Michigan Nature Magazine - Winter 2018

Michigan Nature Association Winter 2018 Volume 66 Issue 1

magazine

michigan nature

New Lake Huron Nature Sanctuary

Estivant Pines: A Living Museum www.michigannature.org

Conservation Superheroes

Š Margaret Weber 2017 Photo Contest Winner

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

Winter 2018

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Feature Estivant Pines: A Living Museum MNA celebrates the 45th anniversary of Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary.

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We still have places to protect and stewardship is so important.

- Dr. Sylvia Taylor page 33

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Departments MNA 360

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MNA Online

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Sanctuaries

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Research

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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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Whooo’s the Best? You! The Endangered Species Act Turns 45 The ABCs of Endangered Species

Snowy Owls “Irrupt” in Michigan Michigan Home to 465 Bee Species Species Spotlight: Northern Moose Nature News in Your Inbox

Protecting Great Lakes Shoreline

Along “Shipwreck Alley”

University Researchers Deciphering

Prairie Puzzles

Volunteer Stewards: Conservation Superheroes Shortcuts Volunteer Opportunities

2018 Race for Michigan Nature Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids Winter/Spring Hikes, Tours and Excursions

Recommended Reading From MNA

Dr. Sylvia Taylor, Endangered Species

Program Coordinator

Creating a Legacy as a Guardian of the Future Memorials and Honoraria

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26 On the Cover: Snowy Owl by Cindy Mead

Join the Michigan Nature Association

2018 Annual Meeting Saturday, April 28 at 12:30 p.m.

Frederik Meijer Gardens - Grand Rapids

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.

Keynote Speaker Jefferson Gray

Board of Trustees

Staff

Aubrey Golden President

Garret Johnson Executive Director

Superintendent at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the largest freshwater marine sanctuary in the world, covering 4,300 square miles of northern Lake Huron.

Yu Man Lee Vice President

Your free ticket to the Annual Meeting includes admission into the Gardens and Sculpture Park!

The annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies are Blooming exhibit will be open and is the nation’s largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition.

Paul Messing Trustee-at-Large

Everyone is Welcome!

To sign up, contact Jess Foxen (866) 223-2231 or jfoxen@michigannature.org

Conservation

Ruth Vail Secretary

Andrew Bacon Director of Conservation

Kurt Brauer Treasurer

Rachel Maranto Stewardship Coordinator, L.P.

Bill Bobier David Cartwright Mary Ann Czechowski

Samantha Brodley Regional Stewardship Organizer, W.L.P. Jack Flakne Land Protection Specialist

Steve Kelley

Natalie Kent-Norkowski Land Protection Technician

Gisela Lendle King

Outreach & Education

Stan Kuchta

Julie Stoneman Director of Outreach & Education

Kara Haas

Don Reed David Sharpe Karen Weingarden Margaret Welsch

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

We all use anniversaries to mark significant events in our lives and gauge progress and growth. Last year MNA achieved a remarkable milestone with our 65th anniversary—over six decades of working together to protect Michigan’s rare, threatened and endangered species thanks to our many supporters, past and present.

There are more milestones to celebrate in 2018. 45 years ago this August, MNA purchased the first parcel of land to save the Estivant Pines in the Keweenaw Peninsula from logging, one of the last, large remaining stands of old growth white pines in the state. In this issue of Michigan Nature, author William Rapai explores the natural cycle of these ancient trees and, while doing so, provides a glimpse into their future as we celebrate the 45th anniversary of the statewide campaign to protect this unusual natural community.

2018 is also the 45th anniversary of the federal Endangered Species Act, signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1973. Michigan was an early adopter and passed companion legislation in 1974 as explained by MNA member Dr. Sylvia Taylor in our Q&A. Sylvia coordinated the state’s endangered species program in its very early days, the first woman scientist in the Wildlife Division of Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources, and is rightfully credited with building the program from the ground up during her tenure from 1978 to 1985.

Of course, current conservation successes create new milestones to celebrate. We acquired an exciting new nature sanctuary on the shores of Lake Huron in late 2017.

Take a moment to “explore” the new Spitler Shore Nature Sanctuary in the article that describes some of its natural and cultural treasures. The land is protected forever thanks to a generous landowner and your support of MNA. 2018 will be an exciting year—a chance to reflect on milestone achievements while working every day to make new ones. I invite you to join us for our Annual Meeting on Saturday, April 28 at Frederick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids—or one of our many other events this year—to learn more about the conservation accomplishments you help make happen through your support of MNA. We are all in this together and it is only together that we can build a brighter future full of conservation milestones and anniversaries worth celebrating!

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© Alex Maier

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

Inside | MNA

MNA 360 People

•

Land

Thanks to all of you who helped us meet the J.A. Woollam Foundation’s special fundraising challenge grant celebrating MNA’s 65th Anniversary. Thanks to you, we raised over $65,000 to protect Michigan nature, and we cannot thank you enough for your generous support.

Our sincere appreciation also goes to the Woollam Foundation for the matching grant opportunity and for their commitment to MNA’s mission. The success of the challenge makes a great start to 2018!

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Legacy

© Patrick Wright

Whooo’s the Best? You!

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Inside | MNA

The Endangered Species Act Turns 45 © MNA Archives

© Paul B. Jones

MNA’s Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary (see Bill Rapai’s feature story on page 18) isn’t the only important 45th anniversary to celebrate this year. The federal Endangered Species Act was signed into law by President Nixon on December 28, 1973, just months after Estivant Pines was protected.

