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Conserving land and water resources in the Saginaw Bay Watershed |
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Saginaw Basin
Land Conservancy Projects and News STANDISH NATURE PRESERVE DEDICATION 8/26/08 4pm
When: Tuesday, August 26th, 2008 4:00 PM Where: Standish Nature Preserve, Standish, MI RSVP: Contact the SBLC at comments@sblc-mi.org or via phone 989.891.9986 Tours of the preserve will be offered after the ceremony. The preserve is located on the western shore of the Saginaw Bay, at the southeast corner of Bordeau and LaFave Roads in Standish Township, Arenac County. It encompasses 24.75 acres of wooded coastal wetlands. The preserve is noted for its 500-foot frontage on the Saginaw Bay as well as its secluded inland pond. Rolling land with several ridges dot the densely forested areas. Members of the newly formed Pinconning-Standish Rotary Club helped Conservancy volunteers install a large wooden entrance sign and build benches at the preserve for greater visibility and accessibility. “This land not only creates natural areas for recreation and enjoyment, it also helps to preserve the natural wetland ecosystem which will filter chemicals and pollutants and keep them out of Saginaw Bay,” said Conservancy executive director Valerie Roof. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer the use of this wonderful preserve to visitors of all ages – to learn about and appreciate the Saginaw Bay Watershed.” The preserve features hiking trails which follow the uplands and meander throughout the wetland which is dense with mature trees including elm, ash, birch, oak and aspen. A small open area off Bordeau Lane and the waterfront supports wetland vegetation including willow, ash, dogwood and cattails.
PRESSPRICH NATURE PRESERVE WORK DAY Volunteers Needed! Do you like to work with your hands? The Conservancy would love your help in putting up preserve signs and building hand-crafted benches to increase visibility and accessibility at our Pressprich Nature Preserve, located in Au Gres, MI. No experience required. When: Saturday, September 6th, 2008 – 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Where: Pressprich Nature Preserve, Au Gres, MI RSVP: Contact SBLC at comments@sblc-mi.org or via phone 989.891.9986
SUMMER IN BLOOM AT PINCONNING NATURE PRESERVE
Our guide called these sunset-colored beauties “Michigan Lillies,” although they are also known as “Turk’s Cap Lillies.” Did you miss the beautiful Wildflower Walk at the Conservancy’s Pinconning Nature Preserve in July? Want to come to more events like this? Join the Conservancy to receive our tri-annual newsletter and receive advance notice of our events!
SBLC Receives Grant for New Preserve Signage and Accessibility
The new preserve is located in Huron County, MI near Caseville. Wildfowl Bay, MI – The Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy recently received a grant totaling $2,300 to provide sign and accessibility enhancements to its new preserve on Wildfowl Bay, thanks to the Huron County Community Foundation. “Adding signs and rest benches will increase visitor access as well as educational and recreational opportunities,” said executive director Valerie Roof. Conservancy website enhancements will also promote the new preserve and its ecologically significant features. The Conservancy will install an attractive preserve sign at the entry to the property, as well as build and place benches along existing non-motorized pathways and lake shore areas. Signs will help mark the preserve’s boundaries, as well as inform visitors of the state preserve’s restrictions. The Conservancy is looking for volunteers to help coordinate a work day to install signs, benches and boundary markers. Local volunteers in the Caseville, MI area are welcome to help out!
SAGINAW BASIN LAND CONSERVANCY ANNOUNCES PHOTO CONTEST
Show nature at its beautiful best and you could win a cash prize! The Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy is now accepting entries for its second annual photo contest. The contest provides participants with an opportunity to explore the natural environment within the Saginaw Basin while building awareness and support to preserve and protect the natural space, species and habitat that thrive within the Saginaw Bay Watershed. The contest is open to all ages. Photo contestants are encouraged to capture an image that reflects natural living in the Saginaw Bay Watershed. Images can include waterways such as rivers and streams, plant life or flora, forest and natural wooded scenery, and even wildlife, birds and insects and people, although releases will be obtained for any human subjects captured on film. Contestants will have plenty of room to choose their best shot. The Saginaw Bay Watershed is the largest watershed in the state, filtering 15 percent of state inland waters. It features more than 175 inland lakes and nearly 7,000 square miles of rivers and streams. Hundreds of contestants snapped digital and film-based photos for the 2007 contest. The winning photos are displayed at Bay City State Recreation Area. The contest is open to the public, with no entry fee. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners in each photo category and winning photos will be posted on the Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy website as well as in the organization’s newsletter, “The Watershed Wire.” Contestants can choose from five photo categories: Landscapes; Plants and Flowers; People in Nature, Student Category and Wildlife. The Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy’s second annual photo contest is sponsored by The Saginaw News and The Bay City Times. Photos entered in the contest will be judged by a select panel of professionals with backgrounds in environmental protection, art and photography. Photos will be judged on originality, composition and subject matter. Deadline for photo submission is September 30, 2008.
SBLC Lands Preserved 2006 - 2008 Total SBLC Acreage 2008 Number Total Acres Preservation Agreements 40 3,307 Preserves 6 294 In 2006: Preservation Agreements 31 1,942 Preserves 4 150
SBLC “Wish List” With late-season clearance sales underway, it’s a great time to think of the Conservancy when you stock up on garden tools. Any help you can provide is much appreciated! Contact us at comments@sblc-mi.org or call 989.891.9986 to donate. Thank you!! Work gloves Cedar or treated posts – 8 ft. Cedar or treated posts – 12 ft. Lumber & hardware for observation platform Metal gate Metal fence posts & driver Cordless drill Hand pruners (6) Power post hole digger Extendable tree pruner Bucksaw Covered utility trailer Color inkjet printer Preserve brush cutter gasoline cards SLR-style digital camera & zoom lens Thank you to George Shaw for his generous donation of lopping shears! |
