Nature Area News | Grass River Natural Area News

RECENT NEWSLETTERS, "IN OTTER NEWS"

NEW BOARDWALK TO THE DOCK

Thanks to funding from Antrim County, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, Impact Traverse City, and other generous, individual donors, we have successfully completed Phase II of our new boardwalk. This stretch covers the Sedge Meadow Boardwalk from the Center to the Dock. The boardwalk was finished in November of 2024, with a ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on Friday, May 23 at 1pm.

TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR OF GRASS RIVER NATURAL AREA WITH
MANE CONTENT'S MARK GOETHEL AND TV 9&10

During this pandemic, the stay-at-home order does allow you to get outside as long as you keep a safe distance from other people. Or you could take a virtual trip to the Grass River Natural Area to check out some of Antrim County’s most beautiful spots.
Mane Content’s Mark Goethel takes us there for Adventure in Northern Michigan. TAKE THE TOUR!

HOW A NEAR-ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER SPAWNED A WETLANDS LABORATORY.

THE GRASS RIVER NATURAL AREA AT 50
BY PATRICK SULLIVAN | MAY 11, 2019
Fifty years ago, the notion that a vast tract of wetlands could be preserved in its pristine state rather than be developed into lakefront lots was a novel idea. There were no land conservancies. There was no such thing as a conservation easement. The Nature Conservancy, the nonprofit established in 1951 and dedicated to preserving wildlife habitat, had never undertaken a project in Michigan.

That didn’t stop a soil conservation officer in Antrim County from recognizing the environmental importance of the wetlands surrounding the Grass River, which flows from Lake Bellaire to Clam Lake, and then pursuing a dream to see that land protected.

A half-century later, Jenn Wright, who has been the executive director of the Grass River Natural Area for one year, marvels at the origin story of the nonprofit she serves. She sat down with Northern Express to talk about the dramatic events that unfolded to ensure the preservation of those critical wetlands.

Northern Express: The idea for the Grass River Natural Area came about in 1969. But there weren’t examples to follow. There weren’t things like natural areas or land conservancies. How did someone decide to make this happen?

Jenn Wright: So, in 1968, Dr. [Alfred] Austin, who was a property owner on the banks of Grass River, decided one day he wanted to develop his property, and in order to develop his property, he dredged Lake Bellaire. He had a sandsucker come in, and he used that sand to create a foundation. Well, Lake Bellaire is mostly marl, a type of soil that doesn’t drain, basically, and so all of a sudden, he’d done this — he’s cut all of the cedar trees, he’s dumped all of the sand in there, and it doesn’t drain. He can’t build on it. He’s stuck.

Express: That sounds like it would be considered an environmental crime today.

Wright: Exactly. It would. The interesting thing is, he immediately went to the conservation services office, which today would be our soil conservation district, and that’s where he met Warren Studley, and he walked in and he said, “I messed up. I just did this. I feel terrible. I shouldn’t have done it. What do I do?” In today’s day and age, it would be fines, it would be whatever it would be, and Warren, for some reason, Warren kind of stepped back and thought, “If this happened,” and he started looking at maps, “this could be a problem. Anybody could do this.” People want to build on water. It’s beautiful, right? So, Warren started looking at maps, and he sort of parceled together this big ecosystem of riparian lands that were adjacent to Grass River and also into Lake Bellaire and Clam Lake, and he decided he was going to start advocating for preserving and protecting them.

Express: That could not have been a simple task.

Wright: So he went to a group of citizens. He went to a public meeting, and he shared his vision. The stories that you read are that he was extremely animated and very convincing —super passionate — and people were drawn to Warren. He went to this meeting, and there happened to be a county commissioner in the room. He shared his story, and the commissioner said, “We need to do this. Let’s figure out how we can make this happen.” And he left. And the next day the county commissioner came and said, “I want you to present what you just said to the county commissioners on Thursday.” This is literally a day away.

Express: That’s interesting. I can’t imagine it was like the Antrim County Commission was made up of a bunch of radical environmentalists at the time.

