Michigan Nature Association Spring 2013 Volume 62 Issue 1
magazine
michigan nature
Protecting the Karner Blue Butterfly
Vernal Pools: Nature’s Disappearing Act www.michigannature.org
MNA’s New Wildflower Walkabout
Your gift makes a difference. By protecting Michigan’s natural heritage, together we build a brighter future. How you can help: • Join or renew your membership • Become a monthly supporter • Become a life member • Honor a loved one with a memorial gift • Remember MNA in your will or estate plan For more information, visit www.michigannature.org.
Michigan Nature Association www.michigannature.org
Kernan Memorial Nature Sanctuary Photo Š Jason Steel
Contents
16 Features Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary 10 How expanding the sanctuary will further protect one of Michigan’s threatened species.
Nature’s Disappearing Act 16 Vernal pools are hotspots of biodiversity that disappear every year.
10
“
It’s so important for children to be outdoors - that’s when they get their ideas of what makes the world go ‘round. Longtime MNA member Alice Tomboulian page 29
”
Departments
Spring 2013
News Briefs 8 Thank You to Members Trustee Election Results MNA Applies for Accreditation Munising Café Partners with MNA Group Files Petitions to Stop Wolf Hunt
Sanctuaries 10 Acquisition Expands Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary Sanctuary Protects Flowerfield Creek Riparian Corridor MNA Acquires New Wetland Sanctuary
Stewardship 22
10
MSU Students Take on Invasive Species Copperbelly Watersnake Habitat Enhancement Volunteer Opportunities
Membership Matters 24 MNA’s Wildflower Walkabout 2013 Annual Meeting Nature Sanctuary Photo Tours Birding and Wildflower Field Trips
Booknotes 28 Recommended Reading from MNA
22
Voices 29 Longtime MNA member and conservationist Alice Tomboulian talks about the importance of protecting Michigan’s natural heritage
Legacies 30 Memorials and Honoraria
On the Cover: Prairie trillium at MNA’s Trillium Ravine Nature Sanctuary in Berrien County. Photo by Michael Seabrook
24
Michigan Nature Association 326 E. Grand River Williamston, MI 48895 (866) 223-2231 www.michigannature.org
2013 Annual Meeting
Join MNA in Southeast Michigan
Our Mission
Saturday, May 4 at 1 p.m.
Springfield Township, Oakland County Join MNA at the Hart Community Center beginning at 1 p.m. for talks from author William Rapai and conservation scientist Phyllis Higman, as well as organizational updates and light refreshments.
The purpose of the MNA is to acquire, protect and maintain natural areas that contain examples of Michigan’s endangered and threatened flora, fauna and other components of the natural environment, including habitat for fish, wildlife and plants of the state of Michigan and to carry on a program of natural history study and conservation education.
Prior to the meeting, MNA will lead a tour of the nearby Timberland Swamp Nature Sanctuary beginning at 11 a.m.
© Gary Hofing
© Gary Hofing
MNA has established a statewide network of more than 170 nature sanctuaries from the tip of the Keweenaw to the Ohio/Indiana border.
Board of Trustees
Staff
Margaret Welsch President
Garret M. Johnson Executive Director
Aubrey Golden Vice President
Paul Steiner Operations Director
Steve Kelley Secretary
Andrew Bacon Stewardship Coordinator
Jerry Gray Treasurer
Featured Speakers: Keynote speaker William Rapai, author of The Kirtland’s Warbler: The Story of a Bird’s Fight Against Extinction and the People Who Saved It, will speak about the Kirtland’s warbler. Special guest Phyllis Higman of the Michigan Natural Features Inventory will speak on the threat of invasive species in Michigan.
Stan Kuchta Trustee at Large Lisa Appel Mary Ann Czechowski Stanley Dole Debby Igleheart Gisela Lendle King William D. McNaughton Paul Messing Don Reed David Sharpe
David Pizzuti Land Protection Specialist Adrienne Bozic Regional Stewardship Organizer, U.P. Katherine Hollins Regional Stewardship Organizer, E.L.P. Matt Schultz Regional Stewardship Organizer, W.L.P. Allison Barszcz Outreach & Development Specialist Danielle Cooke Outreach & Development Specialist Natalie Kent-Norkowski Land Protection Technician Joelle Humes Accreditation Technician Mary Jo Allen Administrative Assistant
To sign up, contact Danielle Cooke (866) 223-2231 or dcooke@michigannature.org
Please direct questions about this magazine to Outreach & Development Specialist Allison Barszcz by emailing abarszcz@michigannature.org or calling (866) 223-2231. Garret Johnson’s photo on page 7 copyright Marianne Glosenger. © 2013. Except where used with permission, entire contents copyright 2013 Michigan Nature Association.
From the Executive Director
This past weekend, my son and I were out on the trails of a nearby park, enjoying the milder spring weather. Amidst the talk of baseball, Star Wars, superheroes and the like, I had an opportunity to point out to him the many miraculous things taking place in the natural world around us. The trail took us by several of the park’s vernal pools, and our talk turned to the amazing migration each spring of spotted salamanders. As we walked further, we heard the distinctive trumpeting of nearby sandhill cranes, and our conversation turned to the mystery surrounding these majestic birds that mate for life. As my son and I neared the end of the trail, we paused by a wetland where we heard the season’s first chorus of spring peepers. It is hard not to be awestruck by the emergence each spring of a frog that can survive being completely frozen for up to three days. The opportunity to explore these wetlands and vernal pools with my son was made possible by the work of a previous generation of local conservationists. It again brought home several themes that recur throughout the work of MNA and are prominent in the pages of this issue of Michigan Nature magazine: • People: Whether it’s the members and donors who give so generously to MNA (see page 8), tireless volunteers like MNA’s newest trustee, Paul Messing (also on page 8), or committed scientists like Yu Man Lee (see page 16), conservation is all about people deciding to make a difference. • Land: Over the years, Michigan has lost more than 50% of its wetlands. The importance of protecting Michigan’s threatened lands and waters is underscored by our feature story on vernal pools, and by MNA’s three most recent land acquisition projects (see pages 10-15). • Legacy: The inspiring story (see page 29) of Alice Tomboulian, an MNA member since 1965, reminds us what one dedicated person can do through a lifetime of commitment and community engagement. People, land, legacy -- the three things that make MNA so very special. I hope you find the stories in this issue of Michigan Nature magazine as inspiring as I do. If you can, be sure to take a moment to get outside and enjoy nature. And if there are children around, make sure you take them along and point out the many small miracles of spring.
michigan nature | spring 2013
7
News Briefs | MNA
Thanks to You, We Did It!
Thank you to everyone who gave generously and helped MNA meet the J.A. Woollam Foundation’s “60 for 60” challenge grant in honor of MNA’s 60th anniversary. MNA’s members and supporters responded with extraordinary generosity, and we more than met the conditions of the $60,000 challenge grant.
arilyn Keigley
©M
In fact, last year was one of the strongest fundraising years on record for MNA. Our total donations outpaced MNA’s historic high by more than 50 percent. This is a particularly gratifying result given that it was the first full year of our new outreach and development program. Thank you again, and let’s keep the momentum going through 2013!
