PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE
Inland Waterway Protection Grows See page 6 for more.
Fall 2026 | Vol. 46 No. 3 www.landtrust.org | 231.347.0991
Thank you, Board Chair Porter! By the time you read this, Phil Porter will have completed his two-year term as Chair of the LTC Board of Trustees. The Board Chair and I get to know each other very well; we must communicate frequently and solve problems on the fly. Each Board Chair has their own nuance around this communication and it can take us a while to find our rhythm. Phil had a long, 49-year career with the Mackinac State Historic Parks, including 17 years as Director when he retired in 2020. By all accounts, his impact there was incredible and enduring. He is widely respected by people who know him personally or know of him. He is also an accomplished author. But most importantly, Phil is the consummate professional, an absolute gentleman, and one of the highest-character people you can meet. With Phil’s experience leading the Mackinac State Historic Park, he has unique insight into my role at LTC. This made “finding our rhythm” relatively easy for me
because he could relate and empathize with my role right away. It also makes him an exceptional mentor. He played a hands-on role in our Board development and engagement. He made himself available for conversations with donors and other constituents. On occasion, Phil had to take on hard conversations, always with professionalism and grace. When he was the Vice Chair, Phil led the committee to develop our current five-year strategic plan. This is both ambitious and focused, and we have made great strides in achieving our goals. When it is done, we will have an endowment to meet our growing needs, a new home at The Malcolm Center for Little Traverse Conservancy, the land under our protective wing greatly expanded, our ability to care for it so much higher, and our education program will have doubled. Simply put, we will be ready to do exponentially more on all fronts. Phil not only had a significant hand in creating this plan, but he has also followed through with the implementation phase. The foundation that this plan is creating cannot be overstated. It will take its place among the most significant milestones in our history, and will define the trajectory of our mission. The Chair of the Board at LTC is a big job, one that comes with no compensation other than the reward of advancing our mission. Phil’s wife, Valerie, is an angel for the tolerant sacrifice that comes when your spouse makes such a huge commitment to a cause. I could not be more grateful to have had Phil in charge of LTC for the last two years. And while he made my life easier, you should know that LTC was the true beneficiary of Phil Porter’s dedication. Thank you, Phil!
Valerie and Phil Porter 2 | LITTLE TRAVERSE CONSERVANCY
Executive Director Kieran Fleming
Serenity Acres Rentschler Family Nature Preserve / Sue Kurtz
Melvin Family Hiking and Biking Trails
Knowing the Right Thing for the Land Emery Rentschler never planned to sell the land. In fact, he still has a stack of mailed offers sent over the years to buy all or part of the land for development. Yet when the right buyer was suggested to him, Emery sold his 90 acres of Mullett Township land far below its value, so that it could become a nature preserve, a place for everyone. “I can say that knowing that this land now rests with Little Traverse Conservancy is one of the greatest pleasures of my life,” Emery said. “The Serenity Acres Rentschler Family Nature Preserve will be an excellent addition to the existing protected lands along Mullet Lake,” said Dirk Ruff, Land Protection and Conservation Specialist. “It provides forested habitat and a small creek that augments the local ecosystem. Having such a large tract intact and protected is uncommon in areas so close to our inland lakes. This presents LTC with an excellent opportunity to build on this protection moving forward.” The story of the new Serenity Acres Rentschler Family Nature Preserve starts with Emery’s great grandfather, Howard Hatch. Emery’s childhood was spent on three farms: his own family’s farm, the farm of his maternal grandfather—Emery—and Howard’s farm. “Howard really loved his land, which I could see even as a young boy,” Emery recalls. “He didn’t have a tractor and only used work horses for farming which was quite interesting to me as a child.” Those young years in Cheboygan County imprinted on Emery, and Howard took notice of how much his great grandson cared about the farm. When Emery was 12 years old, he unexpectedly inherited the land from
Mullett Lake
Serenity Acres Rentschler Family Nature Preserve Robert Furgus Memorial Nature Preserve
Howard. At that time, Emery and his family were living downstate and only visited the land when they were back north for family visits. His parents paid taxes on it until he was 18. Although he made his life in southern Michigan, working as a carpenter with a side job in a band that his family played in, Emery and his wife, Tina, held onto that land. Over the years, they had several creative ideas for it. “At one point, we thought about operating a golf course on it and another time we had a vision of a retirement home with nature trails because it is such a magical place,” Emery recalls. Yet for a variety of reasons, none of these ideas stuck. After the unexpected loss of their son, Emery considered that the land should go to their grandson, Philip. “I asked Philip if he had any aspirations for the property and his life was not in that direction, but he suggested that I get in contact with the Conservancy.” Since making the decision, Emery has discovered that all of his family is happy with his decision. “When Liv sent me a photo of the mockup of the sign, I texted it to everyone and their responses were very positive,” he said. “Not only that, but a neighbor, who at one time wanted to buy some of the land, was so happy when he found out what had happened. He uses Conservancy trails and was very happy to know it is now a preserve.” “My great grandfather loved his land for what it gave back to him,” Emery added. “I believe that’s why it now is where it was destined and I couldn’t be happier.” PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE | 3
The Land that Called Them North When John Boyer steps out his front door each morning, he is greeted with a sweeping view of the Jordan River Valley, the same view that his family has enjoyed for more than half a century. This landscape of rolling farmland, forests, and open skies has now shaped three generations of Boyers. John and his brother, Jim, recently placed conservation easements on a combined 319 acres of their farmland in South Arm Township, just outside East Jordan, ensuring this land will remain protected forever through the Farmland Conservation Initiative. For the Boyers, this was more than a conservation decision: it is the latest chapter in a family story built on a deep belief in the values of working hard and working on the land. In the 1960s, Gerald and Phyllis Boyer regularly traveled north from their home in Ohio to ski at Boyne Mountain. Like so many, they fell in love with northern Michigan. "My dad was the born farmer," Jim Boyer recalled. "Our mom had always wanted to live near the water." Farming was already woven into Gerald's family history. He and Phyllis operated a small dairy farm in Ohio while balancing full-time jobs to support their growing family. Gerald worked at a local oil refinery and Phyllis as a teacher. They dreamed of making farming their fulltime livelihood, but land prices in Ohio made expansion nearly impossible. Then an advertisement in Ohio Farmer magazine caught Gerald's attention. It featured farmland for sale in Charlevoix County. In 1970, Gerald and Phyllis packed up their lives, along with their three young children, and purchased 260 acres with a modest farmhouse and weathered outbuildings. When they arrived, they were greeted by deep snow and a farm badly in need of repair. Both talented carpenters, Gerald and Phyllis rebuilt much of the farmhouse and barn themselves, often with their children and extended family working alongside them. Before long, the Boyers were once again milking cows, 4 | LITTLE TRAVERSE CONSERVANCY
eventually growing the herd to 180 dairy cattle. Their milk was shipped to the Michigan Milk Producers Association and Dean Foods as the farm became a successful family operation. Like many farming families, however, they weathered changing markets and uncertain times. Some years brought opportunities to expand. Others required difficult decisions, including selling portions of the farm to keep the operation going. Those sales left a lasting impression on the family. "When my dad had to sell some of his land, it was then split into smaller parcels and developed in a way that really breaks up the landscape," John said. "I didn't want something like that to happen again." Diane Bacon, the second of the four Boyer siblings, remembers a turning point that reinforced the importance of protecting farmland. Around 2010, she and several neighbors successfully opposed a rezoning request that would have cleared the way for a 60-home subdivision on land once owned by the family. Today, Diane and her husband, Tom, live just down the road from the original farmstead and remain closely connected to the farm's day-to-day activities. "I realized many of the people who opposed the rezoning didn't even know who our father was or exactly where the farmland was," Diane said. "They were just alarmed by what was happening in other parts of the township and county, and they wanted farmland to stay farmland." John, the youngest of the Boyer children and the only one born in Michigan, inherited his father's passion for working on the land. In his early twenties, he purchased A conservation easement helps you protect the land you love while still keeping ownership of it. It is a voluntary agreement. Every property and every landowner is different. Some people want to keep working forests or farmland in use. Others want to protect wildlife habitat, water quality, or a family legacy. We work with landowners to find the option that fits their goals.