Wright: It wasn’t. Warren could somehow paint that picture of what could happen if they didn’t do this. So he went to the county commissioners — he actually didn’t want to then; he didn’t feel like he had the plan fully flushed out — but he did, he shared his story, and by the end of the meeting there was a conversation about some federal funding that they potentially could get, but it the application had to come from the county in order to get this. So, at the end of this commissioners’ meeting, another commissioner raised his hand and basically said that he moves that the county goes forward with the application for this grant, and he wanted to write a check to Warren for $2,000 to get this project started. So, Warren walked away and thought, “This is happening.”

Express: Not only is there not resistance, there is enthusiasm. Which is really surprising.

Wright: Exactly. It’s so surprising. This whole story, as I read it, and I didn’t know this coming in, this whole story, it was just like, this is like the epitome of grassroots, the perfect flow. Granted, there were things along the way that were bumpy — but in general, you had this ability and this interest in looking outside of the box and trying to figure out how to do it.

Express: What was it about this particular tract of land that called out to Warren Studley and the other founders and said, This is the land that should be preserved?

Wright: I think it was the amount of wetlands and that the wetlands were pristine. If you think about Michigan, Michigan is fairly disturbed, in terms of the land. Anything upland would have been cut and farmed in the late 1800s. But everything into the wetland, they couldn’t do anything with that. So, it’s historic. It’s always been here. It’s never been disturbed. And, as a soil conservation officer, as a biologist, [Studley] recognized the impact of what happens to water flowing through wetlands. It’s filtered. That’s what wetlands do, so I am sure recognized that aspect of it as well.

Express: What happened next?

Wright: He went to the Three Lakes Association, which still exists. It’s folks from Torch, Clam and Lake Bellaire. They have a board and a newsletter, and they meet, and they do activities and projects. He pitched his story to them, and the Three Lakes Association agreed to take it on as a project. At the time they called it the Grass River Wildlife Project. So, then he needed to get the landowners on board. Their ultimate goal was to own this land, and you’ve got people who own this land. He had to figure out how to get them on board to either give and/or sell their property.

Express: Wow. That sounds like a hard job.

Wright: At the time, it happened to be that the taxes for people living on water were the same across the board, so if you lived on Torch Lake, you paid the same taxes as you did if you were living on Grass River, and there were several landowners that were struggling, who weren’t able to maintain that. So, there was actually interest automatically from them to think about how to win-win this project — how to get rid of their land and make this happen. Warren talked them into this project, got three big landowners to sign agreements. The problem was, they were waiting for this federal funding; it was going to take a couple of years. The landowners, especially those big three, were antsy. They didn’t really want to wait. So, the county stepped up and actually waived their property taxes for three years, until that federal funding could come in and they could actually pay [the landowners] for the value of their land.

Express: Was that a controversial decision at the time?

Wright: It doesn’t come off as a controversial decision in our history books, and I haven’t heard anybody say it, but I just think about that, and I think, in today’ day and age, it would never happen, first of all, and, if it did, imagine what would come out of that. That was a huge plus for the landowners.

Express: And it secured those critical pieces.

Wright: Exactly. The first piece that we actually got — Bill and Paul DeLange, they owned 328 acres, basically in the heart of this property. They owned the cabin [that for years served as Grass River’s visitors center]. That was their family’s hunting cabin. It had been for years. They were having some family discord. One of the sons was having some financial problems and needed to sell his share, and they were trying to decide what to do, and they heard about this project. They actually stepped forward, and they were the first official gift of land that we received. There was a contingency that they could use it for five years, in the summer, and then it became the property of Grass River. So that was sort of the kickoff.

Express: So, Grass River and Antrim County were now in the land-conservation business.

Wright: As we started to acquire these properties, it became pretty apparent that there was no written or legal statute as to how to conserve property. There weren’t conservancies. There weren’t conservation easements. There was no legal process. But one of the people involved in the project happened to know the director of The Nature Conservancy. The closest office was in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Express: Wait. They knew the national director of the Nature Conservancy?

