Gov. Snyder, The Nature Conservancy, Michigan DNR commemorate 10-year anniversary of Big U.P. Deal in Luce County

Text and photos from Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources 

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, right in kayak, talks with canoeists in his paddling party along the Two Hearted River Wednesday, Aug. 12, in northern Luce County. (Photos courtesy Michigan Department of Natural Resources)

LUCE COUNTY, Mich. -- In January 2005, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and several partners announced the "Big U.P. Deal" that preserved roughly 423 square miles of forest land for forestry, recreation and conservation through a unique public-private partnership.

Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 12, 2015, Gov. Rick Snyder and other dignitaries, including TNC’s Michigan Director Helen Taylor and Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Keith Creagh, marked the 10-year anniversary of the historic land deal with a ceremony at the Mouth of the Two Hearted River State Forest Campground.

During Wednesday’s ceremony, Gov. Snyder cut a ribbon on a sign detailing efforts of The Nature Conservancy and its partners to reconnect 35 miles of rivers and tributaries within the 130,000-acre Two Hearted River watershed. 

Gov. Rick Snyder uses his left-handed scissors to cut a ribbon on a new interpretive sign detailing the re-connection of the Two Hearted River. Watching, from left, are state Rep. John Kivela; state Sen. Tom Casperson; Helen Taylor, The Nature Conservancy’s Michigan state director; and Keith Creagh, director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

"This monumental land deal provided key environmental protection for landmarks across the Upper Peninsula, from the Porcupine Mountains in the west to Tahquamenon Falls and the Two Hearted River in the east," Snyder said. "Michigan has set a model for responsible land management that supports healthier forests and rivers while creating more jobs and improved recreation opportunities."

Before the ceremony, Gov. Snyder, Taylor and Creagh joined others on a canoe and kayak trip down a stretch of the Two Hearted River.

Gov. Rick Snyder gets ready to begin his Two Hearted River canoe trip Wednesday, Aug. 12, with the help of Theresa Neal of Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

Along the way, the group saw some of the landscape scorched as the Duck Lake Fire raced north in May 2012, blackening 21,069 acres and claiming 136 structures at a cost estimated at $4.1 million.

Gov. Rick Snyder’s paddling party heads down the Two Hearted River in northern Luce County. Higher along the banks of the river, burnt trees from the Duck Lake Fire continue to stand.

The river is home to more than 50 fish species.

In 1919, famed author Ernest Hemingway fished for brook trout along the East Branch of the Fox River, which is located farther to the west. Afterward, Hemingway penned "Big Two-Hearted River," borrowing the name for his Nick Adams adventure from this winding river in northern Luce County, because its name had more poetry.

Gov. Snyder and the canoeists floated the river for roughly an hour, from the fish ladder north to the campground where the ceremony was held, which is located just a short distance from the Lake Superior shoreline.

Gov. Rick Snyder, in blue life vest, takes a picture as he kayaks toward a bridge over the Two Hearted River in northern Luce County Wednesday, Aug. 12.

During his visit to Michigan Tech on Thursday, Aug. 13, Gov. Snyder -- who is a strong advocate for Michigan’s developing system of water trails -- mentioned how much he enjoyed his trip down the Two Hearted River leading to the campground.*

Under the $57.9 million Northern Great Lakes Forest Project -- nicknamed the "Big U.P. Deal" -- the conservancy facilitated the DNR purchase of several conservation easements over a period of years on about 248,000 acres located throughout eight counties in the Upper Peninsula.

In addition, the deal included the purchase of 23,338 acres in the Two Hearted River watershed in northern Luce County, helping to enhance an existing conservancy nature preserve.

Gov. Rick Snyder is pulled ashore at the end of his paddle down a stretch of the Two Hearted River Wednesday, Aug. 12.

At the time the deal was announced, Snyder was serving as a member of The Nature Conservancy Michigan Board of Trustees, a position he held from 2004-2009.

Managing the conservation easements under a "working lands" approach provides several benefits to a range of interests in the region. Among them, the conservancy said the easements:

• Keep the lands open to the public for recreation, including fishing, hunting, snowmobiling and other pursuits.
• Protect thousands of timber and tourism jobs.
• Keep the lands in private ownership and on the tax rolls, generating important revenue for local communities.
• Help protect some of Michigan’s most treasured landscapes.
• Keep valuable and environmentally sensitive forest lands habitat from fragmentation.
• Limit development, which keeps forest lands from being converted to non-forest uses.

The easements and lands were purchased from The Forestland Group, LLC, a North Carolina timberlands investment firm, which outbid the state and bought 390,000 acres at auction in 2002 from the Kamehameha Schools Trust of Hawaii.

Much of that land had been purchased by the trust from Cliffs Forest Products more than a decade earlier.

