ISSUE 3, 2019
YOUR INVESTMENT
in Northeast Michigan BY LAURA JUSTIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
N
o two years are the same and some years are just more memorable than others. 2019 has been record setting in many ways for northern Michigan and for HeadWaters. Last winter was a fury, and just wouldn’t let spring get a foot hold. The temperature stayed low and the trees wouldn’t leaf out but it made for some phenomenal bird watching. I was fortunate to see indigo buntings, scarlet tanagers and Baltimore orioles galore! It was a gift and the silver lining we all look for when things are tough. Water levels are at record highs and there is no sign of that changing. Lots of folks have experienced severe erosion, lost docks, flooded basements and failed farm crops. With precipitation increases of 30% expected for the Great Lakes region by midcentury, this is probably our new
normal. Fortunately, the wetlands we work hard to protect can mitigate all the extra water. The boardwalk at the Sturgeon River Preserve was built for wet conditions and offers a beautiful opportunity to walk into the heart of a cedar swamp without getting your feet wet! Our trail cameras continue to pick up loads of wildlife and so many people enjoying the peaceful trails. As our very first boardwalk, it seems to be bringing a lot of joy to those who love the natural world. We held our very first mushroom hike this fall and could not be more amazed by the sheer variety and abundance of fungi, not to mention the level of enthusiasm of our amateur mycologists. Another first was the “log drive” fundraiser at the Lovells annual bridge walk celebration. People were so generous, the crowd was cheering and our volunteers did an outstanding job catching all the logs as they floated by.
But maybe our biggest achievement this year, or any year, has been the addition of a conservation easement that spans 1,200 acres and includes 3 miles of waterfront in the form of two lakes. Seeps and springs that make up the headwaters of a major river system bubble up from the ground and make their way south. This is our largest CE to date, and we are so grateful to the owners for making this incredibly impactful decision. The time it took staff to finish the baseline and conservation easement documents was a significant investment. Every moment we spent conserving this special property will pay dividends for decades to come, keeping the land intact and undeveloped. And finally, thank you. None of this is possible without you. There would be no HeadWaters Land Conservancy if there were no supporters and volunteers. You are working beside us each and every day to make great things happen in northeast Michigan! I hope you are as proud of yourself as we are of you!