Trustee Election Results
Each year, MNA members vote to determine who will serve on MNA’s Board of Trustees. This year’s election results are in, and MNA members have re-elected board members Jerry Gray, Steve Kelley, Stan Kuchta, and Margaret Welsch, each of whom has dedicated many years of service to MNA. Joining the board for the first time is Paul Messing. Paul was one of MNA’s 2012 Volunteers of the Year and serves as the steward or co-steward at three MNA sanctuaries. MNA would also like to recognize and thank outgoing Trustees Kurt Jung, Fr. David Neven, and Karen Weingarden for their service on MNA’s Board of Trustees. All plan to continue to be active with MNA.
e New s | M NA Nature News Straight to Your Inbox Sign up to receive MNA’s bi-weekly emails for updates on the latest happenings in the field, upcoming events, and important nature news from around the state and country. MNA publishes short email newsletters to keep you informed of what’s happening in the world of conservation. Sign up to stay connected! If you’d like to join the email list, send a message to signup@michigannature.org. MNA does not sell or share email addresses, and you may remove yourself from the list at any time.
8
michigan nature | spring 2013
MNA Applies for Accreditation The Michigan Nature Association is pleased to announce that it is applying for accreditation through the land trust accreditation program. The program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places forever. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, conducts an extensive review of each applicant’s policies and programs. The Commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications. Comments must relate to how the Michigan Nature Association complies with national quality standards. These standards address the ethical and technical operation of a land trust. For the full list of standards, see www.landtrustaccreditation. org/tips-and-tools/indicator-practices. Comments must be received by June 2, 2013. To learn more about the accreditation program and to submit a comment, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org or email your comment to info@landtrustaccreditation.org. Comments may also be faxed or mailed to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, Attn: Public Comments: (fax) 518-587-3183; (mail) 112 Spring Street, Suite 204, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.
News Briefs | MNA © Mike Zajczenko
Follow Us Online MNA blog Visit www.mymna.org for photos and information about the latest MNA happenings, nature news, endangered species profiles, and much more. Recent blog posts include:
Munising Café Partners With MNA Munising’s popular Falling Rock Café and Bookstore has agreed to serve as the steward of MNA’s Twin Waterfalls Plant Preserve, located just a mile away. Twin Waterfalls is one of MNA’s most popular Upper Peninsula sanctuaries, hosting hundreds of visitors each season. The sanctuary requires frequent monitoring and maintenance of structures such as boardwalks and handrails, which are designed to protect the sanctuary’s visitors as well as fragile vegetation and spectacular sandstone cliffs. It is a huge job, and the Falling Rock Café and Bookstore has cheerfully taken on the task in close coordination with MNA’s Upper Peninsula Regional Stewardship Organizer Adrienne Bozic. The Falling Rock Café and Bookstore is a locally-owned establishment that offers a delicious food selection, specialty coffee drinks and gourmet teas, local arts and crafts, over 50,000 new and used books, free wi-fi, and plenty of comfy chairs and tables. As a hub of the local community and a popular tourist destination, the Falling Rock Café and Bookstore has the kind of regional support and network that will be a huge asset to MNA and Twin Waterfalls. Friends and members of MNA can express their appreciation by patronizing this Munising treasure. Please say hello and introduce yourself while there, and thank them for their support of MNA!
Species Spotlight: The Great Blue Heron
Sanctuary Celebrates 50th Anniversary
This Week in Environmental News
Volunteer Days Focus on Invasive Species
Group Files Petitions to Stop Wolf Hunt A coalition called Keep Michigan Wolves Protected submitted petitions with more than 253,000 signatures to state election officials in a bid to overturn a new state law that allows for the hunting of wolves. After decades of efforts to bolster the population of wolves in the upper Midwest, wolves have rebounded to the point where they were recently taken off the federal government’s list of endangered species. It will take state election officials several months to determine whether a sufficient number of valid signatures were submitted to place the issue of wolf hunting before Michigan’s voters. The Michigan United Conservation Clubs, the state’s most prominent hunting group, has denounced the petition drive. MNA has not taken a position.
Join the Conversation Connect with MNA on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ by following the links below: facebook.com/michigannature twitter.com/michigannature gplus.to/michigannature michigan nature | spring 2013
9
Sanctuaries | MNA
Acquisition Expands Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary by Annie Perry The Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary, located in Brooks Township northeast of Newaygo, is a dry sand prairie and oak/ pine barrens that is home to more than 100 different plant and animal species. Less immediately obvious, but perhaps more rewarding to observers is the sanctuary’s namesake: the Karner blue butterfly, a threatened species dependent on the wild lupine plants and the open areas with sandy soils in the sanctuary. Recognizing an opportunity to protect the species, the Michigan Nature Association bought the initial 80-acre property in 1999. MNA recently completed the purchase of a 15-acre addition along the southeast corner of the Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary. The expansion was financed through a federal grant from the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service through a partnership with Ducks Unlimited. The property was purchased from neighbor Steve Nubie, who recognized the importance and willdlife benefit of his land.
A species at risk The Karner blue butterfly feeds on the wild lupine, which restricts where the butterfly can survive. The species is only found in places populated by wild lupine, such as MNA’s Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary. Loss of these types of habitats were the leading cause for the Karner blue butterfly’s depleted population. The butterfly was originally found in Ontario and a band extending across 12 states from Minnesota to Maine, but today is only found in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, and Ohio. The majority of the populations in these remaining states are small, and several are at risk of extinction from habitat degradation or loss, mostly caused by land development or lack of natural disturbances. Disturbances help maintain the butterfly’s habitat by setting back encroaching forests, encouraging growth of the shade-intolerant wild lupine. The necessity of disturbance in the Karner blue butterfly’s continued on page 12
► Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary in Newaygo County. Photo by Chuck Vanette
10
michigan nature | spring 2013
Sanctuaries | MNA © Marilyn Keigley
“Its plight shows how complex the problems of conservation can be and why an intricate knowledge of a species’ relationship with its habitat is imperative.” Kurt Johnson and Steve Coats, authors: Nabokov’s Blues
michigan nature | spring 2013
11
Sanctuaries | MNA
▲ Intern Cara Burwell fights invasive species. Photo from MNA archives
▲ A male Karner blue butterfly at the sanctuary. Photo by Al Menk
survival is a reason why stewardship is crucial in maintaining the butterfly’s population.
“Its plight shows how complex the problems of conservation can be and why an intricate knowledge of a species’ relationship with its habitat is imperative.”
A “striking butterfly” The Karner blue butterfly was identified and named by RussianAmerican novelist and lepidopterist Vladimir Nabokov in 1944. Nabokov wrote of the Karner blue’s beauty in one of his books, Pnin.
