ANNUAL SKEGEMOG WILDERNESS AREA PICNIC - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2009

Nature walk with Bob Carstens departs from the Rapid City Rd. turnoff at 9:30 a.m. Bob Carstens is a birder and wildlife expert who puts on a great tour. Plan for a gentle walk to the swamp platform which is about a mile each way. Based on the results of previous walks with Bob, I’m sure it will be well worth your time.

At the conclusion of the nature walk, around 12:00 noon, we’ll have the picnic lunch at the Torch River platform. If you can’t make it for the nature walk, but can make it for the picnic, that’s OK too.

Lunch will be provided, so you don’t have to bring any food items. We’ll have some iced tea and water, but if you prefer another beverage, please bring that along. Please bring your own chair, so we have enough seating to go around.

Please let us know if you will be able to attend, so that we can plan for enough food. You can either call me at (231) 620-5750 or e-mail me at dave@davehauser.net. See you there.

Skegemog Swamp Update June, 2009

Thanks to all who attended our 2009 Spring meeting and to those who pitched in for our first work day last weekend. The meeting minutes are below and you'll find a few photos at the end. Our Beaver deceiver is in place at the large beaver dam and appears to be working. So far, the boardwalk is dry and useable again. Our next activity is the Ray property cleanup, next Friday June 12 starting at 9 a.m., just east of Barker Creek Nursery. Bring gloves and heavy shoes, and plan to be done by noon. Please call, if you have any questions. Thanks.

Dave Hauser
(231) 620-5750

Skegemog Wildlife Area Stewardship Committee

May 12, 2009 Meeting Minutes

The annual meeting was hosted by Dave and Butch Hauser. All attendees introduced themselves. Attendees at the 2009 meeting were: Dave and Butch Hauser, Steve Lagerquist (GTRLC), Dale and Gini Claudepierre, Harry and June Janis, Bob Carstens, Terry Bertrand, Gordon Coy (both from Barker Creek Nursery), Carl Wroubel, Phil Spangenberg, Jo Boyd, Candy Whitmore, Dave &Sue Castle (new), and Pete DiMercurio (ESLA President).

Review of Minutes
The 2008 minutes were distributed for review. No corrections were made. June Janis moved to accept the minutes, and Jo Boyd seconded. The vote was unanimous.

Financial Report
Steve Lagerquist reported that the savings account has $36,644. This is net of the $10,000 spent cleaning the Ray property. Dave Hauser will contact Birgitt Yetter for more detailed information. There was considerable interest in how the organization's investments have fared in this tough economic climate. There was also a discussion of requesting additional funds, if needed, from GTRLC. Over the past years we have agreed not to do any fundraising for Skegemog in order to avoid diluting monies that might otherwise go to the GTRLC.

Project Status

Torch River Handicap-Access Platform: The support structure is complete. The next step will be to install the actual boardwalk. After that, the plan is to drag the pathway to ensure it is suitable for wheelchair use. If necessary, we plan to pave the pathway with crushed rock or diamond dust.

Beaver Dam vs. the Boardwalk: The beavers have scored again, and a great deal of the boardwalk is under water. The boardwalk portion of the trail is unusable at this time. Dave Hauser, Steve Lagerquist, and the Claudepierres plan to break down the beaver dam in the next few days. A "beaver baffler" will be installed over the summer to provide a more permanent solution.

Ray Property Cleanup: Helene Ray passed away in December 2008. At her death, the DNR acquired full ownership of her property, which is an inholding of the Wildlife Area. Steve Lagerquist and Dave Hauser contracted with Mel Guntzviller to remove the structures and major debris. Mel also constructed a snake hibernarium in the cellar of the old barn. A volunteer work day is scheduled for June 12 to further clean up trash and seed the area. Terry Bertrand and Gordon Coy, owners of Barker Creek Nursery, expressed interest in helping with the project in exchange for additional parking for their business. They would also like to discuss a property swap of some of the Ray road frontage for their wetlands. They will discuss their proposal with Todd Vigland.

Three Ponds Structure Removal: Last year Jerry Grieve of the DNR stated he had figured out a way to get approval to remove the two derelict buildings from this property. We will continue to pursue this agenda item with Dave Lemmien, our new MDNR representative.

