Conservation District receives grant to form "Friends of Bete Grise Preserve"

By Gina Nicholas, Chairperson, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District

HOUGHTON -- The Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) has received a Coastal Management Grant to form a "Friends of Bete Grise Preserve" dedicated stewardship organization for the Bete Grise Preserve (BGP).

An organizational meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, at the UPPCO Building in Houghton. Anyone interested in BGP is welcome to attend the meeting.

At the Bete Grise Preserve on Lake Superior in July 2007, Sue Haralson, center, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District administrator, joins a volunteer team of high school students from across the U.S., known as Landmark Volunteers. Under the supervision of Brian Carlson (far right) of The Nature Conservancy, the team spent six hours hauling nearly 2000 pounds of trash and scrap metal from the north part of the preserve and pulling two invasive plants: knapweed and hairy cat’s ear. HKCD Board Member Tom Collins was on hand with his boat to haul trash across the channel. (Keweenaw Now file photo © 2007 Gina Nicholas. Reprinted with permission.)

Friends of BGP will be a 501(c)3 with a primary goal of providing stewardship and continuity of stewardship for BGP, which is a partnership among HKCD, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT). As time passes and individuals in these organizations change, Friends of BGP will provide a local focal point for BGP. In addition, HKCD, TNC and KLT are working to expand BGP, which is now over 1800 acres. As the Preserve gets larger, a dedicated stewardship group will help ensure BGP is used appropriately and protected.

To form Friends of BGP, we are looking for 5-7 Board members and an infinite number of "friends" that are willing to meet once or twice a year and coordinate with HKCD, TNC and KLT on a few work days and activities each year. Volunteers who are already doing this will find it won't be much more work than what they are already contributing.

The intent is have a slightly more official support group dedicated solely to BGP. No financial donation is required. (Of course, once Friends of BGP is formed and receives its IRS ruling, any contributions would be tax deductible and cheerfully welcomed.)

If you have questions please call Sue Haralson at 482-0214 or Gina Nicholas at 370-7248.