Expanding the Karner Blue Sanctuary The Karner blue butterfly was listed as endangered in 1992. The final recovery plan was published in September 2003 and focuses on building and establishing Karner blue butterfly metapopulations through protecting and managing habitats. The purchase of the Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary addition provides MNA with more opportunities to protect the butterfly’s habitat.
“A score of small butterflies, all of one kind, were settled on a damp patch of sand,” Nabokov wrote. “Their wings erect and closed, showing their pale undersides with dark dots and tiny orange-rimmed peacock spots along the hindwing margins; one of Pnin’s shed rubbers disturbed some of them and, revealing the The Karner blue celestial hue of their upper surface, they fluttered around like blue snowflakes before settling again.” butterfly feeds on
The new addition consists of a combination of rich conifer swamp, tamarack swamp, northern fen, oakpine barrens, and emergent wetlands. Approximately five or six springs originate at the base of the bluff, forming a series of streams which criss-cross the wetland, fen and swamps and head south toward the Muskegon River.
wild lupine, which “Blue snowflakes” is not the only descriptive imagery used to depict the Karner blue butterfly; in the book restricts where the Nabokov’s Blues, named for the butterflies Nabokov butterfly can survive. classified, authors Kurt Johnson and Steve Coats describe the Karner blue as a “striking butterfly,” The sanctuary addition is home to various rare and believe it is one of the reasons the species is a “poster child for and protected species in the state: bald eagles have been spotted conservationists’ efforts to maintain its disappearing habitats.” foraging and perching at the addition, and wood turtles have been found in the wetlands and tributaries. For both males and females, the wing undersurfaces are gray, marked with black spots circled by white rings, and decorated with The new tract expands the protection of the oak- and pine-barrens a continuous band of orange crescents. The upper wing surface community in the sanctuary, which provides potential habitat to on males is dark blue with black around the edges; the topside for numerous insect and plant species. It also gives potential habitat females, on the other hand, is grayish brown and blue, with bands of for the Karner blue butterfly, although the land is currently too overorange crescents inside the narrow black border. shaded for wild lupine growth. The Karner blue butterfly is more than just a threatened species; it’s a testament to the complexity and importance of conservation. Johnson and Coats wrote of the importance of the Karner blue’s decline in Nabokov’s Blues:
12
michigan nature | spring 2013
One threat to conservation at the Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary is invasive species: spotted knapweed, smooth brome, autumn olive, and bush honeysuckle are all non-native species present at the sanctuary that require active management.
Sanctuaries | MNA A second threat is the absence of a natural disturbance regimen such as periodic fire. Without disturbance, these woody species will slowly form a canopy over the sanctuary, resulting in increased shading and loss of shade-intolerant dry sand prairie and lupine—which means more habitat loss for the Karner blue butterfly. Through fire management and other stewardship projects, MNA can control the sanctuary’s invasive species and encourage growth of the fire-dependent wild lupine.
Building on our success MNA’s stewardship staff has created a list of goals and objectives for managing the sanctuary and the new addition, some of which include conducting a prescribed fire regimen to maintain the dry sand prairie and oak-pine barrens; managing the spread of invasive species as much as possible without damaging the Karner blue butterfly population, lupine population, or natural communities; and conducting annual monitoring of the sanctuary. Earlier this year, MNA staff, volunteers and interns installed firebreaks to allow for prescribed burns this summer. These prescribed burns will regenerate the conditions required for the ongoing survival of natural communities, specifically wild lupine. Volunteers are also working to manage woody encroachment at the sanctuary to protect existing populations of prairie flowers including the prickly pear cactus, hoary puccoon, and wild lupine as well as a selection of insect species including spittlebugs and skippers.
▲ Lupine at the Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary. Photo by Dan Kennedy
The Allure of Nabokov’s Blues Though Vladimir Nabokov was a famous novelist, butterflies were his true passion.
The Karner blue is one of Nabokov’s Blues, a group of butterfly species classified by and named for RussianAmerican author and lepidopterist Vladimir Nabokov. Nabokov (1899-1977) learned his craft studying butterflies at the Museum of Natural History in New York City and did entomological work at Harvard University, despite having no formal training in zoology or entomology. The Karner Blue was named while Nabokov was studying the northern Lycaedis butterfly species in 1943. For many years, the Karner blue was confused with the northern Blue Lycaeides idas, but Nabokov recognized the species’ uniqueness and renamed it Lycaeides samuelis, or commonly, the Karner blue.
Nabokov didn’t just name the Karner blue—he helped save it. Had Nabokov not recognized the butterfly as a unique and significant species, it’s possible it would have gone extinct before its significance was even comprehended. Nabokov’s celebrity status as a well-known novelist helped enhance preservation efforts for the butterfly, as well. “The pleasures and rewards of literary inspiration are nothing beside the rapture of discovering a new organ under the microscope or an undescribed species on a mountainside in Iran or Peru,” Nabokov said in 1969. “It is not improbable that had there been no revolution in Russia, I would have devoted myself entirely to lepidopterology and never written any novels at all.”
Nabokov’s Blues: The Scientific Odyssey of a Literary Genius details Nabokov’s studies of butterflies.
Sanctuaries | MNA
New Sanctuary Further Protects Flowerfield Creek Corridor by Annie Perry MNA recently acquired a new sanctuary, Hidden Oaks Nature Sanctuary in St. Joseph County. This sanctuary was purchased with the help of a federal grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In partnership with Ducks Unlimited, MNA was awarded the grant for the purpose of protecting, restoring and enhancing emergent and forested wetland habitat critical to waterfowel in southwest Michigan. The new sanctuary protects 42 acres of emergent marsh, tamarack swamp, and sedge-dominant wet meadow. The site was chosen for its wetland values and will help further protect the Flowerfield Creek riparian corridor. Hidden Oaks is located in northwest St. Joseph County, just west of the confluence of Spring Creek and Flowerfield Creek. Almost the entire sanctuary is wetland, aside from the northwest corner, which
► Hidden Oaks Nature Sanctuary protects water quality along Flowerfield Creek in St. Joseph County. Photo from MNA Achives
14
michigan nature | spring 2013
contains a dry-mesic southern forest and a small, upland hill. The sanctuary is part of the much larger and largely natural riparian corridor along Flowerfield Creek and provides various natural services to the environment. The sanctuary protects water quality along Flowerfield Creek, provides floodwater storage during periods of high water, and is a source of habitat for amphibians and other wildlife. Hidden Oaks’ natural features currently face two threats: invasive species and habitat transition. Invasive species found in the sanctuary include reed canary grass, phragmites, and invasive shrubs. In addition, the absence of fire and other disturbance at the sanctuary is allowing the open, sedge-dominated wet meadow areas of the sanctuary to transition to shrub-dominated areas. If this continues, the microhabitat provided by the tussock sedge will be lost, along with much of the forb diversity. MNA’s stewardship team plans to minimize the encroachment of shrubs and protect wetland diversity through a burn regime and treating all invasive shrubs. They also plan to get a better understanding of the sanctuary’s ecology by conducting botanical and wildlife surveys in the coming year.