Some of the notable features protected with the easements and land purchase include the following:

• More than 500 miles of rivers and tributaries, with almost 200 miles of prime trout streams.
• More than 300 lakes.
• 52,000 acres of wetlands.
• Thousands of acres of important buffers along federal and state park units and forests.

Taylor praised and thanked the public and private donors to the deal for their support. She also commended others, including government officials and interest groups who worked hard and cooperatively to make the ambitious project a reality.

"We always accomplish more when we work together," Taylor said.

Helen Taylor, The Nature Conservancy’s Michigan state director, talks Wednesday, Aug. 12, at a ceremony in northern Luce County commemorating the 10-year anniversary of announcement of the "Big U.P. Deal."

"The leadership of three of Michigan’s governors -- John Engler, Jennifer Granholm and Rick Snyder -- is unprecedented and should be applauded," Taylor added. "We were fortunate that this was truly a bipartisan effort with many legislators in both Washington, D.C., and Lansing who supported this project along with staff at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, The Forestland Group, LLC, and within the conservancy."

Taylor said she especially wanted to recognize the conservancy’s local partners, including Luce County and the Luce County Road Commission, McMillan Township, the Central Superior Watershed Partnership and the East Branch Sportsman’s Club.

Taylor also acknowledged local contractors and businesses that have worked to complete many of the conservancy’s improvement projects and the loggers and mills that buy its forest products.

During the Aug. 12 celebration, Gov. Rick Snyder, left, listens as Jeff Knoop, The Nature Conservancy’s Upper Peninsula director of land protection, talks about the Duck Lake Fire.

Some of the biggest donor contributions to the project’s land and easement purchases included $10 million from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, $5 million each from the Kresge Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and $4.5 million from the Herbert H. and Grace Dow Foundation.

Among the additional donors to the land project was the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund -- administered through the DNR -- which contributed a total of $16.1 million over a five-year period, beginning in 2002.

"This project represents a great use of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund to leverage local partnerships and assure access, recreation and forestry on Michigan lands," DNR Director Creagh said. "This deal ensures generations to come will be able to celebrate Michigan’s world-class natural resources, and U.P. residents will continue to benefit from the jobs these lands provide."

Over the past 39 years, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund has granted more than $1 billion to state and local units of government to develop and improve recreation opportunities in Michigan.

Nearly $10 million was also contributed in federal funding through the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program, which is funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Twenty-three re-engineering projects were undertaken to remove obstructions, stabilize stream banks and make other improvements, reducing the estimated sediment load into Michigan’s only designated "wilderness river" by 626 tons each year.

The Nature Conservancy’s interpretive "Reconnecting the Two Hearted River" sign will be erected along the CCI Road, a few miles to the west, just north of Pine Stump Junction.

* Editor's Note: See our Aug. 13, 2015, article, "Video preview: Gov. Snyder visits Michigan Tech's GLRC."

Sen. Levin joins supporters, visitors at Bete Grise 10-year celebration

By Michele Bourdieu

U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Michigan) addresses the audience at the Aug. 17, 2014, Bete Grise Preserve celebration near Point Isabelle, on Lake Superior. (Photo © and courtesy Bill Rose. Reprinted with permission.)

POINT ISABELLE, KEWEENAW COUNTY -- Cool breezes and partly cloudy weather didn't discourage 80 or more visitors -- and special guest U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Michigan) -- from enjoying the Aug. 17, 2014, dedication and 10-year anniversary celebration of the Bete Grise Preserve.

A large crowd gathers at the Point Isabelle roadside park on Aug. 17, 2014, to dedicate new additions to the Bete Grise Preserve and celebrate its 10th anniversary. U.S. Senator Carl Levin is seated in the foreground, center. (Photos by Keweenaw Now unless otherwise indicated)

Hosted by Stewards of Bete Grise Preserve, the event featured several speakers representing the work of partner organizations and individuals and the funding involved in preserving a total of 4,000 acres, about 5.5 miles of sensitive Lake Superior shoreline and almost all of the sloughs of Lac La Belle in Keweenaw County -- for non-invasive public access, recreation (including berry picking) and education.

Gina Nicholas, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District chairperson, welcomed visitors to the small roadside park near Point Isabelle, one of the most recent additions to the Preserve.

Gina Nicholas, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District chairperson, welcomes more than 80 visitors to the Celebration and 10th Anniversary of the Bete Grise Preserve on Aug. 17, 2014, at Point Isabelle on Lake Superior. (Videos by Keweenaw Now)

"Today we are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the formation of the Bete Grise Preserve, and we're also dedicating four new parcels of land," Nicholas said. "And those new parcels are Bete Grise wetlands, Point Isabelle, the mouth of the Little Gratiot and Oliver Bay."