Wright: Yes. They were friends. They lived on Torch Lake, and they had connections. So, they called John Flicker, and he came to Bellaire, and he heard their story and agreed to be part of this project, by holding the deeds to the land that was being acquired until the county could accept them back. The Nature Conservancy at the time had the processes for how to restrict the deeds and what to do. So basically, what happened was, the land was given to the county, the county gave the land to The Nature Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy put restrictions on the deeds that said it has to be used for scientific, education, and aesthetic purposes. That’s the only thing the land could be used for. And once that was done, The Nature Conservancy turned around and gave it back to the county. So there was this weird, long process. We were the first project in Michigan for The Nature Conservancy. Now they have an office in the state. That alone, when I read that, I thought that’s crazy.

Express: That’s historic.

Wright: It’s huge. And it happens all the time now. So they went through that process. In the meantime, they still needed to fundraise. They continued to grow. Think about the grassroots fundraising: They had a Mancelona teacher who collected pennies from her students. They would actually do skits on why Grass River should be saved. And they collected 10,000 pennies. They had popcorn for preservation. They sold raffle tickets. They did all the crazy things that you do to fundraise.

Express: In those early days, what was the objective of the fundraising?

Wright: Land. It was all land.

Express: You weren’t trying to build a visitors’ center yet.

Wright: They really were just thinking about land acquisition and preservation at the time. In the ’70s, we’re one of the few county-owned natural areas in the nation. We are a model. We actually had the Park Service come visit us, and they deemed us “The Grass River Model.” We had people coming to learn how and why this project happened the way it did and why it was successful.

In the 1980s, focus shifted to Grass River Inc., the nonprofit end of the project. Grass River Natural Area Inc. was established in 1979, and since that time, the nonprofit has been contracted by Antrim County to manage the property. In 1980, construction began on what would become a two-mile boardwalk through the wetlands area of the preserve, and trails through the upland sections of the property were established, giving the public access to the property.

The boardwalk was completed in 1984, enabling Grass River to host school groups, and Grass River’s focus shifted to developing educational programs. At first, the organization used the property’s tiny, original hunting cabin for events. By 1988, Grass River saw 20,000 visitors annually. The first executive director was hired in 1992. Construction of the 3,000-square-foot visitors center was completed in 2011, and today Grass River sees over 30,000 visitors per year.

Express: What are the educational lessons that you teach at Grass River?

Wright: We know that people don’t spend a lot of time in nature nowadays. We also know from some research that being outdoors in nature is really beneficial — emotionally, mentally, and physically. People who get outdoors are healthier. So, we want people to know that being outdoors is a good place to be, number one. Also, the fact that this is their backyard. The things you find here are the things you find in your backyard. It’s what makes up northern Michigan. Finally, the water component — we have a million gallons of water that comes through here, and if this would have been developed, the clarity of the water in Clam Lake, or the color of Torch Lake, or the health of Grand Traverse Bay could look very different had we not had this huge two-and-a-half-mile-long filter that is able to take care of the water as it comes through.

Express: What plans do you have for Grass River’s future?

Wright: Personally, I have a dream — I’ve said this since I started. I would love to see some sort of a nature preschool model. Nature preschool is something that in the last 10 years has grown exponentially in this country, and there is a lot of research to show that nature preschool is super impactful, because they allow kids to do what they do best, which is be kids. But you can tie in the curriculum, you can tie in the learning, and it happens in an outdoor setting. I’ve had some conversations with some folks in the community about what that might look like.
Also, infrastructure-wise, we have to finish [the reconstruction of] our boardwalk. Our previous executive director fundraised and raised $400,000 for a third of a mile of boardwalk. Do the math — it’s really expensive. But it’s an amazing boardwalk. Last summer from June to August, they ripped up the old boardwalk and put the new one in, and it was sort of a proof of concept for us to see how it went. We’re finding that it is incredibly popular. People are loving it, partially because it’s accessible. Last fall I was here in October on a Saturday; I had a gentleman come in, and he just couldn’t tell me enough about how excited he and his wife were, because she is in a wheelchair, and they wanted to see fall colors, and they knew they could get out to the boardwalk. He sent me back a picture of her with her thumbs up, and he has since sent me money for the next sections that we do. Now that we have the momentum and can see what they can be, we really want to continue that process into the next couple years and raise the money and finish the boardwalk.

