Landscapes - Conserving natural lands of southwest Michiganswmlc.org/.../03/LND-2018-No.-1-Pages-NotSpreads.pdf · By its very nature, the work of a land conservancy – protecting

Spring 2018 • Vol. 27, No.1

conservation on the backs of birdsCelebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Passing of the Migratory Bird Actstory on page 2

Landscapes

Northern Parula WarblerPhoto by Aaron Kortenhoven

T he cacophony of birdsong was overwhelming as dawn lit the treetops at Kesling Nature Preserve. Our minds were quickly exhausted trying to identify one song from another and wondering how in the world any birder could make sense of the walls of song coming at us from all directions. Familiar robin and cardinal songs blended into the seasonal chorus of

rose-breasted grosbeaks and Baltimore orioles. The chattering wren blurred into the chitter of a common yellowthroat warbler down among the skunk cabbage and marsh marigolds – not

to be confused with the yellow-throated warbler and its descending tuneful song up in the sycamores… or was that a Louisiana waterthrush singing from the ravine?

Kesling Nature Preserve was a brand new preserve in 2005 and SWMLC’s Birdathon team celebrated it by spending the night

and tallying birds before dawn. We had tallied over 60 species by 9 a.m., including rarities like cerulean warbler, red-shouldered hawk, and Louisiana waterthrush! But Kesling’s rich forest was prized by the birding community long before it became a SWMLC preserve, known as a place where one could dependably find the area’s flagship (and State-threatened) yellow-throated warbler. Dozens of other species seemingly dripped from the lofty branches of sycamores and tulip trees in spring. Kesling’s story follows a familiar pattern of many important conservation lands in our region, having already been recognized for its bird life long before any plans to protect that land had begun. That recognition may come from dedicated birders out in the field, from a landowner’s personal connection, or from wildlife officials and grant partners who see the property from the “bird’s eye view” of satellite images on a computer screen. Birds often become the flying ambassadors for a larger ecosystem, like poster children for habitat protection. In reference to a conservation project, we might ask, “Are there any endangered or unusual bird species there?” “Is it valuable

migratory bird habitat?” “What’s the bird diversity like?” More than once during a meeting with our friends

at Ducks Unlimited, we’ve asked each other, “How ‘ducky’ is that place?”

CONSERVATIONON THE BACKS OFBirdsCELEBRATING 2018, THE YEAR OF THE BIRD, DESIGNATED BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AND ITS PARTNERS IN HONOR OF THE MIGRATORY BIRD ACT’S CENTENNIAL.

Story by Mitch Lettow, SWMLC Stewardship Specialist and Nate Fuller, SWMLC Conservation & Stewardship Director

Photographs by Aaron Kortenhoven

Prothonotary Warbler

2 Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy • Landscapes: Spring 2018 • www.swmlc.org

BUT WHY DO WE ATTACH SUCH VALUE TO BIRDS? IS IT THE POWER OF FLIGHT?

THEIR SONGS? THEIR PLUMAGE?

It seems birds are recognized everywhere for their cultural value, as important creatures in our landscape. They mean something to us. An endangered river clam may not win the hearts and minds of a community, but birds? Birds are special. Whether it be a birder tallying another unimaginably colorful warbler to their list, a child marveling at the radiance of a cardinal outside the window, or a hunter’s lifelong connection to waterfowl, our love for birds transcends boundaries and brings people together. So the next time you pause to admire a bird – perhaps this spring when the songs and colors of the season have returned – take a moment to appreciate the connection, knowing that you are in good company. This connection we share has forever impacted the conservation world for the better, well beyond the branch where the focus of our attention is perched.

"Birds matter to me because through them I feel an indelible connection to the natural world, no matter where I am. When out of the corner of my eye I see a streak of red of a flying cardinal or when I hear chickadees calling out their names and whistling their songs, I’m grounded in nature. Birds open up the world to anyone who is willing to see or to listen."

— Dr. Sharon Gill, Associate Professor Department of Biological Sciences Western Michigan University

w w w.swmlc.org • Landscapes: Spring 2018 • Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy 3

Hooded Warbler

And it is in this way birds act as colorful ambassadors for their ecosystems, unwittingly extending protection for every being that lives there. Ancient trees, hundreds of species of plants, pollinators, amphibians – even microbes in the soil – can all rest easy knowing that their habitat is forever protected thanks to their feathered friends. And sure, birds are important components of the ecosystem, too. They eat costly pests that ruin our crops, clean up roadkill – they are an important link in the food web. But we may find, from a conservation perspective, that their largest contribution is their ability to catch the attention of us humans. These “bird-centric” tendencies are evident in the grant funding opportunities available for conservation projects. Whether from federal agencies like the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or partner non-profits like Ducks Unlimited and Audubon, grants that protect land for the birds’ sake are always available (and competitive). In fact, SWMLC has purchased three nature preserves, two conservation easements, conducted $125,000 worth of habitat restoration, and brought in $1,000,000 for purchasing land – all on the backs of birds.

Aaron Kortenhoven is an ecologist for Michigan Natural Features Inventory and a Grand Rapids-based nature photographer.


CONSERVATIONON THE BACKS OFBirds

The following SWMLC preserves are known for their especially good bird habitat and would not exist without the funds granted by donor agencies, organizations, and individuals that recognized the benefit that birds would receive through protection of these lands.

"In the most fundamental way, as is with all in this precious and extremely valuable natural world, birds matter the most for the ecosystem services they provide. As in the vast quantity of insects, seeds and other animals they consume. If the only alternative for those services were pesticides, I wouldn’t want to see the outcome.

Currently, as most of my bird activities are done with elementary students, I am combining two major joys, kids and birds. And as I occasionally mention to the kids, I like birds and kids, so when I am doing something with birds and kids I can’t have more fun! I can’t come up with a truer statement."