Nicholas noted a major source of funding for the recent expansion of the Preserve with these new parcels was a  $1.7 million grant from the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) CELCP (Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program), funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).

"We still had to match that with another $1.7 million," Nicholas said.

Providing financial and in-kind support for the match were The Nature Conservancy, attorney Jim Tersha, and the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District, Nicholas noted.

"But the lion's share of the financial  match that we needed to complete the Bete Grise wetlands project was provided by John Woollam and the J.A. Woollam Foundation," she explained.

This sign at the Point Isabelle roadside park lists partners and funding sources that have contributed to the Bete Grise Preserve. Click on photo for larger version.
 
A highlight of the afternoon was the visit by U.S. Senator Carl Levin, who has been a supporter of the Great Lakes and of the efforts to preserve the delicate wetlands and shoreline of this special area of the Keweenaw:

After some humorous comments on Keweenaw potholes (the Gay-Lac La Belle Road), U.S. Senator Carl Levin speaks about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the importance of protecting and restoring lands for future generations with public funds.

Sen. Levin, who is retiring at the end of this year after serving more than 35 years in the U.S. Senate, spoke briefly with Keweenaw Now about his plans for the rest of his term, noting he has too much to do now to think about retirement plans.

"My short-term plans are to work as hard as I know how to get done what needs to be done in the next four months as a senator," Levin said. "That's my focus and I haven't looked beyond that."

Examples of his current goals include a defense authorization bill and closing loopholes that the biggest corporations in the country are using to avoid taxes they should be paying.

Asked if he would still be interested in protecting the Great Lakes after retirement, Levin said, "I'll always be interested in protecting the Great Lakes."

Pictured here with Sen. Levin at the Aug. 17 Bete Grise celebration are Jeff Knoop, director of land protection for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Marquette office, and Gina Nicholas, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District chairperson. "It was an honor to have the Senator come," Nicholas said. "He's done so much to help the Keweenaw."

Another long-time supporter of the efforts to protect Bete Grise, Jeff Knoop, director of land protection for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Marquette office, gave an overview of his and TNC's involvement in protecting Bete Grise wetlands and shoreline.

During the Aug. 17, 2014, Bete Grise celebration, Jeff Knoop, director of land protection for The Nature Conservancy, Marquette office, speaks about his involvement with the Bete Grise Preserve from its beginnings in 2001.

Knoop acknowledged the work of several people who also helped with the project. The first was Steve Beyer of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), who put the proposal together for the first stage of the Bete Grise wetlands protection project.

Knoop said in his career of more than 30 years with TNC he has never been involved with another project with so many partners as those who have supported the Bete Grise Preserve.

In addition to Gina Nicholas and the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District, the partners he mentioned as deserving credit for their participation and contributions include the MDNR, the MDEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality), the Keweenaw Land Trust, National Coastal Wetland Conservation Program, the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission, and more.

Bete Grise is historically and culturally important to Native American communities as well. Representing the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) at the event was Jessica Koski, KBIC member:

During the dedication at Point Isabelle, Jessica Koski, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community member, speaking for KBIC, thanks everyone who has participated in the preservation of the Bete Grise wetlands and shoreline.

Two major sources of government grants for purchase of much of the Preserve were the DEQ Coastal Zone Management Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Laurel Hill, biological technician for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marquette office, said it was great to be involved in the celebration ten years after USFWS helped fund the first Bete Grise acquisition in 2004.

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program seeks to create partnerships to catalyze public action and conservation in the Nation’s coastal areas, and the Bete Grise Preserve is a perfect example of just that," Hill said. "The exemplary efforts of wide ranging collaborators are reflected in the beauty of this Preserve, which will continue to be invaluable for future generations."

Also addressing the visitors at the Point Isabelle event was Matt Warner of the DEQ Coastal Zone Management Program, who spoke about the involvement of the program in providing funding for the original Bete Grise Preserve and for management activities as well. He also spoke about the CELCP (Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program) funding for Michigan through NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

During the Aug. 17, 2014, Bete Grise Celebration, Matt Warner, Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality Coastal Zone Management Program, speaks about grants that contributed to purchase of the Bete Grise Preserve wetlands and coastal areas in the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Warner also thanked individuals, including the previous speakers, and groups for their participation in this preservation effort.

One of those was Sue Haralson, Stewards of Bete Grise secretary, who has been involved in the project for several years. She recently retired from her position as Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District administrator.

"Great turnout!" Haralson said of the day's event. "Mother Nature gave us cool weather, but dry. A cool breeze kept the bugs away."

Haralson added she thought the music, provided by the group B3, was "outstanding."

Tom Collins, left, on saxophone, Stewards of Bete Grise president, joined the local band B3 in providing a variety of lively music for the Bete Grise celebration. Pictured with him are, to his left, B3 musicians Erika Vye, Marshall Weathersby and Steve Brimm.