This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

IMPROVING THE ROAD TO HAPPINESS

If you’ve been out to the Grass River Center in the last several years, you likely noticed the sad condition of the entrance road. If it was April, it was likely a swampy, muddy mess (IF it was even open). If it was July, it was likely a dusty washboard. Well, we have some exciting news! In 2018, Antrim County Commissioners approved the final installment of a funding plan to improve the Grass River Natural Area road, and we can’t wait to get started!
As managers of the Grass River Natural Area, we recognize that to some this work may appear counter-intuitive to the concept of “protecting the natural environment”. We want to assure the community that we used best practices in ecological management throughout the decision process. In addition to working closely with the Antrim Conservation District Forester we also vetted all ideas through our own Land Management Committee which is composed of GRNA Board Members as well as community members who are all experts in the ecological sciences.
So, what does this mean for our guests? Beginning sometime in March we expect the first phase to occur as a timber company removes the necessary trees to allow a wider road surface. Later in the summer we anticipate the actual work to widen the surface, improve the drainage, and apply a layer of gravel (we are not paving), which will complete the project.
So, how will the improved road benefit users of GRNA?

One of GRNA’s strategic goals is to “steward natural resources and facilities with best practices” and the first strategy under that goal is to “provide a safe environment for visitor usage”. Removing several aging/dying aspen trees along the road will remove danger of road blockage and thus increase the safety of our site for our guests and staff. There currently are a multitude of downed trees on sections of our road. This is an example of what a high wind event can do to mature, short-lived tree species.
Our entrance road is the first introduction our guests have to the natural area. This gateway to our property is designed to create a welcoming and peaceful entrance into nature. Dodging deep pot holes, large expanses of standing water, or slick mud patches most certainly takes away from the welcoming message we are trying to send.
In an average year GRNA closes the entrance road on average of 1-2 weeks/year because of ice and/or mud. An improved road will eliminate those issues and allow us the ability to connect with our community and offer programs to schools and outside groups on a more dependable basis.
Finally, because the entrance road is currently categorized as a seasonal road, all clearing of snow to keep the center open year round is both the physical and economic responsibility of Grass River Natural Area. By improving the width and design of the road, we will benefit from the services of the Antrim County Road Commission who will be adding this to their routes to maintain.

We are grateful for the Antrim County Commissioners for approving this important project, and we look forward to showcasing our improved entrance to each of you when you come to hike the trails, visit the Center, or attend an upcoming program with our naturalist.
If you have questions or want further information please contact Executive Director Jenn Wright at [email protected] or at 231.533.8314 Ext. 3091.

2018 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

We are proud to announce that our 2018 Volunteer of the Year award goes to Phil Jarvi! For those of you who know Phil, this does not come as much of a surprise. He is a Grass River supporter through and through and doesn’t just talk the talk, but also walks the walk. Phil first got introduced to Grass River Natural Area in 2005 and has since helped lead weekly Wildflower Walks, participated in our semi-annual stream monitoring, monitored butterfly populations, helped in our native gardens, and has served as a docent, greeting people at the front desk of our nature center. We are so grateful for the efforts of Phil and appreciate his commitment to GRNA and our mission. You can read more about Phil here.

NEW SECTION OF BOARDWALK OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Ribbon Cutting for Boardwalk Reconstruction at Grass River Natural Area

With a crowd of fifty stakeholders looking on, Grass River Natural Area Board of Directors and staff officially opened the new section of reconstructed boardwalk to the public on August 23rd. This $400,000, one-third mile project will provide a safe environment for individuals to explore the natural area, remove impediments to stream flow and fish passage, and increase accessibility for all ages and abilities to engage with the natural world. This is an exciting accomplishment for Grass River Natural Area as well as the community. GRNA Executive Director, Jenn Wright, stated “we are grateful to the community for believing in our ability to make this happen! This project is both the culmination of years of planning and hard work by our team and the impetus to the next phase, which includes reconstruction of the remaining 1.2 miles of boardwalk. As I watch individuals of all ages and abilities explore nature via this new path, I am encouraged and thankful that we live in a community where the natural world is valued and appreciated.”

