Aug. 27 (Friday) — IT’S A HEALTHY SHORELINES THING: Meet at 5:30 p.m. at the lakefront Milton Township Park Pavilion, Cairn Highway across from township offices and party store. Antrim County’s Soil Conservation Officer Heidi Shaffer speaks at 6 p.m., discussing maintenance, improvement and creation of healthy shorelines adjoining our waters. Whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer, looking for plant tips or local contractors or best times to plant, don’t miss it. Food & free booklets.
Aug. 28 (Saturday) — IT’S A BOAT WASH THING: 12-4 p.m. Baggs Road DNR ramp: ESLA’s third and final boat wash of 2021, co-sponsored with Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. This year’s events have coincided with bass tournaments on Elk and Skegemog lakes. Board member Linda Slopsema’s coordination has drawn rave reviews from TOM, which supplies the equipment, for the support from trailer boaters.
Sept. 10 (Friday) — IT’S A DAM TOUR THING: Sept. 10, 5:30 p.m. at the Elk Rapids Dam. History, status report and tour of the working hydro-electric dam led by Mark Stone, Antrim County’s Director of Dams. This special event for ESLA members is an opportunity to peer inside the large, usually locked dam doors and learn how it works. Those who wish may step inside with Stone for a closer look. Stone is passionate about the proper operation of dams in Bellaire and Elk Rapids. The federally-regulated power dam assures us that our water levels will remain relatively constant.
Sept. 18 — (Saturday) PADDLE ANTRIM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Paddle Antrim kayakers move through Skegemog and Elk lakes on their big annual event. Two-member (captain and spotter) volunteer “safety boat” crews are needed for 3-4+ hours on Elk Lake beginning around noon. A training session is required. Crews aid paddlers who might face issues finishing their tour of the Elk River Chain of Lakes. For details, contact Ellie Kirkpatrick at volunteer@paddleantrim.com or 231-498-2080.
Sept. 24 — (Friday) IT’S A RAIN GARDENS THING. 5:30 p.m. Hear what the Village of Elk Rapids has done with a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant to capture and filter millions of gallons of stormwater runoff. The project reduces sediment, nutrients and other pollution reaching Grand Traverse Bay. The group will hear from Sarah U’Ren, program director for The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, which led the effort to obtain the grant. We return to Twisted Fish Art Gallery, 10443 S Bay Shore Drive, Elk Rapids for this outside, under-a-tent event.