Michigan Nature Magazine - Fall 2018

Michigan Nature Association Fall 2018 Volume 66 Issue 2

magazine

michigan nature

Caring for Rare Natural Communities

Hope for Restoration and Renewal www.michigannature.org

Annual Fall Recognition Dinner

Š Margaret Weber

We’re All in This Together Nature needs everyone and everyone needs nature How you can help protect Michigan nature: • Join or renew your membership • Become a monthly supporter • Honor a loved one with a memorial gift • Remember MNA in your will or estate plan Use the enclosed envelope, call (866) 223-2231 or visit www.michigannature.org to contribute.

Michigan Nature Association www.michigannature.org

Fall 2018

19 Feature Hope for Restoration 18 and Renewal The future of Michigan’s wildlife is at risk.

Fortunately, MNA and other conservation organizations are rallying around a plan to take action.

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“

MNA has been a huge supporter and leader in the implementation of the Wildlife Action Plan.

”

- Amy Derosier, MDNR page 33

Departments MNA 360

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MNA Online

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MNA Grants Teach Powerful Lessons MNA Expands with Room to Collaborate Celebrating 100 Years of Wild Michigan Elk

Kirtland’s Warbler Recovery Leads to

Proposed Delisting Monarchs Declining Species Spotlight: Eastern Box Turtle Nature News in Your Inbox

Sanctuaries

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Tribute

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Stewardship

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Membership Matters

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Booknotes

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Voices

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Legacies

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Caring for a Rare Natural Community

at Saginaw Wetlands

Remembering Karen Weingarden

Volunteer Stewards: Conservation Superheroes Shortcuts Volunteer Opportunities

Annual Fall Recognition Dinner Fall Fieldwork

Recommended Reading From MNA

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Amy Derosier, Michigan Wildlife Action Plan

Coordinator and Wildlife Biologist at the

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

New Guardians Embrace Michigan Nature

On the Cover: Ruby-throated hummingbird by Patrick Wright

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© Angie Adamec

Help Connect Children to Nature

Michigan Nature Association 2310 Science Parkway, Suite 100 Okemos, MI 48864 (866) 223-2231 www.michigannature.org

Our Vision We envision a future where Michigan’s rare, threatened and endangered species and imperiled natural communities thrive, and where they are valued by people of all walks of life who embrace and benefit from Michigan’s natural heritage.

Board of Trustees

Staff

Executive Committee

Garret Johnson Executive Director

Aubrey Golden President

Support MNA’s

Environmental Education Fund Help us educate Michigan’s next generation of conservation leaders with a gift to the Environmental Education Fund. All donations support MNA’s education programs, including outreach efforts like our minigrants to teachers for nature field trips. Other education programs include opportunities for the whole family, such as guided hikes and tours, youth volunteer projects, educational publications, and more.

Donate Today!

Call (866) 223-2231 or visit www.michigannature.org/donations

Yu Man Lee Vice President Ruth Vail Secretary Kurt Brauer Treasurer David Cartwright Trustee-at-Large Trustees Bill Bobier Mary Ann Czechowski Kara Haas Steve Kelley Gisela Lendle King Stan Kuchta Paul Messing Margaret Welsch

Conservation Andrew Bacon Conservation Director Rachel Maranto Stewardship Coordinator, L.P. Samantha Brodley Regional Stewardship Organizer, W.L.P. Bill Atkinson Regional Stewardship Organizer, Thumb

Nancy Leonard Regional Stewardship Organizer, Keweenaw

Jack Flakne Land Protection Specialist Natalie Kent-Norkowski Land Protection Technician Outreach & Education Julie Stoneman Director of Outreach & Education Jess Foxen Outreach & Communications Coordinator Operations Paul Steiner Operations Director Sherry Stewart Member Services Coordinator

Please direct questions about this magazine to Outreach & Communications Coordinator Jess Foxen, jfoxen@michigannature.org or 866-223-2231. © 2018. Except where used with permission, entire contents copyright 2018 Michigan Nature Association.

From the Executive Director

There is good news on the front to stem the decline of wildlife in Michigan — a powerful plan exists that could counter otherwise devastating trends.

As our feature story explains (p. 18), Michigan’s updated Wildlife Action Plan, facilitated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources with the help of MNA and other conservation partners, is designed to provide a strategic framework to coordinate conservation in Michigan for wildlife and their habitats.

We believe the Wildlife Action Plan is a conservation strategy for the state unlike anything we have had before. MNA is aligning our goals and actions with those of the Wildlife Action Plan across all our programs — land protection, habitat restoration, stewardship, outreach and education — to ensure we are providing as much value as we can.

We are proud to be a champion for the Wildlife Action Plan, but it will take many collaborators to fully implement it. As Amy Derosier, the Michigan DNR’s Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator, says in our Q&A (p. 33), “Ultimately, it will take many people at the table who care and are engaged” to implement the Wildlife Action Plan and address our growing wildlife crisis. We couldn’t agree more.

Most importantly, the Wildlife Action Plan will need funding. There is good news there as well with bipartisan introduction of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act in both the U.S. House and Senate (p. 25). It would provide critically needed resources to implement every state’s Wildlife Action Plan, including Michigan’s. The bill has MNA’s support.

Not all news from Congress and the current Administration is positive, however. We are monitoring both Administrative rule changes and legislative proposals that could significantly weaken the nearly 45-year old Endangered Species Act (p. 17).

Ironically, one of the criticisms that some levy against the Endangered Species Act is that more and more species get listed over time and only a few have recovered enough to be removed from the list (p. 12). The problem of species recovery, though, is less about the Endangered Species Act and more about Congress’s habitual unwillingness to provide funding for habitat protection and restoration over the years.

Passage of the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act to fund action plans — including Michigan’s — could go a long way toward helping endangered species recover so they can be removed from the endangered species list.

michigan nature | fall 2018

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Leave a Lasting Legacy

By Including MNA in Your Will or Estate Plan By including MNA in your estate plans, such as a will, trust or other planned gift, you will join a group of dedicated people — our Guardians of the Future — who sustain MNA’s work and leave a legacy for many generations to come.

How to Make a Planned Gift to MNA • • • •

Include a bequest to MNA in your will or estate plan Donate stocks, bonds or other securities Donate real estate or other property Invest in a charitable gift annuity

To learn more, please return the attached card, visit www.michigannature.org or call (866) 223-2231.

Tax Identification Number: 38-6093404

Help secure Michigan’s natural heritage

Michigan Nature Association

www.michigannature.org

© Al Geist

Inside | MNA

MNA 360 People

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Land

•

Legacy

MNA Grants Teach Powerful Lessons © Angela Brown

Over 800 students across Michigan had a chance to explore nature during the 2017-18 school year thanks to MNA’s field trip grant program. 16 schools were awarded grants, and kids in grades 3 to 11 explored watersheds, investigated prey and predator relationships, sampled water quality in lakes and rivers, collected data for field studies, observed birds, and even participated in service learning projects in parks and nature sanctuaries.

Angela Bowen, a teacher with Joy Preparatory Academy in Detroit, expressed enthusiasm for the grant that helped her link classroom lessons with hands-on exploration of forests and wetland ecosystems, a first for many of her 8th grade students.