The Endangered Species Act has played a critical role in preventing species from becoming extinct. More than 2,000 species have been listed as at risk of extinction by federal agencies since the act went into effect. Less than one percent of those species have gone extinct.

Endangered piping plover.

Threatened lake sturgeon.

The ABCs of Endangered Species Federal Endangered Species Act (1973) Endangered:

Plant or animal species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Threatened:

Plant or animal species likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.

Michigan (1974) Endangered:

Includes all federally listed threatened and endangered species found in Michigan, as well as those specifically listed by Michigan statute. A species may be rare in Michigan but be more common throughout the rest of the United States, so such a species can be state but not federally listed.

Threatened:

Any species which is likely to become a state endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Species of Special Concern:

Species given this designation by the State are rare or have declining populations.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN):

Species that are endangered, threatened, special concern, and other species that need conservation.

In Michigan, 301 species are identified as SGCN by Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan.

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Online | MNA

© Kevin Vande Vusse

michigannature.org Snowy Owls “Irrupt” in Michigan Snowy owls were spotted throughout the Great Lakes region this winter, giving many in Michigan the special treat of seeing one or more of these visitors from the far north. It is believed that snowy owls head south from their Arctic habitat when an abundance of lemmings, their primary food source, leads to successful breeding during the summer. Young owls respond to their greater numbers by spreading out to find their own territories and reliable food sources during the winter.

These unpredictable invasions are known as “irruptions”, according to Project Snowstorm, a group that tracks the phenomenon. Scientists still have much to learn about snowy owls, but you can find out more about this special bird by visiting www.projectsnowstorm.org.

A large flock of migratory snowy owls, known as an irruption, made its way to Michigan this winter, with numbers unlike anything seen in recent years.

Michigan is home to 465 bee species, according to first-ever census that scientists hope will provide information helpful for conserving the insects, which perform the vital chore of pollinating crops and wild plants.

Tracking bees is taking on a new urgency amid reports of sharp population declines in much of the world. More than 40% of invertebrate pollinator species, primarily bees and butterflies, are in danger of extinction, according to a 2016 report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Among likely causes are pesticides, habitat loss, diseases, and climate change.

Help protect bees by planting native flowers in your backyards, communities, and workplaces. Learn more at www.savebees.org.

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© Jim Hudgins, USFWS

Michigan Home to 465 Bee Species

Online | MNA

Species Spotlight: Northern Moose © Ryan Hagarty, USFWS

DNR Wildlife Division chief Russ Mason explains that moose populations are declining for a variety of reasons, including habitat loss, predation and climate change. Because moose are conditioned to live in cold climates, warmer temperatures are putting all moose at risk of overheating, which leads to malnutrition and compromised immune systems.

Currently listed as a “species of special concern,” the U.S. Federal Government considered placing the moose back on the Endangered Species List last year, as its current status does not afford the animals or their habitat any protections.

Moose are currently found in two areas of the Upper Peninsula: the reintroduced population in Marquette, Baraga and Iron counties, and a smaller remnant population in the eastern U.P., found primarily in Alger, Schoolcraft, Luce and Chippewa counties.

Attempts to repopulate the U.P. with moose succeeded in establishing a moose population, largely due to healthy habitat and increased poaching enforcement.

Notably, poaching threats were low as citizens of the U.P. were involved with the repopulation project and had adopted the new moose population as their own.

For more information on Michigan moose, visit the MDNR website.

Join the Conversation Nature News Straight to Your Inbox Sign up to receive MNA’s biweekly emails for updates on the latest happenings in the field, upcoming events, and important nature news from around the state and country.

Connect with MNA, share photos, watch videos, and stay in touch!

Use the social media links below to join the conversation.

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michigan nature | winter 2018

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Sanctuaries | MNA

Protecting Great Lakes Shoreline Along “Shipwreck Alley” © MNA Archives

In December 2017, MNA acquired a remarkable new nature sanctuary along the shore of Lake Huron’s “Shipwreck Alley.” Located in Presque Isle County, the new 51 acre sanctuary is especially exciting because, in addition to outstanding conservation values and scenic beauty, it also has exciting historical and educational aspects.

Biodiversity Hotspot The new nature sanctuary is home to a significant population of dwarf lake iris, a rare wildflower that has been listed as “threatened” by the federal government under the Endangered Species Act. The dwarf lake iris is endemic to the northern shores of Lakes Michigan and Huron, and according to the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) it grows nowhere else in the world. Its distribution follows the geological feature known as the Niagara Escarpment, a limestone formation that arches from Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula, across the southern Upper Peninsula and into southern Ontario and New York.

The Lake Huron shoreline at the new sanctuary is itself a notable geologic feature. Much of the shoreline contains a series of lateral seeps originating along the treeline which feed groundwater into a small, tiered wetland complex. These seeps create a fen-like coastal shoreline community, which contains a diversity of plants including pitcher plant, arrow grass, grass of parnassus, and fringed gentian.

The interior of the property is mesic northern forest primarily composed of aspen, cedar, and balsam fir. Nearer to the shore and to the north, a greater diversity of hardwoods and pines become part of the canopy, including white and red pine, red oak, and birch.

© Jack Flakne

The new sanctuary and the surrounding shoreline received the highest ranking on MNFI’s Biological Rarity Index. This index is based on MNFI’s database of known occurrences of rare plants and animals, as well as a number of other factors such as the likelihood of continued occurrence within specific geographical areas.