Mapping and Pathway Marking: We hope to be able to begin this project over the coming months. Our first goal is to map out the pathways on the North Shore pathway.

Red Trail Markings: Some unknown person has used red spray paint to mark some of the pathway that connects the main pathway to the North Shore pathway. If anyone knows who this person is, we would like to ask for his/her help in marking pathways with the correct color (DNR blue).

2009 Planned Activities

First Clean-up Day - Saturday, May 30, from 9:00 to noon. Meet at the main pathway parking lot. Volunteers are asked to bring branch loppers, trash bags, and heavy-duty push brooms. There is a lot of work to be done this year, so please recruit others to come with you.

First Nature Walk - Sunday, May 31 at 8:00 AM, to be led by Bob Carstens

Second Clean-up Day - Friday, June 12, 9:00 to noon. Meet at the Barker Creek site (immediately east of Barker Creek Nursery on M-72). Bring heavy gloves, trash bags, and stiff-backed rakes to help clean the household debris from the property.

Torch River Platform Work Day - to be announced.

Second Nature Walk - Sunday, September 26 at 8:00 AM, to be led by Bob Carstens.

Annual Picnic and Nature Hike - Saturday September 12, or Saturday September 19 - to be announced.

DNR Update - Dave Lemmien
Unfortunately, Mr. Lemmien was unable to attend, so we did not get any information about the financial situation in the MDNR. We will follow up with him regarding the buildings in the Three Ponds area and with a request to grade and add gravel to the pathway parking areas.

Concerns

Phragmites: Last year we identified the reeds on the North Shore pathway as phragmites. Fortunately, we now know that these are native plants, and not the invasive ones that have been found on Grand Traverse Bay. We encourage all our members to keep an eye out for invasive species, and to report any suspicious plants to the GTRLC.

Plant Harvesting: It has also come to our attention that someone has been harvesting plants from the wildlife area. This is illegal and damaging to the landscape. Please stop anyone you see harvesting plants in the wildlife area, and report this activity to the MDNR.

New Business
Pete DiMercurio, President of ESLA (Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association), attended our meeting. He encourages us to work together, and to request assistance from ESLA and its members whenever appropriate. ESLA supports our efforts in the wilderness area, and would be happy to be of assistance to us.

Respectfully submitted,

Gini Claudepierre
5/21/09

Skegemog Wilderness Area Stewardship Committee

Finally the long winter of 2008/2009 is coming to an end. If you like winter sports and ice fishing, this has been a banner year. We hope that you have been able to enjoy a cross country ski or snow shoe trip along one or two of the trails in the wilderness area. Some folks think it's prettiest in the woods with a good snow cover. Every season has wonderful surprises and if you look closely there is almost always something we haven't seen before.

What happened in 2008?

We are happy to report that despite all of the political battling, the struggling economy, and wars on two fronts, the Skegemog Wilderness area managed to weather the storm on its own terms and come through just fine. It even provided much needed respite for folks who wanted to get away from the rat race and think about something else for a few hours, just as it has done for many years now.

The year started with an annual meeting at the Hausers' house on Skegemog Point Rd. We had a good turnout and good discussion regarding the upcoming activity for the season.

On May 25th Bob Carstens and Tom Ford conducted a wild life tour to view spring flowers and some of the many varieties of birds that live in the wilderness area.

On May 30 we had our spring cleanup day in the wilderness area. We had a good enough turnout to clearing fallen trees and branches from the platform trail, while a second crew used a tractor to remove discarded appliances, old wheels and tires, and assorted other treasures that had been deposited in the wilderness area over the years.

On June 2nd the Hausers and the Claudepierres along with Jeff Smith and Todd Zawistawski of Traverse Magazine, all went on a half-day kayak trip in and around the Skegemog Swamp and on up to the south end of the Torch River. The purpose of the trip was to gather information and photos for an article which will appear in the May 2009 issue. It was a perfect day with a blue sky and light winds. It seems that every time we visit there we are entertained by a remarkable display of beautiful plants and wildlife. That day was no exception. We saw Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Sand Hill Cranes, King Fishers, turtles, deer, beavers, alligator gar and much more. If you don't receive Traverse Magazine now, pick up a copy at a nearby newsstand and check it out.