© Tracy Ortiz

“Students engaging and being able to recall everything I had taught about ecology without me prompting them was an amazing feeling. Additionally, our students had an experience of discovering an ecosystem that they had never experienced before.”

Teachers like Tracy Ortiz, Clippert Mulicultural Honors Academy in Detroit, connect service learning components with their field trips. In this case, her 6th graders participated in water quality sampling as part of a larger Rouge River data collection.

“It gives students a sense of pride to know that they have been part of planning and nurturing a project that is beneficial to the surrounding community.”

While fall field trips are underway for the current school year, teachers can apply now for grants for field trips this coming spring. To learn more about the program, contact Julie Stoneman at jstoneman@michigannature.org or find an application and an FAQ at www.michigannature.org/ menus/education.html. The application deadline for spring 2019 field trips is February 22, 2019.

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michigan nature | fall 2018

Inside | MNA

MNA Expands with Room to Collaborate Julie Stoneman

The creation of a collaborative space at our headquarters in Okemos where nonprofit, agency and other partners can gather has been a vision since we purchased our building a few years ago.

That vision is now reality with the recent completion and furnishing of our new Margaret and Clifford Welsch Environmental Education Room.

Fostering conservation dialogue and action are primary motives behind the construction of the new room, made possible by a generous gift from Margaret and Clifford Welsch, enthusiastic supporters of MNA’s education mission. The Welsch Education Room has already been used for meetings, training workshops, educational seminars, and collaborative partnerships by groups such as Michigan Audubon, Michigan Forest Association, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Wetlands Association and the Michigan Vernal Pool Partnership.

MDNR

Celebrating 100 Years of Wild Michigan Elk Michigan’s native herd of elk — massive animals standing four to five feet tall at the shoulder and weighing more than 600 pounds — had been hunted to extinction from the state by about 1875. What followed has been a remarkable conservation story.

This year marks the centennial of elk restoration efforts in Michigan.

The image of a common loon on Michigan’s specialty wildlife license plate was recently replaced for the first time. The plates now show an elk for 2018. All funds derived from the special wildlife habitat license plates are dedicated to the state’s nongame fish and wildlife fund.

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Online | MNA

© Cindy Mead

michigannature.org Kirtland’s Warbler Recovery Leads to Proposed Delisting Amidst catastrophic population declines leaving fewer than 200 known pairs in existence in the early 1970s, the Kirtland’s warbler was heading towards extinction. But after decades of partnership efforts among federal and state agencies, industry and conservation groups, this songbird has rebounded, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now proposing to remove the Kirtland’s warbler from the list of endangered and threatened species. The proposal opened a public comment period that will help inform a final decision.

Kirtland’s warbler populations continue to soar; prompting proposal by USFWS to remove it from the Endangered Species Act.

The population report on eastern monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico has been released, showing a 14.8% decline over last year, continuing the downward trend that has resulted in an overall 90% decline from the population high just two decades ago.

The declines this year are largely attributed to severe hurricanes during monarch migration and unseasonably warm fall weather. Monarchs continue to face the loss of their spring and summer breeding habitat in the United States, specifically the loss of their only caterpillar host plant, milkweed, and the nectar plants used by adult butterflies, due to pesticide use and climate change.

“We could lose the monarch butterfly if we don’t take immediate action to rein in pesticide use and curb global climate change,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity and co-author of a 2014 petition to protect monarchs under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is studying the issue and has agreed to make a final decision whether to list the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act by June 2019.

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Adrienne Bozic

Monarchs Declining

“The recovery of Kirtland’s warbler is a great Michigan success story,” said Keith Creagh, director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. More information about the Kirtland’s warbler and the proposal to remove Endangered Species Act protections is available at www.fws.gov.

Online | MNA

Species Spotlight: Eastern Box Turtle © Jennifer Moore

As Michigan’s only true terrestrial turtle, the eastern box turtle might be mistaken for a small tortoise. It is one of four box turtle species native to the United States. Though an uncommon find, it ranges throughout Michigan’s lower peninsula. It lives in small patches of open woodlands, sometimes bordering open fields or wetlands. Throughout its life, the eastern box turtle remains relatively small- to mid-size, growing between four to eight inches in length. It can be extremely long-lived — occasionally over a century.

Because this species is long-lived and slow to breed, exact population levels can be difficult to determine. However, the species has gained status as a focal species of greatest conservation need in Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan. Habitat loss and fragmentation are primary concerns to populations, as urban and agricultural development extend further into their range and roads cut through much of what is left. If you come across a turtle you suspect to be an eastern box turtle, admire it from a comfortable distance. If the turtle is found on or near a road, escort it back to safety first. Learn more about this special species on the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) website.

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michigan nature | fall 2018

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Sanctuaries | MNA

Caring for a Rare Natural Community at Saginaw Wetlands Š Dan Kennedy

One of Michigan’s rarest natural communities is the lakeplain prairie, a globally imperiled habitat limited to old Great Lakes glacial lakebeds such as MNA’s Saginaw Wetlands Nature Sanctuary. According to the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI), Since European settlement, there has been extensive loss and degradation of lakeplain wet-mesic prairies due to conversion to agriculture, residential and industrial development, alterations of groundwater hydrology and fire suppression. It is estimated that less than 1% of the original community remains. Therefore, protection and restoration of existing prairie remnants is a top conservation priority.

Last spring, an MNA crew of volunteers and staff prepared a section of Saginaw Wetlands for a prescribed burn later in the season. As if to emphasize the prestige of this place, the crew was treated to flocks of tundra swans passing overhead every 20 or 30 minutes, on their way to summer breeding grounds in the far north.

Eastern prairie fringed orchid

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Sanctuaries | MNA

Saginaw Wetlands contains a sizeable lakeplain prairie, which is extremely rare in Michigan and a priority habitat in Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan (see feature article on p. 18). MNA originally acquired the sanctuary in the 1980s to protect one of the last and most viable sites for the state endangered, federally threatened eastern prairie fringed orchid. Saginaw Wetlands is also host to other endangered, threatened and special concern species, many of which are dependent on the health of the lakeplain prairie and historic oak openings, and subsequently the influence of hydrology and periodic fire.

from prescribed fire. The moth overwinters in the duff and can be susceptible to fires early in the spring. But conducting a burn too late in the season could detrimentally impact the prairie fringed orchid. Therefore, prescribed burns are limited to smaller management units, rotated each year, and timed deliberately to minimize impacts to both of these fire sensitive species.

For example, the blazing star borer is a globally rare moth that inhabits the prairie and is a focal species for prairie and savanna habitats in the state’s Wildlife Action Plan. The host plant for the borer’s larvae is the blazing star, a prairie plant that benefits

Thanks to our dedicated volunteers and partners like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MNA’s work at Saginaw Wetlands is a great example of maintaining a unique habitat that is a top conservation priority while helping to implement the state’s Wildlife Action Plan.