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Sanctuaries | MNA © Jack Flakne

“In the coming months, we will be surveying the property for additional rare species that have a strong potential for being found here,” said Andrew Bacon, MNA’s Director of Conservation.

“We have much more to learn about the property and will also be working to ready the sanctuary for visitors later this year.”

Shipwrecks Offshore In addition to high biodiversity, this area of Lake Huron is known for its treacherous waters and earned the nickname “Shipwreck Alley” because over 200 vessels have been lost in this area over the years. The waters cool temperature for much of the year means many of the wrecks are well-preserved.

In recognition of the important cultural resources that can be found in this stretch of Lake Huron, the Great Lakes bottomlands (including those adjacent to the new sanctuary) are now part of the 4,300-square mile Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Established in 2000 to protect these historic features, the national marine sanctuary now protects one of America’s best-preserved collections of shipwrecks.

Nearly 100 shipwrecks have been discovered within the marine sanctuary’s waters, including the wreck of the 202-foot steamer Albany, which lies just off the shore of MNA’s new nature sanctuary. The Albany sank here on November 26, 1853 with 200 passengers, provisions and supplies onboard. Everyone survived but the wreck can still be seen through the clear waters of what is now called Albany Bay. A Very Generous Donation The new sanctuary has been named Spitler Shore in honor of the generous landowner who donated the property to protect this unique lakefront habitat on Albany Bay. John Porter, an MNA volunteer steward who was instrumental in the establishment of the Marine Sanctuary, knows the Spitler Shore property and the surrounding area very well. “I am really glad to see this land protected from development,” he said. “Thanks to MNA and a very generous landowner, this land will continue to protect important species and remain accessible to people who want to enjoy and learn more about its unique natural and cultural features in a fascinating part of Michigan.” © Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Take a Virtual Tour of MNA’s Newest Protected Property Take a sneak peek at the Spitler Shore video! “Fly” over this beautiful new sanctuary and the surrounding tropical-like blue waters of Lake Huron. The Lake Huron bottomlands immediately offshore of the new sanctuary are part of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary—watch for the remains of the steamer Albany that sank in 1853.

View the video on our Facebook page and share with your friends. The video is also available on YouTube and Vimeo.

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Research | MNA

University Researchers Deciphering Prairie Puzzles Land managers who turn farmland back into prairies and the scientists who study prairie restoration share a puzzling truth.

No two prairie restoration projects turn out the same way. Why is that and what can be done to make restoration outcomes more predictable, successful and cost effective? How do restored prairies measure up against high quality remnant prairies in terms of plant types and species diversity?

Ongoing research by Drs. Lars Brudvig and Emily Grman is shedding more light on these questions. Brudvig is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University in the Plant Biology Department and Grman is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Eastern Michigan University.

Their long-term investigations are important to any future MNA prairie restoration, especially where we want to expand or improve critical habitat for targeted plant and animal species that are rare or declining. In turn, MNA nature sanctuaries provide important keys to these scientists and their students as they work to unlock the mysteries of successful restoration.

“Microbe diversity is astounding, but we find microbial composition can differ between the prairie remnants and restored sites,” says Brudvig. “How much does that matter—do we need to add those microbes back in?”

The answer is likely yes and work is underway to understanding and quantifying those differences. For example, a graduate student working with Grman collected soil samples from MNA nature sanctuaries and other remnant prairie sites. The student then compared plants grown in pots with soil inoculated with microbes from those sites against a control group, finding some effect on legumes but not on other types of plants.

“It is super important to compare with remnant prairies,” adds Grman. “Do the microbes in soils where we want to restore prairies look anything like those from those remnant communities?” © Dr. Lars Brudvig

© Dr. Emily Grman

Central to this research is the knowledge of what existed in the past.

Brudvig and Grman conducted studies of relatively undisturbed

prairie remnants found at three MNA nature sanctuaries and other locations in southern Michigan in 2011. They first looked at plant and soil composition but also turned their questions to bees, bird surveys, and basic ecosystem functions like the rates of decomposition. Soil microbes—microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi—are proving to be an important area of study.

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© Dr. Lars Brudvig

© Andrew Bacon

Research | MNA

MNA’s Prairie Ronde Savanna Nature Sanctuary

The research is ongoing. Brudvig and Grman agree it is important for MNA and other groups to protect the best of what is left, “so we know what these remnant communities look like,” Grman says. And their research is important to any restoration efforts undertaken by MNA. “For any prairie restoration we do,” explains Andrew Bacon, MNA’s Director of Conservation, “we follow methodologies that are based on the recommendations of scientists like Lars and Emily.”

“Restoration is critical,” adds Brudvig. “We want to take the opportunity to turn declining numbers into increasing numbers and increase the amount of nature passed on to future generations. We want to help with that process and make it as effective as it can be.”

MNA Sanctuaries Serve as Living Laboratories MNA is proud to collaborate with researchers affiliated with institutions across Michigan and the United States.

Research at MNA Sanctuaries Eastern Michigan University

Prairie Soil Microbial Study

Each research request is reviewed to ensure that the project is consistent with MNA’s conservation goals for the sanctuary in question and that appropriate protocols are followed.

Michigan State University

Prairie Soil Microbial Study

Michigan Natural Features Inventory

Poweshiek Skipperly Survey

Michigan Natural Features Inventory

Karner Blue Butterfly Survey

By making our sanctuary system available to researchers, MNA is contributing to advancements in the scientific understanding of Michigan’s natural areas and the development of new methods of effective conservation.