Tom Collins, Stewards of Bete Grise president, who, with his saxophone, joined the B3 musicians during the event, also commented on the wonderful turnout.

"A big thank you to Gina for her laser focus in making all this happen throughout the years," Collins said.

Nicholas concluded the presentations with appreciative comments and invited everyone to enjoy the copious refreshments provided by Stewards of Bete Grise. Here she points out on a map most of the protected areas of the Preserve:

Using the map on the Point Isabelle sign, Gina Nicholas points out the different parts of the Bete Grise Preserve -- from the original Bete Grise South to the recently acquired mouth of the Little Gratiot near Lac La Belle.

Several residents of the Bete Grise area were also present at the celebration and spoke with Keweenaw Now.

One couple, Dante Iacovoni and his wife, Joyce, have been residents of Bete Grise for 11 years.

"It was just great, in spite of the weather -- more than I expected," Dante said. "It just shows the enthusiasm of the people in this community."

Describing this special place, Joyce Iacovoni added, "This is as close to paradise as we're going to see and experience."

Chuck Brumleve, Stewards of Bete Grise vice president and Bete Grise resident as well, summed up the reason for the celebration: "This has been the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people for a lot of years."

During the Aug. 17 Bete Grise celebration, Chuck Brumleve, center, Stewards of Bete Grise vice president and Bete Grise resident, chats with TNC's Jeff Knoop, left, and Charlie Eshbach of the Michigan Nature Association, who was especially instrumental in preserving the tip of the Keweenaw (a large wilderness area north and east of Bete Grise) with the help of TNC and grants from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund.

More photos:

Keweenaw County Sheriff Ron Lahti was on hand for the celebration. Here he chats with Senator Levin.

Senator Levin and Amy Berglund, his Upper Peninsula regional representative, pause for a photo with Keweenaw Now photographer Gustavo Bourdieu.

Visitors enjoy a large selection of refreshments provided by Stewards of Bete Grise.

Jessica Koski of KBIC with one of the newest KBIC members -- her son, Skyler.

 Visitors line up to sign the Bete Grise guest book.
 

View of Lake Superior and Point Isabelle from the roadside park.

Story of Brockway Mountain -- now part of Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor

Gina Nicholas, fourth from left, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District chairperson, and other partners who helped with the Michigan Natural Trust Fund grant and fundraising for the purchase of 320 acres of property including the summit of Brockway Mountain, participate in the Aug. 13, 2013, dedication of the parcel, which adds to the Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor for conservation and recreational access. Also pictured are, from left, Dana Richter, Copper Country Audubon; Evan McDonald, Keweenaw Land Trust; Jeff Knoop, The Nature Conservancy; Steve DeBrabander, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Grants Management section supervisor; attorney Jim Tercha; and Eagle Harbor Township Supervisor Rich Probst. (Photo by Nick Wilson and courtesy Gina Nicholas)

Note: The following speech was written and read by Gina Nicholas, Keweenaw County citizen and chairperson of the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District, speaking on behalf of the core partners at the Brockway Mountain Summit dedication on August 13, 2013. The core partners were Ed Kisiel and later Rich Probst, Eagle Harbor Township supervisors; Doug Sherk, Eagle Harbor Township Parks Committee; Dana Richter, Copper Country Audubon; Evan McDonald, Keweenaw Land Trust; Jeff Knoop, The Nature Conservancy; and Gina Nicholas, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District.* 

By Gina Nicholas

The Brockway Mountain story combines the ancient tale of Mother Nature’s wondrous creation with the recent one of how farsighted individuals, the community and many working together can serve the needs of society and protect the beauty and integrity of the natural world.

A billion years ago, shifting plates crashed together creating a rift fault with deep cracks in the earth’s crust. A series of lava flows emerged and formed the Lake Superior basin from Isle Royale to the Keweenaw Peninsula. Eons of geologic events, glaciers, time and weather sculpted this coastal ridge of which Brockway Mountain is a part.

This topography of basalt, conglomerate and sandstone is the canvas for the mosaic of native habitats you see from where we stand. Flora and fauna evolved over time and thousands of native plant and animal species call these forests, balds and wetlands home.  The Peninsula’s position as a bony finger of land jutting into Lake Superior also make this Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor important to migratory species -- raptors, water fowl, passerines, bats and insects.

This osprey is typical of birds observed from Brockway Mountain, which is also a site for the Keweenaw Raptor Survey. (File photo © and courtesy Michael Shupe Photography.**)

Ancient Native Americans, and later the Anishinaabe, used the land lightly for its abundance of wild berries and game. They discovered the red metal copper and used it for tools and trade. Hundreds of years later the United States formed and its pioneers moved beyond the eastern seaboard. Horace Greeley said, "Go west young man, go west." While some thought he meant the California Gold Rush, he was really talking about the UP for Copper. Keweenaw County’s highest mountain visible to the southwest was named for Greeley.