Rachel Maranto

Andrew Bacon

The actions of our stewardship crew and the prescribed burn maintain open, prairie habitat by removing shrubs and trees, including invasive autumn olive. But the timing and the extent of any burns must be carefully considered in light of the various plants and animals found here.

Careful planning of stewardship activities is essential to ensure proper functioning of natural processes and species’ needs at Saginaw Wetlands. Fortunately, our work has been bolstered by a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, which provides funding to help with stewardship actions, such as mowing to protect encroachment of woody plants and, in a previous project, restoration of natural hydrology by plugging old agricultural ditches found at the sanctuary.

Prescribed burn

Blazing star

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Tribute| MNA

Tribute to Karen Weingarden MNA President 2000 - 2009

© Don Reed

Long-time MNA volunteer, Trustee and past President Karen Weingarden passed away in May. Karen was one of MNA’s most stalwart supporters, a constant champion who committed thousands of volunteer hours over her lifetime. Those who knew her remember her with deep affection.

Karen first met MNA founder Bertha Daubendiek at a meeting in Pontiac in the fall of 1979. Karen supported Bertha’s work by helping largely behind the scenes, such as driving Bertha around the state to visit potential donors and properties and helping with organizational mailings and records.

© Marshall Weingarden

Carolyn Reed and Karen at the 2012 Fall Adventure.

While she helped out in the office and on workdays, events and hikes, Karen’s work on behalf of MNA didn’t stay behind the scenes.

Karen was elected to the Board of Trustees in 1996, serving briefly as President in the late 1990s and then again in that role from 2000 to 2009, guiding the organization through new growth and change. She remained on the Board until 2018.

When Jeremy Emmi started as MNA’s new Executive Director in 2001, Karen became his mentor and de facto co-director. “We didn’t have staff at that point, and Karen made the long journey up to Yale (where the office was then) every week, volunteering her heart out to ensure that MNA would succeed,“ he said. “Her willingness to get her hands dirty and a caring tenaciousness, combined with a real appreciation for what was at stake and a hearty laugh made my work and my life more meaningful.”

According to Ruth Vail, a current MNA Trustee, Karen always showed up. “She kept at it, year after year, meeting after meeting. She never lost her focus, this is how she wanted to spend time and was totally committed to the cause. She didn’t necessarily have a drive to be president, but she stepped up when needed.”

Julie Stoneman

Steve Kelley presents the Holzman Award for distinguished service to Debby Igleheart and Karen.

Trustees who served with her considered her a bright light. Former Trustee Kurt Jung remembers Karen for her sunny disposition, capable leadership, and passion for habitat preservation. “It was a pleasure working alongside her on the board of the Michigan Nature Association,” he said. And Margaret Welsch, herself a twoterm Board President, agrees. “Karen meant a lot to me. She was totally supportive of my time as President and never missed a chance to tell me how glad she was that I was president. She was also a lot of fun.”

In 2012, Karen received MNA’s Richard W. Holzman Award for her lengthy and distinguished service.

As MNA’s Executive Director Garret Johnson noted, “We lost a loyal friend and we will miss her dedication and leadership. We extend our sincere condolences to her husband, Marshall, and Karen’s entire family and thank them for all their support of Karen’s work on behalf of MNA. She was a true champion of nature.”

Karen and Margaret Welsch at the 2018 President’s Council Dinner.

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Policy News | MNA

The Endangered Species Act Under Unprecedented Threat © Randy Butters

This December marks the 45th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, the country’s most significant policy to save endangered species from extinction.

Recently, both houses of Congress and the Trump Administration have proposed major changes to the Endangered Species Act that could weaken, if not cripple, one of the nation’s most successful environmental policies.

Indeed, without the Endangered Species Act some of America’s most iconic animals would likely have been lost forever, including the bald eagle, gray wolf and grizzly bear. And they are not alone. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service there are nearly 1,800 plant and animal species currently protected by the Act, and more than 99% of those species would have become extinct without its protections.

In Michigan the list of species the Endangered Species Act has helped save from extinction includes the Kirtland’s warbler, Piping plover, Karner blue butterfly, Hine’s emerald dragonfly, American hart’s tongue fern, Michigan monkey flower and Eastern prairie fringed orchid (among others).

Karner blue butterfly

© Chuck Peirce

While there are some passionate opponents to the Endangered Species Act, the vast majority of the public continues to support its purpose. For decades polls have consistently shown broad bipartisan support for the Act. In July, a group of more than 400 organizations across the country sent a joint letter expressing strong support for the Endangered Species Act to the leaders of the House and Senate.

Calling the current threats to the Act “unprecedented”, the letter states, “Despite the Endangered Species Act’s tremendous success and popularity, it is under threat from industry groups and other wildlife opponents. A small yet vocal sector of the regulated community seeks to undermine and weaken the core principles of the Act, just so they can improve their bottom line…. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to be good stewards of the planet and leave behind a legacy of protecting endangered species and the special places they call home…. We strongly urge you to not support legislative efforts to rewrite or diminish this incredibly effective law.”

Michigan monkey-flower

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Hope for Restoration and Renewal The future of Michigan’s wildlife is at risk. Fortunately, MNA and other conservation organizations are rallying around a plan to take action.

By Sarah Lapshan

A

sk Michigan residents what comes to mind when hearing the word “wildlife,” and – depending on which part of the state they live in – you likely would get quick answers including deer, elk, turkey, and probably a handful of popular fish species like lake trout and muskellunge.

Ask Amy Derosier, a wildlife biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in Lansing, and you’re going to need a lot more time, but it would be time well spent.

Derosier coordinates the Michigan Wildlife Action Plan, a 10-year strategy that lays out how the state and its partners and volunteers can voluntarily and cooperatively work together toward shared wildlife conservation goals.

The plan approaches the management of some of the state’s rarer species in ways that ensure those species will remain part of Michigan’s landscape long-term.

“Michigan’s plan includes species that are federally listed as ‘endangered’ and some that are not,” Derosier said. “Our plan is Michigan’s rare species plan, and part of its purpose is to help animals come off the threatened and endangered species list, and part of it is working to keep others from becoming so rare that they have to be added to the list.”

Continued on page 20

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© Dave Kenyon

National Park Service

Wildlife in Crisis The state’s Wildlife Action Plan identifies 301 animals in Michigan (both aquatic and terrestrial) as Species of Greatest Conservation Need. These include wildlife listed as Federally or State endangered or threatened or identified as special concern. (Note: The Michigan Natural Features Inventory documents over 700 rare and/or declining plants and animals in Michigan.)

Habitat loss, invasive species, hydrological alterations, climate change, disease and other factors all take a toll on wildlife. Species decline is not confined to Michigan but is part of a larger, national issue. A report from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) includes these and other findings: • One-third of America’s wildlife species are at risk of extinction • Approximately 40% of the nation’s freshwater fish species are now rare or imperiled • 70% of North America’s freshwater mussels are imperiled or already extinct • Pollinator populations are dropping precipitously — the monarch butterfly has seen declines of 90% in just the last couple of decades • Amphibians are disappearing from their known habitats at a rate of 4% per year State Wildlife Action Plans are the blueprints for conservation needed to stem these devastating losses. MNA is working with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and conservation partners to implement the state’s Wildlife Action Plan on behalf of Michigan’s declining wildlife.