U.S. Forest Service

Snow and Habitat Study

Central Michigan University

Prairie Fen Ecology

Andrews University

Massasauga Rattlesnake Survey

Andrews University

Habitat Assessments

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Š Wendy Caldwell, Monarch Joint Venture

Š Kyle Rokos 20

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Š Charlie Eshbach

Estivant Pines: A Living Museum The Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary, protecting the largest remaining stand of old growth white pines in Michigan, celebrates its 45th anniversary.

By William Rapai

T

ime passes slowly at Estivant Pines.

Nobody knows that better than Gary Willis, a forester with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and former assistant professor at Michigan Technological University. Willis knows this place better than most people. When you see this preserve through his eyes you begin to understand that the best way to truly appreciate this place is not to consider time in hours, years, and decades but in centuries, periods and eras.

Continued on page 20

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Estivant Pines MNA Nature Sanctuary

But there aren’t many visitors to Estivant Pines in the late winter or early spring because the road that leads to the sanctuary is usually under several feet of snow or too muddy to be drivable. However, the period after snowmelt and before trees emerge from dormancy is the best time to see and understand time’s impact by looking down—not up—and closely examining what is and isn’t here.

What is here is volcanic bedrock that dates back to the earliest

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period of Earth’s history and carbonized tree stumps that are the remains of a cataclysmic forest fire more than 200 years ago. What isn’t here is surprising and confounding. The plant life in the understory is healthy—lots of lichens, mosses, ferns, maples, birches, cedars, spruces, and balsams. Surprisingly, there are few young white pines even though these 240-300 year-old trees have produced millions of viable seeds during their lifetimes.

Willis gained these insights when he was a forester for the Michigan Nature Association. In the late 1990s he started working at Estivant Pines at the request of Michigan Nature Association’s founder Bertha Daubendiek. Willis was given a unique opportunity to study these ancient trees after a logger accidentally trespassed on the sanctuary and cut a number of the trees along one of the boundaries.

Save the Pines Above: Volcanic ridges are visible in this aerial map showing the location of Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary and other MNA sanctuaries on the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Below: Forester Gary Willis studying ancient trees.

Opposite page: (Left) Bertha Daubendiek and group hiking the sanctuary. (Upper Right) James Rooks measuring the width of one of the giant stumps. (Lower Right) Coral mushrooms found in the understory. © Gary Willis

Estivant Pines is the Michigan Nature Association’s 510 acre sanctuary in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Despite its remote location—down a pothole-strewn dirt road south of Copper Harbor— it is one of the organization’s most popular sanctuaries. Every summer, thousands of people from across the United States visit, wandering two looping trails to marvel at white pine trees that stand 120 feet tall.

© Charlie Eshbach

Daubendiek sent Willis out to write a damage report, but during the process he started to see this incident as a unique opportunity to study how these giant trees grew. As he measured the width of the stumps and correlated individual ring-widths he began to understand these trees through the prism of time.

© Charlie Eshbach

But it’s not just the trees that are measured in time. Much of this sanctuary sits on a high ridge of volcanic bedrock that runs between Annie Creek and the Montreal River that dates back to the earliest period of Earth’s history, some 1.1 billion years ago. In fact, Willis said, other researchers at Michigan Tech have discovered the Keweenaw was once one of the most active volcanic regions on Earth.

It’s difficult to see it from the landscape level, but Willis says if you look at an aerial photo of the peninsula, you can see a series of ridges left behind from that volcanic flow. Those ridges run parallel to the shoreline and curve as the shoreline curves and narrows as it reaches the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Even though we tend to think of these trees as old, the plant community here is in its infancy, relatively speaking. Plants—trees, shrubs and grasses—established themselves only about 10,000 years ago following the withdrawal of the Wisconsin Glacier.

© Nancy Leonard

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© Brittany Allen

Protection Through Michigan’s Seasons (Left) Roots grown deep into the bedrock to keep the large tree standing tall and protected from heavy winds and snowstorms. (First Below) Old growth white pines surviving through the winter with deep snowpack. (Second Below) The light and fluffy snow allows for a perfect winter skiing trip.

Opposite Page: (Top Left) Plenty of seeds, but mature trees block growth. (Middle Left) Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary celebrates its 45th anniversary this year, marking over four decades of protection for its beautiful trees and threatened species. (Bottom Left) Estivant Pines trail map. (Bottom Right) Stewardship organizers Bill and Nancy Leonard, along with sanctuary stewards Ted and Alice Soldan, built a new boardwalk at Estivant Pines. © Tom Gable

Summer brings heavy thunderstorms and gusty winds, and the trees, which tower above the hardwood canopy, are sitting ducks for lightning strikes. One of those lightning strikes more than 200 years ago might have been the spark for a fire that ravaged this area and set the stage for the Estivant Pines as we see them today.

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© Nancy Leonard

Multiple glaciers over the past 2.5 million years left behind a thin layer of soil that can support plant life but generally is not deep enough to anchor a 100-foot-tall tree. To compensate for the lack of soil, most of the pines have grown roots deep into fractures and crevices in the bedrock. Some trees have been lost to windstorms but remarkably few considering that the sanctuary sits at an altitude that varies between 200 and 500 feet above lake level. That altitude leaves these trees exposed to powerful winter winds that blow across Lake Superior. In the winter, this sanctuary can get more than 275 inches of snow in a single season. The combination of heavy, wet snow and strong wind can bring even the hardiest tree down, says Donald Dickmann, professor emeritus of silviculture and physiological ecology at Michigan State University and co-author of The Forests of Michigan. Fortunately, most of the snow that blankets the Keweenaw’s rocky ridges is light and fluffy lake effect powder.