In the 1840s Douglass Houghton and other geologists explored and documented the mineral riches of the Keweenaw. Mt. Houghton, just visible to the southeast, was named after Houghton, Michigan’s first State Geologist.

Miners and settlers followed including Daniel and Lucena Brockway. Brockway was a mine agent at Cliff, a business man, served as a postmaster, road commissioner and opened the first school in Copper Harbor. At that time, Keweenaw County was the heart of the Copper Boom.

By the early 1900s mines at Quincy and Calumet and Hecla had supplanted the earlier mines on the north end.

A new industry -- tourism -- was emerging. The National Park System, urbanization, the loss of wilderness and mass-production of affordable automobiles all contributed to scenic road trips becoming the popular family vacations. Michigan, rich with beautiful natural features, established public beaches, campgrounds and wilderness areas. Landscape architect Warren H. Manning is credited with first suggesting a scenic drive along this ridge in the 1920s.

The Great Depression hit in 1929 and miners and many others were out of work. These men had hungry families to support, and federal efforts to create a safety net were mired in political wrangling.

The Keweenaw County Road Commission -- Ocha Potter, William Hartman and William Bolley and engineer Clem Veale -- took the lead in organizing a local project that would give many productive work and build something of lasting benefit for the community.  Manning’s concept to build a scenic highway along this coastal rocky ridge was resurrected in 1932. Construction began in 1933. This road was built by the manual labor of many men. Road Commission employment increased -- from about 70 to 700 -- to give meaningful work to as many as possible. Although the rock walls came later, the road itself was completed in October 1933 and named "Brockway Mountain Drive." While the builders’ names are long forgotten, their work -- Brockway Mountain Drive -- is here for the benefit of all of us today. Our project was possible only because of theirs.

This view from Brockway Mountain Drive along the Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor shows Copper Harbor on Lake Superior, at left, and Lake Fanny Hooe, at right. (File photo courtesy Eagle Harbor Township.)

During 1934-35, Harold Wescoat purchased the 320-acre summit and built the original "Skytop Inn." Brockway Mountain has been in the Wescoat family for three, going on four, generations, and, although private land, has always been open to the public.

Clyde and Lloyd Wescoat had foresight and realized how important Brockway Mountain was to the community and the environment. In 2010, rather than sell to developers who would subdivide and alter the land, Clyde called The Nature Conservancy. TNC knew this should be a local project, so Jeff Knoop called together the locals -- a.k.a core team: Eagle Harbor Township, Keweenaw Land Trust, Copper Country Audubon and the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District -- to find a way to permanently protect Brockway Mountain. 

The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant was identified. Ed Kisiel, former township supervisor, led the successful grant proposal effort.**

However, the Trust Fund grant required a 25 percent local match. The core team, with help from Houghton to Copper Harbor and across the State, got the word out that donations were needed to Save Brockway Mountain. Hundreds and hundreds of people -- from local areas, Michigan, most states and even foreign countries -- sent donations, wrote articles, told friends, penned thank you notes, filled out forms, documented history and geology, took photographs, did the legal work pro bono and made contributions in uncountable ways. The project started in late 2010 and Brockway Mountain summit was acquired by Eagle Harbor Township in February 2013.

On the summit of Brockway Mountain, before cutting the ribbon on the sign, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder (standing left of sign) speaks at the Aug. 13, 2013, dedication of the Brockway Mountain parcel, now part of Eagle Harbor Township -- protected for conservation and open to the public for recreation. (Photo courtesy Bonnie Hay, Gratiot Lake Conservancy executive director.)

Just like the many that built Brockway Mountain Drive 80 years ago this year, we also worked together and got the job done. The summit of Brockway Mountain is permanently protected. Our names may be forgotten, but our work will stand for future generations to enjoy thanks to all of you!

My hope is that 80 years from now our grandchildren, great-grandchildren and others will be here to take in the views of Lake Superior and the Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor, to see the constellations, Milky Way and the Northern Lights in the night sky, to count raptors flying down the valley as they rise on the updrafts, and to enjoy this unique, beautiful and ecologically rich place called Brockway Mountain. I also hope that our heirs continue the Keweenaw legacy of farsighted conservation for the benefit of man and nature.

* Author's Note: Clyde Wescoat, "The Brockway Mountain Drive Story" by Paul Lavanway, geologist Bill Rose, the Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor proposal prepared by Ed Kisiel, and other online research the author forgot to document were used or contributed oral information for this article. Thanks Everyone!

** Editor's Notes:

Click here for a TV-6 video clip of the ribbon cutting and comments from Lloyd Wescoat, Gina Nicholas and Gov. Snyder at the Brockway Mountain dedication.

