Whenyourlifetakesyoutomanyplaces,thesignificanceofthatone place-theonethatmeansthemosttoyou-isamplified.
JohnSiegel’sloveofnorthernMichiganandhiswishtoseethelandthathe purchasedmorethan35yearsagoleftnaturalmotivatedhimtomakea significantbargainsaleof93acresjustastone’sthrowawayfromParadise Lake(akaCarpLake).ItwillnowbeknownastheJohnSiegelNature Preserve.
John’schildhoodwasspentinFlint,buthismotherwasfromCheboyganand hisfamilyownedacabinonParadiseLakeforaslongashecanremember. Asayoungman,JohnfollowedhisbrotherintoacareerasaSeamanand Bargecaptain,oftenresponsiblefor haulinghazardousproductssuchas oil,gas,orchemicals.Thisdangerous worktookhimtoLouisianaformanyyears,andtobothcoasts.Theschedulewas typicallytwoweeksonandthentwoweeksoff,andtodayJohnhasnodesiretofly onaplaneorstayinahotel…understandably.
Butthelandthatabutshishomesteadwasaplacewhereheandhisbrothers couldmeeteveryyearandhunt.Itisaplacewherehehasplantedtrees,varieties ofroses,andnuttreesfromseed.Atrailsystemnowmeandersthroughtheland, leadingyoupastthelocationwhereahomesteadoncestood.“ThelovethatJohn hasputintothislandcannowbeappreciatedbyothers,”saidCaitlinDonnelly, LTC’sDirectorofLandProtection.
ThenewJohnSiegelNaturePreservedirectlyadjoinsthesouthernboundaryofthe WilliamandStephanieVelingPreservewhichbordersontwootherpreserves, buildinganaturepreservecomplexthatnowtotals285acreswithsignificantshorelinefrontageonthelake.
SiegelPreserveDonors
LindaBadalucco
MichaelandBrendaByers
PatriciaDishman
EmilyHughesandJoe,Ember, andAdaGraham
InacontinuedexpansionofthisincredibleLakeMichigan destination,a3-acreadditiontotheWoollamFamilyNature PreservewasrecentlyacquiredwithfundingfromtheJ.A.Woollam Foundation.Theadditionincludessmallpiecesofprivatelandthat hadsurroundedthepreserve,andadds300feetofLakeMichigan frontage.Thisbelovedpreservenowincludesnearly75acresand.7 mileofLakeMichiganshoreline.
AlianaKnapp-Prasek
MikeandDorothyMadden
ParadiseLakeAssociation
ThomasandPatiaRarick
RobertandMarilynSmith
KatherineStrojnyandTim Prachar
TheBlackHoleisaniconicsectionoftheupperInland Waterway,a42-milenavigablerouteofriversand lakesthatstartsinCrookedLakeandeventuallyempties intoLakeHuronviathemouthoftheCheboyganRiver justnorthofdowntownCheboygan.Asboatersapproach theBlackHolechannel,theymustslowdownthroughthe “nowake”zoneofitsnarrowneck.Oftenpeopleanchor outandswiminthenamesake’sdeepestparts,where thereisanairofmysteryandadventureasyoucannotsee tothebottom.
ThestoryoftheBlackHoleNaturePreservenowspans nearly20years.In2004,theEagleBeachDevelopment CompanystartedworkingwiththePickerel-CrookedLake Association(PCLA)andtheConservancytodiscuss possibilitiesforprotectingthislandthatwasoncepartof aplannedgolfcoursedevelopment.Changingeconomics hadalteredthedevelopmentplans,andawindowof opportunityforlandprotectionemerged.Thefollowing year,morethan325donors-includingoneSantaClaus donorwhoofferedachallengegrant-cametogetherto createthefirst5.5-acrepieceoftheBlackHoleNature Preserve.
Sincethattime,multipleprojectshaveexpandedthis naturepreserve.CombinedwiththeadjacentElbert FamilyNaturePreserveandnearbyprivatelandsnow protectedwithconservationeasements,atotalof227 acresareunderprotection.
Whentheopportunityaroseafewyearsagotoprotect thelastremainingparcelontheeastsideofthePickerelCrookedchannel,thepartnersstartedtoworktogether again.
Thisspring,wecelebratetherecentpurchaseofone moreadditiontothislandmarkpreservethatlies alongtheconnectingwatersbetweenCrookedLake andPickerelLake.Atonetimethesesixacreswere slatedfora29-slipmarina.Onceagain,thisland protectionwasmadepossiblewiththesupportofso many.Morethan139individuals,families,businesses, foundations,andthePCLAdonatedtomakethis projecthappenwithsupportfromaCarlsFoundation challengegrant (seesidebar)
“Overtheyears,thecomingtogetherofallofthese playerstoprotecttheselandshascontinuedtobeso inspiring,”saidKieranFleming,LTC’sExecutive Director.“BeginningwiththeprotectionoftheOden IslandPreserveandsoonafterwiththeoriginalBlack HolePreserve,thislandprotectionhasbeenatrue grassrootseffortfordecadesnow,”hesaid.