© Charlie Eshbach

The Story Behind the Estivant Pines Name

© Charlie Eshbach

The Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary is celebrating its 45th anniversary as a Michigan Nature Association preserve this year. The pines are named after Edouard A.J. Estivant, who once owned the land where the sanctuary now stands. Estivant was a member of a wealthy family of French metal manufacturers and merchants. With copper mining booming in the Keweenaw starting in the 1850s, Estivant bought 2,400 acres in 1861 that included three unsuccessful copper and manganese mines. When Estivant died in 1898, his holdings passed to his grandson, Leon. In 1942, Leon Estivant sold the land to the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company. The mining company merged with Universal Oil Products (UOP) of Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1968, and a subsidiary of the company went to work cutting timber in the U.P. The UOP had cleared some 300 acres nearby and in 1970 had set its sights on the land that is now the sanctuary. That is when local citizens, including photographer Charles Eshbach, sounded the alarm.

Eshbach and others established the Save the Estivant Pines Committee and began to work with the Michigan Nature Association on a three-year, statewide fundraising campaign to purchase 200 acres from UOP in 1973.

Three additional acquisitions between 1989 and 2005 expanded the sanctuary to its present size of 510 acres.

© Ted Soldan

Copper Harbor

Burma Road to US 41 BERTHA DAUBENDIEK MEMORIAL GROVE TRAIL People’s Trees

Memorial Grove CATHEDRAL LOOP TRAIL People’s Trees

Leskinen Grove

Cathedral Grove Beaver Marsh

Olson Grove

Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary Fallen Leaning Giant Montreal River

Bertha Daubendiek Memorial Grove X Loop Trail 1.2 miles

Cathedral Grove Loop Trail 1.0 mile

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© Marianne Glosenger

© Charlie Eshbach

These old trees have thick bark to protect them from forest fires.

The first published photo of the cutting of the Estivants. On March 6, 1971, it appeared in the Milwaukee Journal.

Those carbonized tree stumps and little bits of charcoal strewn across the landscape point to a potent wildfire that swept through the area in the late 1700’s. Willis said it likely wiped out most of the white pines that had been standing on that spot perhaps for centuries.

Just as the towering, mature pines today prevent the young pines from growing underneath, those earlier pines prevented any new ones from growing beneath them. It’s not that these trees are refusing to reproduce; it’s just their reproductive strategy. Barring a major fire, disease or insect threats, these pines could be here for another 300 years before they reach the end of their natural lifecycle. As that happens, the maples, birches, spruces, and balsams that make up the understory will continue to grow and mature and create a thick new canopy 50 feet or more under the tops of the pines. As those trees mature and die, fuel for a future fire will continue to build up on the forest floor, waiting for a spark.

When that fire eventually arrives, the pines’ continued existence will depend on its intensity. A moderate fire may not cause any damage because the old trees are protected by a thick layer of bark. But if the fire is intense enough the heat will fry the layer under the bark that transports water and nutrients up the trunk. That will kill the tree even if the fire does not reach the top branches. If that happens, the tree, knowing that it will soon die, will put all its energy into seed production. The year following the fire, massive amounts of seeds will cover the now-bare, ash-covered soil and thousands of new white pine trees will germinate if there is enough rain.

And the cycle will begin again.

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© Charlie Eshbach

Ancient white pine trees like the Estivant Pines once covered a good portion of Michigan. In the late 19th century, lumberjacks cut these trees to supply wood for houses, barns, and carriages needed by a fast-growing nation. At the time, it was thought that Michigan had an inexhaustible supply of white pine.

Only a few stands of virgin white escaped the lumberjack’s gluttony—this one, of course, one at Hartwick Pines State Park northeast of Grayling, and another stand on private property east of L’Anse are the three best known. But Don Dickmann of Michigan State says he has found small stands of them in other places in the Upper Peninsula. Those stands, like Estivant Pines, were spared through random chance and, more recently, the passion of local citizens who wanted to preserve these trees for what they represent.

Two people who have come to deeply appreciate the history represented by these pines are Bill and Nancy Leonard, who organize volunteers and stewards for the Michigan Nature Association in the Keweenaw Peninsula. They work closely with sanctuary stewards Ted and Alice Soldan to maintain the boardwalks and trails. Bill Leonard said that as he’s working he enjoys talking with visitors and is always amazed by how many people from faraway places around the country come to see these giants multiple times.

“It just pulls people back,” Leonard said.

Indeed it does. But those visitors? For now, it seems, they can take their time.

© Nancy Leonard

William Rapai is the author of three Michigan Notable Books including The Kirtland’s Warbler (University of Michigan Press) and Lake Invaders (Wayne State University Press). He is also the president of Grosse Pointe Audubon.

Top: Young nature enthusiasts enjoy a visit to Estivant Pines.

Bottom: MTU’s chapter of Delta Sigma Phi make a difference at Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary. michigan nature | winter 2018

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Stewardship | MNA

Volunteer Stewards: Conservation Superheroes © Julie Stoneman

At least once a week, if not twice, Bill McEachern lends a hand at an MNA nature sanctuary. Be it a workday or a hike, he is rarely deterred by weather or season.