Also included in the audience were representatives from Gosling Czubak Engineering Sciences, the engineers of the project, as well as representatives from Richter Construction, Inc., the company tasked with replacing the boardwalk, and a representative from Wickcraft Boardwalks, the company who manufactured the components. This cooperative effort would not have been possible without the many generous donations from individuals and foundations, as well as a generous contribution by the Antrim County Commissioners.

NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT GRNA

After an extensive search, Grass River Natural Area, Inc. is excited to announce that Jenn Wright has been named Executive Director. Jenn brings with her extensive experience in development, conservation stewardship, facilities management, human resources and education. Jenn is scheduled to start at GRNA on June 18.

Jenn Wright comes to GRNA from the Kalamazoo Nature Center in Kalamazoo, MI where she has spent the last 17 years. Most recently, Jenn served as Chief Operating Officer where she managed the day-to-day operations of the center. Prior to her time at the Kalamazoo Nature Center, Jenn spent four years at the Chippewa Nature Center in Midland, MI. Read more about Jenn here.

OVER $400,000 RAISED FOR BOARDWALK RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Over the past 16 months GRNA’s Executive Director, Haley Breniser, has worked diligently to raise over $400,000 to support Phase 1 of boardwalk reconstruction which will begin the first week of June. Approximately 1/3 mile of existing 30-year old boardwalk structure will be removed and replaced with long-lasting, ADA materials. This replacement will:

-Provide a safe environment for individuals to explore the natural area
-Remove impediments to stream flow and fish passage
-Increase accessibility for all ages and abilities to engage with the natural world

This project would not be made possible without Antrim County Commission's commitment of $100,000 as well as the extremely generous contributions of many private foundations and individuals. Breniser said, "my absolute favorite part of this fundraising project has been the relationship building with our donors. The personal conversations that occurred over the past year highlight how deeply our donors believe in our mission, a healthy watershed, and accessibility for all. It is truly an inspiration... and don't we all need that! GRNA would like to thank those forward-thinking, generous donors who supported this first phase of reconstruction. They believe wholeheartedly in GRNA's goal to improve stream habitat and make our wetland boardwalk accessible to all.

Boardwalk Reconstruction Case for Support

PERCEPTION PATHWAY SENSORY TRAIL UPGRADED WITH NEW SIGNAGE

The Perception Pathway is a sensory trail that follows the Fern Trail boardwalk at Grass River. New braille interpretive signage was installed by Image360 - Traverse City, which was designed with the help of Gene Ullery-Smith Graphic Design. The entire project features new braille signage that focuses on using your senses outdoors, along with our "Field Guide to Northwest Michigan" transcribed into braille, a new guide cable and posts, and a new roof on our educational pavilion at the start of the trail. This project was funded by the Michigan Braille Transcribing Fund, the Bellaire Lions Club, the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation FOCUS Fund and Access To Recreation Endowment, Great Lakes Energy, the National Association for Interpretation Region 4, and the Elk Rapids Lions Club. Thank you for your support of this project!

LEADERSHIP TRANSITION AT GRASS RIVER

"After 4.5 successful years at Grass River Natural Area, Executive Director, Haley Breniser, is stepping down from her position to pursue other passions and raise her growing family come spring. Haley will be assisting with our transition during the next 4 months as we seek a new Executive Director. We’re going to miss Haley at GRNA, but we’re so excited for her next chapter." - Board of Directors

With her departure on the horizon, Haley reflected, “I feel very fortunate to have followed in the footsteps of many dedicated and courageous Grass River leaders who throughout our history have emerged in the form of community volunteers, county commissioners, board members, and staff. Together over nearly 50 years, we have worked together to create a more ecologically aware community, preserve significant water resources, and sustain a non-profit organization built by the community for the community. I believe the following quote by Ken Robinson contains words to live by as a leader in any field…. ‘The role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it's to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they're valued.’ I hope that is the legacy I leave behind at Grass River Natural Area, Inc.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2017 VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR!