— Russ Schipper, Current President of Audubon Society of Kalamazoo

BLACK RIVER PRESERVEAmbassador bird species: Migratory birds (waterfowl and songbirds)Special habitat: Old-growth floodplain forestBird-focused funding: Joint Venture Fund (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)Significance to bird conservation: Protects 120 acres along multiple migratory flyways.Funding on the backs of birds: $250,000

KESLING NATURE PRESERVEAmbassador bird species: Yellow-throated warbler, Louisiana waterthrush, red-shouldered hawkSpecial habitat: Southern mesic forest, floodplain forestBird-focused funding: Berrien Birding ClubSignificance to bird conservation: Breeding habitat for State-Threatened yellow-throated warbler, rich habitat for migrant songbirds.Funding on the backs of birds: in-kind contributions

EMMONS AUGUSTA FLOODPLAIN FORESTLIMITED ACCESS PRESERVE, MAY ONLY BE VISITED BY APPOINTMENT OR SPECIAL INVITATION

Ambassador bird species: Prothonotary warbler

Special habitat: Old-growth floodplain forestBird-focused funding: North American Wetlands Conservation ActSignificance to bird conservation: Large block of rich and un-fragmented (a critical factor in nesting success of birds) forest habitat. Valuable migratory bird habitat along Kalamazoo River.Funding on the backs of birds: $355,000

SPIRIT SPRINGS SANCTUARYAmbassador bird species: Cerulean warbler, wood duckSpecial habitat:Open-water ponds, southern shrub carr, southern wet meadow, southern hardwood swampBird-focused funding:North American Wetlands Conservation ActSignificance to bird conservation:Diversity of habitats promotes diversity of bird species, during breeding and migration season.Funding on the backs of birds: $250,000

SAND CREEK PRESERVELIMITED ACCESS PRESERVE, MAY ONLY BE VISITED BY APPOINTMENT OR SPECIAL INVITATIONAmbassador bird species: Grassland songbirdsBird-focused funding: North American Wetlands Conservation ActAudubon Society of KalamazooSignificance to bird conservation: Created 55 acres of rich, contiguous grassland habitat, for this declining group of birdsFunding on the backs of birds: $76,000


RASMUSSEN CONSERVATION EASEMENT John and Carol Rasmussen recently donated a conservation easement that will permanently protect their beautiful 38-acre property in Pennfield Township, northeast of Battle Creek in Calhoun County. Both Carol and John enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of their “spot up north”, on which they have camped, hunted, and hiked with their daughter for nearly 30 years. The rolling property contains a high-quality, age-diverse woodland of oak, maple, cherry, and white pine with frontage on the almost entirely undeveloped Pine Lake. The property is also located within the Wanadoga Creek sub-watershed, an area that we have been working in for the past several years and is part of SWMLC’s current MDEQ-funded Battle Creek Watershed project. By next year, this project will have protected a couple hundred acres of wetland in Barry County’s Wanadoga Creek headwaters area.

Thank you, John & Carol!

DEWEY CONSERVATION EASEMENT Pam Dewey donated a conservation easement on her Barry Township property to SWMLC, thereby safeguarding it forever. The 40-acre property contains Pam's residence and a beautiful dry-mesic forest full of oaks, maples, and beech – along with a small agricultural area that she has restored to prairie. It also has frontage on Monroe Lake, which is part of a large wetland-lake complex within the Gull Lake Watershed, one of SWMLC’s priority areas. The neighboring parcels were all owned at one time by her grandfather, subsequently subdivided, and now owned by members of her family. Pam has been working on this project with Emily Wilke, SWMLC Conservation Projects Manager, since 2011. The two were brought together after Pam’s conversation with Mike and Carol Klug, whose property also holds a SWMLC conservation easement. Land protection projects are sometimes long in the making, but conserving the land in perpetuity makes it all worthwhile.

Thank you, Pam!

DECE M BER 2017As 2017 came to a close, landowners and SWMLC staff both hurried to complete their land protection projects before the turn of the year . . .

View of Monroe Lake from the Dewey property | Bruce Howe

View of Pine Lake from the Rasmussens' property | Bruce Howe

CONSERVATION EASEMENTS


Inspiring the Next Generation of Conservationists . . . By its very nature, the work of a land conservancy – protecting and caring for natural places – is all about the future. We conserve land today, so that tomorrow and forever, there will still be places in nature that will give us fresh water to drink, clean air to breathe, and a place to go to recharge, find peace, and be inspired…. For over25 years, SWMLC has focused on protecting more and more land – land that is home to rare and wild species of plants and animals, or land that protects our watersheds. We worked to protect land to ensure that it would be there for the future. But it is not enough to leave a legacy of protected land. We must also leave a legacy of wise, forward-thinking folks who will continue to value and care for this land long after we’re gone. It may be hard to see it today, but the future caretakers of our precious natural areas will be the little, apple-cheeked kids who today are catching frogs at Hidden Pond Preserve, pulling garlic mustard at Portman Nature Preserve, or using their “bat senses” to find their way at Wolf Tree Nature Trails. These children are the real promise for the future. Indeed, research shows that the greatest determining factor for whether a person supports biodiversity preservation is an impactful childhood experience in nature. Every storybook hike, every tike hike, every opportunity we create for a child to explore, discover, learn about and enjoy nature at one of our preserves is a potential building block for a future conservationist.

TIKE HIKESAlso in 2018, we will be partnering with the Little Adventurers’ Club to continue offering monthly Tike Hikes at SWMLC preserves. These hikes are designed to accommodate the littlest amongst us, but can be fun for kids of all ages with themes like “Pot O’ Gold Geocaching Tike Hike,” “Pilgrim Haven Rocks! Fathers’ Day Tike Hike,” and “Make a Nature Card for Mothers’ Day.” Many thanks to Julie Collard of the Little Adventurers’ Club, and to SWMLC volunteer and friend, TJ Wilkinson, for imagining and executing these creative nature hikes for kids!

2018 HOP!Last year, in partnership with Bookbug, we introduced the Hike OurPreserves (HOP!) program, which was designed to get kids and families out into nature and exercising, while encouraging a love for reading. The response was overwhelming with over 200 kids and families participating. This year, we are pleased to offer our new expanded 2018 HOP! program, featuring ten SWMLC preserves to visit. Please check our website at www.swmlc.org/hop for more details on how you can get in on the fun!

Kids and families participating in a rainy Tike Hike at Bow in the Clouds Preserve last November. | Julie Collard

In 2017, kids earned one of these HOP! medallions to attach to their hiking sticks

after completing a hike at each of the seven designated preserves.

