Thumb Land Conservancy: TLC 2014 Annual Meeting

TLC Philosophy

The Thumb Land Conservancy (TLC) was formed in 2008 to provide an organization dedicated to filling the gap of natural area preservation in Michigan's Thumb. Although much attention has been given to a few areas near Lake Saint Clair and along Saginaw Bay, the interior of the Thumb has been largely ignored.

There is a general misconception that little is worth saving north of Detroit because of urban development and agriculture. While much of the landscape has been drastically altered, many high quality natural areas remain. Some habitats are nearly pristine, resembling conditions that existed before European settlement about 200 years ago.

Regardless of condition, the extensive destruction makes preservation even more critical in the Thumb. Small, degraded habitat fragments can be restored and expanded, and often serve as isolated havens for rare plant species. We believe all natural landscapes are important locally because they reflect a unique combination of history and features particular to that location. Many benefits of nature are obtained and enjoyed only locally. We believe it is especially important for children to have natural areas nearby where they can play, grow, and learn.

TLC is carrying on a tradition in the Thumb. In 1952, Macomb and Saint Clair Counties were the birthplace of what became the Michigan Nature Association (MNA), the first statewide land preservation group in Michigan. MNA was led for many years by the late Bertha Daubendiek of Kenockee Township in Saint Clair County, and is one of the few organizations that has protected land in the Thumb, with 18 sanctuaries here.

TLC Sanctuaries

Since forming in late 2008, the TLC has acquired three sanctuaries totaling about 68 acres: the 18-acre Dead End Woods Sanctuary in Fort Gratiot Township; the 38.5-acre Gerrits Sanctuary in Ira Township; and the 11.5-acre Peltier Beach Ridge Sanctuary in Fort Gratiot Township. So far, all TLC preserves are in Saint Clair County only because opportunities have arisen there. Our goal is to eventually protect land in every county of the Thumb.

Please contact the TLC if you are interested in donating land or a conservation easement. The TLC will try to help you protect any land you are interested in.

17.6 Acres in Fort Gratiot Township, Saint Clair County

The Dead End Woods Sanctuary was acquired by TLC from the Saint Clair County Drain Commissioner, Fred Fuller, in December 2008. As a condition for obtaining a wetland permit from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for the Huffman Drain and Bunce Creek drain project, Fred agreed to preserve nearly 12 acres of wetland in the Dead End Woods as mitigation by placing a conservation easement on the property. As mitigation options were being considered, the owner of one of the Dead End Woods parcels approached Fred with an offer to sell the land at a reasonable price. The MDEQ confirmed the presence of a large amount of wetland on the property and found that it is a high quality habitat. Fred then acquired adjacent land with additional wetland to fulfill all of the mitigation for the current phase of the drain project. As a means of satisfying MDEQ requirements for long-term monitoring and stewardship of the wetland, the two Dead End Woods parcels were then transferred to the TLC, relieving the Drain Commissioner from further responsibility for this land.

At 44.5, the Floristic Quality Index calculated for the Dead End Woods ranks well above 35, indicating a natural area of statewide significance. Some higher quality or interesting species that are not routinely encountered in natural areas of the region include Maidenhair Fern, Spikenard, Richweed, Hazelnut, Black Ash, Butternut, Spicebush, Tulip Tree, Cardinal Flower, Indian Pipe, Black Gum, Sycamore, Christmas Fern, Broad-leaved Goldenrod, Foamflower, and Eastern Hemlock.

38.5 Acres in Ira Township, Saint Clair County

On July 16, 2009, the TLC acquired its second nature sanctuary, the Gerrits Sanctuary, a generous donation from Lois Gerrits, the widow of the late Dr. James F. Gerrits. The closing was held at the Law Offices of Timothy J. Lozen, with attorney Anna Kovar and TLC executive board members William Collins and Terry Gill present. Ullenbruch Flowers and Gifts of Port Huron kindly donated a nice bouquet of flowers to express our appreciation to Mrs. Gerrits.

The Gerrits Sanctuary is 38.5 acres of southern mesic and southern swamp forest with old-field to the north. Crapaud Creek flows through the north end of the property, which is located only about ¾ mile north of Anchor Bay and Lake Saint Clair. Such coastal habitat is critical for migratory birds and insects that move along the Great Lakes.

The sanctuary is located along the east boundary of the City of New Baltimore and Macomb County in Ira Township, Saint Clair County. Although development has taken a toll on nearby land, the forest on the sanctuary is mature, contains many high quality woodland species, and is part of what appears to be the largest and least fragmented forest tract remaining along the Great Lakes coastline from Ohio north through the Algonac area, excluding Grosse Ile near Detroit, and Walpole Island on the Ontario side.