View more photos of raptors at www.mjshupephotography.com, the Keweenaw Raptor Survey and the Brockway Mountain Hawk Watch.

See Keweenaw Now's Dec. 9, 2011, article, "Updated: Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board recommends funding for Brockway Mountain parcel in Eagle Harbor Township."

Conservation District purchase adds Point Isabelle, Bete Grise wetlands, Lac La Belle shoreline to Bete Grise Preserve

Point Isabelle on the Keweenaw Peninsula, seen here from Mount Houghton, is now part of the Bete Grise Preserve and will be permanently protected in its natural state and open to the public for non-invasive recreation, research and education. On June 21, 2013, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) closed on the purchase of 181.5 acres and 9100 Lake Superior shore feet (1.7 miles) at Point Isabelle. (Photos © and courtesy Gina Nicholas)

HOUGHTON -- The Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) has announced the final closing, on June 21, 2013, in a group of Keweenaw Peninsula land acquisitions that will double the size of their Bete Grise Preserve.

The combined land acquisitions include the following:

• Protection for approximately 1800 acres of dune-swale and other primarily wetland habitat types
• 9100 feet (1.7 miles) of Lake Superior shoreline
• 3500 + feet of shoreline on Lac La Belle effectively protecting all of the slough frontage and providing a new kayak/canoe access site on the south side of Lac La Belle
• A Roadside Park that was previously on private land and approximately 2.5 miles of natural beauty along the Gay-Lac La Belle Road

"This project protects a rich mosaic of coastal wetland habitats, Lake Superior shoreline and 3500 feet of formerly private Lac La Belle sloughs for thousands of native and migratory, aquatic and terrestrial species," said Gina Nicholas, HKCD Board of Directors chairperson. "It also provides current and future generations with permanent access to beaches, fishing, kayaking and canoe waters, roadside parks, berry picking spots, picnic
areas and one of the most beautiful scenic drives anywhere."

This photo of the shoreline on Lac La Belle -- part of Bete Grise Wetlands -- was taken from a kayak.

As part of the Bete Grise Preserve, this land is permanently protected in its natural state and open to the public for non-invasive recreation, research and education, Nicholas explained. HKCD will be working with partners to update the management plan for the expanded Bete Grise Preserve in the coming months, and a formal dedication will be held in 2014.

HKCD closed on Pt. Isabelle (181.5 acres and 9100 Lake Superior shore feet) on Friday, June 21, 2013, and on Bete Grise Wetlands (1493 acres and 3,500+ shore feet on Lac La Belle) on December 19, 2012. They also bought 120 acres from Michigan Technological University on May 17, 2013.

Present at Copper Range Abstract and Title Agency for the June 21, 2013, closing on Point Isabelle are, from left, Amanda Messner, Copper Range Abstract and Title Agency; Jim Tercha, attorney for HKCD; Trina Anderson, AFC (American Forestry Consultants) and representative for the seller, GMO; Sue Haralson, HKCD Administrator; Gina Nicholas, HKCD chairperson; and Kyle Messner of Copper Range Abstract and Title Agency.

This project was supported by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Coastal Zone Management Program, through Michigan's Office of the Great Lakes.

Funding for the project came from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (NOAA/CELCP) -- a grant awarded in 2010. This project would not have been possible without the generous support provided by the J.A. Woollam Foundation and The Nature Conservancy.

"Significant in-kind service was provided by HKCD and Jim Tercha as well as  great guidance from Matt Warner, DEQ Coastal Zone Grant Administrator, and Liz Mountz, NOAA/CELCP Grant Administrator," Nicholas noted. "Many, many other  individuals and organizations contributed to the success of this project and HKCD sends our gratitude out to each of you."

At the closing for Bete Grise Wetlands Dec.19, 2012, are, from left, Gene Arntsen, the seller; Amanda Messner, Copper Range Abstract and Title Agency; and Jim Tercha, attorney for HKCD.

Together, these acquisitions provide significant advances toward the locally-driven initiative to protect the larger coastal wetland complex (more than 8000 acres) known as the Bete Grise Wetlands.*

This 2010 map shows the Bete Grise Coastal Wetlands Complex near Lac La Belle. Point Isabelle is in the center of the map, with Bete Grise Bay just above it. Click on map for larger version. (Keweenaw Now file map courtesy Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District.)

These wetlands contain a broad variety of habitats, hosting remarkable numbers and diversity of plant and animal species. The area is known to contain a rare type of wetland called a patterned fen. Wildlife species calling this area home include bald and golden eagles, sandhill cranes, moose, wolves and black bears.

This photo shows the interior of Bete Grise Wetlands looking toward Lac La Belle with Mt. Houghton in the background.

