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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula September 12, 2003  Updated September 15, 2003 Text © 2003 Michele Anderson. Sept. 10 photos © 2003 Janet Shea and Michele Anderson, as indicated.

Page 2: TNC completes Keweenaw Tip purchase for Michigan

Attending the Brockway Mountain celebration were several Board members of TNC's Michigan Chapter, as well as members of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board and state and local government officials.

Denise Copen, TNC executive assistant, left, holds glasses as Sharon Mueller, partner of TNC staff member Reynolds Potter, pours champagne for the Sept. 10 ceremony on Brockway Mountain. Also pictured are Alex Rossman, TNC Communications staff member, second from left, and (bending over, third from left) Danielle Casavant, TNC Philanthropy staff member. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

Leading a champagne toast for the people of Michigan, new owners of the Keweenaw Tip property, was John Vinkemulder of Frankfort, outgoing chair of TNC's Michigan Chapter.

"I'm so impressed with the number of people who turned out," Vinkemulder said. "I think the county here (Keweenaw) has set a high standard for the other counties of the state."

Keweenaw County Commissioner Don Keith addressed the crowd, saying, "Listen ... generations yet to be are saying, 'Thank you, thank you.' I can hear them."

Keweenaw County Commissioner Don Keith addresses the crowd gathered for the "Key to the Keweenaw" celebration Sept. 10, 2003, on Brockway Mountain. In the background, next to the map, are Phil Power of Ann Arbor (dark shirt), chair-elect of TNC's Michigan Chapter, and, to his right, Charlie Eshbach, Keweenaw photographer and conservationist. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

Keith noted the new public land will ensure an economic future of tourism for Keweenaw County.

Representing Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm (who recently visited the Copper Country), was Matt Johnson, director of the Governor's Office for the Upper Peninsula. Johnson mentioned the Governor's concern for land use issues and her creation of the Michigan Land Use Leadership Council in March 2003. The Council recently published its report after conducting meetings for public input around Michigan.

During the Sept. 10 Keweenaw Tip Completion event, Matt Johnson, director of Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm's Office for the Upper Peninsula, speaks about the importance of land use planning for the future of recreation and open and green space in Michigan. (Photo by Janet Shea)

"What this (Keweenaw land purchase) shows is what partnership can do," he said.

Johnson noted the Land Use Leadership Council has created a blueprint for future land use that the Governor and her staff are studying.

"We hope to start creating meaningful land use policies that offer recreational opportunities and protect wilderness and open spaces as well as farmland," Johnson said. "We're on the right track."

Also on hand for the Brockway celebration was State Rep. Rich Brown (D-Bessemer), who was elected to office at the time of a controversial attempted land swap of this property.

"This is a finalization of a long process -- a dream come true for a lot of folks," Brown said.

He noted the failure of the land swap made some people think the dream of public ownership would never happen.

"Thankfully," he added, "a lot of people stayed involved and kept pursuing this."

Brown was instrumental in drafting a legislative resolution in support of the land sale project.

"It's not often that we politicians are able to carry out one of our promises," Brown said, noting that popular support was important for the success of the sale.

"I congratulate you and thank you for all of your efforts," he said to the crowd gathered for the ceremony.

Charlie Eshbach, Keweenaw photographer and conservationist, who drove to Lansing just after Sept. 11, 2001, to present the Keweenaw Tip purchase proposal (including a presentation of his own photos of Keweenaw's top beauty spots) to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, told the crowd on Brockway how local residents first became involved in the effort to preserve this land for the people of Michigan.

Charlie Eshbach, Keweenaw photographer and conservationist, tells visitors how local residents became involved in the Keweenaw Tip purchase, beginning in December 2000. At left is TNC's map showing the protected lands and shoreline. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

"It was about four years ago we saw our access to this land disappearing," Eshbach said, "and three years ago we started to do something about it."

He described the meeting held in the Calumet Theatre on Dec. 4, 2000, when a large crowd of local residents filled out small cards on which they noted their favorite Keweenaw places and handed them in to a citizens' group called Public Access Keweenaw. The group mobilized letters of support for the land deal between the state and the landowner, Lake Superior Land Co. (now a subsidiary of International Paper), and the rest is history.

"I can't take the credit," Eshbach said. "It was the people of Keweenaw, because what was truly important to them came forward."

Thanking TNC representatives, Eshbach noted, "We could never have done it without them."

He also noted his appreciation of the openness of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board members, who had many worthy projects to consider in their decision.

Kevin Johnson of Gaylord, present chair of the Trust Fund Board, reminded the crowd that the money awarded for the Keweenaw Tip purchase comes from state oil and gas royalties. Kevin Johnson noted this was his first trip to the Keweenaw.

"I'll bring my family back now that I've seen it," he said.

After the ceremony, visitors joined TNC representatives for a boat ride on the Keweenaw Star from Copper Harbor, around Keweenaw Point to the Mouth of the Montreal River and back. The weather was delightful, with just a bit of rolling as the boat returned around the Point.

This photo, taken from the Keweenaw Star on Sept. 10, 2003, shows Keweenaw Point, Gull Rock with its lighthouse and, at right, Manitou Island, an important bird migration site. (Photo by Janet Shea)

John and Jane Griffith and their son Evan were among the passengers enjoying the view of the Keweenaw shoreline. The Griffiths are co-founders of North Woods Conservancy, which is active in land preservation in Allouez Township, Keweenaw County, and partners with TNC in seeking grant monies for conservation.

"Congratulations to The Nature Conservancy," Jane Griffith said. "I think the key is that they did what people were talking about for many years. They made it happen."

"This is marvelous," commented Don Tildon of Ann Arbor, board member for TNC's Michigan Chapter, as he enjoyed the view from the Keweenaw Star's top deck. Tildon said Helen Taylor brought up the subject of Keweenaw to the board about six or seven years ago.

"The Keweenaw is truly one of the last great places in Michigan," he added.

Also on board was Keweenaw resident Gina Nicholas, accompanied by her son, Nick. Gina has been working with the South Shore Association in their fundraising for TNC's proposed purchase of Bete Grise South.

"It's a great accomplishment for the people of Michigan and TNC and the state, and we hope this is just the beginning," she said.

Don Kauppi of Copper Harbor, co-owner with his wife, Peg Kauppi, of the Mariner North, which hosted part of the TNC visitors' program, had only one word to say about the completion of the Keweenaw Tip purchase: "Neat!" 

Don Kauppi is also working with local recreation groups in planning new Keweenaw non-motorized trails for hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing.

Bill Deephouse, president of the Copper Country Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a group that was instrumental in Keweenaw County's purchase of land for public access and recreation at the Mouth of the Gratiot River, a favorite fishing spot, rejoiced at the Keweenaw Tip purchase.

"I think it was fantastic, and we're just going to try to do more of it," he said. 

Happy mergansers frolic in Lake Superior waters near Horseshoe Harbor, TNC's preserve adjacent to the newly purchased state lands. (Photo taken from the Keweenaw Star by Janet Shea)

*Editor's Note: For background on the Keweenaw Tip land sale see our Oct. 2, 2001, article, "Legislature approves Trust Fund projects, including potential Keweenaw Tip sale"  and our Feb. 12, 2002, article, "Michigan acquires first half of Keweenaw Tip property." For more on The Nature Conservancy and their work, visit their Web site. See also the Web site for International Paper.

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