On June 3rd, Dave and Butch Hauser gave a Power Point presentation on the Skegemog Wilderness Area to the Elk Rapids Rotary Club. Following the talk we entertained quite a few good questions. A number of the folks seemed to be learning about the area for the first time, so it was good to be getting the word out to them.

Through the summer, patrons of the wilderness area reported downed trees and branches which were blocking the trails. We appreciate those calls and we were able to take care of the problems in a day or two. We also received a report of muddy water coming down Desmond Creek and we turned that problem over to the DNR. They were able to track it down to some county road maintenance which was allowing silt to run into the creek. They corrected the problem. In September, we had our third annual end-of-season picnic. It started with a nature walk led by Bob Carstens and ended with a hamburger and hot dog lunch. About 20 folks were able to attend. It was great meeting a few first timers.

In October we started work on a handicap accessible extension for the Torch River viewing platform. We were anticipating a gradual transition into winter like we had in recent years. Unfortunately, our winter came to stay on the 15th of November and work abruptly came to a halt. The project consists of a new deck extending out in front of the existing platform, but much lower - near ground level. Also part of the project is an improved, harder surface pathway from the parking lot to the platform. Work will continue on the project after the ground thaws.

In late December, a report that early winter weather had brought down more trees and branches turned out to be a good reason to strap on our cross country skis and go after the problem. It was a beautiful day and we had a great ski and we even took care of a few trees and branches on the North Shore Pathway. If you enjoy cross country skiing or show shoeing, the wilderness area is a beautiful place to go.

Phragmites is coming to town

It seems that everywhere we turn these days, we hear about another invasive species that is finding its way into our environment. Phragmites is a family of fast-growing, grass-like plants that are finding a new home in wetland areas all around the country. How bad can that be, you ask. Well, imagine a plant that grows to a height of eight to ten feet and is so thick that it is next to, if not entirely impossible to walk through. Yes, it is in northern Michigan. It turns out that there is a native strain of the plant which grows at a manageable rate, and then there is it's much more aggressive cousin, which grows like wildfire. Last summer, we thought that the non-native variant had arrived in the wilderness area along the North Shore Pathway. Fortunately those fears were dashed away by a Phragmites expert who assured us that it was the native variety. For now, it is a live and let live situation. If, on the other hand we discover the non-native variant growing, we may have to take prompt measures to eradicate it. Please keep your eyes open for it. To learn more about Phragmites you can go to www.michigan.gov/deq/ and type in Phragmites.

Where have all our Turtles gone?

We first started canoeing in Lake Skegemog in the late 1980's. I can still remember the adventure of paddling into the mouth of the Torch River to see what wildlife we could sneak up to! One thing we were sure to see was a host of turtles of all sizes scooting along the shallow sandbar as we crossed it. We would also always see many turtles sunning themselves on the logs that stick out of the water.

Now, in the 2000s, we've switched to kayaks, but still enjoy sneaking into the mouth of the river to see what we can see. One big difference is the lack of turtles. Now we exclaim when we see a turtle, and make sure the others in our group see it, too. When the big old snapper crawls up our neighbors' shore and makes a nest in their driveway we all breathe a sigh of relief that she's back again for one more season. After she leaves, we mark the spot with a traffic cone to make sure no one inadvertently drives over the nest.

Last summer a professor who specializes in turtles was interviewed by the Traverse City Record-Eagle. I got her email address and sent her a note asking why the turtle population has declined so much in the past 20 or 30 years. Her answer was, as one would expect, human interference. With so much of the lakeshore built up, the turtles have resorted to more exposed and more concentrated nesting areas. This makes it very easy for other species to prey on the eggs. If you walk the main Skegemog pathway in late May and early June, you will see turtle egg shells all around excavated nests. One way we might help turtle eggs survive to hatch would be to protect the nests. The professor recommended covering them with screening, and perhaps sprinkling pepper flakes over the top of the nest (most mammals really don't like pepper). If you are interested in helping me try to save a couple of turtle nests this spring, give me a call, and we'll work out a strategy together! Gini Claudepierre (248) 225-3664

Jerry Grieve is Moving On

For many years now Mr. Jerry Grieve of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been the "go to guy,"for our committee. Jerry has been reassigned to another position in the DNR. Jerry has always watched out for the Skegemog Wilderness Area and helped us resolve whatever issues came our way. Jerry knows the ropes and knows how to get things done. We thank you Jerry for all you have done to make the wilderness area what it is today. Jerry, we can't thank you enough. We wish you the very best in your new position.