Sanctuaries | MNA
MNA Acquires New Wetland property in Van Buren County by Annie Perry Christmas came early for MNA this past December with the purchase of a new nature sanctuary in Van Buren County. The Great Bear Swamp Nature Sanctuary was purchased in partnership with Ducks Unlimited through a federal grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The sanctuary was chosen for its wetland values and expands protection of the Black River Riparian Corridor, a high-priority conservation area for MNA and local partners. The Great Bear Swamp Nature Sanctuary, located near Breedsville, is composed entirely of forested wetlands and floods heavily during wet periods of the year. The seasonally flooded wetlands should provide habitat for
amphibians, while the forest provides habitat for songbirds, woodpeckers, and wood ducks. Most of the sanctuary consists of southern hardwood swamp, with silver maple as the dominant canopy tree. Other species that grow there include green ash, cottonwood and sycamore. The sanctuary also protects the shore of a small kettle lake. The new sanctuary is part of the Black River Riparian Corridor between Bangor and Gobles, which also includes MNA’s Black River Nature Sanctuary and the mouth of the Great Bear Lake Drain. This 1,800acre corridor includes a great blue heron rookery and populations of spotted turtle and Blanding’s turtle. MNA’s stewardship team plans to manage the sanctuary by controlling invasive shrubs that threaten the shrubby wetlands along the marsh of the lake, marking the sanctuary’s boundaries, and conducting botanical and wildlife surveys. Through these actions, MNA hopes to protect the ecological integrity of the sanctuary, protect flooding and wetland functions, and better understand the sanctuary’s ecology.
◄ The Great Bear Swamp Nature Sanctuary in Van Buren County was chosen for its wetland values and to expand protection of the Black River Riparian Corridor. Photo from MNA Archives
© Art Tessier
Protecting the Black River Riparian Corridor The Great Bear Swamp Nature Sanctuary is included in a stretch of the Black River Riparian Corridor, which also includes MNA’s Black River Nature Sanctuary. The Black River Nature Sanctuary provides habitat for the great blue heron, spotted turtle and Blanding’s turtle. By protecting additional areas of the corridor, MNA is expanding the region’s protected areas for these and other species. To learn more, visit the MNA blog at www.mymna.org.
michigan nature | spring 2013
15
Vernal Pools:
Nature’s Disappearing Act
Photo: Michigan Natural Features Inventory
▲ Jewelweed at an MNA sanctuary. Photo from MNA archives
By Yu Man Lee, Conservation Scientist Michigan Natural Features Inventory
I
f you have spent time exploring Michigan’s forests in the spring, you may have come across shallow pools of water scattered throughout the landscape. Only within the last decade or two have we started to understand and fully appreciate the significance of these small, temporary wetlands known as vernal pools. However, vernal pools continue to disappear from Michigan’s landscape and face a number of threats including land use changes and associated impacts, and lack of understanding and awareness of these important ecosystems.
▲ A dry vernal pool. Photo courtesy of Michigan Natural Features Inventory
Vernal pools (“vernal” means spring) are filled with water in the spring and “disappear” by late summer. These wetlands provide special and unique habitats for plants and animals, including some species that are especially adapted for life in vernal pools. These pools provide safe haven from predators for some species, such as wood frogs and spotted salamanders that come to vernal pools early in the spring to breed and lay their eggs. But it’s a race against time every year for their larvae or tadpoles as they have to fully develop and transform into adults before the pools dry up. Vernal pools, also called seasonal or ephemeral pools, are small, shallow depressions that usually contain water for only part of the year. These temporary wetlands typically fill with water between late fall and spring from rising groundwater, snowmelt, and rainfall.
Vernal pools occur throughout Michigan, and can be highly variable. They vary in size and depth, with most pools less than one-half acre michigan nature | spring 2013
Vernal pools also can occur in open areas, including prairies, old fields, marshes, and bogs. The vegetation within vernal pools can vary greatly. Some vernal pools may have few to no plants growing in them, while other pools may be dominated by trees, shrubs, or grasses. In some pools, annual plants may become established after the water levels recede.
More than 550 animal species have been documented in vernal pools in northeastern America.
The length of time that surface water is present in these pools varies, but most dry up by late summer or early fall (although some pools do not dry up every year or during particularly wet years). Because they lack a permanent water source and dry up periodically, vernal pools do not support breeding fish populations.
18
and less than four feet deep. Vernal pools are primarily found in forested areas. They may be isolated and surrounded by dry upland forest, or located within or adjacent to other wetlands such as forested swamps and river floodplains.
Despite their small size and temporary nature, vernal pools can be incredibly diverse and productive ecosystems. Vernal pools provide important habitat for many wildlife species. These include invertebrates, frogs, toads, salamanders, snakes, turtles, waterfowl, wetland birds, songbirds, and mammals. Over 550 animal species have been documented in vernal pools in northeastern America. Many animal species use vernal pools as sources of food and water throughout the growing season, as breeding and resting areas, and as stepping stones to disperse to other areas with suitable habitat to complete their life cycle. Several rare species in Michigan use vernal pools extensively including the smallmouth salamander (state
endangered), copperbelly watersnake (federally threatened, state endangered), spotted turtle (state threatened) and Blanding’s turtle (state special concern). The abundance of invertebrates in vernal pools is especially impressive. Hundreds if not thousands of frogs and salamanders migrate to and breed in some vernal pools in the spring. In some New England forests, the biomass or combined weight of vernal pool-breeding amphibians has been greater than the biomass of all the small mammals and breeding birds combined on a per area basis. Invertebrates comprise the majority of the animal species and biomass in vernal pools, with aquatic insects representing one of the largest groups. These include caddisflies, water beetles, damselflies, dragonflies, mayflies, mosquitoes, and other kinds of aquatic insects. Other invertebrates including tiny crustaceans, fingernail clams, snails, flatworms, water mites, and springtails also occur in vernal pools. Amphibians and invertebrates are important parts of the energy cycle and food chain in vernal pools and the surrounding forest ecosystems. They consume and help break down leaf litter, detritus, and other decomposing matter. They serve as predators on smaller animals, and as parasites on larger animals. They also provide an important food source for other invertebrates, amphibians, and wildlife species throughout the spring and summer.