In fact, he relishes whatever Mother Nature brings his way.

“I consider it my exercise routine,” Bill says, “I enjoy the physical challenge of getting out there!”

More importantly, volunteering with MNA feeds his soul and love of nature, so much so that this year he celebrates 15 years as an MNA steward. Stewards are a special group of volunteers who agree to visit a nature sanctuary, monitor its conditions, and annually provide a report to MNA staff.

Bill was impressed that his neighbors, Lyle and Mary Rizor, chose to protect the natural features of their beautiful property by donating it to MNA. It was land that Bill knew well and when Mr. Rizor’s health no longer allowed him to steward the property, Bill agreed to become MNA’s steward for the Lyle and Mary Rizor Nature Sanctuary in 2003.

Bill is currently the steward of Rose Center Wetlands in Oakland County, but he doesn’t stop there. “There are so many facets to being a steward,” he says, “Not only to look out for a particular sanctuary, but to see wildlife in action and have opportunities to get to other sanctuaries and meet other stewards, members and volunteers. It is a wonderful experience and I really enjoy working with MNA’s Regional Stewardship Organizers, who are top notch, dedicated and take such an interest in people—that really spurs me on.”

Bill encourages everyone to come out and volunteer at a sanctuary—just to give it a try. “It is a great way to see firsthand the work of MNA and to truly understand what we do.” He adds, “We are more than a beautiful magazine!”

Thank you, Bill, and thank you to all of our dedicated stewards!

Shortcuts MNA is excited to welcome Samantha Brodley to the stewardship team! Sam joins MNA with a diverse background, drawing from experiences in natural resources management, environmental education, and volunteer management.

After graduating from Grand Valley State University with a bachelor of science in natural resources management, she worked seasonally in Alaska and Alabama, eventually making her way back to Michigan during the summer of 2016. Most recently, she served as the 4-H Program Coordinator with MSU Extension in Oceana County. Sam is delighted to serve as the RSO for the Western Lower Peninsula. She is confident the skills she has acquired will help her contribute to land stewardship and MNA’s mission.

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michigan nature | winter 2018

© Samantha Brodley

MNA Welcomes Regional Stewardship Organizer

© Katherine Hollins

Stewardship | MNA

Join Us in the Field for a Volunteer Workday An MNA volunteer works 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. © John Bagley

Thank You Stewards MNA’s volunteer stewards once again helped complete a quiet but herculean task in 2017 — the annual monitoring of all of our nature sanctuaries.

Annual monitoring includes documenting the conditions of all the lands in our sanctuary system. It is critical for determining conservation needs such as invasive species control, and trail and sign improvements for visitor enjoyment. Monitoring reports are prepared for each sanctuary and used to prioritize stewardship work for the following year.

Sign Up for a Volunteer Day

MNA depends on our exceptional network of volunteers to monitor the sanctuary network that stretches from the Indiana and Ohio border to the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. In 2017, volunteers and staff monitored over 175 properties. It is rewarding work, according to long-time steward Bill McEachern. It is also essential to our mission.

We cannot do it without our volunteers and we sincerely thank all of our sanctuary stewards for their significant contributions.

Please register for each volunteer day as weather or emergencies may force cancellations. Contact your area’s regional stewardship organizer to learn more:

Are you interested in becoming a steward or volunteering for a workday at an MNA sanctuary? Sign up for our e-newsletters by sending a message to michigannature@ michigannature.org and find out about upcoming activities and events.

Andrew Bacon, Upper Peninsula (517) 230-9551 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

michigan nature | winter 2018

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Š Nathan Miller 2017 Photo Contest Winner

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 By transferring an irrevocable gift to MNA, we in turn commit to making a fixed annual payment during your lifetime. The remainder of the gift then passes to MNA. The benefits include 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 © Peter Pietila

2018 Race for Michigan Nature MNA is hosting the Race for Michigan Nature, a statewide series of Family Fun Runs & 5Ks stretching from Belle Isle in Detroit to Marquette in the U.P. Each race spotlights one of Michigan’s rarest species and helps promote the importance of protecting Michigan’s remaining natural areas.

The runs are endorsed by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports and each qualifies for the Pure Michigan Challenge. Join us for a race near you, or take the challenge and run all six! Don’t want to run but interested in joining the fun? Volunteers are desired at all races.

Register online at www.michigannature.org or contact Jess Foxen at jfoxen@michigannature.org.

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Karner Blue Butterfly Run May 20, 2018 Millennium Park Grand Rapids Kids Fun Run: 1:30 p.m.

5K Run/Walk: 2:00 p.m.

Sturgeon Sprint August 12, 2018 Belle Isle Park Belle Isle, Detroit Kids Fun Run: 8:30 a.m.

5K Run/Walk: 9:00 a.m.

Monarch March June 9, 2018 Mayor’s Riverfront Park Kalamazoo Kids Fun Run: 10:30 a.m.

5K Run/Walk: 11:00 a.m.

Moose on the Loose Run August 25, 2018 Presque Isle Park Marquette Kids Fun Run: 9:30 a.m.

5K Run/Walk: 10:00 a.m.

Rattlesnake Run June 30, 2018 Paint Creek Trail Rochester Kids Fun Run: 10:30 a.m.

5K Run/Walk: 11:00 a.m.

Turtle Trot September 16, 2018 Gallup Park Ann Arbor Kids Fun Run: 10:30 a.m.

