Vol. 18 No. 2
In this issue...
Reflections from the President
Past Conservationists of the Year Caught on Film Doing More Good Works
Fall Update on the Intrepid Pond at Commerce Park
In the News from Around the State & World Wide Web
Gibraltar Bay Unit & Nature Area Status
Memorials and Honors
Corporate and Major Sponsors
Upcoming Events...
Fall Property Clean-Up / Dump the Junk
Meet at Nature Area
East River Road
Saturday, October 16
9AM - Noon, 1-4PM
Sunday, October 17
1-4PM
Nature Area Reopens & Refuge-Gibraltar Bay Unit Ceremony
Saturday, October 23
1-4PM
Saturday November
6
Annual Membership Meeting
10:00AM - 11:30AM
Centennial Farm
Recreation Building
Continental Breakfast
Guest Speaker:
Marcy Sieggreen, Detroit Zoo
"SE MI Amphibians & the Grosse Ile Survey"
Gibraltar Bay Refuge Unit & Nature Area Status
by Liz Hugel
A Memorandum of Understanding between the Conservancy, the US Fish & Wildlife Service and Grosse Ile Township was signed this summer in order to provide public access to the Gibraltar Bay Unit of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The Service is coordinating a grand opening ceremony with dignitaries on October 23 from 1-4PM. Conservancy leadership met with the Service in mid-August to discuss operating procedures and record-keeping requirements. Nature Area committee members have visited the unit to draft a list of immediate stewardship jobs as well as a longer-term list of property enhancements. The site was open for volunteers on some October weekends, in advance of the official opening. As it was in the past, but hopefully will not be once the Refuge has a visitors Plan in place, the Conservancy will be required to have a representative at the site during open hours. I'm delighted to announce that Grosse Ile Rotarian Dennis O'Brien has volunteered to coordinate stewardship activities at the site and together we hope many of our members will assist at the site.
Logistics for access to the full "Nature Area", i.e. including the airport property to the seaplane pad, still need to be worked out with township management. The township is proceeding with installation of yet another fence on the property, this time along the border to the refuge property. Unfortunately, this fence puts a scar across the Nature Area, as we fondly remember it. Personally I'm very disappointed, since some of the prime property for wildlife is actually on the Airport property. It seems nonsensical to place barriers along the property lines; it may be more effective at keeping animals on the airport property, rather than encouraging them to stay in the actual "wildlife refuge."