Today’s Priorities, Tomorrow’s Wildlife Above: Actions to help Michigan’s cisco populations are laid out in mini-plans within Michigan’s 2015-2025 Wildlife Action Plan.

Preceding Page (page 19): The 100th year anniversary of the reintroduction of the elk, along with the recent proposal to delist the Kirtland’s warbler, show what can be accomplished when conservation groups work together.

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Michigan’s plan currently is in its second 10-year cycle. Its initial, or baseline, plan came together in 2005, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service required every state to create its own plan to be eligible for federal wildlife grant funding.

Michigan administers roughly $1.2 million in Fish and Wildlife Service funding annually.

Derosier said that each state’s plan is unique, based on that state’s particular needs, but taken together they provide a national strategy “unlike anything else in the world” for keeping wildlife wild, and for protecting what’s unique and valuable to each state.

“Our first plan (2005-2015) was really a means of getting a true status update on species, and it brought together a lot of people and sectors who care a lot about Michigan wildlife – hunting groups,

land conservancies, universities, wildlife watchers and many others,” Derosier said.

Likewise, a decade later, several dozen partner organizations were represented during the effort to update Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan, many of which consistently came to the table and helped move the process forward.

“This time around, we learned a lot about a number of key species, and we developed our priorities around them,” Derosier said. “We explored how work in one area would, in turn, help other species and habitats.

For example, when we do work to support the large grasslands priority and the rare birds that rely on them, it also helps pheasants and lots of other animals and plants.

“Everything is connected in ways you just can’t imagine,” Derosier said.

MDNR

A Unique Approach The state’s current 10-year plan (2015-2025) is broken out by mini-plans, or chapters, for each priority. Michigan’s plan includes nine terrestrial (land) priorities and six aquatic (water) priorities.

In addition to large grasslands, the mini-plans target areas like young forests, emerging diseases, warm-water streams and headwaters, big rivers and open dunes. Each key habitat chapter identifies targeted “species of greatest conservation need.”

Plan developers prioritized those species for inclusion using criteria, including whether:

A close-up look at the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake, Michigan’s only venomous snake.

This snake is a rare sight for most Michigan residents, as the snake population has declined.

• The species is endemic or unique to Michigan or the Great Lakes.

• Michigan is the stronghold for this species.

• The species relies on habitat that is threatened.

• There is an imminent threat to the species that could have a significant impact on their populations.

Adrienne Bozic

MNA’s Braastad Nature Sanctuary in the Upper Peninsula contains an amazing diversity. Part of the sanctuary features an old bog, with other parts forested. There is even an old lakebed filled with leatherleaf.

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© Patricia Pennell © Valerie Lindeman

John Bagley

Shared Priorities Top Left: The diversity of plants found at Newaygo Prairie Nature Sanctuary and other prairies and savannas supports pollinators throughout the growing season.

Top Right: Prairies and savannas are home to some of our most popular wildlife species such as monarch butterflies.

Bottom Left: MNA conducts a prescribed burn at Prairie Ronde Savanna Preserve to manage woody encroachment and promote native plant growth.

Page 23: For 65 years, MNA has worked to acquire and protect more than 175 nature sanctuaries from the northern tip of the U.P. to the Indiana/Ohio border.

As a partner organization, the Michigan Nature Association helped develop mini-plans for several plan topics, including prairies and savannas, floodplain forests and Great Lakes marsh and emergent wetlands.

“The state’s Wildlife Action Plan is critically important to us, because it represents an opportunity to coordinate and collaborate with others to ensure our resources are being directed where they are needed most,” Johnson said. “But we also see the plan as much more than just getting the biggest bang for the buck.”

Johnson said the plan offers great opportunities for stakeholders who are interested in protecting Michigan’s natural heritage – government agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, businesses and others – to come together and learn from one another.

“Those connections and potential partnerships could be one of the most important contributions the plan can make,” he said.

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“We’re confident that we will be able to make a real difference for the future of species and natural communities in Michigan that are at risk of being lost. We know from past experience that if we work together we can accomplish wonders. The Wildlife Action Plan is a big step toward making that happen.”

Derosier said one of the things she likes most about Michigan’s plan is that it’s set up in a way that is easy for the public to understand and get involved in. If someone has a passion for grasslands or for wetlands, it’s easy to explore just that mini-plan, learn about the species that are dependent on that habitat, understand threats, see who built the mini-plan, and understand how residents at the local level can volunteer their time and energy to help.

She also stressed that Michigan offers plenty of “on the ground” stewardship opportunities at state parks, state game areas, local conservation districts and land conservancies where volunteers can quickly get involved. MNA offers lots of stewardship workdays, visit our events page at www.michigannature.org.

Jim Hodgson, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Midwest Region Chief of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs, said Michigan’s approach works well on several levels.

“Michigan has taken an innovative approach by using mini-plans to address species and habitat across large geographies of the state.”

“The state Wildlife Action Plan is a perfect example of how the Service supports partnerships with states,” Hodgson said. “The Service can see states’ priorities for fish, wildlife and habitat. We use this as a starting point for how we support Michigan’s efforts in research, surveys, monitoring and management.

Filling Information Gaps Scott Hanshue is a senior fisheries management biologist with the Michigan DNR in Plainwell. He described the creation and implementation of Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan as “important work” that helps, at times, to fill a void.

“The majority of DNR fisheries management work is targeted toward game fish species, which makes sense because sportsmen and sportswomen pay for licenses to catch game fish,” Hanshue said. “The Wildlife Action Plan helps provide for the conservation of rare fish and other at-risk aquatic life.”

He cited some of the Wildlife Action Plan field survey work done at historical collection sites (some dating back to the 1930s) that led to the unexpected documentation of several fish species – silver shiner, redbelly dace, brindled madtom and others – that had not been reported in decades. Hanshue said now that managers know the species exist, the department can work with local partners to protect remaining habitats for those species.

“In many instances, conservation actions – dam removals, water quality improvements, et cetera – to protect at-risk fish species will benefit the entire fish community,” Hanshue said.

Even after 28 years with the DNR, Hanshue described his work on the Wildlife Action Plan as a high point in his career.