60 acres from the family trust. Then, in 2019, another opportunity arose: 133 acres that had once been part of the original farm, and was part of the land that was almost rezoned, became available. Buying it was another leap of faith. For John, it wasn't simply a land purchase. It was a chance to reunite pieces of his family's history and preserve a way of life deeply rooted in who they are. Throughout the years, John and Jim continued farming together much as they always had. John often operated the tractors while Jim kept the equipment running. But they also understood that modern farming requires adaptability. Inspiration for the next chapter came from Jim's son, Andrew, who encouraged the family to diversify into specialty grains for Michigan's growing craft beverage industry. The old dairy milk house found new purpose as a malt house where barley is dried and sorted before being sold to Short's Brewing Company in Ellsworth. The farm also produces winter wheat for Ethanology Distillation in Elk Rapids, where it becomes locally crafted gin and vodka. The brothers didn't stop there. They invested in extensive repairs and an addition to the historic barn, transforming it into Valley View Event Farm, completed in 2019. Their mission with the event barn is simple: "To immerse your guests in a true up north experience with a panoramic vista of the Jordan River Valley and a hometown, rustic feel on a functioning family farm." Even with those ventures, farming remains only part of daily life. John teaches and coaches in Petoskey, while his wife, Melissa, also works off the farm. Their 16-year
Gerald Boyer at his South Arm Township farm, October 1973.
old daughter, Fiona, is a much needed part of their farm work force. Jim and his wife both had jobs off farm, though Jim is now retired. For the youngest Boyer sister, Jeanine, the conservation easements represent something even larger than protecting acreage. “Our dad was a steward of the land. What my brothers have done honors what our father would have wanted,” said Jeanine (Boyer) Wright. “That commitment is exactly what makes projects like this so meaningful,” said Caitlin Donnelly, the Conservancy's Liesel Litzenburger Meijer Land Protection Director. "Farmland is some of the last intact, undeveloped landscapes remaining in northern Michigan," Caitlin said. "Perhaps what the Boyer brothers have done will inspire other landowners to permanently protect their farms. These working lands define the rural character and scenic beauty that make this region such a special place to live." Every morning, when John Boyer looks across the Jordan River Valley, he sees more than fields and forests. He sees the dreams that brought his parents north, the sacrifices that kept the farm alive through changing times, and the promise that this landscape and the life it supports will endure for their children and those yet to come. Stories like this are at the heart of Little Traverse Conservancy’s Farmland Conservation Initiative which partners with farmers and families to protect the land they have worked and loved for generations. Visit www.landtrust.org/farmland to learn more.
PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE | 5
LET ADVENTURE LEAD YOU Carolyn Workman and Kurt Wacker recently protected a 13-acre wetland along the Inland Waterway, near the Crooked River Locks. They had the opportunity to kayak through the preserve this past spring, when waters and reeds were high. They had not expected so many birds, and in spite of the many names for this preserve they had tried on, they both immediately loved the lightness and joy of Birdsong Passage. They also created the Workman Wacker Endowment to provide ongoing support to the Conservancy. We are so grateful to them for sharing their story of how they learned about LTC and how their adventures through our preserves led them to make these generous gifts. “One of our favorite memories is how we learned what Little Traverse Conservancy is all about,” said Carolyn. “Twenty years ago we loaded our bikes and headed up M-119. After making it all the way up to Good Hart, we happened upon a sign that read Elmer Johnston Nature Preserve. We assumed it was private property, but it really looked like a perfect place to ride! So we took a chance. It was beautiful! The trail was well maintained and took us through deep woods, in and out, up and down. Then we heard a noise! We assumed a moose, and we booked it through the woods. Racing out of fear, the trail eventually spit us out at the nature preserve’s parking area, right next to our car! Years later, we wonder…a moose, or maybe a cow!? After this adventure, we stopped at the LTC office to learn about their mission. We met friendly staff and were told that the nature preserves are for everyone to enjoy. We had not trespassed!
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“The Wacker family has enjoyed summer in Bay View and on Crooked Lake for four generations. Kurt and I purchased our cottage in 2004, winterized it, and enjoy coming up for all seasons. LTC has provided us with the opportunity to embrace and experience beautiful northern Michigan, and to engage with other people who appreciate the out of doors. Kurt and I are mindful of the wisdom, adventure, and friendships that we hold in our relationships with LTC. We are delighted and proud to offer LTC Birdsong Passage Nature Preserve for all our neighbors to pause and appreciate all the natural wildness that the Conservancy protects.”
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“That winter, the staff lent us some snowshoes and guided us to the Agnes S. Andreae Nature Preserve. Every year, just the two of us, or with kids and grandkids joining us, try new preserves and return to our favorite ones. We have helped on work days, biked, hiked, and picked berries with other members. We have been delighted to remain constant supporters and we now have the opportunity to feel personal ownership with the creation of Birdsong Passage Nature Preserve.
Inland Waterway Nature Preserve Ponshewaing Nature Preserve
Crooked Lake
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Birdsong Passage Nature Preserve
Trails, Trails, and More Trails! Nathan ‘Barry’ Driggers Memorial Nature Preserve Hayes Township, Charlevoix County
A new 1,175 foot boardwalk (the length of four football fields) was installed in July over the course of four days at this preserve. Eleven volunteers assisted seven staff members in building this boardwalk where the trail has been seasonally waterlogged for years. Volunteers and staff worked 140 hours, avoided one pop-up lightning storm, and hauled 18,000 pounds of lumber in 92-degree heat. The youngest volunteer was 20, and the oldest was 81. These are the details you won't think about when walking this trail. Instead, you might enjoy seeing the frogs in the water below you or watching a deer feeding in the wetland grass. Thank you to volunteers Pat Alguire, John Baker, Jeff Harmon, Terry Jackson, Walker and Zeke Martin, Peri McGuiness, Ted Newcomb, Marty Richardson, Stan Royalty, and Dan Wassmann.