Throughourimmersiveenvironmentaleducation program,ForestSchool,oureducatorshave committedtovisitingtheschooltwiceamonth.Each gradehasatheme,whichisthefocusforthewhole schoolyearandcomplementsotherworkbeingdoneby theteacher.Eachexperiencebuildsoffoftheprevious one.
Let’stakealookatwhatthe4thgradersatThreeLakes AcademyinCurtishavebeendoinginForestSchoolsofar thisyearwiththeirthemewhichis“Fish.”Education
FirstProgram–October
First Program – October
Westartedtheschoolyearoffbyhavingthechildrendo aquaticinvertebratesamplinginSouthManistiqueLake neartheschool.Thisexperiencetaughtstudentswhich speciesliveinthelakeandwhetherornottheyare indicatorsforahealthyecosystem.
We started the school year off by having the children do aquatic invertebrate sampling in South Manistique Lake near the school. This experience taught students which species live in the lake and whether or not they are indicators for a healthy ecosystem.
SecondProgram–November
Second Program – November
Using water quality kits provided by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, students sampled for various data such as dissolved oxygen and nitrate levels. We determined that the water quality of South Manistique Lake is healthy.
UsingwaterqualitykitsprovidedbyTipoftheMitt WatershedCouncil,studentssampledforvariousdata suchasdissolvedoxygenandnitratelevels.We determinedthatthewaterqualityofSouthManistique Lakeishealthy.
Third Program – December
ThirdProgram–December
With holiday spirit in mind, we transformed the 12 Days of Christmas to the 12 Critters of Christmas. The students created a mobile and song that reinforced the species found during our aquatic sampling earlier in the fall. We took creative liberties with the 12 Days of Christmas song and made it our own. Here’s a little sample: Four hellgrammites, three damselflies, two cray fish… and a Loon calling on the lake.
Withholidayspiritinmind,wetransformedthe12Daysof Christmastothe12CrittersofChristmas.Thestudents createdamobileandsongthatreinforcedthespecies foundduringouraquaticsamplingearlierinthefall.We tookcreativelibertieswiththe12DaysofChristmassong andmadeitourown.Here’salittlesample:Four hellgrammites,threedamselflies,twocrayfish…anda Looncallingonthelake.
Fourth Program - January
FourthProgram-January
During the in-classroom session, we talked about how the lake water changes as winter approaches. Our focus was on how lake turnover, as well as changes in the atmospheric pressure, affect the fish. Hands-on experiments had the kids replicating fish bladders, and doing an activity that demonstrates how atmospheric pressure works.
Duringthein-classroomsession,wetalkedabouthowthe lakewaterchangesaswinterapproaches.Ourfocuswas onhowlaketurnover,aswellaschangesinthe atmosphericpressure,affectthefish.Hands-on experimentshadthekidsreplicatingfishbladders,and doinganactivitythatdemonstrateshowatmospheric pressureworks.
Fifth Program – February
February was a very exciting month as we put on our firstever ice fishing event! Students gained exposure to the sport and learned about fish species in the lake. We were blown away by how many members of the community came out to support this event! Bait and hooks were provided by Mick’s Bait Shop of Curtis. All ice fishing gear was donated by Harbor Springs Elementary Principal Nathan Fairbanks. Thanks to all who made this a success!
FifthProgram–February
Februarywasaveryexcitingmonthasweputonourfirstevericefishingevent!Studentsgainedexposuretothe sportandlearnedaboutfishspeciesinthelake.Wewere blownawaybyhowmanymembersofthecommunity cameouttosupportthisevent!Baitandhookswere providedbyMick’sBaitShopofCurtis.Allicefishinggear wasdonatedbyHarborSpringsElementaryPrincipal NathanFairbanks.Thankstoallwhomadethisasuccess!
There will be three more visits to the 4th graders at Three Lakes Academy this school year. Near the end of the year, the students will conduct a service learning project to conclude their year of learning about fish!
Therewillbethreemorevisitstothe4thgradersatThree LakesAcademythisschoolyear.Neartheendoftheyear, thestudentswillconductaservicelearningprojectto concludetheiryearoflearningaboutfish!
AdditiontotheBarbaraC.Hoffius NaturePreserveTrail
A.8miletrailwascreatedlastsummeratthe southernportionofthis600-acrepreservelocated alongUS-23betweenCheboyganandMackinawCity. ThistrailcanbeaccesseddirectlyoffoftheNorth CentralStateTrail.Aparkingareaandshorttrail downtoLakeHuronisalsoavailablehere.
VosperNaturePreserveTrail
A.7miletrailoffofBobLoDriveisnowavailableat the114-acreVosperNaturePreserveonBoisBlanc Island.
ForslundDixPoint NaturePreserveTrail
AshortlooptrailisnowavailableattheendofDix PointRoadatthe56-acreForslundDixPointNature PreserveonDrummondIsland.
Little Traverse Conservancy
3264 Powell Road Harbor Springs, Ml 49740
www.landtrust.org
Address Service Requested