The Michigan Coastal Zone Management Program provides grant funds to assist in the development of vibrant and resilient coastal communities through the protection and restoration of Michigan's sensitive coastal resources and biologically diverse ecosystems. The goal of the program is to promote wise management of the cultural and natural resources within Michigan's coastal boundary by fostering environmental stewardship, furthering research to support science-based policies and regulations, and providing excellent customer service.

Funding for the program is provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through a state and federal partnership established under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972.

This photo shows a view from the south end of the new property, looking back toward Pt. Isabelle.

The Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD), organized over 61 years ago, is a local unit of state government and part of the Michigan Department of Agriculture. In 1994, the Conservation District Law was made part of The Compiled Environmental Code. It is now Part 93 of Act 451 of 1994, as amended. HKCD's mission is to advise and assist the people of Houghton and Keweenaw counties to wisely manage and use our natural resources through education, information, technical assistance and land stewardship.

* Editor's Note: For background on these acquisitions see our Feb. 25, 2010, article, "Sen. Levin announces conservation funding for new Bete Grise Wetland area."

Letter: Industry, private matches -- not taxes -- support Natural Resources Trust Fund

The Brockway Mountain Summit west vista, showing Lake Superior and part of the Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor, is part of a Natural Resources Trust Fund recommendation for a $498,000 grant to acquire 320 acres in Eagle Harbor Township.  (Photo courtesy Eagle Harbor Township. Reprinted with permission.)

Dear editor,

People often believe that all government grants are from taxes, but this is not true. Grant money from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Trust Fund comes from oil and gas leases on state land -- money paid by industry to the state of Michigan for use of these lands. The Michigan Legislature determined that this money belongs to the people of Michigan and should be used for public recreation projects and public land throughout the state. Some federal programs are also funded from non-tax money, for example the Federal Duck Stamp program, which goes to purchase lands for wildlife habitat.

The summit of Brockway Mountain with the surrounding 320 acres is being purchased by Eagle Harbor Township with DNR Trust Fund money. Grants require a 25 percent cash match, which in this case was donated by private individuals and businesses.

This view from Brockway Mountain Drive, which provides access to the Brockway summit, along the Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor, shows Copper Harbor on Lake Superior, at left, and Lake Fanny Hooe, at right. (Photo courtesy Eagle Harbor Township. Reprinted with permission.)

Partners who helped raise the cash match for Brockway Mountain included the Michigan Nature Conservancy, Copper Country Audubon, Keweenaw Land Trust and Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District. No tax money was directly spent for this recreation property, which will serve Michigan's public in a multitude of ways.*

From 2001 to 2003, the approximately 6000 acres at the tip of the Keweenaw was also purchased with Trust Fund dollars and a large donation from The Nature Conservancy.**

The falls at the Mouth of the Montreal River were part of the Keweenaw Tip Natural Resources Trust Fund land acquisition for the public. On June 12, 2004, KPAC (Keweenaw Point Advisory Committee) members hiked to this spot with DNR staff to discuss how public access to the site should be managed. (Keweenaw Now file photo © Dana Richter. Reprinted with permission.)

During the KPAC tour on June 12, 2004, Dana Richter photographed this view of Manitou Island from High Rock Bay. Remains of a campfire can be seen in the foreground. (Keweenaw Now file photo © 2004 Dana Richter. Reprinted with permission.)*** 

A recreation plan must be in place in order to receive DNR Trust Funds. Recently, Calumet Lake Park on the north side of Calumet was established and improved with DNR Trust Fund money. The mouth of the Gratiot River, Hunters Point in Copper Harbor and Seneca Lake near Mohawk were also obtained by DNR Trust Fund grants.

Lake Superior and beach at the mouth of the Gratiot River. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

 All of these special places are open to the public to enjoy year round.

This DNR Trust Fund is the program our 110th District State Rep. Matt Huuki and our 38th District State Sen. Tom Casperson are trying to gut.

Dana Richter, Hancock Township
President, Copper Country Audubon

Editor's Notes: 

* See our Dec. 9, 2011, article, "Updated: Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board recommends funding for Brockway Mountain parcel in Eagle Harbor Township."

** See our September 2003 article "TNC completes Keweenaw Tip purchase for Michigan," which includes a map of the purchase.

*** Read about the KPAC tour in our 2004 article "Keweenaw Point Committee tour with DNR leads to recommendations."

A slightly different version of this letter appeared in The Daily Mining Gazette on April 21, 2012. Photos are included here with Dana Richter's permission.

Democracy activist addresses road controversy in Marquette County

By Jon Saari, UPEC (Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition) Board Member

MARQUETTE -- Phil Bellfy is one savvy activist who is not afraid to take on City Hall. He’s done it in East Lansing for the past four and one-half years, largely on his own in the name of good government. His forthcoming book title says it all: How to Fight City Hall, and Win: One American Indian's Odyssey Through the World of Eminent Domain, Tax Fraud, Tax-Increment Financing, and High-Stakes Development.