Pellston Working Forest Reserve Pellston, Emmet County
Protected in 2024, this preserve now has over a half-mile of trail to explore. To establish these trails, a non-native Scotch pine forest was cleared with a forestry mulcher. A contractor then installed a crushed gravel trail to create a flat and friendly trail surface for easier mobility. Two areas along the trail were also cleared for planting wild blueberries and river birch, which will serve educational and restoration purposes as the non-native Scotch pine forest is converted to a native ecosystem over time. In the future, we plan to create a gravel parking area at the trailhead and additional connector trails to neighboring areas. Funding for these improvements came from a Great Lakes Energy grant as well as a private donor. While the preserve is unnamed, staff hope to get local students to help us choose a name for this new community preserve and trail.
Aldo Leopold Nature Preserve Marquette Island, Mackinac County
Marquette Island is home to the largest contiguous protected land under LTC’s care. Volunteers and staff completed trail renovations on the Duck Bay loop of the Aldo Leopold Nature Preserve, including a boardwalk in June 2026. This marked the culmination of a project initiated in the fall of 2024. The boardwalk allows users to more easily explore the cedar swamp habitat. In total, staff has installed over 500 feet of boardwalk on this trail loop since 2024. A kayak landing extension has also been added to the Duck Bay dock. Special thanks go to John Griffin for captaining the vessel used to transport materials, equipment, and staff safely to Marquette Island. Visit www.landtrust.org/stewardship-priorities to support more stewardship projects like these. PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE | 7
Analog Summer Exploration SHARING THE NATURAL WORLD WITH THE NEXT GENERATION
by Director of Environmental Education Dylan Klinesteker There was a moment this summer where I found myself damp from sweat, sitting in the open back hatch of our education minivan, so proud of the work we get to do. Over six weeks this summer, the Little Traverse Conservancy Environmental Education Department welcomed young people and their families to parks, preserves, and reserves across Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet counties for field learning experiences. Each week had a different focus (trees, birds, bugs, etc.), and these folks got a chance to explore our forests, beaches, and fields for evidence of the world beyond screens. These analog explorations encouraged our students not to be passive observers of the world, but active participants in it. This summer we saw and felt the small details of bark and leaves by doing tree rubbings, rolled over logs to see what hides in the dark, and listened for songbirds echoing through the trees. These are the sort of learning experiences that the Environmental Education Department at Little Traverse Conservancy curates not just in the summer, but all year long. As we prepare to start for the 2026-2027 school
Teachers: Looking for a way to get your students learning outside? Contact Director of Environmental Education Dylan Klinesteker at education@landtrust.org to schedule your class for a program or visit our website www.landtrust.org/school-programs to learn more.
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year, we will be doubling our staff from two to four people. This investment allows us to better respond to the needs of teachers across all five counties of our service area and aid them in getting their students out of their seats and into nature. With those experiences, we believe our students, and then our community, will be better equipped to understand the natural world around them because they've experienced firsthand what they're learning about in the classroom. With our greater capacity, we are hoping to connect with more teachers and schools this coming year. If you are a teacher or administrator who sees the benefit of real, shared nature experiences where your students are actively engaged in their learning, give us a call or visit our website. And if you have a child or grandchildren in school, you can help too. Mention us to their teacher. Plenty of educators want to bring their class outside but don't have the bandwidth to plan it themselves. You might be the nudge that makes it happen. The moment I mentioned at the beginning of this article happened on the very first day of programming, one of
the last days of June. It was a warm day out at the Allan and Virginia McCune Nature Preserve. I had just wrapped up my time with a group of six-to-eight-year-olds when the other two members of the summer education team, Elsa Martin and Delaney Smith, walked into the parking lot with another group of 12 children returning from their own experience. For an hour and a half that week, these students, their parents and siblings, and our staff got to share this space together. We could smell the soil below our feet, hear the trees swaying in the breeze high above us, and feel the ferns brushing our legs as we walked the trail. None of it filtered through a screen. I didn't know yet how much Delaney, our summer education intern, would grow into the role over the following weeks, but I could already see her gift for engaging with every one of those students. I was so proud in that moment to be part of a team that was passionate and skilled in teaching their audience to be curious and connected to a place, to work for an organization that had endeavored to acquire and steward that piece of forest, and to be part of a community that supported us through all these efforts. These programs are made possible through the AndreaeBrown Family Environmental Education Endowment, Sowing the Seeds Education Endowment, and members like you.
Delaney Smith EDUCATION INTERN
“Growing up on a centennial farm here in northern Michigan, I have been fortunate to experience and gain a deep appreciation for the land and hidden gems that surround us. From bodies of water to dunes to farmland, Michigan has it all. I believe it is important to help protect it for future generations. Working with Little Traverse Conservancy as an education intern this summer was full of learning, exploring, and sharing my love for nature with the community. I especially enjoyed the adventures I was able to experience: trekking through streams, netting frogs, catching salamanders, and helping shape how young kids view nature in a positive light!” Thank you, Delaney! PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE | 9
VAIL CARRUTHERS Stewardship Technician “My first day working this summer, Derek (Shiels, Director of Land Stewardship) told me how all of LTC’s land would remain protected ‘forever’. And that was the moment I realized how important this organization is. Every time I am standing on one of LTC’s properties, I get to remind myself that together, we have worked to preserve the history, health, and value of these amazing locations all across northern Michigan, which has been my second home for as long as I can remember. This experience has been absolutely incredible; from learning to use a chainsaw to identifying northern Michigan’s most fascinating native species.”
Thank you
TO OUR SUMMER STEWARDSHIP STAFF AVA WALSH Bishop Stewardship Technician “Working for LTC this summer has been an incredible experience that I’ll never forget. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to support LTC’s mission while learning from an amazing group of professionals across many areas of the field. Spending each day outdoors, doing invasive species management, and working on habitat improvement and building projects was both rewarding and inspiring. Northern Michigan has been my home my entire life, and it’s the reason I chose to pursue a career in the environmental field. Having the chance to help protect and preserve the place I’ve always called home has truly been a blessing.”
LUCY PIGFORD Stewardship Intern “Working for LTC has truly been a life-changing experience. I’ve enjoyed exploring northern Michigan via LTC’s preserves. Every day is a new adventure. It is rewarding to know that my work—like building a boardwalk, mowing trails, or pulling spotted knapweed—is helping to improve ecosystem diversity and accessibility to nature. Working for LTC has taught me many valuable skills (such as using power tools and backing up a trailer) and personal lessons (like that I shouldn’t doubt my ability to accomplish challenges). It fills me with pride to have worked for an organization that is preserving such a beautiful place. Most importantly, I have enjoyed getting to know the LTC staff. Every single person is so insightful, passionate, and welcoming. I couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity to work with them.”
L-R: Vail, Ava, and Lucy
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Going Deeper with ECAR A PROGRAM TO HELP US MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT LTC-OWNED LANDS
Last year, we reported that LTC ecologists have now ranked the health of LTC lands by their EcoScore, a system created through our ECAR (Ecological Conditions and Response) Program. Over the last year, our ecologists have started using a second inventorying process called an Ecological Integrity Assessment (EIA) to inventory 53 plots across our service area. This surveying method was developed by natural heritage biologists at state agencies throughout the country. LTC is leading the way in bringing the methodology into the land trust community. How Does EIA Work? We start by marking off a plot of land within a particular habitat stand. All of the plant species in a plot are recorded and compared against historical data. Within the plot, the surveyor scores the habitat based on these quantitative and qualitative metrics and the habitat receives a grade from A (excellent) through D (poor) for various categories (see the table below). We can repeat this survey over time, allowing staff to return to the same plot in 10, 20, 30 years and beyond to see how it may have changed with the implementation of management plans.