Dr. Gerrits was well known in Saint Clair County. He was co-pilot of a bomber in World War II, and later a fighter and test pilot. Because of his war experiences, he became an outspoken critic of war. He and Lois twice voluntarily went to Vietnam in the 1960’s, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and Catholic Church, to provide civilian medical care to the people of both South and North Vietnam. Lois shared several stories about those times after our closing. The TLC will feature more about Dr. and Lois Gerrits in the future.

11.5 Acres in Fort Gratiot Township, Saint Clair County

On June 28, 2010, the TLC acquired its third preserve, the 11.5-acre Peltier Beach Ridge Sanctuary in Fort Gratiot Township, Saint Clair County. The sanctuary is located south of Metcalf Road, along the east side of the Detroit Water Board property. The parcel was given to the TLC by Ray and Nancy Peltier to satisfy State of Michigan wetland mitigation requirements for an expansion of the Hamzavi Dermatology office in Fort Gratiot. As with our first preserve, the Dead End Woods Sanctuary in Fort Gratiot, the Peltier Beach Ridge Sanctuary is protected by a State of Michigan conservation easement. In accepting ownership of the mitigation property, the TLC agreed to be responsible for all monitoring, management, and long-term stewardship.

The Peltier Beach Ridge Sanctuary is a high quality wetland and upland complex with a unique geologic history, unique plant and animal community, significant Great Lakes coastal habitat, good restoration potential, and a great addition to the TLC preserve lands. The sanctuary is a small part of a much larger and ecologically unique beach ridge and swale landscape, a long, narrow formation within about 1 mile of the Lake Huron shoreline, extending from Port Huron into Sanilac County. The landscape began forming about 11,500 years ago as the last stages of the Wisconsinan glacier melted back and early Lake Huron was about 30 feet higher than today. About 1,500 years later, the melting glacier uncovered a new outlet from the Georgian Bay and the water dropped over 400 feet. The massive weight of glacial ice depressed the earth’s crust for thousands of years, but as it melted, the crust slowly rose and continues today. By 4,500 years ago, the drainage outlet from Georgian Bay raised such that early Lake Huron filled to the Lake Nipissing stage and back to the old shoreline of 7,000 years previous. Great Lakes drainage was gradually limited to the Mississippi River through the old Chicago outlet, and then to the Saint Clair River which rapidly down-cut and lowered the Great Lakes to modern levels, leaving a series of beach ridges as the water dropped.

The landscape consists of a series of mostly forested upland sand ridges and mucky wetland troughs or swales between. In Saint Clair County, the sand ridges average about 40 to 50 feet wide and 3 to 4 feet above the adjoining swales. The swales are usually about as wide as the ridges, but some are a few hundred feet wide. The beach ridge and swale landscape provides not only unique habitat, but also a record of Michigan’s post-glacial past.

On the Peltier Beach Ridge Sanctuary, wetland swales are covered by Silver Maple, Green Ash and Black Ash, the larger ash trees now all dead due to the Emerald Ash Borer, Eastern Cottonwood, and American Elm. The upland beach ridges are covered largely by Black Cherry, Bigtooth Aspen, and American Basswood, with scattered Black Oak, possibly hybridized with Northern Pin Oak, and a few Northern White-cedar. The lower ridge bases are lined with Paper Birch and covered by an unusual concentration of Alternate-leaved Dogwood.

Unique species on the sanctuary include Purple-flowering Raspberry, Yellow Lady’s-slipper orchid, and the Eastern Hog-nosed Snake. Purple-flowering Raspberry is the Lower Peninsula’s equivalent of the Upper Peninsula’s Thimbleberry, thought to be native to only 7 shoreline counties in Michigan. Yellow Lady’s-slipper orchid grows in a variety of habitats, but in Saint Clair County is largely restricted to the moist ridge bases and mucky swales of this landscape. The Eastern Hog-nosed Snake is a special reptilian inhabitant that prefers the more open sand of dunes and disturbed ground such as along the south end of the sanctuary. When aggravated, the snakes flatten their necks like a cobra, and then sometimes rolling over and play dead with their mouths hanging open. They can look imposing, but are harmless.

One of the most critical functions of this coastal forest habitat is the support it provides to an abundance of migratory birds as they move north and south along the Lake Huron shoreline. The spring and summer breeding bird population is very abundant and diverse in this area, especially the forest warblers. Several species of warblers have been identified on the Peltier Beach Ridge Sanctuary.

Saturday, March 21, 2015

TLC 2014 Annual Meeting

Bill Collins, Executive Director, Thumb Land Conservancy

On May 4, the TLC held its 2014 annual meeting at the residence of executive board member Dorothy Craig, adjacent to our Dead End Woods Sanctuary in Fort Gratiot. Like any good meeting, we got the business out of the way, and then headed for the food. A few members of the public attended, including our friends Laurie and Tom Dennis of the Blue Water Audubon Society, among several other groups, Jeanne Ruthven of Kimball Township, my cousin, Jackie Johnston, who lives in the neighborhood, and also my father, Bob Collins, just a few houses down the road.