Ideal Breeding Habitat Many of the animal species that live in vernal pools have developed special life history strategies for dealing with the highly variable and seasonal nature of these wetlands. Several amphibian and invertebrate species actually require or are highly dependent on vernal pools for part or all of their life cycle. These vernal pool indicator
▲ A wood frog at an MNA sanctuary. Photo by Susan B. Miller
species include the wood frog, spotted salamander, blue-spotted salamander, and fairy shrimp. Vernal pools provide ideal breeding habitat for these species. The dry period in vernal pools reduces or eliminates populations of predators or dominant competitors such as fish, which cannot survive drought, and bullfrogs, which usually take more than a year to develop from tadpole to adult. Wood frog, spotted salamander, and blue-spotted salamander egg masses and tadpoles or larvae also are more vulnerable to fish predation because they lack the chemical or physical defenses to predation possessed by species that regularly breed in permanent pools with fish populations. Even though these species may breed in other wetlands, successful
► It’s one of nature’s rarely witnessed rituals. Each spring, spotted salamanders leave their nesting grounds and seek nearby vernal pools, which serve as breeding ponds. Adults stay in the vernal pool for only a few days, and the female leaves behind eggs that cling to underwater plants. Some salamanders live for decades, and have been known to return to the same vernal pool each year. Photo courtesy of Michigan Natural Features Inventory
michigan nature | spring 2013
19
â–˛ A vernal pool. Photo courtesy of Michigan Natural Features Inventory
production of juveniles is much higher in vernal pools than in wetlands with permanent populations of fish or other predators such as bullfrogs and green frogs. Some species spend their entire lives in a single vernal pool. Fairy shrimp are crustaceans (0.6 to 1.5 inches long) that are restricted to fish-free, temporary waters. Their eggs may require drying, flooding, and freezing to successfully hatch, and can survive in the sediment for several years. The plants found in and around vernal pools are similar to those found in the surrounding landscape, but also contain species adapted to wetter conditions. Common trees and shrubs of vernal pools in Michigan include red maple, yellow birch, American elm, white pine, hemlock, northern white-cedar, willow, buttonbush, speckled alder, winterberry, and dogwood.
As wetlands, vernal pools also provide other important functions. Vernal pools contribute to groundwater recharge and flood control by acting as natural sponges and capturing, storing, and slowly releasing water over a long period of time. They also help improve water quality by acting as sediment traps or sinks. Vernal pools are fascinating environments, and provide excellent opportunities for viewing and learning about wetlands, plants, and animals.
Highly Vulnerable to Disturbance Vernal pools are highly vulnerable to disturbance or destruction. Because of their small size and seasonal nature, vernal pools can be difficult to identify on the landscape, especially when they are dry, and are often overlooked. Unfortunately, vernal pools receive little or no protection under federal and state wetland regulations because they are small and often isolated from larger and/or permanent waterbodies and wetlands.
Vernal pools receive little or no protection under federal and state wetland regulations.
Common herbaceous or non-woody plant species include duckweed, sphagnum moss, jewelweed, marsh marigold, skunk cabbage, blue-joint grass, rushes, and sedges. Several rare plants are associated with vernal pools in Michigan, including Shumard’s oak (state special concern), raven’s-foot sedge (state endangered), squarrose sedge (special concern), and false hop sedge (state threatened).
20
michigan nature | spring 2013
Vernal pools face a number of threats due to land use changes. Many vernal pools have been drained or filled and extensive loss of forests have occurred in some areas due to residential, commercial, and/ or agricultural development. Some pools have been excavated to create stormwater detention ponds, or converted to permanent ponds.
Vernal pools also may be vulnerable to climate change due to potential for increased temperatures and evaporation, drier conditions, and hydrological changes. Additionally, limited information is available on the status, distribution, and ecology of vernal pools across the state in Michigan.
Conserving Vernal Pools Due to recent increased awareness of the importance of vernal pools, there has been growing interest in identifying, studying, and conserving these small but valuable ecosystems in Michigan and other states. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI), a program of Michigan State University Extension, have been collaborating to develop and initiate efforts to identify, map, and assess vernal pools in Michigan using remote sensing, GIS modeling, and field sampling by MNFI staff and volunteers. Funding for this project has been provided by the MDEQ with funds from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Additional partners include the Michigan Nature Association, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Herpetological Resource and Management, Michigan Technological University, The Nature Conservancy, Huron River Watershed Council, and Huron Pines.
▲ A blue-spotted salamander. Photo courtesy of Michigan Natural Features Inventory
This partnership will enhance our understanding of vernal pools in Michigan, which will help develop and implement appropriate and effective conservation strategies for vernal pools and associated plants and animals. This information will help provide the foundation for developing and implementing a statewide program to inventory, monitor, and protect vernal pools in Michigan in the future.
>>For More Information Please contact Yu Man Lee, conservation scientist with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory at leeyum@msu.edu for more information or visit MNFI’s website at mnfi.anr.msu.edu.
▲ A baby spotted turtle. Photo by Amanda Orban
Vernal Pools Abstract Michigan Natural Features Inventory Available at mnfi.anr.msu.edu
Vernal Pools: Natural History and Conservation Elizabeth A. Colburn McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company
▲ Marsh marigold at an MNA sanctuary. Photo by Arlene Johnson michigan nature | spring 2013
21
Stewardship | MNA
MSU Students Take on Invasive Species by Andrew Bacon and Matt Schultz On a snowy Saturday in February, 30 Michigan State University students from Dr. Emily Grman’s restoration ecology class joined MNA’s Matt Schultz at our Goose Creek Grasslands Nature Sanctuary in Lenawee County for a busy day fighting invasive glossy buckthorn to further the restoration of the sanctuary’s prairie fen. Restoration at Goose Creek has been a lengthy process. Efforts to remove glossy buckthorn first began in 2003, when the shrub had already aggressively invaded portions of the fen. Glossy buckthorn grows rapidly, produces many berries, and shades out native vegetation. It also prevents the accumulation of enough fuel to carry a fire. Fire is the main process by which prairie fens were maintained in earlier times. Fires set by Native Americans would spread from surrounding uplands (usually oak savanna) into the fen and rejuvenate the rich layer of sedges, grasses and wildflowers that make prairie fens both picturesque and biologically rich. MNA has been conducting prescribed burns at Goose Creek since 2004. After the first burn, native vegetation returned in the space previously occupied by glossy buckthorn. This year, two burns are planned at the sanctuary, and one will take place in the area the MSU students cleared of buckthorn. Several students expressed an interest in returning to the sanctuary to assist with the prescribed ► Students from Dr. Emily Grman’s restoration ecology class after a day of fighting glossy buckthorn at Goose Creek Grasslands Nature Sanctuary in Lenawee County. Photo from MNA Archives
22
michigan nature | spring 2013
burns. MNA will begin conducting prescribed burns at Goose Creek in April.
Copperbelly Watersnake Habitat Enhancement In Hillsdale County, MNA continued making progress on a multi-part habitat restoration project which began in 2012. The subject 50-acre sanctuary parcel was acquired in 1993 and contained a beautiful buttonbush swamp, adjoining upland oak forest, and 15 acres of old field which was regenerating from previous farming. The parcel was acquired specifically to assist with the conservation of the existing population of the copperbelly watersnake, a federally endangered species only found within the state of Michigan in this small area. The copperbelly watersnake population is currently estimated at fewer than 200 individuals worldwide. This species requires a landscape matrix with heavily intermingled wetlands and adjoining uplands primarily consisting of closed canopy forests. The wetland typically includes buttonbush swamps, emergent wetlands, forested wetlands, and vernal pools. Given the heavy agricultural context in which the remaining population occurs, habitat enhancement projects are greatly needed in order to maintain the existence of this species.