EIA data supported the EcoScore at Woollam. However, the EIA data collected at Duncan Bay showed that the EIA scores were lower in specific categories than what the EcoScore showed. The EIA showed us that although Duncan Bay is healthy overall, there are ecological threats to this property that we had missed before. A good analogy is when you go for your annual physical, and the physician who suggests that overall you are healthy but you should pay attention to a specific issue. You then visit a specialist who examines that particular issue with a more sensitive and specific protocol and We would like to finds it is in fact a significant issue that, if left unaddressed, thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through will cause more harm. The the Great Lakes Fish and EIA points us to the specific Wildlife Restoration Act issues of the habitat that and members like you need more care, allowing us for assisting with funds to focus our management for our ECAR Program. response efforts. In the case of Duncan Bay, the habitat is experiencing an influx of invasive plants that is decreasing the level of plant diversity that we would expect and like to see in this habitat. Our future management plans will reflect a greater emphasis on invasive species management.
Why Use EIA? Our staff uses the initial snapshot EcoScore ranking and EIA because they provide different levels of understanding. The purpose of the initial mapping is a rapid first look at the broad overall condition of a stand: what are the prevalent species, what is the habitat type, how healthy does it appear, and what are the threats to the ecosystem? The EIA is a second, deeper examination of these same habitats targeting specific indicators of ecological health for a more detailed look. By examining all of the species in a smaller area, we can gather more refined and reliable data. With the EIA, it is easier to be consistent when measuring the defined indicators, so the data is more precise for tracking habitat changes over time. These findings more accurately inform our management decisions. Ecological Integrity Assessment (EIA) Categories The Findings We completed EIA sampling at two shoreline habitat stands: Percentage of Native Plants Woollam Family Nature Preserve and Duncan Bay Percentage of Invasive Plants Nature Preserve. We chose Native Plant Diversity these two similar habitats so we could easily see if the Vegetation Structure & Canopy EcoScores our staff gave the Woody Regeneration land held true with the EIA. Debris & Dead Plant Matter Both Woollam and Duncan Anthropogenic Ground Disturbances Bay had high EcoScores. The
Woollam Nature Preserve EcoScore: 5/5
Duncan Bay Nature Preserve EcoScore: 4/5
A
C-
A
C-
A
C
A
C
N/A-open dune
B
N/A-open dune
B
A
A
PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE | 11
What do you love about LTC? At the Groundbreaking Ceremony for The Malcolm Center for Little Traverse Conservancy and our Annual Meeting, we asked you to write what you love about LTC. Here are some of those notes:
“Opening all generations’ eyes to the wonders of nature and the peace it provides is what I love about LTC.”
“I love that LTC cares for and protects the land and brings people together who share the same vision.”
“Thank you for helping me create a stronger connection to the natural world. The places you protect create safe spaces that inspire me!”
“I love that LTC is opening all generations of eyes to the wonders of nature and the peace it provides.”
“Thank you for allowing me to volunteer my time to a really worthwhile organization.” 12 | LITTLE TRAVERSE CONSERVANCY
“I love how LTC is preserving natural and wild places for future generations. The ability to spend time away from the urban and online world may save a few souls.”
“Getting to experience the beauty of northern Michigan through LTC’s preserves brings me so much peace and happiness!”
“The natural beauty of this area needs a champion. LTC is its champion!”
“I love that LTC cares for and protects the land that brings people together.”
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Elevating our Mission THANKS TO ENDOWMENTS
The Neihsl Family Endowment Ken and Mandy Neihsl’s connection to northern Michigan formed through their young children and lots of trips Up North. Like many of us, they came to camp in the summer and explore the lakes, forests, and rivers. And when the snow fell, the whole family made it out for ski trips. Now their kids are adults, their daughter got married on Little Traverse Bay this summer, and their son is off to a graduate program in History. Ken and Mandy still spend every summer in northern Michigan and in 2020 were thrilled to find their northern Michigan home in Harbor Springs. Here, they connect with others who love to do what they love. They found a community that prioritizes the outdoors—both the enjoyment of it, and the protection of it.
Now, Ken serves as an LTC board member and his love of the outdoors, as well as his experience with business leadership, are incredible assets to the organization. Ken and Mandy have chosen to do more in support of the comprehensive campaign. They chose to invest in the long-term work of Little Traverse Conservancy by creating a named endowment: the Neihsl Family Endowment. Their fund helps to ensure our mission will be carried out for generations to come. The essential resources that northern Michigan uniquely provides— and that brought Ken, Mandy, and their family closer together—will be forever protected because of their gift.
“Northern Michigan has been a place where our family found opportunities to connect,” Ken shared, “not only with the lakes and forests but with each other.” The Neihsl family first found LTC by noticing the brown and green signs throughout Harbor Springs. They started exploring our nature preserves and working forest reserves. Soon, Ken started volunteering and his family became supporting members of LTC. Thinking about his initial impression of LTC, Ken said, “I was impressed with how the trails and properties were kept and maintained along with the beauty and diversity of the landscape.”
The Anne T. Melvin Executive Director Discretionary Endowment Anne Melvin spent her life walking and running along a wooded stretch of land known as the “Woodsy Way,” a beloved right-of-way connecting the Columbus Beach Club (CBC) neighborhood to Burt Lake. When the neighbors decided to sell the woods in 1994, a group of CBC members banded together to fundraise to protect the land with Little Traverse Conservancy. Anne gave $100 and had her first introduction to the Conservancy. The “Woodsy Way” became Seven Springs Nature Preserve, a well-loved 67-acre forest with old-growth forest and “more mushrooms than you can shake a morel at!”
learned Seven Springs had hundreds of sister properties throughout the North Country.
Over time, seeing LTC’s iconic brown preserve signs popping up on her drives from Indian River to Petoskey and Harbor Springs, Anne connected the dots and
As a LTC board and executive committee member, Anne learned early about our recently announced comprehensive campaign supporting the current
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“The signs made me realize that this didn’t happen by accident. Each sign represents people coming together to protect a place they love forever. But forever isn’t possible without continued support,” Anne said. “Whether that support is an annual gift, a bequest, a gift of land or a conservation easement, or an endowment gift—we need to think about the needs of the next seven generations to lock in the ‘forever’ part of LTC’s promise to protect the land forever.”
strategic plan. Every gift given in this f-year period supports the goals of this campaign and supports the day-to-day work at Little Traverse Conservancy. Anne created the Anne T. Melvin Executive Director Discretionary Endowment with an initial gift of $500,000 to do just that, and she has plans to grow it further. “I wanted to create an endowment fund that would forever empower the Executive Director, regardless of who is sitting in that seat, to kick-start key initiatives that would not typically be supported in an annual budget. It can accelerate the hiring of a new staffer to manage the increasing load of conservation easements; it can fund an extra summer intern needed to help steward the 130 miles of trails and keep them open to hikers and dog walkers; it can give the Executive Director the funds to top off the purchase of a difficult-to-fundraise for (but critical) parcel of land. The decision is the Executive Director’s because I trust the leadership of this organization. And I included my name because I know there are others like me, some of whom may be reading this article, who are looking for a substantial way to impact the campaign and make an impact on LTC’s mission just as I have. “Through LTC's free environmental education programming, children across LTC’s five counties get to see LTC signs and know exactly what it means. They know that they can see that land as their backyard, their woods to play in, get dirty in and enjoy like I did…forever,” she noted.