— C. Miko Dargitz, SWMLC Development Associate


PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLSAnother set of relationships we are really excited about is our blossoming partnerships with local schools to include SWMLC preserves into the schools’ curricula. Several classes from Mattawan and Paw Paw Schools have already visited Portman Nature Preserve for lessons in photography, language arts, and science. As a local community preserve, we envisioned that Portman would not only be a place for folks to come and visit, but it would be an integral part of the community. And at Bow in the Clouds, we have been working with the Spring Valley Center for Exploration, which is adjacent to Bow in the Clouds Preserve in Kalamazoo, to find ways in which Spring Valley can incorporate the preserve into its lessons and activities. We are thrilled with the enthusiasm of these school systems to utilize SWMLC preserves as outdoor classrooms, and we believe these partnerships will help to ensure that these preserves will be treasured community resources for years to come.

“We could never have learned to love the Earth so well if we had had no childhood in it." — George Eliot

So, please know that those adorable, tiny, smiling faces you see in our newsletter – and on our website and Facebook page – are there for more than just their incredible “cute factor",

they are the true heart of the work that we are doing today to ensure that our precious natural areas will always be there for future generations.

Russ Schipper, Current President of Audubon Society of Kalamazoo, teaching students from Mattawan Later Elementary how to use binoculars at Portman Nature Preserve, Paw Paw. |Amelia Hansen

Environmental educator, Dan Keto, leading EASEL students on a wetlands exploration at Bow in the Clouds Preserve, Kalamazoo. | Mitch Lettow

EASELThis summer will mark our 4th year participating with Kalamazoo Youth Strong’s Eastside Arts and Sciences Experiential Learning (EASEL) program, which incorporates visits to Bow in the Clouds Preserve into the summer science curriculum. At Bow in the Clouds, students have learned about observation and measurement, plants and animals, poems and riddles, and public speaking and presentation skills. And we couldn’t be happier that this natural haven within the city of Kalamazoo is being used to help provide important nature experiences for nearby urban youth.


You can help keep the promise of forever….

Donate Today to the Sustain SWMLC Fund

Will you help us keep the promise of forever?

Please make a donation to the Sustain SWMLC Fund today. Please remember to mark “Sustain SWMLC” on your check.

Your donation helps to create a sustainable organization that will be around to protect SWMLC’s conserved lands in perpetuity….

Thank you!

Demonstrating the commitment of SWMLC’s board to this endeavor, two of SWMLC’s board members have generously offered to match, dollar-for-dollar, every donation made to the Sustain SWMLC Fund between May 1st and June 21st, 2018 — up to $35,000. That means that every dollar that you give this spring to the Sustain SWMLC Fund will result in a two dollar donation. Please help us to meet this challenge, and plant the seeds of perpetuity for all the beautiful natural areas that SWMLC has committed to protect.

The land is forever, and so we must be, too. As a land conservancy, SWMLC has pledged to protect forever the 15,000+ acres that it has conserved, as well as all of its future preserves and conservation easements – the dunes, wetlands, woodlands, prairies, farms, vineyards, rivers, lakes, and streams that characterize this spectacular place that we are so lucky to call home. In the same way that our ancestors knew that sowing the seeds of trees that would bear fruit year after year would help safeguard the survival of their families, we know that we must sow the seeds today that will ensure that we can protect these lands in perpetuity.

The Sustain SWMLC Fund was created as the “orchard” in which these seeds will grow. It is an endowment fund that will grow year after year, eventually bearing the fruits and dividends that will make certain that, generations from now, SWMLC will be around to continue to protect and care for southwest Michigan’s most wild and scenic places. As spring is upon us and we begin to plant our own yards and gardens with those seeds that we hope will bring us bounty in the future, SWMLC is taking this time to ask our members and supporters to help us plant some seeds in the Sustain SWMLC Fund.

Two years ago, SWMLC turned 25 and celebrated so many achievements and blessings – new properties protected, a new office, new public access to our preserves, national awards for excellence, and the most amazing group of volunteers and donors anywhere. Now it is time to address the issue of forever – the promise that we make with each conserved property to take care of the land … always. This is a commitment that is not just for today, tomorrow, next year, or ten years from now, it is a commitment for ten generations from now and beyond. And to meet that commitment, we have started the Sustain SWMLC endowment fund to create an untouchable pot of money whose dividends will eventually provide the funds necessary to support SWMLC’s promise of forever. Every donation made to the Sustain SWMLC Fund between May 1st and June 21st – up to $35,000 – will be matched dollar for dollar. If we can meet the challenge, we will raise $70,000 to help jumpstart this important effort."

— Dave Coleman, SWMLC Board Vice Chair

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With your help, we met our $40,000 goal!Thanks to generous donations from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, several funding

partners, many SWMLC members, and members of the public, SMWLC will begin construction of Phase 1 this spring, and anticipates a grand opening of this preserve's new features this fall.

“SWMLC is immensely grateful to all of the donors who have made this project possible, including the friends and families of Delaney Bush, Mark McKay, and Nolan Nordbrock who made memorial contributions to help create a place in nature that is accessible to all. We are pleased to be able to honor the memories of these special individuals with this very important project.”

— Nate Fuller, SWMLC Conservation & Stewardship Director

SWMLC created the universal access plan in partnership with the Disability

Network Southwest Michigan. Phase 1 will include:

1. A barrier-free loop trail in the upland area of the preserve that will be smooth and level for better navigation by people with wheelchairs or walkers, or those with visual challenges.

2. A new trailhead that will be oriented so that it can be experienced from a standing or sitting position.

3. A platform with a ramp at the wetland overlook will accommodate wheelchairs and classroom lessons.

4. Several new benches where people can sit down to rest or just enjoy the preserve.

Whether folks are visually-challenged,in a wheelchair, use a walker, have small children in a stroller, or just like to walk side-by-side, the improved trails will benefit everyone coming to visit the preserve. Their increased width and level grade will make them easier for all people to use and enjoy.

A map showing the Phase 1 improvements may be viewed at https://goo.gl/3A5Xe3 .Phase 2 could begin as early as 2019 if fundraising is successful.