At the same time, we welcome our new DNR representative Mr. Dave Lemmien. Dave works out at the DNR office near the corner of Hammond Rd. and Garfield Ave. We look forward to getting to know Dave as we work together to protect and preserve the Skegemog Wilderness area.

Helene Ray

We regret to report that Helene Ray, a long time supporter of the Skegemog Wilderness area, passed away December 28, 2008. We extend our condolences to her family and friends for her loss.

Helene's home was situated on a parcel of land along M-72 near Barker Creek with a life estate interest to her benefit. Over the next several months, the land will be restored under the supervision of the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.

Hydroelectric relicensing

Over the next few years, you will be hearing more about efforts to relicense the dam in Elk Rapids so that it can continue to produce hydroelectric power. While it sounds simple enough, it's not. The federal bureaucracies have created a cumbersome process for licensing even small dams, like ours. At this point, I want to pass along a few ideas on this subject that I think are important. As recently as few years ago, the dam was maintained by Antrim County and the hydroelectric equipment was operated remotely by Traverse City Light and Power. The arrangement didn't provide daily, on-site supervision, to be certain that both the dam and equipment are up to snuff. It wasn't working out well. Then, a private operator took over operation of the dam and equipment. Now it is watched every day. This has meant a huge improvement in efficiency and effectiveness. With the hydroelectric equipment being closely monitored and maintained, it is producing nearly twice the power it was before and it is meeting a major part of the electrical power needs for Elk Rapids. That's clean and green power for the community.

The operator is also monitoring the dam's condition which helps to preserve our lake levels and the entire lower Chain of Lakes ecosystem. Without the dam, not only would the lake levels drop by some 12 feet, but the system would become home to nearly 200 invasive species now roaming Lake Michigan. It would also destroy thousands of acres of wildlife habitat. It would be a terrible disaster for lake patrons and riparians alike.

Without our operator keeping a watchful eye on the dam, over time it will deteriorate. If not maintained as trouble spots are discovered, there is a legitimate concern that we could lose our dam. By extending the license, our operator can continue to produce clean power while keeping a close eye on the dam structure. It's good for the community, good for the ecosystem and good for our unique and wonderful lake system. I'm sure you will hear lot's more on this important issue over coming months and years. Stay tuned.

What's ahead for 2009?

I'm glad you asked. There is never a shortage of projects for our ever growing taskforce of volunteers. Here are a few of the projects being considered which will be discussed in greater detail at our annual spring meeting on May 12, 2009.

1. Maintaining existing pathways, to include spring cleanup of fallen trees and branches and trimming new growth which obstructs the pathways
2. Completing the handicap accessible deck addition to the Torch River Viewing Platform. The project also includes improving the pathway from the parking area to the platform. We will be seeking workers with carpentry skills and those who just want to pitch in as they can.
3. Expanding the pathways beyond their present boundaries. Specific ideas are connecting the North Shore Pathway to Aarwood Ct.; creating a clearer pathway from the three ponds area to the railroad bed; and adding a new pathway to the southern Torch River area. This is the year we intend to prepare accurate GPS maps of the pathways and we will continue to improve markings for trails.
4. Restoring Helene Ray's home site to a more natural condition. A contractor is doing the hard work so all we need to do is clean up behind them. I will be sending out an e-mail when I know a specific date when a proper receptacle will be there for us.
5. Continue to pursue a solution for the crumbling buildings in the Three Ponds area.
6. Work with the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy to produce an educational DVD to tell the public about the wonderful area we all have here.
7. Attempt to schedule three work days and pick a date for our third annual Skegemog Wilderness Area Picnic.

The May 12, 2009, spring meeting of the Skegemog Wilderness Stewardship committee will be held again at the Hausers' house at 9240 Skegemog Point Rd. at 7:00 p.m. I promise not to go past 9:00 p.m. We hope that you can join us for this important meeting. We're not even asking for any dues or donations. If you have any questions or issues we can discuss, please contact me at (231) 620-5750 or dave@davehauser.net. You can also contact Dale Claudepierre at (248) 644-7614 or ginidale70@gmail.com . Thank you.

Sincerely,

Dave Hauser