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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula Posted July 24, 2003 Text and photos © 2003 Michele Anderson.

TNC rep to address South Shore Association July 26

LAC LA BELLE -- Jeff Knoop, Western Upper Peninsula director of land protection for The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Michigan Chapter, will speak at the South Shore Association meeting at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 26, in Lac La Belle. The meeting will be held in the Lac La Belle (Grant Township) Fire Hall and is open to the public.

Knoop will speak about the Conservancy's plan to purchase about 1,103 acres -- including 7,500 feet of Lake Superior shoreline and approximately 800 acres of wetland -- at Bete Grise South, near Lac La Belle. If successful, the purchase will protect diverse wetland types, including an outstanding Great Lakes coastal plain marsh community and associated dune/swale wetland complex.

"This is one of the finest estuarine systems remaining along the shores of Lake Superior," Knoop said, "and the Conservancy is committed to seeing this area protected."

This photo shows a view of the beach at Bete Grise South on the eastern shore of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Along the beach is a delicate wetland area considered a rare Great Lakes Marsh. The Nature Conservancy hopes to purchase about 1,103 acres -- including 7,500 feet of Lake Superior shoreline and approximately 800 acres of wetland -- for preservation and public access. (File photo by Michele Anderson)

Knoop said the conservancy is now trying to raise $100,000 by the end of this year as earnest money to hold the property until TNC can raise enough money to purchase the property from Lake Superior Land Co. (LSLC). He noted the value, as determined by two independent appraisers, is $1,530,000.

"With luck, LSLC will give the Conservancy a year to 18 months to close the deal, thus giving us time to raise the necessary funds," Knoop added. "Although this isn't a done deal quite yet, we are confident that funding from a variety of sources and the cooperation of LSLC will make this project a reality."

Knoop said TNC has so far raised about $7,500 toward the $100,000 immediate goal. Besides applying for grant money, the Conservancy has been asking for tax-deductible donations from individuals and groups.

Anyone wishing to contribute to The Nature Conservancy's fund for purchasing Bete Grise South may send donations to: The Nature Conservancy, Attention Jeff Knoop, 125 W. Washington St., Suite G, Marquette, MI 49855. Indicate that the contribution is for Bete Grise South.

At the June 28 South Shore Association meeting Tom Collins, SSA president, announced an effort by the Save Bete Grise Fundraising Committee to solicit donations to TNC from Keweenaw area residents.

"I'm really optimistic that we can do it -- raise $100,000," Collins said.*

Highlights of the June 28 SSA meeting also included a report by Gina Nicholas on Mark Wyckoff's June 23rd visit to Grant Township, during which she accompanied him and Grant Township Supervisor Richard Powers on an extensive tour of the Copper Harbor and Lac La Belle areas, including a trip up Mt. Bohemia. Wyckoff, of Lansing, is President of the Planning and Zoning Center, Inc., an enterprise devoted to research, education and consultation in appropriate community planning. On June 23, he gave a Planning and Zoning Training Program for local government officials and interested citizens of Keweenaw County, as well as a separate presentation on land division and zoning to the Grant Township Board and residents.

South Shore resident Gina Nicholas reports on Mark Wyckoff's Planning and Zoning Training Program to South Shore Association (SSA) members at their June 28 meeting in the Lac La Belle Fire Hall. Standing at left is SSA President Tom Collins. At the meeting, residents also received a handout on the fundraising campaign for Bete Grise South.

Nicholas noted Wyckoff explained that Keweenaw County's 1975 Zoning Ordinance requires updating to meet the needs that have emerged in almost 30 years.

Paul Campbell of Lac La Belle, who also attended the Wyckoff Training Program, noted that Wyckoff said Keweenaw residents have a very unique area up here. Knowing that Wyckoff has been all over Michigan, Campbell said he thought it was "pretty special" for him to say that.

South Shore Association officers (from left) Anita Campbell, secretary; Tom Collins, president; and Vern LeBlanc, treasurer, are pictured here at the June 28, 2003, SSA meeting in the Lac La Belle Fire Hall. Not pictured is Chuck Brumleve, vice-president.

Nicholas also mentioned Wyckoff's recommendation that Keweenaw County hire "an international expert on ecotourism."**

Another highlight of last month's SSA meeting was Bonnie Hay's presentation on the Gratiot Lake Conservancy. Hay showed slides of the Conservancy's work of preservation and education. The  group's educational programs include good practices for lakeshore landowners, research on plants and animals in the area, environmental studies for young people, geology and water quality testing -- such as the Mud Puppy research boat studies by Michigan State University and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

"We were pleased to find that Gratiot came out very well compared to downstate lakes," Hay said of the Mud Puppy results.

Gratiot Lake now has a volunteer trained to do water testing, Hay added.

Visit the Gratiot Lake Conservancy Web site for more information on their work and photos of their activities.

In other business at the July 28 SSA meeting, members heard updates on a plan to place a historical, interpretive sign at Haven Park, in cooperation with the Keweenaw National Historical Park; on SSA's wish to purchase land near the Lac La Belle Fire Hall in order to expand Union Park down to the lakeshore (land now leased to Black Bear); and on the Grant Township Recreation Plan.

Editor's Notes:  *See a map of Bete Grise South, provided by Lake Superior Land Co., a subsidiary of International Paper. *To learn more about The Nature Conservancy's worldwide work of saving the last great places on earth, visit their Web site, Nature.org. **Watch for an article on Mark Wyckoff's Planning and Zoning Training Program, coming soon.