“As a person with vision loss, being able to listen to the nature that surrounds us, touching and smelling the various flowers, feeling the fallen logs, and just sitting and feeling the breezes made visiting Bow in the Clouds so enjoyable.”

— Denise S. Davies,Disability Network field trip participant

YOU DID IT . . . THANK YOU!Universal, Barrier-free Access at Bow in the Clouds

Disability Network field trip participants check out logs in the nature play area at Bow in the Clouds Preserve. | Nate Fuller

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Bow in the Clouds, Phase 1 ContributionsThank you to everyone who contributed to our Phase 1 funding drive for Bow in the Clouds Preserve in Kalamazoo

through our 2017 Year End Appeal or with directed giving (including memorial gifts). With your help, we have exceeded our $40,000 fundraising goal to implement universal, barrier-free access and will begin construction this

Spring, with a grand opening of the preserve anticipated this Fall. We apologize for any omissions.

> $10,000Kalamazoo Community Foundation, Love Where You Live: Environment Fund

> $1,000AnonymousArcadia Brewing Company, Drink One Down benefit eventBrian and Lori BosgraafJim GalliganGreat Lakes Brewing CompanyITC HoldingsNaturipe FarmsStan and Connie RajnakRobert and Melicent Van PeenanTJ and Julia WilkinsonPamela and Arno Yurk

> $500College of Arts and Sciences at WMUKraig & Cindy Meyer, Generation III ExcavatingPfizer Foundation Volunteer ProgramPeter D. Ter Louw US DNR Wildlife Division and Plainwell OfficeEarl Werner

< $500Elaine F. AdamsNathan and Kristin AlkireDr. Betsy M. AllerTom and Molly AndrewsAnonymous

Employees of Approved Protection SystemsLarry and Mary ArtisNed and Neva AsplundhRob and Erin AugustineKorine and Jeff BlyveisThomas C. BaileyPhyllis J. BarentsLorie and Michael BartzCharles and Jan BennerVernon Bennett III and Sally MunizJeremy and Marleen BottomsBarbara BovenGilbert BowmanBeth BradburnRaye Bransdorfer-PolasekDonald J. and Mary C. BrownMr. Jewell D. BurdetteLawrence BushLarry and Barbara CaseMr. Kim CauchyKristi and Stephen ChapmanJohn R. and Barbara A. ChenaultBridget ClancyThomas CoderDonna CookHarry and Mary Ellen CotterillC. Robert and Marcia CowellMaria CrandallKalman and Becky CsiaJon Adams and Dave AligMartha DavisAdam and Tina DennanyPamela R. Dewey

Mr. Eric DietrichDavid and Susan DoanJeff DoudMs. Margaret DupuisEastern Michigan University, English DepartmentLisa EckertSteve and Cindy EllisHeidi EstremCurt and Karen FinchAlice FishMary and Jeff FlemingMs. Ellen FoleyGarth and Sarah FullerKent and Jeryl FullerJean A. GagliardoRene' and Bill GarrityAlberta GoebelBrian GoganMr. James GoodmanGreat Lakes Navy FriendsJoan GreenwayBarbara and John GuinnessJan and Pat HallPaul and Mindy HaluchBill and Kathy HanleyScott and Sharon HanshueGerald and Lelane HardieThomas HarknessEd and Ginnie HesslerSr. Claver HickmottCody HitsonPatrick Hudson and Gina Frasson-HudsonRochelle and Allan Hunt

David JamiesonMark and Cheryl JennessArnie and Debby JohnstonBill and Mary JonesCher M. JonesPatrick and Celeste Chambers JonesMonica JosephMarie L. JosephsenRaelyn and Richard JoyceSusan KavanaughDavid and Deborah KielRenee KivikkoMr. Donald L KonopaTodd KuchtaEileen and Rex LaneDarla and Hunter LeggittPaul and Linda LoceyJoanne LoweryAlicia Ann LuftManfred and Nancy MartinMBG Marketing Russell and Connie McFeeMr. Sean McLaughlinSusan R. BennerMary Ann MenckLorrie MerkerMark and Lisa MeszarosDennis MiczulskiSheryl and Mark MillerCindy MillsLinda and W. Joseph MillsVerne and Cynthia MillsDavid S. MindellJill and Brian Misner


EARLY SPRING

BloodrootGertrude M. Bauer Nature Sanctuary, Kesling Nature Preserve

EARLY SPRING

Spring BeautyChipman Preserve, Pilgrim Haven Natural Area

EARLY SPRING

HepaticaCoon Hollow Preserve, Kesling Nature Preserve

EARLY SPRING

False Rue AnemoneChipman Preserve, Pilgrim Haven Natural Area

Amelia HansenClinton LittleAmelia HansenRyan Hodnett


> $1,000Ned and Neva AsplundhThomas and Barbara GelehrterRich MatherJon and Stephanie RambowLawrence J. SehyMark and Carolyn Speese

$500 - $1000Renee KivikkoEric and Georgia ShaferRonald SpearsGary Van HornC. Glen Walter and Edite Balks Walter ,MD

< $500Jill AllreadWilliam H. Baker Paul Ballard and Colette LewisRobert and Janet BeemerDr. Jack Bley

Dick and Lois BrunvandPhilip and Patricia BurtonKay CaskeyMary ColliflowerNina L ConsolattiBill and Mary Lee DimondDr. and Mrs. John DircksDavid W. and Nikki J. ElrodElaine G. FishmanJack and Martha GesmundoLoretta GoldKatherine Gross and Gary MittelbachTerry Hluchyj and Richard RoosenbergSteve and Sue JessupAndrew and Patricia JohnsonDouglas and Kathy Kirk

Evelyn KirkwoodMike and Carol KlugChris and Mary Lampen-CrowellLaura and Dale LatulippeDr. and Mrs. A. Gregory LaurellPeter LeFevreLucas and Amelia DeLuca LeiboldRon J. LoganDiana K. LubicJohn and Connie McKeagueJamie and Phil MichaelLinda and W. Joseph MillsAlan G. MuellerJane MurrayLayton E. OlsonLori and Floyd PhalenMichael and Lisa PhillipsKathleen Rabbers

Ray and Suzanne ReedHarold RonkDr. Arthur H. RossofJeffrey L. Schimp, D.D.S.Susanne SchipperVance Senecal and Lynne BruehlmanRebecca J. ShankLaura Strehlow and Walt OberheuMarcia V. StuckiGerald TilmannJan van SchaikMichael and Elaine WallaceEmily S. WattsJudith R. WillsonRichard and Julie WyrwaBetty H. Yagi

SWMLC would like to thank the following donors who contributed funds to the organization through our 2017 Year End Appeal, outside of the Bow in the Clouds Preserve project. Thank you for providing the financial resources

necessary to preserve southwest Michigan’s wild and scenic places for today — and keep them healthy for tomorrow!