Stewardship | MNA Join Us in the Field for a Volunteer Workday While putting together the sanctuary’s management plan, we observed that a small wetland depression in the sanctuary was routinely low when nearby wetlands were full. As a result of this observation, drain tiles were discovered on the ▲ A copperbelly watersnake at property. These drain tiles an MNA sanctuary. Photo by Dan were actively draining a Kennedy 10-acre section of the old farm fields and the small wetland depression. During the fall, these drain tiles were disabled and removed to restore the hydrology of this small wetland and the drainage pattern of the uplands.
For complete details, visit the News & Events section of www.michigannature.org or call (866) 223-2231. Date
Location
County
Contact
May 4
Francis Broehl Memorial No. 2
Lenawee
Matt
May 4
Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary
Cass
Matt
May 4
Mystery Valley Karst Preserve
Presque Isle
Katherine
May 5
Butternut Creek Nature Sanctuary
Berrien
Matt
May 6
Francis Broehl Memorial No. 1
Lenawee
Matt
May 8
Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary
Cass
Matt
May 8
Dauner Martin Nature Sanctuary
Genesee
Katherine
May 11
Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary
Cass
Matt
May 11
Lefglen Nature Sanctuary
Jackson
Matt
May 11
Frinks Pond Plant Preserve
Iosco
Katherine
May 11
Coldwater River Plant Preserve
Kent
Matt
Vegetation surveys indicated that more than 50 percent of the woody succession within the 15 acres of old fields was composed of autumn olive, because the property had been allowed to revert to old field after the conclusion of farming activities. Given the condition of this old field acreage, it was clearly on a path to be an invasive shrubland rather than a native forest.
May 15
Riley-Shurte Nature Sanctuary
Cass
Matt
May 17
Big Valley Nature Sanctuary
Oakland
Katherine
May 18
Butternut Creek Nature Sanctuary
Berrien
Matt
May 18
Hamilton Township Coastal Plain Marsh
Van Buren
Matt
May 20
Francis Broehl Memorial No. 1
Lenawee
Matt
May 21
Lawrence A. & Mary Bell Wade Memorial
Allegan
Matt
To enhance the habitat quality for the copperbelly watersnake and other species of wildlife, including neotropical migrant birds, a forestry mower was brought in to mow down the stands of autumn olive and the stumps were then treated with herbicide.
May 22
Wilding Plant Preserve
Cass
Matt
May 23
Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary
Cass
Matt
May 24
Hamilton Township Coastal Plain Marsh
Van Buren
Matt
May 25
Joan Rodman Memorial Plant Preserve
Washtenaw
Katherine
In the spring, thousands of tree seedlings are being planted to shift the trajectory of the old fields from an invasive species stronghold back to a native dry-mesic forest. Autumn olive management will continue for one to three years following tree planting.
May 25
Lefglen Nature Sanctuary
Jackson
Matt
May 29
Lefglen Nature Sanctuary
Jackson
Matt
May 31
Lyle and Mary Rizor Nature Sanctuary
Livingston
Katherine
June 1
Mystery Valley Karst Preserve
Presque Isle
Katherine
The project is being supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Sustain Our Great Lakes Grant Program in partnership with Blue Heron Ministries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Spring Stewardship Season Begins As the snow melts, the stewardship seasons is rapdily kicking into full gear. Volunteers, fresh from winter hibernation, are taking to the field to begin pulling garlic mustard at more than 20 sanctuaries. The prescribed burn crew is heading to the prairies, fens and savannas to light the controlled burns which will reinvigorate these communities and conserve the habitat required by a suite of rare species.
>>To RSVP for a Workday: Please register for each volunteer day as weather or emergencies may force cancellations. Contact your area’s Regional Stewardship Organizer to learn more: Adrienne Bozic, Upper Peninsula (517) 331-6381 or abozic@michigannature.org Katherine Hollins, Eastern Lower Peninsula (517) 525-2627 or khollins@michigannature.org Matt Schultz, Western Lower Peninsula (517) 643-6864 or mschultz@michigannature.org
michigan nature | spring 2013
23
© Aaron Strouse
Membership Matters | MNA
Introducing MNA’s
2013 Wildflower Walkabout MNA’s Wildflower Walkabout is a series of guided tours through nature sanctuaries across Michigan boasting spectacular wildflower displays. Each sanctuary was chosen for its unique wildflowers, and each trip is planned during the time when the sanctuary’s wildflowers will be best displayed for viewing and photographing. Experience beautiful wildflowers like the red trillium at Elmer P. and Irene Jasper Woods Memorial on the state’s east side (above) or the pale purple coneflower at Fred Dye Nature Sanctuary in the Upper Peninsula. No matter where you are, you have the opportunity to experience Michigan’s best wildflowers this summer. For additional details about the Wildflower Walkabout, visit www.michigannature.org or call (866) 223-2231.
Sunday, May 19 - 10 a.m. Saginaw Wetlands Nature Sanctuary Huron County, near Sebewaing
Expert birder Myles Willard will lead a hike along the lakeplain prairie and through the oak openings of the sanctuary. He will help identify neotropical warblers that migrate throught this hotspot. Hikers will be treated to spectacular wildflowers, including lady’s slippers. 24
michigan nature | spring 2013
Sunday, May 26 - 10 a.m. Elmer P. and Irene Jasper Woods Memorial Nature Sanctuary St. Clair County, near Kimball
Sanctuary steward Bill Atkinson will lead a hike through this highquality forested sanctuary. The sanctuary’s acidic soil supports species that rarely thrive this far south. Trillium, as well as many other spring wildflowers, can be spotted throughout the sanctuary.
Membership Matters | MNA Saturday, June 8 - 1 p.m. Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary Newaygo County, near Newaygo
Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary is home to the threatened Karner blue butterfly as well as fields of wild lupine, prickly pear cactus, and other dry sand prairie plants. Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore the sanctuary’s new addition which contains mixed conifer swamp and interesting seeps and wetlands.
Friday, July 12 - 1 p.m. Fred Dye Nature Sanctuary Mackinac County, near Moran
Come visit the karst features and disjunct coneflower population at this out-of-place prairie pocket in the Upper Peninsula. Additional flowers making their home here include blue-eyed grass, wild bergamot, pale spike lobelia, fringed gentian, and asters and goldenrods, many of which will be in bloom in July.
Saturday, August 3 - 11 a.m. Black Creek Nature Sanctuary Keweenaw County, near Calumet
Erika Vye, geology PhD student at Michigan Technological University, will lead a hike among varied landforms before reaching the picturesque lagoon near the Lake Superior shoreline. Learn more about the sanctuary’s beach stones as well as the orchids and other wildflowers that call the sanctuary home. ▲ A prickly pear cactus at Karner Blue Nature Sanctuary. Photo by Marilyn Keigley
▼ A purple coneflower at Fred Dye Nature Sanctuary. Photo by Marianne Glosenger
Friday, August 23 - 1 p.m. Sand Creek Prairie Plant Preserve Hillsdale County, near Jonesville
This sanctuary is a small but very high-quality example of a dry sand prairie and oak barrens, especially for Hillsdale County. Hikers will explore the preserve and see many uncommon native species.