5K Run/Walk: 11:00 a.m.

michigan nature | winter 2018

Membership Matters | MNA © Peter Pietila

Winter/Spring Hikes, Tours and Excursions Tour an MNA sanctuary and discover some of Michigan’s most fascinating places. Guided hikes are led by MNA staff, stewards, or other experts, and open to all MNA members.

Snowshoe/Ski Trek March 17, 1 p.m.

Redwyn’s Dunes Nature Sanctuary Keweenaw County, near Eagle Harbor Enjoy a backcountry trek to and around picturesque Redwyn’s Dunes, led by sanctuary steward Phil Quenzi.

Contact: Nancy and Bill Leonard, nancy@einerlei.com

Spring Wildflower Nature Hike May 12, 10 a.m.

Wilcox Warnes Memorial Nature Sanctuary Macomb County, near Macomb Join our local stewards on an easy trail hike as we identify spring wildflowers and admire the majestic tall trees that inhabit the mature forested wetland.

Contact: Rachel Maranto, rmaranto@michigannature.org

2018 Grand Rapids Annual Meeting Saturday, April 28, 2018 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Grand Rapids

Morning Bird Walk May 19, 10 a.m.

Keynote Speaker

Zahrfeld Memorial Nature Sanctuary Genesee County, near Linden Join John Smith of Hartland Audubon to explore the diversity of birds and wildflowers in this serene hardwood forest.

Contact: Rachel Maranto, rmaranto@michigannature.org

Jefferson Gray Superintendent at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the largest freshwater marine sanctuary in the world, covering 4,300 square miles of northern Lake Huron.

Brockway Mountain Sanctuary Hop June 2, 10 a.m.

After the event, explore Meijer Gardens!

Tickets are free!

To RSVP, contact Jess Foxen at (866) 223-2231 or jfoxen@michigannature.org. © Patricia Pennell

Nature Sanctuaries Along Brockway Mountain Drive Keweenaw County, near Eagle Harbor Join stewards Dana Richter, and Bill and Nancy Leonard for a day of exploration at the numerous sanctuaries along Brockway Mountain Drive. Participants are invited to visit any and all sanctuaries including Upson Lake, Klipfel Memorial Nature Sanctuary, Helstrom Nature Sanctuary, and Rooks Memorial Nature Sanctuary.

Contact: Nancy and Bill Leonard, nancy@einerlei.com

For additional hikes, tours and excursions, visit www.michigannature.org and click on the Events tab.

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Booknotes | MNA Recommended Reading Nature’s Temples: The Complex World of Old Growth Forests Joan Maloof Timber Press, Hardcover Price: $27.00

An old-growth forest is one that has formed naturally over a long period of time with little or no disturbance from humankind. They are increasingly rare and largely misunderstood. In Nature’s Temples, Joan Maloof, the director of the Old-Growth Forest Network, makes a heartfelt and passionate case for their importance. This evocative and accessible narrative defines old-growth and provides a brief history of forests. It offers a rare view into how the life-forms in an ancient, undisturbed forest—including not only its majestic trees but also its insects, plant life, fungi, and mammals—differ from the life-forms in a forest manipulated by humans. What emerges is a portrait of a beautiful, intricate, and fragile ecosystem that now exists only in scattered fragments. Black-and-white illustrations

by Andrew Joslin help clarify scientific concepts and capture the beauty of ancient trees.

(Timber Press)

The Living Forest: A Visual Journey Into the Heart of the Woods Robert Llewellyn and Joan Maloof Timber Press, Hardcover Price: $40.00

From the leaves and branches of the canopy to the roots and soil of the understory, the forest is a complex, interconnected ecosystem filled with plants, birds, mammals, insects, and fungi. Some of it is easily discovered, but many parts remain difficult or impossible for the human eye to see. Until now.

The Living Forest is a visual journey that immerses you deep in the woods. The wideranging photography by Robert Llewellyn celebrates the small and the large, the living and the dead, and the seen and unseen. You’ll discover close-up images of owls, hawks, and turtles; aerial photographs that show herons in flight; and time-lapse imagery that reveals the slow change of leaves. In an ideal blend of art and scholarship, the 300 awe-inspiring photographs are supported by lyrical essays from Joan Maloof detailing the science behind the wonder. (Timber Press)

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michigan nature | winter 2018

New & Noteworthy Saving Arcadia: A Story of Conservation and Community in the Great Lakes Heather Shumaker Painted Turtle (Wayne State University Press) Paperback, $22.99 Shumaker tells a wonderful, firsthand account of a campaign that protected a remarkable stretch of Lake Michigan coast.

The Lost Words Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris Hamish Hamilton (Penguin Random House) Hardcover, $27.00 The Oxford Junior Dictionary removed several words that describe nature and the natural world, such as acorn. In their place were more modern, technology based words.

The Lost Words attempts to restore those words—and the nature they represent—in a beautifully illustrated children’s book.

Raptor: A Journey Through Birds James Macdonald Lockhart University of Chicago Press Hardcover, $29.00 The author takes a journey across the British Isles in search of fifteen species of birds of prey and his quest becomes so much more.

Voices | MNA

Q&A

Dr. Sylvia Taylor Pioneer in creating an Endangered Species Program in Michigan.

What led to the passage of Michigan’s endangered species statute in 1974?

The federal Endangered Species Act was signed into law in 1973. It allowed states to pass their own laws and enter into cooperative agreements to receive matching funds to manage endangered species. Governor Milliken signed Michigan’s Act into law in 1974, enabling Michigan to become one of the first 11 states with a program funded under a cooperative agreement.