VOLUNTEER THANKS!Thank you to Betty Lee Ongley, Joanne Lowery, Jim Heaton, Laurel Eppstein, and Gail Walter for their help in preparing the mailing for the Bow in the Clouds Appeal!

James and Beverly MunsonChris and Steve MurrayBrenda NausiedaNavy Public Affairs Support Element MidwestGrant NeeleyCatherine NiessinkJoel and Florence OroszMark and Maureen OttingDr. Richard M. OxhandlerHeather ParsonsBill and Gerrie PeetLouis J. PepoyAnn M. PerryKay PerryStaci Perryman-Clark

Mike and Phyllis PetersenJay and Nicole PettyJulie and Michael PiochFranklin and Paula PreslerMr. and Mrs. Allan S. PuplisChuck QuossWilliam and Leslie ReedThe Renewed Local Community Group @ Sisters of St Joseph, NazarethMs. Jodi RiceBarbara Rider and Fred SammonsR. A. RifenbergArthur and Janet RileySusanne RoseMr. Robert Adams Rozema

Mary Alice and Donald RyderSabin FamilyLynn SagarMichael and Judy SaladaRuth E. SchmitterThomas H. SeilerKurt & Regina SheaRebecca Sive and Steve TomashefskyTom and Ruth SmallMr. Jon StadlerScott and Linda StevensonRobert G. SticklandDiana and Houston StokesRichard and Mary SuttonGrace Tiffany

Cody & Ginger TitusMs. Mary TrachselStephen TurnerMr. and Mrs. Peter E. Van NiceBrian and Cheryl VeltmanMrs. Peggy WarnezDave and Joan WendlingLouise Wepfer and Ed WitheyMr. Tim WinslowKristina WirtzWestern Michigan University, English DepartmentDan & Joan WoodardSusan and Gerald WraySharon Zahn-DavisMike Zerbe


EARLY SPRING

Marsh MarigoldBlack River Preserve, Bow in the Clouds Preserve, Coon Hollow Preserve, Spirit Springs Sanctuary

EARLY SPRING

Trout LilyKesling Nature Preserve,Winterberry Woods

MID-SPRING

Large-flowered TrilliumHickory Creek Preserve,Pilgrim Haven Natural Area

MID-SPRING

Jacob's LadderKesling Nature Preserve

Nate FullerNate FullerNate FullerAmelia Hansen

SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN LAND CONSERVANCY

Mid-March Saturday, March 24, 1-4 pmSaturday Workday at Spirit Springs SanctuaryInvasive plant loppin’ means the May wildflowers will be poppin’!

Saturday, March 31, 3:30 pmEgg Hunt at Pilgrim Haven Natural AreaWhat’s that in the grass? It’s a beautiful egg! Separate areas and color codes will ensure that everyone finds colorful eggs.

AprilThursday, April 5, 5:30-7:30 pmWhittle Stick Workday at Chipman House OfficeHelp make hiking sticks for HOP!, our children’s hiking program.

Sunday, April 8, 3:30 pmNature Recycles Tike Hike at Bow in the Clouds PreserveLook for nature’s recyclers . . . they may be kind of funky but they’ve got an important job to do!

Tuesday, April 17, 1:30 pmCelebrate Schoneboom! Celebrate the protection of this conservation jewel!

Saturday, April 21, 1-4 pmEarth Day Workday at Bow in the Clouds Preserve with Great Lakes Brewing CompanyGive back to the planet, then celebrate your hard work at Old Dog Tavern with a complimentary pint on Great Lakes Brewing Company! RSVP required, space is limited.

Wednesday, April 25, 7 - 8:30 pmInvasive Plants on the Move . . . at First United Methodist Church, Kalamazoo Join Nate Fuller, SWMLC's Conservation & Stewardship Director – and the Kalamazoo Area Chapter of Wild Ones – for a lively program about a new round of villainous plants and how to get rid of them.

Monday, April 30, 7 pmConservation Options for Water Conscious Landowners at Kellogg Biological StationLearn more about conservation methods for your property.

MaySaturday, May 12, time to be announcedplease check our website for developmentsPilgrim Haven Grand OpeningCome see what’s been happening at this popular preserve when we finally open its gates ‘for real’!

Sunday, May 13, 3:30 pmMother's Day Tike Hike at Wolf Tree Nature TrailsHey Dads – help your little ones make a Mother’s Day Nature Card!

Saturday, May 19, 4 - 5:30 pm2018 HOP! Kick Off at Wolf Tree Nature TrailsAn all new season of hoppin’ is about to start . . . bounce into HOP 2018 with a group hike at Wolf Tree Nature Trails!

JuneSaturday, June 2, 9 am - noonSaturday Workday at Pilgrim Haven Natural AreaHelp to enrich this popular preserve’s inherent beauty by planting woodland wildflowers.

Tuesday, June 5, 6:30 - 8:30 pmInvasives Walk at Bow in the Clouds PreserveJoin Nate Fuller, SWMLC's Conservation & Stewardship Director and the Kalamazoo Area Chapter of Wild Ones, for an evening hike and talk about SWMLC’s efforts to control invasive plants at Bow in the Clouds Preserve.

Sunday, June 10, 3:30 pmFather’s Day Tike Hike: Pilgrim Haven Rocks!Search for wave-smoothed stones, pretty pebbles, and elusive ‘lightning stones’ at Pilgrim Haven Natural Area.

Sunday, June 16, time to be announcedplease check our website for developmentsScience on the Preserves: Exploring Blood Borne Pathogens in Birds with Dr. Maarten VonhofJoin Dr. VonHof, Bio. Sciences professor at WMU, on this field trip into Chipman Preserve, where he will discuss his research on the ecology and genetics of host-parasite and host-disease systems.