Anne Melvin (middle) with CBC neighbors Vail Carruthers (left), LTC Stewardship Technician, and Scout Carruthers (right).
You Could Win A Bike! Thanks to High Gear Sports and a generous donor, every gift of $1,000 to the Boyne Forest Trail expansion will enter you to win your choice of a Specialized Stumpjumper 15 Comp (valued at $5,000) or Epic 9 Sport (valued at $4,700). This is an exciting collaboration between LTC, Top of Michigan Mountain Bike Association (TOMMBA), and High Gear to protect more land near the trails you love and enhance the current trail system. To give or learn more visit www.landtrust.org/give. The winner will be drawn on December 15, 2026, just in time for the holidays! PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE | 15
SAVE THE TREES 2026 What a year for Save the Trees! More than 400 of you showed up to support something bigger than a single evening: a shared commitment to keeping northern Michigan’s forests, shorelines, trails, and open spaces protected and accessible forever. The generosity of this community gives LTC the ability to keep doing that work year after year. Thank you for being part of it. "This area is a gift. Whether you spend time here seasonally or you're lucky enough to be a local, every day here is a gift." -Martha Bowman, Save the Trees Committee Chair (pictured speaking left)
"Personally, the decision to make the leadership gift to Save the Trees is all about my girls. They are why I am here, and why I hope you will all do what you can to give back in some way and support the mission of Little Traverse Conservancy." -Martha Bowman, Save the Trees Committee Chair (pictured right with her family)
16 | LITTLE TRAVERSE CONSERVANCY
Thank You to Our Generous Save the Trees 2026 Sponsors Save the Trees Committee Chair: Martha Bowman *denotes Save the Trees Committee Members
BIRCH $100,000 Huckle Family Foundation, Martha Huckle Bowman, Trustee*
CEDAR $20,000 The RNR Family Foundation Gayle and Chip Everest Consie and Seth Pierrepont
BLACK CHERRY $10,000 Anonymous Baiardi Family Foundation Little Juice Chase and Jena Offield Ms. Audie Otto
RED OAK $5,000 Scott and Patty Cecil Robert E. Coletti Mr. and Mrs. David J. Donovan Jane and Reed Eberly Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey S. Ford Woody Gardner Mrs. Ann K. Irish Hollye and Jeff Jacobs* Emerson and Juliet Meyer Dr. David Thompson
WHITE PINE $2,500 Ann R. Baruch Rick and Linda Bolton Jeffrey and Kimberly Brock John and Donna Carruthers Tom and Katie Carruthers Christy and Jim Everest Brian and Gretchen Grad Amie and Tony James The Michalik Family Tom and Margie Ogden Don and Mary Trout Ms. Anne Wallace
EASTERN HEMLOCK $1,000 Peggy Abood* Stephanie Baker* and Bill Wiegandt David and Robyn Barrie Kevin and Heather Byer* Mrs. Thomas H. Carruthers, IV Kathleen Cavanagh Mrs. Peter Cummings
John and Laura Tanton de Olazarra Edmund and Julia Denapoli Michael and Karen Donnelly Walter and Jane Enterline* Scott and Mary Farmer Kevin and Carolyn Farrell Patrick and Kelly Finn* Mr. and Mrs. Colin FitzSimons Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. FitzSimons Chris Ford and Ali Hill Paul and Claire Forney Bonnie and Beeb Graham Patti and Balky Grannis Thomas and Robin Herrmann The Holton Family* Kasiborski Family Maureen and Patrick Kenney Barbara and Larry King Caroline Straty Kraft and Noah Kraft* David and Doreen Kresnak Jack and Margaret Kukura Hugh and Cate Leatherman Joni and Mike Malloy Mr. P. Abbott McCartney Dan Sullivan and Anne T. Melvin Margaret Miller Sharon and John Neighbours Kenneth and Mandy Neihsl Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Nolan William and Jane Petzold Marty Richardson William and Cynthia Rohde Bill Roney and Joanne Kelley Emily Ruddell Maureen* and Dan Shaheen Deborah Shaw and Steve Marquardt Constantinos and Robin Skiadas Deborah R. Taggart Place Tegland Mr. and Mrs. Michael VanLokeren Douglas A. Warner III
BALSAM FIR $500 Terry and Lyndi Balven Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Baun Mr. George Peter Block, Jr. Robert and Lisa Bowman Ellen Byrne and John Richert CDM Foundation Peg Demmer Emily Donnelly and Richard C. Bruder
Jim Farmer Dr. David and Heidi Finley Elise Fisher Grant and Maddie Fisher* Paul and Olga Friedman Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner W. Garrard, Jr. Patrick and Kathleen Haas Jeff and Cindy Hall Marcee and Grant James Christopher and Lauren Jeffries Stefan and Logan Lauterbach* James D. MacKenzie and J. Barrington Bates Will and Kathleen Macomber Caroline and Michael Marks Mr. and Mrs. J. Howard Martindale* Glen and Diane Matthews John and Mary Merrill Matthew and Katherine Moran Nub’s Nob Ski Area Marta and Peter Olson Steve and Anthy Paddock Petoskey Plastics Cally and Tyler Reighley* Janie and Rick Richter Ben and Joanne Robinson Oliver and Ana Schwab, Jr. Bill and Carolyn Stark Susan and Gary Stewart Rob Suess and Sharon Mathison Suess Wells Wallace and Michael Dulfer* Gill Whitman* Matthew Woehrmann and Jill Stanley
TAMARACK $250 Ellen Beatty* Scott Benjamin Mrs. Reynolds Brinker John and Carol Brockschmidt Jared Buckley and Patricia Kolowich Howard and Jeannie Canada Chris and Lia Carruthers Sarah Cunningham Mr. Gary Davison Deborah and John Dohan Frank and Rochelle Ettawageshik Paul and Emily Reynolds Fiorilli Peter and Sarah Ford Brion Gopigian
Amber and Richard Grow Ted and Nancy Haddad Mr. and Mrs. Norman W. Harris, IV Andy and Suzy Hick Mr. and Mrs. Johnson Hightower Platt and Barbara Hill Perry and Rich Hodgson William and Tracy Holt Peter and Jane Hull Robert and Susan Huntington Amy Jacobson Kenneth and Susan Kirchner Chuck and Christy Kneese Paul Kolbe Martin Letts Spencer and Jenna Lindenberg Mark and Patty Malcolm Mr. David B. McVicker Dr. Mark Mercer and Dr. Johnna Driscoll North by Nature Landscaping John and Grace Pantlind Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. Parker Phillip and Carrie Pennington Todd Petersen Mr. and Mrs. Timothy B. Pirrung Betsy Pollock and Mike Tiedeck Shary and Matt Price Dan and Jan Reelitz Mike and Sara Schmidt Janet Schneider Finn Sullivan Mr. and Mrs. Stewart G. Swift Mr. and Mrs. Leighton Tegland, Jr.* Jeff Voelker Robert and Mary VonGruben Trigg and Ellen Waller Ryan and Janelle Warnemuende* Patsy Warner
CORPORATE SPONSORS Belle Aquatic Boyne Mountain Decka Digital Evening Star Joinery First Community Bank Fischer Insurance Frey Foundation The Highlands at Harbor Springs Dave Kring Chevrolet Little Juice Michigan Mitten Co. Nemes Rush Running Water
...and the 60+ individuals and businesses who generously donated items for our silent auction and Giving Tree!
PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE | 17
Honorariums & Memorials gifted between May 7 and August 11, 2026
IN HONOR OF Thomas Borman The Calvin Family George Covington Sarah Covington James Holliday Anonymous Joseph Kimmell Kieran and Anne Fleming Little Traverse Conservancy Jim Bricker Marta Olson Kieran and Anne Fleming Richard Platte The Plattes Phil Porter Kieran and Anne Fleming Cedric Richner Kieran and Anne Fleming Sue Stewart Kieran and Anne Fleming Brad Von Blon Michigan Botanical Club Great Lakes Chapter
IN MEMORY OF Alan Behan Dave Kring Chevrolet Grant Bicsok East Burt Lake Association Laird Blue Howard and Jeannie Canada Mrs. Thomas H. Carruthers, IV Friends at CERIS Mrs. Connie Bowles Goodman Patrick and Janice Gormley Mr. and Mrs. Lyle R. Masimore Carleen Myers-Brennan Ms. Maxine B. Noll
18 | LITTLE TRAVERSE CONSERVANCY
Larry Boerman Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Austin Kaye Frang
Carolyn Jeffers Mr. and Mrs. David H. Hoster, II Tom Hoster and Joan Zwiep
Albert Couch Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Sloan, Jr.
Peter Kelley Vicki Vassalo and Tom Hannah
Claudia Cummings John and Rhoda Brooks Mrs. Thomas H. Carruthers, IV Margaret and Ted Dawson Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner W. Garrard, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson Hightower Lisa and David Holley Mr. Anthony Huffman Catsy and Gordie Johnston Jeff and Liza Leland Lindsay McLean Mardie and Bob Off Ms. Laura L. Parrish John and Rita Picton Kate McVicker and Eric Rasmussen Pamela and Dick Reis Dr. and Mrs. Barton H. Reutlinger Mr. and Mrs. G. Alexander Ross Margaret Stude Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Thomas, Jr.
Beth Kost Kieran and Anne Fleming Chris Ford and Ali Hill
Mary Froede Dianne Litzenburger Raymond Gaynor Rick and Sharon Anderson Gary Cooke Dennis and Robin Kelley Mike and Phyllis Korybalski Corrine Loxas The MacKellar Family Richard and Marybeth Worcheck Ralph Guy Joshua L. Ditelberg Amy Kanengiser Mr. and Mrs. John Libby Daniel and Claudia Malone Dannie Bea Hightower Mary T. Driggs Anna Haegel and Lee Hoffman Jim and Mary Pohl Harriet "Penny" Huber Mr. and Mrs. John P. Hussey Drs. Vaughn and Harriet McGraw
Robert and Julie Matthews Mr. and Mrs. William V. North Miles Alexander Lamb Linda and John Lamb Robert Leland David and Amy Barrett CERIS Company David and Pam Bird The Dameron Family David and Lynn Kirkpatrick Bob Licatovich Matthew and Casey McLaughlin Joshua and Mary Jean Meyerson Valerie Meyerson The Mikatarian Family Judy Mikola Mike and Colleen Mondry Wayne and Bettie Jo Nunez William O'Brien Kip and Wendy Petherick William and Jane Petzold Thomas and Kathryn Prior Hal Rosin Thomas and Molly Saeli Carol and David Smith Jill Dailey Smith Mrs. Stephen O. Stubbs Mr. and Mrs. Michael VanLokeren Sally Mauger Veil Scott and Lynn Veil Kristine Volk William Lenau Dave Kring Chevrolet Janet Kay Tubbs LePage Ms. Ann Joslyn Burrows Dale LePage Stephen LePage
Deb Libby David and Carol Klun Mike and Tori Lindsay Phil and Valerie Porter Bev Manning Bob Manning Margaret McIntyre Mr. and Mrs. Robert O. Brown Lake Charlevoix Weavers and Spinners Mary Campbell and John Larch Pam Murch Martin and Scott Martin Sarah and Tom Rhein Mary Underwood Ms. Ellen Zienert Seton Melvin Mr. and Mrs. David H. Hoster, II Carl Meyer Cathie Benoit Michael and Susan O'Hair
Rick and Sandy Cholette Barbara Clegg Aimee and Sean Eldon Alan and Pat Fike Carol Flachsmann Sharon and Don Gingras Susan and Dave Gitterman Gen Lizyness Larry and Joyce Lizyness John and Mary-Ellen Madigan Molly Heft Neal Jim and Laura Odette Darrel and Joan Penix Corey, Kristen, Jacob and Marisa Roberts Fred and Janet Schwamb Robyn Skodzinsky Carole Stafiej Patti and Nick Trainor Michael Keith and Dena N. Walton Ben Weaver Michael and Beth Wheat The Wohlfeill and Laratta Family Mark Paddock Margie Ladzick
Bonnie Mikkelsen Thomas Bailey and Heidi Marshall Donald and Kimberly Millsaps
Mary Catherine Shea Rachid and Gladis Elaile
Dorothy Miller Kaye Frang Jeff and Cindy Hall John and Michelle Kruzel
Diana Stanley Dianne Litzenburger
Randy Odette Anonymous Junita Bahroos and Ty Roethlisberger Kelly Andrews and Laurelle Brennan Burt Lake Marina Inc.