Mike Connell, well-known writer for the Port Huron Times Herald, gave a very interesting and thorough presentation about the Native American history of our region, starting way back from the last glacier. Mike and I have found we share a lot in common, starting with our Irish ancestry I suppose, although mine is probably heavier on the English side. We both look back very fondly to the “green and golden summers” of our youth, as Mike put it so perfectly, working at our local Scout camps, he in West Virginia and I at Silver Trails near Jeddo. We are also fascinated by the early history of our area, back when the forest primeval still covered our region. Thanks again to Mike for taking time to spend a few hours with us.

After Mike’s presentation, more food, and then we moved to Dorothy’s garden shed for my visual tour of the Thumb’s varied landscapes, natural communities, and unique species. As usual, I carried on too long with too many pictures, but for those that sat through it, I’m pretty sure they must have picked up a little more appreciation for what we have here.

After the meeting, most of us went for a little nature walk through the Dead End Woods Sanctuary. With the long cold winter we had, the first winter I’m aware that we endured the “polar vortex”, it was reassuring to once again see the blooming Trout-lily and new stalks of Mayapple. But this was May 4, and I recall some years when these spring wildflowers were up almost a month earlier. It was still quite cool on this day, as though another polar vortex was watching us from the north, ready to blow in any minute.

Trout-lily - Erythronium americanum

Cousin Jackie Johnston checking her field guide.

Left to right: Laurie Dennis, Jeanne Ruthven, and TLC board member Kay Cumbow.

"Hey wait everyone. I'm just getting started." Walking out of the Dead End Woods Sanctuary. Wilson Drive in background. Left to right: Tom Dennis, TLC board member Dan Rhein, Jeanne Ruthven, and Laurie Dennis.

For those that didn’t attend our meeting and experience my presentation on the Thumb’s natural features, here’s a rough outline. This is by no means exhaustive, and we believe all natural areas are valuable, but it provides the highlights of our region:

Lake Huron, Saginaw Bay, Saint Clair River, Lake Saint Clair

· Lake Sturgeon, Mooneye, Northern Madtom, Channel Darter, Sauger

· Beaches, water recreation

· Turnip Rock, Pointe Aux Barques

· Lake Huron bluffs, Sanilac County

Great Lakes Marsh

· Great Lakes coastal wetlands provide important habitat for insects, fish, waterfowl, water birds, migratory birds, and mammals

· Wild-rice, Eastern Fox Snake, King Rail, Forster’s Tern

Saint Clair River Delta

· One of the largest freshwater deltas in the world

· Harsens Island, Dickinson Island, Walpole Island, Saint John’s Marsh

· Coastal marsh, lakeplain wet prairie, lakeplain oak openings

· Many fish, waterfowl, migratory birds

Lakeplain Prairie, Lakeplain Oak Openings

· Grass-dominated and fire-dependent lakeplain communities, oak openings dominated by oak

· Algonac State Park area

· Prairie Fringed Orchid, White Lady’s-Slipper Orchid, Sullivant’s Milkweed, Three-awned Grass, Gattinger’s Gerardia, Skinner's Gerardia

· Marysville, northern disjunct outlier, Sullivant’s Milkweed, Riddell’s Goldenrod

Forested Beach (Dune) Ridge and Swale Complex

· Series of upland sand ridges and wetland muck swales formed along Great Lakes shoreline, starting about 4,500 years ago as Lake Nipissing dropped

· Tuscola, Huron, Sanilac, and Saint Clair Counties (Fort Gratiot and Burtchville)

· High species richness

· Critical migratory bird route, breeding habitat

· Purple-flowering Raspberry (known only from 7 coastal counties), Yellow Lady’s-slipper orchid, Northern White-cedar, Eastern Hog-nosed Snake, Blue-spotted Salamander

· Native American burial sites

· Huron County, larger dunes, Port Crescent State Park, Huron County Nature Center

· Pitcher’s Thistle (southern-most location on west shore of Lake Huron until 2004), Pink Lady’s-slipper, Six-lined Racerunner lizard

Lake Huron Ravines

· Deep ravines cut through Port Huron Moraine by streams

· Northern flora, cool air drainage, shade, cooler growing season near Lake Huron

· Eastern Hemlock, Yellow Birch, Mountain Maple (normally in the UP or northern LP), Large Toothwort? (only 6 Michigan locations known), Broad-leaved Sedge?