It took Bellfy six hours to drive from Sault Ste. Marie to Marquette on a wintry day in late February. He had been invited by the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) to talk about eminent domain, which has surfaced as an issue in a battle over a new proposed road in western Marquette County. This 22-mile road would link the Kennecott Eagle Mine with the Humboldt mill, but it is being touted less as a private haul road and more as a great public benefit.

The road would ostensibly provide a needed alternative to the present designated mine haul road, which runs eastward towards Big Bay and then south along CR 550, traveling near the population centers of Marquette, Negaunee, and Ishpeming before arriving at the mill. But opponents argue that the proposed CR 595 would change and endanger an undeveloped wild area that is the Headwaters Country for six Lake Superior streams, and that it is falsely being presented as a road with predominantly public benefits.

The Marquette County Road Commission filed the application for the new road (CR 595) in October, 2011, pressed by the County Commission, the City of Marquette, and most townships.

Despite the political push all the way to Lansing and Washington D.C., the Road Commission has declined to use one tool in its toolbox, the hammer of eminent domain (condemnation of private land), that would have allowed it to establish an alternative route through the Mulligan Plains.

This map shows several alternatives being considered for the potential CR 595. The dotted line (running north-south near center of map) is the route through the Mulligan Plains, which includes private land protected by a conservation easement held by The Nature Conservancy. Click on map for larger version. (Photo of map by Keweenaw Now, reprinted with permission from Steve Casey, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, from his March 5, 2012, presentation at the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District meeting.)

To Bellfy, it is immaterial that the private land in question is protected by a conservation easement held by The Nature Conservancy, except that TNC is a powerful organization with deep pockets. The reason the Road Commission is hesitant, says Bellfy, may not be their respect for conservation values or environmental sensitivity, but the near certainty that they would lose the case in court.

Since a famous 2005 US Supreme Court case, in which Suzette Kelo, a small homeowner in New London, CT, lost her home to a private developer for the "public good" of a higher tax base, some 44 states have tightened up their standards for eminent domain. Michigan revised its Constitution in 2006 in a referendum supported by 80 percent of the voters.

A mere claim of "public use" is now insufficient in eminent domain cases; the condemning government body must prove in court that the preponderance of benefit accrues to the public.

It must also prove that the "public necessity" is of the "extreme sort, ... limited to those enterprises generating public benefits whose very existence depends on the use of land that can be assembled only by the coordination central government alone is capable of achieving." This quote is taken from the famous County of Wayne v. Hathcock case, decided by the Michigan Supreme Court in 2004. This quote from the Supreme Court decision is the language that eventually found its way into the Michigan Constitution via that 2006 referendum.

Public authorities have become wary of the high scrutiny that a court test of eminent domain now requires. Translated into the CR 595 case, the preponderance of use of this proposed road is for the private advantage and financial benefit of a multinational mining conglomerate, Rio Tinto, with a sideways nod to its public benefits for commerce, recreation, and emergency services. Alternative routes abound (including the already designated haul route), and the Road Commission would have a very hard time making the case in court that a "public necessity of the extreme sort" requires that this new road be built.

Bellfy says that flimsy cases are often created by public bodies collaborating with vested interests, whether it is the city of East Lansing working with a developer, or by extension the County of Marquette collaborating with a mining company. The best tools activists have are the Freedom on Information Act (FOIA) and the Open Meetings Act (OMA); the former reveals discussions and documents that are sometimes incriminating, and the latter sets standards -- that are often flaunted -- for conducting the government’s business in public.

Bellfy’s visit helped local activists understand that vigilance and complaints are not enough. Opponents need to go on the offensive, to request documents through FOIA, and use the OMA to challenge the actions of "public bodies" where the public’s business is really being conducted behind closed doors. And for that, activists also need friends who are lawyers conversant with the often intricate and hidden world of legalese and power.

Phil Bellfy’s analysis from inside the game of politics was an eye-opener to many in the audience who heard him that late evening in February. He illustrated how good-government activists have tools and opportunities to get in the game themselves. Many can’t wait to see his book in print.

Author's Note: Phil Bellfy is a White Earth Anishinaabe, active in the Great Lakes region as an educator, author, and professor. He commutes between his rural home near Sault Ste. Marie and work sites downstate. He will be returning to Marquette on March 31, 2012, to speak on indigenous environmental ethics at the UPEC-sponsored Celebration of the U.P.*

*Click here to read about the March 30-31 UPEC celebration and to see the schedule of presentations to be held in Marquette at three locations: the Peter White Public Library, the Federated Women's Clubhouse and the Landmark Inn. All events are free and open to the public.