Winston Stebbins Kenyon Stebbins and Susan Lyman Jerry and Margaret Steward Robert and Elizabeth Garner
Dick Taylor Mrs. Joey Arbaugh Dr. and Mrs. Steven J. Baker Joseph C. McGuiness and Family Kenyon Stebbins and Susan Lyman Mrs. Jack Waldron Julia Wells Terry Michael Terry Valerie Terry G. Sheldon Veil Mary T. Driggs John Webber Julie and Corey Smith Laura West Terry and Lyndi Balven Katherine Bensman Laura Bensman Sarah and Peter Gurney Robert and Shelly Julius Dianne Litzenburger Karen and Dave Packhem Ms. Judy Szor Carol Wierenga Ms. Darlene Dawood Daniel Wilson East Burt Lake Association Edith Lord-Wolff John S. Newberry Trust
Welcome to our new members who joined between May 7 and August 11, 2026
Margeaux Appold and Matt Elsesser Robert and Lenore Beckman Vince and Susan Benivegna Frank and Nancy Biehl Mrs. Martin B. Breighner Eric Bryant and Family Ms. Carmen Ann Church Mark and Kimberly Coleman Clark Collier and Ben Hellerstein Nicholas Creager Elizabeth Cutrona and Ben Jackson James and Mary Dalbec Grace Darden Kathryn Deere Emily Donnelly and Richard C. Bruder
Chuck and Dana Fortinberry Jennifer and Jeremy Fruk Allison and Tony Garcia Gabe Gattle Mary Ellen Geist Ms. Dorlene Gray George and Allie Hanley Martin Heator Hillys Helping Hand James Holliday Peter and Laura Huebner Verne and Judy Istock Jim and Anne Jenkins Adam Kennedy and Sheri Rhoads Josephine Kidder Mary Kobylczak Mike and Phyllis Korybalski Jeffery Lachowicz David Lamkin
Beth Lancaster Robert and Rebecca Lawrence Albert J. and Cynthia Mansen G. and D. Marten Ms. Deborah A. McDowell Mr. and Mrs. Dennis McGinty Emma Louise McGlashen Joseph and Frances Meyers The Michna Family Mary Mills Andrew Moffitt Jean Ogilvie Michael and Shawntele Opsommer Tina Pagnucco Caden Pinney Cynthia Rose and David Young
Barbara Roshon Barbara and Tom Schlaff Sarah and Nathan Sink Lisa Soranno and Jeffrey Tyra Lori and Bill Spielman Dawn Stauffer Brandon Stewart Drew Ten Eyck Dr. Patricia A. Tipton Kelly Wallace Donald and Julia Williams Rick Williams Abbey and Timothy Wilson Devin Wise David Young
PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE | 19
Thank you to those who help make our mission possible Meijer for granola bars and beverages for the Chigidaaki: Place of the Big Hill Working Forest Reserve dedication and Eric Hemenway for presenting at the dedication. John Griffin and his colleague Dave Buckalew for volunteering their day and their boats to bring LTC members to the Kathy Bricker Nature Lover Preserve. Bobbi Welke, and Ed and Beth Leuck for getting gravel for the parking area at the Little Sand Bay Nature Preserve on Beaver Island. Grant and Liam Berakovich for cutting back brush at the Offield Family Viewlands mountain bike trail. Volunteer Ambassador Richard Jenkins for leading weekend trail work bees throughout the summer. Pat Alguire, John Baker, Maureen Conklin and Peri McGuiness for cleaning up the Pellston Nature Preserve. Top of Michigan Mountain Bike Association (TOMMBA) for clearing Tanton Family and Offield Family Viewlands Working Forest Reserves mountain bike trails. We are grateful for this partnership! Sue Lamkin Iltis for help building the trail at Woody’s Woods Working Forest Reserve. Pat Alguire, John Baker, Stefan Buday, Bill Courtois, Devin Grundy, Scott Smith, Richard Jenkins, Jerri LaCount, Mike McNamara, Jen Reynolds, Stan Royalty, David and Sharon Shantz, and Andrew Strane, for removing trees on trails throughout our service area. Pat Alguire and John Baker for continuing to repair, repaint, and reinstall logo signs. Bill Courtois, Peri McGuiness, Christine Reyes, and Andrew Strane for paint blazing various trails. John Baker for constructing brackets for Bluestem Meadow plant and butterfly signs.
20 | LITTLE TRAVERSE CONSERVANCY
Sue Kurtz Ava Pustulka for photographing education programs. Pat Alguire, John Baker, Jeff Harmon, Terry Jackson, Walker and Zeke Martin, Peri McGuiness, Ted Newcomb, Marty Richardson, Stan Royalty, and Dan Wassmann for building over 1,000 feet of boardwalk at the Nathan ‘Barry’ Driggers Memorial Nature Preserve. John Baker, Vedya Boikess, Ted Newcomb, Chris and Elaine Nesbitt, and Steve Radecki for installing erosion control materials at The Hill Nature Preserve. Pat Alguire, John Baker, Devin Grundy, Jeff Harmon, Richard Jenkins, Mike McNamara, Stan Royalty, and Jon Sangeorzan for installing erosion control materials and clearing trails at the Offield Family Working Forest Reserve. John Baker for building the stand for the Nub’s Nob ski lift chair for the Save the Trees silent auction item. Katie Allen for watering the flowers at the Offield Family Viewlands Working Forest Reserve. Drost Landscaping for their incredible landscaping displays at Save the Trees. Aleksandra and Emilia Cavender, Jesse Drost, Lillian Holden, Grady Martin, Stan Royalty, and Scott Taber for installing non-slip tread on the boardwalk at the Art and Sally Hailand and Helstrom Family Nature Preserves. Les Arnold, Scot and Jilanne Egelston, Gary High, Bill Hodges, Richard Jenkins, Chuck Johnson, Dan Dueweke, Nils Lindwall, Bill Olstrom, Bill Reed, Pat Seibert, and Scott Smith for mowing trails. Mark Antonishen, Doug Drawbaugh, Chuck Johnson, Andy Kolp, Joe Likens, Rich Mooridian, and Tom Oelke for trail clearing at the Tanton Family Working Forest Reserve. Ted Newcomb, Deb Pruitt, Steve Radecki, Dan Wassmann and Allison Wier for wood chipping the muddy trail at the Elizabeth B. Hoffmann Nature Preserve. Maria and Brian Dal Pra for providing parking during a preserve dedication.
Beth Leuck and Pam Grassmick for helping with many Beaver Island logistics. Liz Cohen, JoEllen Rudolph, Sonny Spieser, and Kyle Volp and his dog Monona for starring in our LTC video. Kelly and Scott Davis and Ed Pike from Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch for being great partners on the American Kestrel Monitoring Project as well as demonstrating bird banding to our volunteers and local Girl Scouts. Dave McVicker for curating nature trails. Susan Fawcett for documenting natural wonders on LTC lands. Scout Carruthers, Mary Merrill and Lisa Morris for volunteering at Save the Trees. Stephanie Baker and Hardy Meijer for taking photos at the groundbreaking for The Malcolm Center for Little Traverse Conservancy.
Solomon Harvey for taking photos at Save the Trees. Sue Kurtz for her ongoing exceptional photography and kayaking Birdsong Passage to capture the cover photo. Joanne Kelley, Dianne Litzenburger, Charlie McLravy, and Marty Richardson for editing LTC publications. Nathan Fairbanks, Peri McGuiness, Sarah Parker, Mark Parker, Dave Penniman, Molly Pierce, Karen Pollard, Brendan Ryan, and Kathy Turcott for removing invasive knapweed at the Bluestem Meadow at Offield Family Viewlands Working Forest Reserve. Pat Alguire, Chris Boget, Rich Bruder, Jilanne and Scot Egelston, Chris Ford, Maddie and Rebecca Forse, Savannah Gorney, Terry Jackson, Richard Jenkins, Glen Matthews, Peri McGuiness, Mary Merrill, Mark Pollard, Marty Richardson, Stan Royalty, Scott Taber, and Paul Van Klaveren for removing bags and bags of invasive species on preserves throughout our service area.