UPCOMING EVENTS!

PLEASE CONTACT US WITH YOUR RSVP IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND AN EVENT!CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR DIRECTIONS & DETAILS! • WWW.SWMLC.ORG

PRESERVES ARE ADMISSION-FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC EVERY DAY FROM DAWN TO DUSK

UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, ALL SWMLC EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!


MID-SPRINGWoodland PhloxWau-Ke-Na, William Erby Smith Preserve

MID-SPRINGJack-in-the-PulpitBlack River Preserve, Kesling Nature Preserve

MID-SPRINGMay AppleChipman Preserve, Pilgrim Haven Natural Area, Portman Nature Preserve

LATE-SPRINGWild ColumbineChipman Preserve, Wau-Ke-Na, William Erby Smith Preserve

Amelia HansenJack PearceJason HollingerDavid J. Stang

In the spring of 2017, SWMLC began the almost-year-long process of applying for

reaccreditation. The increased complexity and scale of our efforts meant it took

several months to gather all of the necessary documentation for our land protection and

organization work. Although time-consuming, the renewal process compels us to reflect on our systems and procedures – ultimately strengthening our work and ensuring our capacity to meet the challenges of protecting our conserved lands in perpetuity. In the same way that we need strong systems in place, we need people who are inspired to carry on this work long after we are gone. To that end, we have been expanding our community engagement efforts at preserves such as Pilgrim Haven, Bow in the Clouds and Portman by asking for your thoughts and ideas and incorporating them into the design and use of the preserves. From our bird walks, to our Tike Hikes, volunteer workdays,

and paddle events, SWMLC has been offering a wide variety of activities meant to promote the enjoyment and understanding of nature, while also building community that cares and will become involved in this work in the future. The last piece of ensuring SWMLC’s ability to protect its lands forever is creation of a consistent annual financial base of support that will sustain the organization over the long-term. This spring, as a catalyst to support and promote the Sustain SWMLC Endowment Fund, two SWMLC board members have pledged to match every new gift to the endowment fund up to $35,000 (find more information on page 8). We are excited to meet this challenge to increase our ability to conserve southwest Michigan’s special places forever.

Please donate today to help create a legacy that will last for generations to come . . .

and thank you for your support!

We are pleased to announce that SWMLC has just been reaccredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission!

SWMLC Earns Reaccreditation!

C. Miko Dargitz, SWMLC Development Associate

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Every day, we are inspired by you and all of those who are doing their part for the planet by supporting land conservation and helping us keep the promise of forever.

Reaccreditation confirms SWMLC's compliance with national quality standards and assures landowners and donors of SWMLC's steadfast commitment to protect its conserved lands forever.

Accreditation is really about looking toward the future and making sure that the land trust is taking the right steps today to ensure that it will be around tomorrow and for many generations to come … so that it can keep the promise of protecting its lands in perpetuity.

We are honored to serve this community and to be able to protect forever the wild and scenic places that characterize southwest Michigan. Many thanks to everyone who submitted comments to the Commission on our behalf!

A scene from the Little Adventurers' Club January Tike Hike at Chipman Preserve. We're very grateful to Julie Collard, TJ Wilkinson, and the other families who are making these fun children's events happen. And we're happy to hear that many of the families that are coming to the Tike Hikes are hearing about SWMLC and our public preserves for the very first time!

A Word from the PresidentPeter D. Ter Louw, SWMLC President & Executive Director

SWMLC has earned Land Trust Reaccreditation!


LATE-SPRINGWild LupineChipman Preserve, Hidden Pond Preserve, Hickory Creek Preserve

EARLY SUMMERCommon SpiderwortHidden Pond Preserve

EARLY SUMMERCardinal FlowerWau-Ke-Na, William Erby Smith Preserve

EARLY SUMMERWild BergamotWolf Tree Nature Trails

Amelia HansenDavid J. StangKENPEIAmelia Hansen


Welcome and Thank You to Our New Members and Supporters!November 1, 2017 - January 31, 2018

NEW MEMBERSBLUE GREEN SOCIETY Bob and Pat Burr

MITCHELL'S SATYR BUTTERFLY ($1000+)Tim Carlson

CERULEAN WARBLER ($250+)Todd Barkman Donald C. Nitz

SPOTTED TURTLE ($100+)Paul and Judith KindelCharles LinesGeorge R. Livingston Jackie Marie RyanCam Wilson

LITTLE BROWN BAT ($50+)Daniel and Rachel BairSarah Cohen Rachel Dupuis Mary Durand Kelvin and Julie KohlhaasDanielle KuzmaElizabeth Anne Powell

MEMBER RENEWALSMITCHELL'S SATYR BUTTERFLY ($1000+)Sally and John DeCardyDave and Sharon GroendykMartin and Wendy McCormickRobert Swaney and Mary Stephenson-Swaney

EASTERN MASSASAUGA RATTLESNAKE ($500+)Alex and Kathy BozymowskiDana Buoscio and John SzewezykJohn R. and Barbara A. Chenault

Christopher M. FlynnJerry and Becky GrayMatthew KuiperJennifer LauHelen McCauslin Fred and Teresa MorrisRobin and Nancy NottJeffrey and Emily PearsonGeorge and Louise RobeckCraig L. Shumaker Timon Tesar Roger and Jeanne TurnerRachel L. Woodard Richard and Julie WyrwaLaurie Young

CERULEAN WARBLER ($250+)William and Victoria BranderSusan and Tom BrooksRobert and Elizabeth CodeMike and Martha DeGrandchampDavid Dvorak and Karol PetersonEd and Karen DzialowskiNate and Lisa Eimer Randal K. Eshuis and Maria J. Romero EshuisEdith Gilmore Jennifer and Matt HaywoodCynthia HingtgenRochelle and Allan HuntMark and Cheryl JennessAnn KlobucarRobert LindermanHeather and Jim RatliffBeth A. SchluckbierJennifer Schwab and Tom MillerKen and Sarah Jamieson ShrumThomas J. Smith Roger Taylor Thomas Thornburg Mr. Tim Winslow