Friday, September 13 - 7 p.m. Five Lakes Muskegon Nature Sanctuary Muskegon County, near Muskegon
Join the Grand Rapids chapter of Wild Ones for a tour of the coastal plain marsh plants of the sanctuary. This is a unique opportunity to experience this restricted-access sanctuary.
Please note, events may be delayed or cancelled due to weather or other emergencies. Please RSVP by calling (866) 223-2231 to be notified of cancellations or changes. michigan nature | spring 2013
25
Membership Matters | MNA
▲ Explore Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary and learn to capture the beauty of the sanctuary’s wildflowers on a Sanctuary Photo Tour. Photo by Dick Glosenger
MNA is pleased to offer members the opportunity to experience Michigan’s natural heritage in a variety of ways. Explore an MNA sanctuary on a guided hike, sharpen your photography skills at a sanctuary photo tour, or connect with other supporters at the 2013 Annual Meeting. We hope we’ll see you in the field!
Hands-On Nature Photography Workshops Join naturalist photographer Mark S. Carlson and digital photography instructor Bob Grzesiak of Great Lakes Photo Tours for a day of photography instruction on location at MNA nature sanctuaries. Learn to capture unique landscapes and species through a camera lens. Mark and Bob work with Photo Tour participants to provide hands-on training tailored to each person’s skill level. All experience levels and camera types are welcome. Photo Tour Dates: May 13 - Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary Cass County, near Dowagiac September 13 - Goose Creek Grasslands Nature Sanctuary Lenawee County, near Cement City Price: $65 members, $99 nonmembers To register, visit www.greatlakesphototours.com or call (517) 230-1665.
26
michigan nature | spring 2013
2013 Sanctuary Photo Contest MNA wants to showcase the best photos of Michigan’s natural heritage in the third annual Sanctuary Photo Contest! Entries must fit into one of three categories: Flora/Fauna, Landscapes or People in Nature. Winning photographs will be featured in an upcoming issue of Michigan Nature magazine as well as on the MNA website. Winners will also receive prizes including theater tickets, dining giftcards, and much more. Enter by August 1, 2013 to win! Visit www.michigannature.org or call (866) 223-2231 for rules and contest entry forms.
Membership Matters | MNA MNA’s 2013 Annual Meeting Saturday, May 4 - Oakland County Join MNA for the 2013 Annual Meeting on Saturday, May 4, at the Hart Community Center in Davisburg in northern Oakland County. The meeting begins at 1 p.m. and will include organizational updates from MNA as well as light refreshments.
Sanctuary Tour: Prior to the meeting MNA will lead a guided hike through the nearby Timberland Swamp Nature Sanctuary beginning at 11 a.m. The Timberland Swamp is home to a diverse bird population and many species of beautiful wildflowers which bloom in the spring.
Featured Speakers: Keynote speaker William Rapai, the author of The Kirtland’s Warbler: The Story of a Bird’s Fight Against Extinction and the People Who Saved It, will give a talk on the Kirtland’s warbler. Special guest Phyllis Higman, conservation scientist with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, will speak about the threat invasive species pose in Michigan.
For More Information: Contact Danielle Cooke at (866) 223-2231 or email dcooke@michigannature.org. Additional Information and driving directions are available at www.michigannature.org.
Keynote speaker William Rapai will give a talk about the Kirtland’s warbler.
© Nancy Leonard
Sanctuary Hikes, Tours and Excursions Join MNA for guided hikes through some of Michigan’s most interesting landscapes.
Sanctuary Exploration Hike: May 6, noon Braastad Nature Sanctuary Marquette County, near Ishpeming Contact: Adrienne Bozic, (517) 331-6381 or abozic@michigannature.org
Spring Wildflower Hike: May 10, 10 a.m.
© Kernie King
Sharon Zahrfeld Memorial Nature Sanctuary Genesee County, near Argentine Contact: Katherine Hollins, (517) 525-2627 or khollins@michigannature.org
Fire Ecology Tour: May 18, 1 p.m.
Swamp Lakes Moose Refuge Luce County, near Newberry Contact: Adrienne Bozic, (517) 331-6381 or abozic@michigannature.org
Spring Wildflower Hike: May 24, 10 a.m. Trillium Trail Nature Sanctuary St. Clair County, near Memphis Contact: Katherine Hollins, (517) 525-2627 or khollins@michigannature.org
michigan nature | spring 2013
27
Booknotes | MNA Recommended Reading
New & Noteworthy
The Kingdom of Rarities Eric Dinerstein Island Press, Hardcover Price: $29.95
As chief scientist with the World Wildlife Fund, renowned field biologist and award winning author Eric Dinerstein has spent decades studying some of the world’s rarest species. In his new book, The Kingdom of Rarities, Dinerstein offers a tour of the efforts to save rare and endangered species around the world, including right here in Michigan. “If a shrine to rarity exists, the jack pine woods near Grayling, Michigan, is nature’s Lourdes. Each spring, thousands of birders journey to this small town in the state’s Lower Peninsula, about five hours’ drive from Detroit, to encounter the rarest breeding songbird in North America.” In a chapter entitled “The Firebird Suite,” Dinerstein outlines the science behind the efforts to protect the Kirtland’s warbler from near extinction. According to Dinerstein, the Kirtland’s warbler, one of nature’s great habitat specialists, has much to tell us about the nature of ecological rarity. And because ecosystems are changing so rapidly, the implications may be important for the preservation of many of today’s common species as their habitats become increasingly rare. – Garret Johnson
Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest Paul M. Skawinski Spiral-bound Price: $36.00
Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest by Paul Skawinski is a fullcolor, photographic field guide to the aquatic plants of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The book is intended for anyone interested in learning more about the “underwater forests” which inhabit the Great Lakes region, professional botanists and amateur naturalists alike. It is rare to find a book that suits both audiences effectively. Untrained individuals can seek identification through examination of leaf characteristics, followed by a survey of appropriate pages in the book and comparison of photographs and specimens. Lookalikes that share similar habitats are noted for comparison, particularly helpful with complex and morphologically confusing genera. Thick, glossy, water-resistant paper and a spiral binding make this book particularly fieldworthy in the wet, muddy, and buggy environs of the aquatic landscape. This book is indispensable for anyone interested in aquatic plants: from the expert professional to the untrained novice. Praised by some of the most renowned botanists in the Midwest, no other book on the subject is as useful, comprehensive, or easy to use. – Adrienne Bozic
28
michigan nature | spring 2013
The Incidental Steward Akiko Busch Yale University Press Cloth, $25.00 Highlights the important role ordinary citizens can play in advancing conservation as stewards and citizen scientists.
My Backyard Jungle James Barilla Yale University Press Cloth, $28.00
The author uses his experience creating backyard habitat to explore efforts to find a balance between human needs and global biodiversity.