Key Habitats / Issues

Focal Species of Greatest Conservation Need

1. Warmwater Streams & their Headwaters

Orangethroat Darter, Redside Dace, Silver Shiner, Southern Redbelly Dace, Northern Clubshell, Rayed Bean

2. Littoral Zones

Pugnose Shiner, Starhead Topminnow, Blanchard’s Cricket Frog

3. Big Rivers

Lake Sturgeon, River Redhorse, Snuffbox

4. St. Clair - Detroit River System

Lake Sturgeon, Mooneye Northern Madtom, Pugnose Minnow, Mudpuppy

5, Inland Cisco Lakes

Cisco, Ives Lake Cisco, Siskiwit Lake Cisco

6. Great Lakes Ciscoes

Cisco, Kiyi, Shortjaw Cisco

7. Great Lakes Marsh & Inland Emergent Wetlands

Black Tern, Black-crowned Night-heron, Eastern Fox Snake, King Rail

8. Open Dunes & Sand-Cobble Shores

Piping Plover, Common Tern

9. Floodplain Forests

Cerulean Warbler, Indiana Bat, Copperbelly Water Snake

10. Fens

Eastern Massasauga, Mitchell’s Satyr, Tamarack Tree Cricket, Yellow Rail, Poweshiek Skipperling, Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly

11. Prairies & Savannas

Karner Blue, Frosted Elfin, Eastern Box Turtle, Rusty-patched Bumble Bee, Blazing Star Borer, Eastern Massasauga, Monarch Butterfly

12. Large Grasslands

Henslow’s Sparrow, Dickcissel, Grasshopper Sparrow, Eastern Massasauga

13. Young Forests

Golden-winged Warbler

14. Dry Northern Forests & Pine Barrens

Kirtland’s Warbler, Dusted Skipper, Secretive Locust, Eastern Massasauga

15. Emerging Diseases

Eastern Massasauga, Northern Long-eared Bat, Indiana Bat, Little Brown Bat

michigan nature | fall 2018

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© Michael Thomas

“We held one-day workshops to develop each of the miniplans that make up the plan,” he said. “I was amazed by how many partner agencies and different organizations were willing to actively participate and provide what they could ‘bring to the table’ to support the plan.”

What the Wildlife Action Plan Means for Michigan Now in this second, more action-oriented, 10-year phase, Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan is yielding more outcomes that are making a real difference in management decisions.

Hanshue said that because the initial plan assessed the state’s rare and at-risk fish and wildlife resources and available habitat types, fisheries managers were able to use that information to develop targeted surveys of certain key species.

© David Cuthrell

“Our fisheries management units and research and fish production managers will continue to look for opportunities to implement the plan within our division and with our partners,” he said. “For example, there are several small tributaries in the Lake Erie watershed that support focal species. We’ll be looking to partner with local conservation districts and with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to use Farm Bill programs to protect at-risk fish and mussel populations.

Those kinds of projects did not really happen with version one of the Wildlife Action Plan.”

With over 3,000 miles of Great Lakes coastline, Michigan is home to the world’s largest freshwater coastline.

Open dunes and sand-cobble shores provide important habitat for wildlife and plants found nowhere else.

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michigan nature | fall 2018

The lake sturgeon is Michigan’s largest fish species and is often referred to as a living fossil.

MDNR

Hanshue, like many others, believes that healthy fish and wildlife resources play a big part in boosting quality of life for Michigan residents and visitors, and that proper stewardship will help to conserve those resources for future generations.

Hodgson agrees.

“State Wildlife Action Plans are a roadmap for conserving all wildlife, including game species,” Hodgson said. “We see how the plans support each other across the region and how states work together to protect our great natural resource heritage here in the Midwest.”

From Derosier’s perspective, Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan exists to help people get to know and better understand Michigan’s rare species, to appreciate their importance as part of Michigan’s history and natural places, and to recognize and be energized by the fact that Michigan citizens can play an active role in managing these species and habitats right where they live.

She pointed to conservation comeback success stories like Kirtland’s warbler, osprey and bald eagle as examples of how concerted effort – and a lot of community interest and involvement – led to real, measurable positive change.

“Basically, Michigan has cool wildlife that we want to keep around for future generations,” Derosier said. “Conserving wildlife species and wildlife habitat gives people beautiful places to play, to relax and to find peace, but some fish and wildlife need a little extra help. Proactive management can conserve wildlife before they become rarer and more costly to protect, and that’s in everyone’s best interest.”

Learn more about Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan and how you can get involved at www.michigan.gov/wildlifeactionplan.

© Mike Parker

Sarah Lapshan is the Senior Communications Advisor at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. This article was adapted from a “Showcasing the DNR” story issued in January 2018 by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The osprey is one of Michigan’s conservation success stories.

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act Potential good news for wildlife is the introduction of bipartisan federal legislation to provide $1.3 billion annually in critical funding for fish and wildlife in greatest need. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would provide needed funding to implement every state’s Wildlife Action Plan. The bills would dedicate a portion of existing federal revenue from oil and gas royalties to the Wildlife Conservation Restoration Program.

The legislation would create a dedicated funding source to help conserve 12,000 species in greatest need of conservation. (Michigan has 301 “species of greatest conservation need”.) According to a recent National Wildlife Federation report, it addresses a growing wildlife crisis and “offers a once in a generation opportunity to ramp up the nation’s conservation efforts in a way that matches the scale of threats to our wildlife heritage.”

The Michigan Nature Association supports the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act as it would provide much needed funding to support Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan.

Visit www.ournatureusa.com to learn more about the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.

Conservation of large grasslands ensures that wildlife and open spaces are safeguarded. michigan nature | fall 2018

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Stewardship | MNA

Volunteer Stewards: Conservation Superheroes © Sara Visker

time for another activity they have in common — they are co-stewards of MNA’s Five Lakes Muskegon Nature Sanctuary.

Three years ago, at a Five Lakes hike commemorating Earth Week, Raegan and Claire first saw this “super cool place with a super cool opportunity”. Before then, they knew nothing about MNA and did not know that natural places were protected to help endangered species. That day they also learned that MNA needed a steward for the sanctuary. So with the blessing and ongoing oversight from supportive parents, they decided to do something and stepped up as MNA’s youngest stewards.

And they love it. “It is fun to be in nature and to know you’re helping to make a difference for endangered species,” Claire says. Raegan adds, “We learn a ton about nature, and we get to do something good for the earth.”

Claire DeBlanc and Raegan Visker are lifelong friends with very busy schedules. In 11th and 9th grade, respectively, the two are actively engaged with school, sports (soccer for Raegan, tennis for Claire), and the arts (flute for Claire, theatre for Raegan, piano for both). They share many activites, including practice for a piano duet concert, their third together. These two friends also manage to find

Claire and Raegan lead workdays and hikes at the nature sanctuary. One of their favorite activities is pulling spotted knapweed, an invasive plant, and by their account they have pulled a ton of it. Helping to remove scotch pines and clearing out brush piles add to their list of fun things to do. They are particularly proud of helping MNA’s Regional Stewardship Organizer stop ORV use at the sanctuary.

Shortcuts This spring, Bill Atkinson joined MNA as our new Thumb Area Regional Stewardship Organizer. Bill will oversee stewardship activities at our nature sanctuaries in Michigan’s Thumb region. No stranger to MNA, Bill has served as a steward or costeward of four nature sanctuaries and often lends a hand at many others. In 2010, he was recognized as an MNA Volunteer of the Year for his outstanding contributions.

In 2017, to honor Bill’s years of exceptional volunteerism, he was awarded the Mason and Melvin Schafer Distinguished Service Award — one of MNA’s highest honors.

A native of Port Huron, Bill holds an associate’s degree in business and has always had an interest in the outdoors. He and his wife Mary have three grown children and three grandchildren who enjoy hiking together. In addition to volunteering for MNA, the Atkinson family has also adopted a local county park to monitor and maintain.