SPOTTED TURTLE ($100+)Charles J. Andrysiak Mike Bailey

Susan R. Benner Dave Foerster and Sheila BirdsallDennis Bradley Robert and Gail BrickmanWilliam C. and Leslie BuhlBryan and Jordan BurroughsJon and Patricia CarlsonMarilyn Case Charles and Janet ChristiansonMarcus Clark and Lorrie ElliottEileen Coscarelli Theodore and Pamela CumminsMitzi DeLuca Pamela R. Dewey Richard and Sandra EdwardsTrey and Becky EldridgeKate Ferraro Dr. Joshua David FisherLisa Wagner Forrest Fred and Sandy FrederickDr. Gabriela FreeseArtis Freye and Kevin UlrichMike and Kathy GallagherMatthew and Tomomi GeislerBeth Gibson Paul and Janet GilbertAnthony and Grace GilmoreJim and Carol GonzalezElmer R. Graber, DVMMichael and Christine GrantKevin Haight and Mindy Russell-HaightDean and Cynthia HaldersonRobert L. Hamel Stephen Hamilton Donald and Ronnee HarrellJames Carlson and Christine HartzellBarbara Hasan Erin Heskett James R. Hewitt Sherry L. HigginsDavid JacksonAndrew and Patricia JohnsonSarah Jordan and Patricia LutskyRaelyn and Richard Joyce

Richard and Brenda Keith Judith A. Kepler Paul and Judith KindelKaren E. Knapp Margaret Kohring Pat and Cheryl KrauseBob and Margaret LaatschKeith and Julie LewandowskiKent and Lauri LindquistGeorge and Linda MacleodJames Maxwell Judy Mayo and Sid AaronCecil and Susan McIntireDenny and Eileen MeadMargaret I. Miller Christopher Nagy and Shannon ThorntonGeorge M. Nielsen Dr. Mark A. NoffsingerDr. Sandra E. NordmarkJoel and Florence OroszLynda Pelkey Mike and Phyllis PetersenLori and Floyd PhalenZaide Pixley and John FinkDick and Carol Mason PurdyPatsy Richardson Chuck and Lou RitterEleanor Roberts Cindy Roman Michael and Judy SaladaJim and Rachel SankofskiDavid and Janet ScarrowRandall and Joyce SchauRobert and Georgette SchirmerCybelle Shattuck Lawrence and Babbette SmithJane Steward Margie and Ed StinsonNick and Nancy Tuit Carol R. VandenBergDr. Kyle Vonk Nils Vos William Wagner Fred and Cam WeberLouise Wepfer and Ed WitheyBruce and Jean WilliamsJudith R. Willson Foster and Carolyn Woodward

Amanda and Peter Ziemkowski

LITTLE BROWN BAT ($50+)Wade Adams Susan Allen Ralph E. Babcock Dean & Margret BenderRick Brigham Rudy and Diane BroekhuisDavid and Barbara BroseDick and Lois BrunvandKim Cauchy Judith Kay M. Chase Leonard and Patricia ChaseDallas ChesterC. Robert and Marcia CowellPatricia CrowleyJerry and Karen CulpSusan Damon Randy Day and Betsy FloriaWayne and Marj DennisAlaine Depner Carole Deutch Alan and Sally EnderlePat and Larry Farris Connie and Steve FergusonFrank Finken Kent and Jeryl Fuller Dan Garrett Doug and Nancy GeislerNathan Geisler and Carrie BergerCharles GlattBrandon and Tiffany GreenfieldMaryEllen HainsCharles and Pamela HodgmanCarolyn HornevPhil Hoskin Bruce HutchinsonPatrick Hudson and Gina Frasson-HudsonWilma J. KahnSusan and Robert KindeRobert and Nancy KlesertPeter KobrakPaul and Janet KoestnerBrian & Bridget LeppardJohn and Betty Lerg

The following donations were received as memorials, honor gifts, gift memberships, honorariums, new memberships and corporate matches. Thank you to all who renewed their membership, supported us through their United Way programs, or contributed to our year-

end appeal and other fundraisers. Look for a complete list of donors in our yearly review issue. We apologize for any omissions.


Dora L. MannAnne May Bettina MeyerGreg and Patrice MindockSally Padgitt Donna Marie Parr Stephen E. and Kathleen M. Keelan PewTim and Sally PutneyValerie Reed Margaret and Dwyer RocheWilliam F. Rocker, D.D.S.Judy Kraft RoweMoselle and Steve SchoenfelderTonya Schuitmaker Dale and Marlene SchultzBeth L. ShirleyCharles SittigTom Stolz Lynwood and Joan ToppDale and Emma TurtonBarbara and Joel VanDykenSusan L. WhitneyRobert and Rebecca WilcoxTim Wixted and Ana Clelia VincentiDiane D. Worden

GIFT MEMBERSHIPS WERE GIVEN BY: Anonymous to:Jan and Bob De ShazoCindy and Rick HarrellCheryl Van Engen Jennifer and Matt Haywood to: Marty BuehlerMary and Daniel Houser to:Amanda Yonkman-AdamsClaren Schweitzer and Thomas Thornburg to:Jack and Mary Sandersonby Gail Walter to:Melody Allen and Bruce CapleNadine and Michael Godin-NassaneyKris and Marty GreenBeth and David Jarl Trudy and Rick JohnsonSusan Kneeshaw Pam MarshCarole Offerman Nalini and Zahir QuraeshiOla Smith Ann and Greg VeeckDawn and Derrick Wheaton

BUSINESS, CLUB & GROUP MEMBER RENEWALSApproved Protection Systems

Cody Kresta Vineyard & WineryThe General Store, HastingsGeum Services, Inc. Great Lakes Adventure ClubSecure Start Inspections, Mr. Timothy BunchTyden Ventures, LLC

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT HAS BEEN GIVEN BY:Mattawan Later ElementaryFor their coin drive to support the building of an observation deck (learning platform) at Portman Nature Preserve.Nicole Fortson, Jenny Kindt, Brenda Khoenle, Paul Portman, and Stephanie Surns For donating matching funds for the above mentioned coin drive.