A World in One Cubic Foot David Littschwager The University of Chicago Press Cloth, $45.00 A rich photographic examination of the incredible biodiversity that can be found in even the smallest spaces.
Voices | MNA
Alice Tomboulian Conservationist Alice Tomboulian has been an MNA member since 1965. We spoke with her about the importance of protecting Michigan’s natural heritage. - Garret Johnson
What led you to become a conservationist? It starts at home, where I grew up. This was in Ithaca, New York, just outside of the city. My father was an outdoors person, and I had a lot of chances to hike with him and talk with him about the relationships between living things. And then, I had a grandmother and stepmother who were very active with nature study and nature education, so that was shared with me. But the thing that really got to me was when my oldest child was young. He would look out the window and want to know what kind of birds were at our bird feeder. I thought I should be able to answer his questions.
If you expect and hope that people will grow up to understand their place in the world, you have to explicitly want to get that through to them. It’s so important for children to be outdoors – that’s when they get their ideas of what makes the world go ‘round. As a founder and driving force behind Michigan’s first completed rail-to-trails project, the Paint Creek Trail, does it gratify you to see your vision embraced by so many people? Absolutely. But I want to make clear I was not the sole initiator of this whole project. Peggy Johnson, who also lived in Oakland Township and had been a friend of mine for many years, had the vision first of finally putting the abandoned rail line into a trail.
It’s so important for children to be outdoors - that’s when they get their ideas of what makes the world go ‘round.
How did you first become aware of MNA? What first attracted you to the organization? When I learned that there was an organization that was adamant against harm to the Lakeville Swamp I thought, ‘well that is so wonderful that there’s an organization that really cares about this’. The Lakeville Swamp is just near my house and is such an amazing and inspiring sanctuary to anyone that is interested in habitats. It was just very attractive to be a part of MNA. So I joined because of the mission and work that was being done. That was probably around 1965.
Your commitment to environmental education awareness has been a strong theme throughout your life. Are we doing enough to instill a “land ethic” in the next generation? I think Richard Louv’s book, Last Child in the Woods, is today’s version of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. It’s a call to action. Intentional education for the environment, I think that’s where it has to begin.
© MNA Archives
Q&A
“MNA has grown in numbers and in influence steadily since its beginning... MNA is now one of the leaders among conservation organizations.”
In the early days, there was somewhat discouraging pushback from some local people, but today there’s much more general awareness as to what an opportunity and good community resource these trails are.
You’ve been an MNA member now for 48 years. I’m sure we’ve changed a lot over the years. How do you view MNA today, and what would you say to a new member? MNA has grown in numbers and in influence steadily since its beginning. I’m particularly excited about the changes I’ve seen in the last year. If I was talking to potential members, I’d say MNA is now one of the leaders among conservation organizations. They have a clear focus and a good relationship with their own members and other conservation organizations in the state, and you should be a member of it.
Read more of MNA’s interview with Alice by visiting our blog, www.mymna.org.
michigan nature | spring 2013
29
Legacies | MNA
Memorials and Honoraria August 1, 2012 - March 1, 2013
Donations given in honor or memory of MNA members and friends appear here in tribute.
In Memory of:
Shirley Agree by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Garrett Albright by Kathie Albright and Mike Berst Edith Basile by Lisyli Hardin Jane Blumberg by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Ruth E. Bozian by Marjorie Kohler Sander Breiner, MD by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Dorothy “Dolly” Brown by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Peggy Bullock by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Mary Helen Costa by Dr. Joseph James Ruth Elmouchi by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Fred Erb by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum John Frechtling by Linda Keys Florida Gayden by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Jean Gibb-Smith by Cynthia Brown Gloria Glaser by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Shirley Goodman by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Rosa Harris by Dr. Joseph James Richard and Millie Holem by Doug and Marie Holem James Itoney by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Thomas Jackson by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Betty S. Jones by Gerry and Dick Mendler Joel Jones by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum
30
michigan nature | spring 2013
Marvin Katz by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Manuel Krashin by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Janet Lanigan by David Lanigan by Steven Lanigan Gerri London by Sue Welch David G. Lozuaway by Darlene Lozuaway George Maxted by Jane Maxted Mary Alivia May by Susan Babcock William Perrine by Barry and Karen Ludwig Melvin Schafer by Margaret Ann Reed Moran Rose Schencop by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Joan Senghas by William and Nancy Zarkis Shirley Sims by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Gerald Stanton by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Joan M. Taube by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Curtis Vail by Jonathon Beeton by Linda and John Harris by Dennis and Patricia Schwerzler Edward Voss by Tony and Susan Reznicek Carolyn Williams Metting by Barbara Metting Andrew Wilson by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Larry Yanitz by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Sharon Zahrfeld by Mary Krebs by Blaine and Sue White
In Honor of:
Steven Buechler and Beth Lurie by Rosemary Bell Viola Brown by Cynthia Brown Ellen Canterbury by Cynthia Brown Mark Graf by Jacqueline Brodzik Bob and Diane Hedman by Ruth Baker Stephen Kelley by Barbara Kelley George W. Swenson, Jr. by George Swenson III and Mary Knight Ronald and Deborah Van Proeyen by Andrea Stromar Dave Wendling by Catherine Niessink
Honoring a Loved One Leave a lasting legacy in memory or in honor of a fellow nature lover. Contributions to MNA in honor of an individual help MNA protect Michigan’s natural heritage now and in the future. To discuss how you can honor a loved one through a tax-deductible MNA donation, call (866) 223-2231 or visit www.michigannature.org. .
“The work MNA has done is simply irreplaceable... MNA is protecting the soul of Michigan.” -Dave Dempsey
Award-Winning Author, Ruin & Recovery: Michigan’s Rise as a Conservation Leader
Photo by David Cuthrell
Help MNA protect sensitive habitats every day MNA Protectors are a special group of individuals who provide MNA with steady support throughout the year. MNA’s monthly giving program is a convenient way to help MNA protect special natural areas and spread your gift out over a period of time.
Become an MNA Protector
A fast, easy way to protect Michigan’s natural heritage
Each month, your contribution will be charged to your credit card or bank account. You can increase, decrease or cancel your monthly gift any time. The minimum monthly gift is $10. For details, visit www.michigannature.org or call (866) 223-2231.
Michigan Nature Association www.michigannature.org
Michigan Nature Association 326 East Grand River Avenue Williamston, MI 48895 www.michigannature.org
Become a member of the Michigan Nature Association to receive Michigan Nature magazine in the mail! Visit www.michigannature.org to learn more.
© Kyle Rokos
MNA’s 2013 Annual Meeting Saturday, May 4 - Oakland County
Join MNA for the 2013 Annual Meeting beginning at 1 p.m. at the Hart Community Center in Springfield Township. MNA will be joined by keynote speaker William Rapai, author of The Kirtland’s Warbler: The Story of a Bird’s Fight Against Extinction and the People Who Saved It and special guest Phyllis Higman of the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. To sign up, visit www.michigannature.org or call (866) 223-2231.
For details, see page 27.