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michigan nature | winter 2018

Natalie Kent-Norkowski

MNA Welcomes New Regional Stewardship Organizer

John Bagley

Stewardship | MNA

Join Us in the Field for a Volunteer Workday MNA volunteers work to protect and maintain Michigan’s special natural areas in a variety of ways. To accomplish the mission and goals of MNA, volunteers are needed from many different backgrounds and skill-levels to help with our many worthwhile projects and initiatives.

To find a workday near you, visit www.michigannature.org/menus/calendar or call (866) 223-2231.

Rachel Maranto

“We can see progress,” Claire says. “Things have changed for the better since we started.” Raegan notes their work benefits them in other ways as well. They can now identify lots of plants, which helps in school.

For Raegan, it is hard to choose just one favorite thing about Five Lakes. “There are a lot of pretty flora and fauna and seeing nesting sandhill cranes,” she says. Claire singles out an individual plant — a clasping milkweed — because she sees the same stalk every time she visits and is excited to know it is always there.

Raegan and Claire have learned the significance of Five Lakes. As one explains, “You don’t get to see oak savannas and prairies anymore because so many have been developed. Everything in nature is connected and if the endangered species at Five Lakes go away, who knows what else will go away.”

They also believe that a lot of other young people would be interested, care and get involved if they were informed and given the opportunity. “The world is super cool and really affects our lives,” according to Raegan. Claire concurs, “We just need to make it clear how important it is.”

Claire and Raegan’s enthusiasm and excitement for Five Lakes are infectious, and their hard work makes a real difference for the sanctuary. MNA is grateful to these wonderful stewards and to their parents for making Five Lakes an important part of their busy lives.

Sign Up for a Volunteer Day Please register for each volunteer day as weather or emergencies may force cancellations. Contact your area’s regional stewardship organizer to learn more: Andrew Bacon, Upper Peninsula (866) 223-2231 or abacon@michigannature.org Rachel Maranto, Eastern Lower Peninsula (517) 525-2627 or rmaranto@michigannature.org Samantha Brodley, Western Lower Peninsula (517) 643-6864 or sbrodley@michigannature.org Bill Atkinson, Thumb Area (810) 841-6812 or batkinson@michigannature.org Nancy Leonard, Keweenaw (906) 369-1374 or nleonard@michigannature.org michigan nature | fall 2018

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© Ellen Wexler

Help Michigan Nature and Receive Income for Life A charitable gift annuity is a planned gift that can support MNA while providing steady, annual payments — an annuity — for you and up to one additional beneficiary for a lifetime.

Consider a charitable gift annuity When you transfer an irrevocable gift to MNA, we commit to making a fixed annual payment during your lifetime. The remainder of the gift then passes to MNA. The benefits include the security of additional income, potential tax savings, and the satisfaction of knowing your gift will benefit MNA long into the future.

To learn more, please return the attached card, visit www.michigannature.org or call (866) 223-2231.

Make a gift for nature that pays you

Michigan Nature Association

www.michigannature.org

Membership Matters | MNA © Jason Steel

2018 Annual Fall Recognition Dinner Friday, November 16, 2018

6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center Michigan State University, East Lansing

Honoring Volunteers & Donors Join MNA as we recognize the donors and volunteers who make our continued success possible. The 2018 Annual Fall Recognition Dinner will honor those who dedicate countless hours to MNA and reflect on another year of success.

MNA will announce those being honored with the Volunteer of the Year Award, Mason and Melvin Schafer Distinguished Service Award, Richard W. Holzman Award, and Frederick W. Case, Jr. Environmental Educator of the Year Award.

Reserve Your Spot Today The celebration begins at 6:30 p.m.

All are welcome. Tickets: $30 To RSVP, contact Jess Foxen at (866) 223-2231 or jfoxen@michigannature.org.

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michigan nature | fall 2018

Special Musical Guest Root Doctor Root Doctor plays a diverse mix of classic soul and R&B alongside traditional blues and inspired original material.

Along with over 20 years of club, concert and festival performances, they have released four recordings to local and national acclaim.

Silent Auction to Benefit Environmental Education The dinner will feature a special silent auction to benefit MNA’s Environmental Education Fund, which aims to educate Michigan’s next generation of conservation leaders.

All proceeds from the silent auction will go to the Environmental Education Fund to provide nature education opportunities for students and families in Michigan.

Membership Matters | MNA Natalie Kent-Norkowski

Fall Fieldwork Help volunteer at an MNA nature sanctuary and discover some of Michigan’s most fascinating places. Guided hikes and volunteer workdays are led by MNA staff, stewards, or other experts, and open to all MNA members and family and friends.

Eastern Michigan September 26, 10 a.m.

Julie Stoneman

Wilcox Warnes Nature Sanctuary Macomb County, near Macomb Stewards Liz Gannon and Dave Putt lead a day of invasive shrub removal at this sanctuary on the outskirts of Metro Detroit, home to a mature forested wetland.

Contact: Bill Atkinson, batkinson@michigannature.org

October 6, 10 a.m.

Mystery Valley Karst Preserve Presque Isle County, near Posen Experience the unique karst features of this area with Michigan Karst Conservancy volunteers while maintaining the trail system and removing invasive plants.

Contact: Rachel Maranto, rmaranto@michigannature.org

Western Michigan October 21, 10 a.m.

Jess Foxen

Palmer Memorial Nature Sanctuary Kalamazoo County, near Mattawan Join the steward of this prairie fen preserve on Paw Paw Lake by removing invasive shrubs threatening the native plant community.

Contact: Samantha Brodley, sbrodley@michigannature.org

November 18, 10 a.m.

Palmer Memorial Nature Sanctuary Kalamazoo County, near Mattawan Join the steward of this prairie fen preserve on Paw Paw Lake by removing invasive shrubs threatening the native plant community.

Contact: Samantha Brodley, sbrodley@michigannature.org

For additional volunteer workdays and hikes, visit www.michigannature.org and click on the Events tab. michigan nature | fall 2018

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Booknotes | MNA Recommended Reading The Future of Conservation in America Gary E. Machlis and Jonathan B. Jarvis University of Chicago Press, Paperback Price: $14.00

This is a turbulent time for conservation of America’s natural and cultural heritage. From the current assaults on environmental protection to the threats of climate change, biodiversity loss, and disparity of environmental justice, the challenges facing the conservation movement are both immediate and long term.

Written by the first scientist appointed as science advisor to the director of the National Park Service and the eighteenth director of the National Park Service, this is a candid, passionate, and ultimately hopeful book. The authors describe a unified vision of conservation that binds nature protection, historical preservation, sustainability, public health, civil rights and social justice, and science into common cause — and offer real-world strategies for progress. To be read, pondered, debated, and often revisited, The Future of Conservation in America is destined to be a touchstone for the conservation movement in the decades ahead. (University of Chicago Press)

The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative Florence Williams W.W. Norton & Company, Paperback Price: $15.95

For centuries, poets and philosophers extolled the benefits of a walk in the woods: Beethoven drew inspiration from rocks and trees; Wordsworth composed while tromping over the heath; and Nikola Tesla conceived the electric motor while visiting a park. Intrigued by our storied renewal in the natural world, Florence Williams set out to uncover the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain.

