A Letter From Our Executive Director, JOSEPHINE ROBERTS

DEAR FRIENDS,

Lauren Macintyre

As a mom of little kids, I must say, winter can be rough! I usually describe my boys as “wild little outdoorsmen” because in good weather there is no other place they would rather be than in the woods, on the lake or in a mud puddle. I must admit though, this past season getting out the door has been no easy task. Between fighting off colds, the unpredictable weather conditions and the layers upon layers of snow gear, it takes an extra effort to get the kiddos outside. The thing is, I want them to love winter. I desire deeply for them to appreciate all the seasons of our beautiful Northern Michigan region.

By Connor Dennis

By Connor Dennis

For us here at the Walloon Lake Association and Conservancy, the winter season is a time for behind-the-scenes project completion with a quick turnaround straight into planning, capacity-building work, a whole lot of grant writing and resetting the “table” of sorts for the spring and summer programs to come.

At the end of last year, we started the winter season with two new property acquisitions that you will read about on page 13 of this issue. A 40-acre, cedar-swamp (critical wetland) addition to the Frog Hollow Preserve and a 60-acre addition to the Mill Pond Nature Area. Including Unni’s Forest that you read about last summer, the WLAC added a total of 135 acres of preserve properties to our protected land portfolio in 2022.

2023 –2027 STRATEGIC PLAN

The snow days this winter provided the perfect setting for reflecting on the action steps towards meeting the goals of the new strategic plan. Working with a conservation consultant, the board and staff started late spring of 2022 to formulate the direction of the organization for the next five years. The process involved stakeholder surveys, a multi-day retreat and months of committee work that culminated in the board adoption of the 2023 –2027 Strategic Plan last December. Read more on the next page.

Coordination With Townships

A major takeaway of our strategic planning effort was the need to better coordinate conservation initiatives and quality of life issues with local governments. From greenbelt and tree cutting ordinance violations to sound and safety issues, this winter, the WLAC hosted a well-attended local government breakfast with the intention of proposing the formation of an intergovernmental body that would unify the lake community with common ordinances and solve issues around the lake. With nodding heads around the table from Township representatives, in April of this year, we will begin to formally request approval from Townships to participate in this collaborative effort.

While winter can be challenging, I am so grateful for the wonders it brings and I know one day, my kids will love and appreciate it as much as I do – the work I put in today to get them outside in the cold weather will be worth it. The same can be said about the work here at the WLAC. The ongoing work of protecting and conserving Walloon Lake that we put in today, will be for the benefit of future generations to come!

My

Best, Josephine Roberts WLAC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

2023-2027