Volunteer Spotlight:
Dan Dueweke Dan has been an LTC volunteer since 2010, the Land Steward at Susan Creek Nature Preserve since 2014, and a member since 2021. He has volunteered on countless trail maintenance projects. Dan is also an experienced sawyer and saw trainer from his time with the Forest Service and has shared his knowledge with LTC and the North Country Trail Association. One summer day in 2012, I happened upon the Susan Creek Nature Preserve while vacationing with family on Lake Charlevoix. I contacted the Conservancy and offered to give some time to Susan Creek whenever I was “up north”, and became a full-time volunteer when I retired here in 2019. I like Susan Creek for its deep cedar woods that have an old-growth feel, its vernal pools, and a winding stream that you can hear before you see it. But I’m also partial to the Elizabeth B. Hoffman and Diane and Richard DeNardis Family Nature Preserves where, after a summer hike, one can sit on a hilltop and look out at the north end of Grand Traverse Bay and out across the blue waters of Lake Michigan. This is an especially beautiful vantage point at sunset. Being a year-round trail adopter, I see the LTC preserves in all four seasons. Each one brings a different experience, like the squeak of snowshoes on a sub-zero winter day, the many, many bird calls in the spring, and the warm late evening sun on a summer saunter when time slows to the pace of your unhurried walk. But it’s hard to beat that moment in the fall when the trees are ablaze with their autumn colors and the entire canopy is cloaked in yellow, gold, and red. If you catch the sun just right, its filtered light bathes the whole forest floor with a surreal brightness that reflects off pure white birch bark and flickers with the slightest breeze. In those moments I’m brought to a standstill, as it’s more beauty than my eyes can take in and my senses can absorb. Pure northern Michigan. PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE | 21
Sue Kurtz
Fall Community Field Trips Unless otherwise noted, Community field trips with LTC are offered for free! Visit www.landtrust.org/events, or scan the QR code to see full descriptions or register. Registration is required!
Writing from Nature, and the Nature of Writing with James McCullough Greenwood Foundation, Cheboygan County Saturday, September 19 | 9am-4pm
Tap into The Trails: Birding at Duncan Bay Duncan Bay Nature Preserve Saturday, September 19 | 8-9:30am
Tap into The Trails: Bike Ride the North Central Trail Start at Festival Square in Cheboygan to the Barbara C. Hoffius Nature Preserve and back Saturday, September 19 | 8:30-11:30am
Tap into The Trails: Mountain Bike Ride Melvin Family Hiking & Biking Trails Saturday, September 19 | 10-11:30am
Fall Equinox Sunrise
Jack Mertaugh Nature Preserve Tuesday, September 22 | 6:30-7:30am
Wild Wednesday: Leaves Changing: Photoperiod & Tree Biology
Charlevoix Public Library Wednesday, October 14 | 6:30-7:30pm 22 | LITTLE TRAVERSE CONSERVANCY
Cranberry Picking at Vermilion
Vermilion Point Nature Preserve Friday, October 16 | 10:30am-12:30pm
Fall Colors Hike with Brad Von Blon
Jack and Tucker Harris Working Forest Reserve Friday, October 16 | 1-3pm
Owl Prowl with Brad Von Blon
Seberon “Boo” Litzenburger Nature Preserve Wednesday, November 4 | 6-7pm
Wild Wednesday: Black Bear Ecology
Charlevoix Public Library Wednesday, November 11 | 6:30-7:30pm
End of the Season iNaturalist ID Pizza Party Little Traverse Conservancy Office Thursday, November 19 | 5:30-7pm
Wild Wednesday: The Boreal Forest
Charlevoix Public Library Wednesday, December 9 | 6:30-7:30pm
YOUR LITTLE TRAVERSE CONSERVANCY TEAM YOU, our members and volunteers ENDOWMENT FUNDS MAKE OUR MISSION POSSIBLE Adderley Infrastructure Endowment Andreae-Brown Family Environmental Education Endowment Bolton Family Endowment Fund Martha and Michael Cameron Endowment Fund Conservation Easement Endowment Diane Curtis Endowment Eustis Family Stewardship Endowment Fund Jerry and Eileen Fhaner Endowment Delia Fritz Endowment for Accessibility Huber Family Endowment Patricia and Thomas Jeffs Family Fund Aldo Leopold Les Cheneaux Legacy Fund Jinny McCoy Endowment Liesel Litzenburger Meijer Endowment Liesel Litzenburger Meijer Land Protection Director Endowment Anne T. Melvin Executive Director Discretionary Endowment Neihsl Family Endowment Fund Marty and Jerry Richardson Endowment Roney Family Endowment Sowing the Seeds Education Endowment Stark Family Endowment Stewardship Endowment Fund Joan R. and Charles M. Taylor II Memorial Endowment Fund Vermilion Endowment Fund Workman Wacker Endowment
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
STAFF
Phil Porter, Chair Susan I. Stewart, Vice Chair Jon Lyons, Treasurer Richard M. Bolton, Secretary Josh Baker Lisa Blanchard Erin Burns George M. Covington Frank Ettawageshik Peter Ford Woody Gardner Gregg K. Garver John Griffin Richard Hodge Dave Kring Glen Matthews R. Charles McLravy Anne T. Melvin John Merrill Emerson Meyer John Neighbours Ken Neihsl Marta Olson Consie Pierrepont Marty Richardson Bill Roney Tom Rowland Adam Schubel Karie Slavik Mary Trout
STEWARDSHIP Derek Shiels, Director Vail Carruthers Benjamin Cheney Charles Dawley Nate Dionne Cacia Lesh Amy Lipson Mike Lynch Brian Paul Lucy Pigford Quinn Sommer Brad Von Blon Keegan Butler, Cameron Stewardship Technician Ava Walsh, Bishop Stewardship Technician LAND PROTECTION Caitlin Donnelly, Liesel Litzenburger Meijer Land Protection Director Melissa Hansen, Director of Conservation Easements Dirk Ruff Jennie Suchewski EDUCATION Dylan Klinesteker, Director Elsa Martin Delaney Smith COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH Anne Fleming, Director Taylor Sobczak ADMINISTRATION Kieran Fleming, Executive Director Joe Graham, Chief Financial Officer Sarah Gurney Thomas Lagerstom DEVELOPMENT Emily Hughes, Chief Development Officer Lindsay Hall Liv Rollinger
AND A TRIBUTE TO OUR FOUNDERS John Fischer Dave Irish Ed Koza Earl Larson Seberon “Boo” Litzenburger Frank Pierce John Tanton
The mission of the Little Traverse Conservancy is to protect the natural diversity and beauty of northern Michigan by preserving significant land and scenic areas, and fostering appreciation and understanding of the environment. Sue Kurtz
PROTECTING THE NORTH COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE | 23
Non-profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Petoskey, MI Permit No. 110
Little Traverse Conservancy 3264 POWELL ROAD HARBOR SPRINGS, MI 49740 WWW.LANDTRUST.ORG Address Service Requested Find a trail near you:
Conservation Connections WHAT DO CONSERVANCY TRAILS MEAN TO YOU?
Learn how and why three wonderful LTC individuals and families use Little Traverse Conservancy trails in a new video by Aaron Peterson Studios entitled “Conservation Connections”. Every time you see a brown or green Little Traverse Conservancy sign, it is more than just a notice of protected land. Each sign is an invitation and a reminder that all Conservancy-owned lands are open to you to enjoy. Watch the video on our home page at www.landtrust.org, or scan the QR code to watch it right away!