In this informative and entertaining account, Williams investigates cutting-edge research as she travels to fragrant cypress forests in Korea to meet the rangers who administer “forest healing programs,” to the green hills of Scotland and its “ecotherapeutic” approach to caring for the mentally ill, to a river trip in Idaho with Iraqi vets suffering from PTSD, to the West Virginia mountains where she discovers how being outside helps children with ADHD. The Nature Fix demonstrates that our connection to nature is much more important to our cognition than we think and that even small amounts of exposure to the living world can improve our creativity and enhance our mood. In prose that is incisive, witty, and urgent, Williams shows how time in nature is not a luxury but is in fact essential to our humanity. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas — and the answers they yield — are more urgent than ever. (W.W. Norton & Company)

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michigan nature | fall 2018

New & Noteworthy A North Country Almanac: Reflections of an Old-School Conservationist in a Modern World Thomas C. Bailey Michigan State University Press Hardcover, $24.95 A Michigan conservation champion and Executive Director of the Little Traverse Conservancy, Thomas C. Bailey’s collection of essays reflect his lifelong love of the outdoors and his perspectives on how to care for the places that nurture us all.

Of Things Ignored and Unloved: A Naturalist Walks Northern Michigan Richard Fidler Mission Point Press Paperback, $15.95 Fidler, a biologist and secondary school teacher, takes readers on a journey to remind us about the notso-well known plants and animals that are integral parts of our natural world.

Sustaining Lake Superior: An Extraordinary Lake in a Changing World Nancy Langston Yale University Press Hardcover, $35.00 Langston offers a rich portrait of the lake’s environmental and social history, asking what lessons we should take from the conservation recovery of past degradation as this extraordinary lake faces new environmental threats.

Voices | MNA

Q&A

“MNA has been a huge supporter and leader in the implementation of the Wildlife Action Plan.”

Amy Derosier Michigan Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator and Wildlife Biologist at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources

From your perspective, is the state doing enough for rare species?

We are doing a lot, but we need to do more! Conservation dollars from hunter and angler fees and licenses are mainly directed to managing game species. But we know if we put resources toward non-game species, we can make a difference! The Kirtland’s warbler is a great example of that — they are moving towards being delisted from the federal endangered species list.

How does Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan help?

Although there is very little funding for rare species, in Michigan and across the country, we can make a big difference if people come to the table. That’s why the plan is designed as a framework for partners to get involved — it is not just about the DNR doing this alone — we can’t! And it’s exciting to see the partners concerned about these species get totally engaged. There are particular partners who have really taken on the charge, and MNA has been a huge supporter and leader in the implementation of the Wildlife Action Plan.

How would the proposed federal Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R. 4647) support the Wildlife Action Plan?

DNR. Therefore, we need to have really diverse partnerships — large private landowners, businesses, agriculture, county and local parks.

Land conservancies like MNA play an enormous role in acquiring and stewarding key pieces of land that provide habitat for unique species — the first line of defense in other words. The great thing about MNA is not only its work at the site level but also outreach and education on a larger scale. For example, your Race for Michigan Nature Series, the Family Fun Runs and 5Ks, is a terrific way to engage families and communities to raise awareness about threatened species across the state. It’s fantastic!

“The great thing about MNA is not only its work at the site level, but also outreach and education on a larger scale.”

This bipartisan bill would provide a much needed source of dedicated funding to help implement Michigan’s plan, as well as support public engagement and outdoor recreation.

It could mean funding for grants to partners, increasing outreach and education efforts, land stewardship, and even land acquisition.

You coordinated the latest version (2015-2025) of the Wildlife Action Plan for the DNR. What is needed to move the plan forward?

The DNR’s most important role is engaging the diverse partners needed to implement the plan. Most of our rare species are found in southern Michigan where there isn’t much publicly owned land managed by the

What is the key to engaging businesses?

Regulations can be burdensome to businesses when species are officially listed as endangered or threatened.

Our message to them is to help us keep species off those lists by partnering with us to implement the WAP. And the good news is we have some really great business examples with work being done by General Motors, ITC Holdings, Consumers Energy, and others.

The WAP is revised every ten years. What would you like to happen before the next revision in 2025?

I would like to see 80% of the goals in our current plan met. But what that really means is we have species like the Mitchell satyr, Karner blue and Poweshiek butterflies here in Michigan doing better and on the road to recovery.

I’d like to see more species ready to be removed from the endangered species list! For many species, it’s not too late. For some species, we know what we need to do, and for others we need better research to have a clearer path to successful conservation. Ultimately, it will take many people at the table who care and are engaged. The role of the DNR is changing, yet we need to continue to keep our eye on the big picture and champion our unique wildlife across the state. In addition, we want to help our diverse conservation partners be successful, because their efforts are essential to conserving Michigan’s amazing wildlife and natural places into the future! michigan nature | fall 2018

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Legacies | MNA

New Guardians Embrace Michigan Nature © Libby Robold

Michael and Libby Robold promote environmental health through their business — Yoga for Health Education — and their everyday lives by actively engaging on behalf of the environment. They recently became MNA Guardians of the Future by establishing a charitable gift annuity.

Michael tells the story of connecting with MNA. “In the spring of 1981, I was leading a 5-day bicycle tour in the eastern U.P. The starting point was the Birch Lodge in Trout Lake. While waiting for breakfast one Monday morning, I noticed two women coming down the stairs, one of whom was MNA co-founder Bertha Daubendiek.

We had a nice conversation about the Keweenaw — where she was heading that day and where I was going in the fall to map out a new bike tour. It was her energetic enthusiasm for preserving treasured spots in Michigan through an environmental organization that she helped create that inspired me to include the Estivant Pines as part of our new tour — the Keweenaw Wayfarer (which became our most popular 5-day trip) as well as to join MNA.” Since becoming members in 1982, MNA has remained Michael and Libby’s number one environmental organization because, “It is all about Michigan, it is a grassroots organization that utilizes the volunteer assistance of its members to be the guardians and caretakers of its many preserves and it is continually working to preserve even more sacred places in Michigan for future generations to enjoy.”

“Having enjoyed the beauty of Michigan’s landscape since moving to Michigan right out of college, it was an easy decision for Libby

and me to select Michigan Nature Association as the recipient of a planned charitable gift,” Michael explains. “We chose a charitable gift annuity — our very first one — because it is so beneficial to both MNA and to us.”

We thank Michael and Libby and all of our Guardians of the Future for gifts that last more than a lifetime. A charitable gift annuity is just one way to make a planned gift to MNA, and many other options are available. To find out more, contact Garret Johnson at (866) 223-2231 or email gjohnson@michigannature.org.

Memorials and Honoraria

May 1, 2018 - August 1, 2018

Donations given in memory or honor of MNA members and friends appear here in tribute.

To learn how you can honor a loved one, call (866) 223-2231 or visit www.michigannature.org.

