg Sprik
Laura and Chuck Stanek Anne Starr and Kristin Hall David Steffey
James and Mary Stutelberg David Taft
Barbara Taylor
TD Timbers, LLC Thompson Revocable Trust Jennifer Tobias and Tom McCracken
Tosebo Clubhouse, LLC. City of Traverse City Sally Van Vleck
Kenneth VanHouten Village Ridge Homeowners Association Roy and Pamela Volkening Randall Vyverberg
Melinda Wagner 2014 Revocable Living Trust
Wayne and Joan Webber
Wellington Real Estate Holdings, LLC. Greg White
John Wilkinson and Robin Silva-Wilkinson Windward Partnership Alison Wright
John and Charlotte Wuepper
Adele Wunsch
Isaiah Wunsch
State YMCA of Michigan
Dan Yoder
Richard and Loretta Young Shelby Ziegler
The work of the Conservancy could not happen without passionate advocates for the natural world. A heartfelt thank you to those volunteers who shared their passion and enthusiasm for the incredible places in northern Michigan that are sure to foster future generations of environmental stewardship. We are deeply grateful for your dedication and hard work.
Perry Adams
Liz Agerson
Melissa Akin
Brian Allen
Karen Alphenaar
Renee Archambo
Ben(Mac) Arnold
Cheryl Bachman
Jan Bachman
Ellen Baird
Tom Baird
Jannine Baker
Nan Barbas
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Norman Bell
Elizabeth Bellingham
Rick Bellingham
John Bercini
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Tim Binder
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Janice Boles
Wenche Borgnakke
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Gary Buczkowski
Jesse Burt
Betsy Calcutt
Kelly Campbell
John Caravetta
Sally Casey
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Dale Claudepierre
Cindy Clement
Robert Clement
Linda Cline
Anthony Coe
Don Coe
Sandy Coe
Pam Coleman
John Collins
Fiona Colliver
Catie Compson
Chris Conger
JoAnne Cook
Butch Cooper
Susan Flynn Corwin
Kurt Cox
Nate Crane
Dee Crawford Mary Culik
Barbara Czarnecki
Cortney Danbrook
Sarah Davis
Victoria DesJardins
Sue Dionne
Chris Douglas
Bryce Dreeszen
Paula Dreeszen
PHOTO: RICK KANEJillian Drinko
Sylvia Duncan
Tom Dunn
Mae Stier Egeler
Mary Fairgrieve
Claire Farrel
Tom Feldmann
Dennis Fitzpatrick
Kyla Foley
Michael Foley
Steven Foley
Clifford Fox
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Brad Gerlach
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Jim Grady
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Don Howson
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Pam Huffer
Kathleen Imre
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Deb Jackson
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Terri Jones Rick Kane
Wayne Kladder
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Ken Kohlman
Koffi Kpachavi
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Susan Lockwood
Ben Lundquist
Sally Lundquist Cathy Lundy
Dina Lunken Dan Mach Kathy Flynn Mach Greg Magel Lissa Magel Grace Maitland Annaliese Majewski
Patrick Manke
Sally Manke Seton Manke Jennifer Manville
Irene Marcussen Paul Marcussen Girard Marotto Marcella Massa John Maxson Chip May
Shelle McElwee Tom McElwee Kim McMillan
Terry McMillan Keagan McNulty John Meade Val Morris Douglas Morse Paula Moyer Paul Moyer Cameron Murray
Amelia Naperala
Tyler Nardone
Andrew Nelson
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Steve Nelson
Barbara Nelson-Jameson George Nicholson
Jami Nicholson
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Spencer Olson
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Kristin Page Susan Palmer
Gail Parry John Paul Jeff Petterson Lyn Petty
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Bill Skaff
Brad Slaughter Evan Smith
Mary "Nancy" Smith
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Gary Stauffer Jane Stauffer
Mark Stevens
Jeffrey Stimson Sue Stroope
Wayne Stroope
Sharon Studinger
Jonathan Sugar Eddie Sullivan Anne Sutton Todd Sutton
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Debra Trowbridge
Barbara Van Dam
Howie Van Houten Patricia Van Houten Tom Vinette
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Dave Warners
Flint Watt Angela Willis John Willis Gera Witte
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Thomas Yocum