Why did Michigan move so quickly?

“We still have places to protect and stewardship is so important.” time and I applied to be the assistant program coordinator in the DNR’s Wildlife Division. I had a master’s degree and PhD in botany from the University of Michigan. They were actually impressed that I knew as much as I did about wildlife but I was hired because they needed someone to take care of the long list of plants! Before the year was out, John retired and I became the Coordinator. So I wasn’t the first Coordinator but I was the first woman at that level in the Wildlife Division. John Lerg, wildlife biologist at Rose Lake Research Station became my assistant.

“Michigan became one of the first states with an Endangered Species Program.”

What were those early days in the program like?

John Byelich, supervisor of Michigan’s Deer Range improvement program and former District Wildlife Biologist at Mio, knew that both white tailed deer and the Kirtland’s warbler were declining in northern Lower Michigan as our fire dependent jack pine forests aged. Plans were already underway to use Deer Range improvement dollars, collected from deer licenses, to manage deer and Kirtland’s warbler habitat simultaneously. The DNR Wildlife Division was eager to add federal matching funds to expand this program and give the critically endangered warbler a better chance. Not many people know how important deer hunters were toward the eventual recovery of the Kirtland’s warbler.

Our biggest challenge was maximizing the opportunities before us while getting enough sleep.

We met with our technical committees, produced educational materials, gave talks, coordinated species surveys, and made progress on the Kirtland’s warbler management plan. We took a cautious approach to enforcement because I knew the law was very strong and easily eliminated by our legislature. We needed to first gain credibility and widespread public support before we could be more assertive about enforcement. We had to let people know that we were here to conserve species, not stop development projects. Today, Michigan’s statute still stands and never has been amended.

How did you get the job as the Endangered Species Program Coordinator?

We need to understand species requirements in changing environments. We still have places to protect and stewardship is so important. Most native plants are fussy about their habitat and we will have to do the work of preventing invasives from taking over. We may need to buffer high quality natural areas by acquiring neighboring land—even if it isn’t the best land.

Many people thought I was the first but it was actually John Byelich.

The program didn’t really get off the ground until funding was in place, around 1978. I was working for the Michigan Department of Transportation doing environmental assessments at that

What do we need to do now to protect rare, threatened and endangered species?

michigan nature | winter 2018

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Legacies | MNA

Creating a Legacy as a Guardian of the Future © Debbie Remer

Debbie Remer and her brother Bill grew up with MNA. As children, they would often fall asleep while their parents, Marie and Maynard, attended early MNA meetings. Marie led nature walks for all kinds of groups on the family’s 50 acres, and wrote poetry and drew illustrations for MNA publications. Maynard routed signs for some of our earliest nature sanctuaries.

Debbie even had her own individual MNA membership up until she went to college where she earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in natural resources and environmental education. She taught 7th and 8th graders for 30 years at Walled Lake.

Debbie recently became a Guardian of the Future with a planned gift to MNA. “A bequest in my will is a wonderful way to honor my family’s legacy and protect the natural world I love. It just makes perfect sense.”

We thank Debbie and all of our Guardians of the Future for gifts that will last more than a lifetime. For a confidential conversation about including MNA in estate plans, contact Garret Johnson at (866) 2232231 or by email to gjohnson@michigannature.org.

Memorials and Honoraria

September 1, 2017 - February 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:

Eugene Applebaum

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Carl Bouton

by Carol Brown

by Kathy Malone

by James and Anna Petelle

by Michael and Patricia Petelle Elsie Carson

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Fred Case

by Roy and Ruth Elie Bertha Daubendiek

by Chuck and Katie Kenney Leon Falk

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Dorothy Frank

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum John Gardon

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum

Helen Hazen

by Renee Wireman and Terry Cook Robert Hedman

by Ruth Baker Helen Higby

by Kristy Placido August Janner, Jr.

by Constance Peltier Alicia Orihel

by Marian and Vincent Orihel Rosaline Partovich

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Mary Lou Peterson

by Joyce and Joe Peterson Marilyn Phillips

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Helen Rice

by Anonymous Morris Rochlin

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Mark Ashley Sellers, Jr.

by Ralph and Carol Chrisinske

by Caroline DeVos

by Tracy Hedberg

by Betty Kacos

by Sandra Kornoelje

by Lauren Leibowitz

by Frank and Dorothy Lynch

by Bison Messink

by Sarah Robey

by Katherine Sellers Patman Johnson Maxwell Spilsbury

by Jeanette Spilsbury Curtis Vail

by Jonathon Beeton

by Linda and John Harris Donn Vidosh

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum

Felicia Williams

by Dr. Lewis Rosenbaum Rick Zalewski

by Renee Wireman and Terry Cook

In Honor of:

Betsy and Stan Dole

by Joseph and Marilyn Martin Ryan and Corinna Dziedzic

by L. Robert Peters Stephen Kelley

by Barbara Kelley Ruth Vail

by Elizabeth Lacey Deb and Ron Van Proeyen

by Joelyn Pawenski

by Toni Enright Pat and Blair Warren

by Christine Samida

“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

© Deb Traxinger 2017 Photo Contest Overall Winner

© 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

Join us for MNA’s

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID LANSING, MI PERMIT #689

2018 Grand Rapids Annual Meeting Saturday, April 28, 12:30 p.m.

Frederik Meijer Gardens Grand Rapids See page 31 for details

© Tina Onderdonk