In Memory of:

Maxine Bachrach

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Carl Bouton

by Jeremy Emmi and Karen Meagher John Bullock

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Jennifer Cohen

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Roberta Convis

by Leona Harley Lorraine Davidson

by Stephen Kelley and Mary

Catherine Rentz Todd Koehn

by Eileen and Mark Tomasik

Gladys Lager

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Shirley Lezell

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum James Males

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Lillian Mills

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Richard O’Donnell

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Andrea Page

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Marilyn Racklin

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Judge Richard Shuster

by Thomas Myers and Family

Corenne Walker

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Khailia Warren

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Karen Weingarden

by Susan and Keith Abentrod

by Rebecca and Steve Blaharski

by Stacy Brand

by Melvin and Mary Ann Czechowski

by Jeremy Emmi and Karen Meagher

by Hillary Glaser

by Stephen Kelley and Mary

Catherine Rentz

by Yu Man Lee and Jon Noyes

by Paul and Jill Messing

by Jacqueline Nabat

by Jerry and Pat Peck

by Paul and Aggie Steiner

by Stuart and Barbara Trager

by Clifford and Margaret Welsch Kathy Wuori

by Ruth Baker

In Honor of:

Kevin Biglin

by Betsy Grobovsky Carolyn Reed

by Clifford and Margaret Welsch Ruth Vail

by Clifford and Margaret Welsch

“The work MNA has done is simply irreplaceable...

MNA is protecting the soul of Michigan.”

Dave Dempsey

award-winning author of Ruin and Recovery: Michigan’s Rise as a Conservation Leader

Tamarack Tree Cones © Mary Jane Ulrich

© Michigan Nut Photography

MNA’s Statewide Network of Nature Sanctuaries For over 65 years, MNA’s members, donors and volunteers have built an unparalleled statewide network of nature sanctuaries. Today there is at least one MNA nature sanctuary in 58 of Michigan’s 83 counties.

Alcona County

Benzie County

Alger County

Berrien County

McAlvay Memorial Handford Memorial Twin Waterfalls

Allegan County Allegan Valley Wade Memorial

Alpena County

Hart

Four Macomb County Ladies Pepperidge Dunes Trillium Ravine Beck Memorial

Alta Warren Parsons Memorial

Calhoun County

Clinton County

Kope Kon

Antrim County

Cass County

Baraga County

Baraga Old Growth Lightfoot Bay

Barry County

Thornapple River Thornapple Lake

Clare County

Branch County

Colby Peter Memorial Gull Island Grass Island Bird Island Morris Bay Cedar River Green River

Zeerip Memorial Soo Muskeg Schafer Family at Roach Point Carlton Lake Wetlands Harvey’s Rocks Carey Memorial

Campbell Memorial Pennfield Bog Fish Lake Bog Flowering Dogwood Dowagiac Woods Riley-Shurte Woods Radebaugh Memorial Wilding

Chippewa County

Pat Grogan Munuscong Lake Lake Superior Lake Huron Sand Dunes

A Looking Glass Sanctuary

Delta County

Martin Bay Three Wilderness Islands Bertha K Daubendiek

Genesee County

Dauner Martin White Cedar Swamps Zahrfeld Memorial

Gladwin County

Briggs Cox Memorial

Hillsdale County Sarah Jane’s

Hobert Memorial Sand Creek Prairie

Houghton County

Robert Thorson Brown Rockafellow Memorial River Bend

Huron County

Sonnenberg Memorial Saginaw Wetlands Kernan Memorial

Ingham County

Red Cedar River

Iosco County Frinks Pond

Jackson County Columbia Lefglen

Kalamazoo County Wilkie Memorial Flowerfield Creek Barton Lake Palmer Memorial Brewer Woods

Kent County Dolan

Keweenaw County

Dean Webster Memorial Estivant Pines Upson Lake Keweenaw Shores I Keweenaw Shores II Klipfel Memorial Rooks Memorial Hylton Memorial Gunn Memorial Grinnell Memorial Eagle Harbor Red Pine Dunes Cy Clark Memorial Black Creek Redwyn’s Dunes Gratiot Lake Overlook John J. Helstrom Mariner’s Preserve at Silver

River Falls

Epoufette Bay Bois Blanc Island Beavertail Point Michigan Meridian Hiawatha

Macomb County Wilcox Warnes

Marquette County

Braastad Echo Lake Myrtle Justeson Memorial

Midland County Bullock Creek

Monroe County Swan Creek

Montcalm County Krum Memorial

Muskegon County

Lake County

Five Lakes Muskegon

Lapeer County

Karner Blue Newaygo Prairie

Pere Marquette Petite Wetland Zucker Memorial

Lenawee County

Martin Beland Miller Robert Powell Memorial Willow Lake Prairie Slough Goose Creek Grasslands McCulley-Bastian Broehl Memorial 1 Broehl Memorial 2 Tiffin River

Livingston County

Newaygo County Oakland County

Lambs Fairbanks Clifford and Calla Burr Memorial Lakeville Swamp Timberland Swamp Yntema Wildlife Oasis Rose Center Wetlands Brandon Township Morgan Porritt Big Valley

Bullard Lake Fen Lyle and Mary Rizor Hudspeth Memorial H.E. Hardy Memorial

Oceana County

Luce County

Ontonagon County

Two Hearted River Swamp Lakes Moose Refuge Trout Lake

Mackinac County Stratton Memorial Beaver Dam Fred Dye Scherer

Genevieve Casey

Ogemaw County Lost Lake

Theodore Hunt Memorial

Osceola County Osceola Woods

Oscoda County

Kenneth R. Luneack

Otsego County Frost Pocket

Presque Isle County Mystery Valley Karst Spitler Shore

Roscommon County

Leatherleaf Jack Pine Bog Jackson Memorial

Sanilac County Birch Creek

Schoolcraft County

Fox River Huntington Memorial Walker Memorial Cedar Lake Manistique Dune and Swale

Shiawassee County Shiawassee River

St. Clair County

Leonatti Memorial Louis G. Senghas Polovich Memorial Bertha A. Daubendiek Trillium Trail Galbraith Ray Memorial McGaw Memorial

Jasper Woods Memorial Brennan Memorial Edna S. Newnan Alice W. Moore Woods St. Clair Lakeplain Forest

St. Joseph County

Prairie Banks White Pigeon River Sauk Indian Trail Chen Memorial Prairie Ronde Savanna Hildegard Wintergerst

Tuscola County

Wood Duck Domain

Van Buren County

Phillips Family Memorial Black River Hultmark Memorial Barvicks Sand Dunes Bankson Lake Bog Great Bear Swamp

Washtenaw County

Joan Rodman Memorial

Wayne County

Evans Memorial

Michigan Nature Association 2310 Science Parkway, Suite 100 Okemos, MI 48864 www.michigannature.org

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Help Connect Children to Nature

By Donating to MNA’s

Environmental Education Fund

Donate Today Use the enclosed envelope or call (866) 223-2231 to make a contribution to MNA’s Environmental Education Fund.

© Chuck Pearson

Help Michigan’s next generation of conservation leaders with a gift to the Environmental Education Fund. All donations support MNA’s education programs, including outreach efforts like our minigrants to teachers for nature field trips. Other education programs include opportunities for the whole family, like guided hikes and tours, youth volunteer projects, educational publications, and more.