It is our pleasure to announce Bob and Sheridan Haack as GRNA's 2017 Volunteers of the Year. In addition to volunteering for numerous projects such as our biannual stream monitoring for aquatic insects and joining our Land Management Committee, Bob and Sheridan also conducted their own independent insect surveys on the property during 2017. Their passion to educate others and apply science-based conservation practices at GRNA is an inspiration to us all. Thank you Bob and Sheridan for all of your efforts at GRNA! Read more about Bob and Sheridan here.

GRNA INSTALLS NEW SIGNAGE - THANKS TO MPARKS GRANT!

New directional and wayfinding signage went up week of Dec 15th at GRNA! We received a substantial and generous grant through MParks Michigan Recreation and Park Association as well as funding from a private donor to support this project. The lumber used is long-lasting Black Locust, a non-native species of tree in Michigan with an extremely rot resistant heartwood. We are so grateful to have worked with the talented Gene Ullery-Smith at Gene Ullery-Smith Graphic Design as well as the enthusiastic crew at Image360 - Traverse City. And, Chelsea Bay Design created the new logo and brand earlier this year. It takes a village on a project like this! We thank the many volunteers who over the years contributed invaluable input to our long-term "signage plan". Now please, visit us this weekend and enjoy! Grass River is yours to explore...#puremichigan #antrimcounty #mparks #grassriverNA

THE FIELD GUIDE IS HERE!

GRNA, Inc. has published a field guide to the region! This book is an authoritative 152-page guide with color photography describing over 400 species in the Northwest Michigan region, including wildflowers, trees, fungi, insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and more! Once released, it will be for sale at Grass River Natural Area and local stores.

Go here for more information.

JULY 2016: ADDITIONAL 40 ACRES ADDED TO NATURAL AREA

GRNA NOW 1492 ACRES : A TIME FOR GRATITUDE

An additional FORTY contiguous acres has been added to Grass River Natural Area. Thanks to Antrim County for being a proactive partner in protecting Grass River's riparian corridor!

Knowing the parcel had unique ecological value, Antrim County commissioners were proactive in acquiring this 40 acre parcel through foreclosure methods with First Rights of Refusal. As a conservation partner and manager of Grass River Natural Area, GRNA, Inc. Board of Directors recommended the protection of this parcel and expressed the great benefits (water quality, wildlife habitat, biodiversity) of forested wetland habitat.

THANK YOU ALL for celebrating with us!

Below is a great resource. Read more about lowland conifer forests on page 46: http://www.miwaterstewardship.org/…/Michigan.Forest.Communi…

GRASS RIVER EXPANDS

Grass River Natural Area, Antrim County – On December 18, 2015, Grass River Natural Area, Inc. (GRNA) purchased an additional 9.066 acres of forested wetland located on the south shore of Clam Lake – an ecologically significant peninsula contiguous with existing GRNA land. This important addition enlarges GRNA’s protected lands from 1443 to 1452 total acres.

This acquisition could not have been possible without a substantial matching challenge grant from the J.A. Woollam Foundation and significant matching funds from Mr. and Mrs. Matt and Deb Knudstrup of Rapid City, MI. In addition, many generous donors have given to our Land Protection Fund over the years which aided in the preservation of this parcel. GRNA, Inc. Board of Directors, Executive Director, and staff could not be more grateful for the generosity of all who made this acquisition possible.

This particular parcel has been on GRNA, Inc’s priority list for about 30 years. It is not only significant in order to maintain high water quality within the Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed but also to maintain the ecological integrity of wildlife habitat for species like the river otter, the common loon and several other species of waterfowl, diverse reptiles and amphibians, and sensitive wetland plant species.

Grass River Natural Area’s (established in 1969) very first conservation efforts centered on acquisition of vital lands that offered resource protection of the Grass River and associated tributaries and wetlands. This 9.066 acre parcel has been a very important “piece of that puzzle” and is finally protected in perpetuity.

TOP 10 NORTHERN MICHIGAN SUMMER ESCAPES

In July 2012, "Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine" listed Grass River Natural Area as one of the top ten Northern Michigan Summer Escapes (read the full article).