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONSFred and Sharon BuckleyIn memory of Chub LaveneJeff and Beth Freeman In memory of Micki Sinkula, "She is missed by many."Alberta Goebel In memory of Mel Goebel Mr. Tom Goodwin In memory of Sarah VillageDr. and Mrs. A. Gregory Laurell In memory of Tom McCormickMartin and Wendy McCormick In memory of Wendell and Juanita BallAlan G. Mueller In memory of Bessie Woolner and Bessie MuellerRebecca J. Shank In memory of Joe KuratkoBradford Slaughter, Erin Victory, and Rosemary Slaughter-Victory In memory of Mark MacKayRobert and Melicent Van PeenanIn memory of Chub LaveneTerry and Marilyn VossIn memory of Sarah Village

In Memory of Winslow Shaughnessy:Sue Hallead-Deming and Robert DemingJeffery and Barbara Denny Hastings City Bank

Rich and Joan HeffelbowerSue Kolanowski, on behalf of Geoff Shaughnessy and Anne ShaughnessyThe Kuehl FamilyGail Lucas Lisa NeebMr. Paul S. NewmanRobert and Jean PickingAnne Shaughnessy, in honor of Mark and Sue Kolanowski, and Geoff and Marcie ShaughnessyElizabeth M. Stickelmeyer

OAK LEGACY GIFTSLouise D. Safron

HONOR GIFTS/HONORARIUMSApproved Protection Systems Employees In honor of John Lewandowski as a holiday giftBud and Judi Baldwin In honor of Woody Boudeman,"Merry Christmasfrom Bud and Judy."Chris Bass "In honor of my sister Katie. She frequents (a SWMLC) preserve. Please keep up the amazing work that you do."Jack Finley In honor of Ross SteinMike and Kathy GallagherIn honor of Susan HousemanMs. MaryEllen Hains In honor of Tom Dietz and Sharon Carlson, Thomas Seiler, and Tom and Ruth SmallKay and Bill Hokanson In honor of Charlotte Mittler and familyKatya Hokanson In honor of Charlotte MittlerPatrick Hudson and Gina Frasson-Hudson In honor of Dean and Jane KnuthRobert and Joyce Leppard In honor of the TrekkersBenjamin Cole LeonardIn honor of Candace LeonardKathy O'Boyle In honor of Bob and Kay O'BoyleGeorge and Valerie Opdyke In appreciation of Nate FullerPortage Garden Club In honor of Ben Yost's

October presentation to Portage Garden ClubThomas H. Seiler In honor of Mary Ellen HainsCarleen Shook In honor of the generous owners of BASIC: Fritz Teutsch and Mike StoddardRobert G. Stickland In honor of Timothy SticklandBruce and Jean Williams In honor of Rob and Julia DelSignore, and Travis and Sarah SimmonsDan and Joan Woodard In honor of Nate and Erin Fuller

GRANTSThe Artica and Abbey FoundationThe Nature ConservancyU.S. Fish & Wildlife ServicesThe Wong Foundation

IN-KIND DONATIONS Finch GreenhousePlants used in habitat restorationRobert and Susan PleznacTwo Smith-Indian backpacks used for prescribed burnsJulie Sokolow and Jay Bonsignore4050 Watt portable generator

WORKPLACE GIVING & MATCHING GIFTSThe following organizations made matching gifts on behalf of SWMLC members: Approved Protection SystemsKellogg CompanyLexis Nexus RiskMicrosoft CorporationPfizer Foundation Annual Giving CampaignPfizer Foundation Matching Gifts Fund

Are you an employee of – or retired

from – a company with a matching gift program?

Contributions to SWMLC are matched

by many corporations. Send your company form along with your

gift and we’ll be happy to follow-up!

Questions? Call Nicole at

269-324-1600 x307or email

[email protected]

Did you know that you could

potentially DOUBLE your gift to SWMLC?

Support us every time you shop! When you

shop online with Amazon, be sure to shop through the AMAZON

SMILE PROGRAM! Bookmark this link and

Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase

price to SWMLC: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/38-3038708.

CORRECTIONThe last issue of Landscapes incorrectly stated thenumber of bottles of Portman's Legacy wine that were sold. The correct number is 720, making the donation made to SWMLC by Cody Kresta Vineyard & Winery come to $8,474.40. They said that they weren't concerned about us publishing the wrong numbers, but we are!Thanks again to David and Mary Lou Butkovich, owners of Cody Kresta, and to everyone who made purchases. A new vintage is planned for this coming fall . . . please stay tuned!

Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy8395 East Main St.Galesburg, MI 49053

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

You can make a difference.

Behold the power of kids! Students from Mattawan Later Elementary school presented a GIANT check to SWMLC, and it was big in both size and amount . . . $561.19 big! The kids raised funds for an observation deck on Mud Lake at Portman Nature Preserve and were excited to be on site to share their contribution. We want to give a big thanks to the students – and to everyone who donated – for helping your community by improving your local preserve!

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage PAID

Kalamazoo, MIPermit No. 50

Prefer to go

paperless? Let us know!

Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation that conserves ecologically important and scenic landscapes that give our region its natural character — now and for generations to come.Federal EIN 38-3038708. MICS 10463For more information, please contact: SWMLC, 8395 East Main St., Galesburg, MI 49053269-324-1600 • [email protected] • www.swmlc.orgAll programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis.

STAFFPeter D. Ter LouwPresident and Executive DirectorC. Miko DargitzDevelopment AssociateNate FullerConservation and Stewardship DirectorAmelia HansenCommunications Specialist Bruce HoweLand Protection Specialist

Mitch LettowStewardship SpecialistCindy MillsConservation Easement SpecialistNicole SpeedyDatabase ManagerDevin WildLand StewardEmily E. WilkeConservation Projects Manager

Janice VarneyChairDave ColemanVice-ChairMary HouserTreasurerThom CoderSecretary

BOARD OF DIRECTORSBob BurrErwin H. DoerschlerThomas Georgoff Jennifer HaywoodW. Jack KeiserJennifer Lau

Bill MainRobert L. O’BoyleGail WalterEarl Werner

Documents

Landscapes - Conserving natural lands of southwest Michiganswmlc.org/.../03/LND-2018-No.-1-Pages-NotSpreads.pdf · By its very nature, the work of a land conservancy – protecting