Oak-Pine Barrens / Savanna

· Fire-dependent savanna community of oak and pine, Black Oak, White Oak, Eastern White Pine

· Saginaw Bay, mostly Tuscola, Huron, and Lapeer Counties

· Western Silvery Aster, Side Oats Gama Grass, Hill’s Thistle, Three-Staff Underwing, Persius Dusky Wing, Ottoe Skipper, Dusted Skipper, Grasshopper Sparrow, Lincoln’s Sparrow

Rich Tamarack Swamp / Prairie Fen

Groundwater-fed Tamarack swamp on deep peat or muck, variable fire-dependency and disturbance

Mostly Lapeer County (on glacial interlobate landscape)

Tamarack, Bog Birch, Poison Sumac, Highbush Blueberry, Michigan Holly, Chokeberry, Shrubby Cinquefoil, Grass-of-Parnassus, sedges, Shooting Star, Purple Milkweed, White Lady’s-slipper orchid, English Sundew, Mitchell’s Satyr, Poweshiek Skipperling, Tamarack Tree Cricket

Bogs

· Acidic peat plant community isolated from groundwater, dominated by mosses

· Sedges, Cottongrass, Sundew, Leatherleaf, Bog Rosemary, Sheep Laurel, Bog Laurel, Low Blueberry, Cranberry, Buttonbush, Highbush Blueberry, Poison Sumac, Black Spruce, Tamarack, Gray Birch, Yellow-Fringed Orchid, Prairie White-Fringed Orchid

Minden Bog

· One of only 3 southern-most raised bogs in North America, only one left in Michigan

· 5,000 acres or nearly 8 square miles southwest of Minden City and west of Palms

· Covered 30 square miles prior to European settlement

· Roughly a third of the bog is within the Minden City State Game Area

· Dome about 6 to 10 feet higher than the rest of the bog, over 200 feet above Lake Huron

· 12 Sphagnum moss species, Leatherleaf, Bog-laurel, Sheep-laurel, Labrador-tea, Blueberry species, Sundew, Large Cranberry, Small Cranberry, Bog Birch, Paper Birch, Tamarack, few Jack Pine

· Sphagnum rubellum, Atlantic coast moss far from primary range

· Eriophorum angustifolium - cotton-grass and Stellaria calycantha - northern chickweed at southern limit in Michigan, indicating northern character of Minden Bog

Rivers – Flint River, Cass River, Black River, Mill Creek, Pine River, Belle River, Salt River, Clinton River

· Fish and mussel communities, especially the Black, Belle, and Clinton

· Water quality

· Fishing, recreation

· Floodplain forest communities

· Southern flora

· Wildlife corridors, migratory birds

· Scenic, historic

Black River Valley

· Large and scenic forested river valley

· Eastern Hemlock / Yellow Birch ravines

· One of the largest contiguous forests in the Thumb, long-term sustainability

· Port Huron State Game Area, Silver Trails Scout Reservation

· Migratory bird habitat and corridor, wildlife corridor

· Heart-leaved plantain, Large toothwort, Broad-leaved Sedge, Cerulean Warbler, many other birds

· Resilient mussel refuge and high quality fishery in Black River

· Northern Riffleshell mussel, Round Hickorynut mussel, Salamander mussel, Eastern Sand Darter

· Recreation, history

Northern Forest

· Southern extension of northern hardwood forest near Lake Huron, primary range north of Saginaw Bay

· Cooler growing season along Lake Huron, Port Huron, Kimball, and Clyde Townships

· Frost pockets in Port Huron and Kimball Townships

· Amazing Section 23 of Kimball Township with Tamarack and Northern Prostrate Clubmoss

· Rouseau fine sand and Chelsea-Croswell sands on Wainola-Deford fine sand complex

· Red Maple, Paper Birch, Eastern White Pine, Black Chokeberry, Michigan Holly, Low Sweet Blueberry, Bracken Fern, Wild Sarsaparilla, Blue-bead Lily, Starflower, Bunchberry, Goldthread

· Michigan Endangered Painted Trillium

· Southern flora and northern flora blend in Port Huron area, first described 100 years ago by Port Huron botanist Charles K. Dodge

· Sassafras, Black-gum, Witch-hazel, Highbush Blueberry, Indian Cucumber-root

Forest

· About 95% of Thumb was forested prior to European settlement

· Today only 10-15% forested and highly degraded

· Continuing loss of forest to development and agriculture

· Small forest, woodlots are unsustainable in long-term

· Refuges for most prehistoric vegetation of the region

· Forest fragmentation excludes many woodland plants and especially birds

· Increased deer grazing

· Loss of hardwood resources, potential forest herbal products

· Climate and other benefits

Glacial Landscape Features

· Glacial interlobate, hills and kettle lakes from Kingston southwest into Ohio

· Port Huron Moraine

· Deanville Mountain Moraine

All Natural Areas

· Valuable for many reasons

· Young woodlands, shrub lands, fencerows, fields, yards

· Values to children, recreation, aesthetic, common species, uncommon species becoming rare

The TLC Protects:

· Natural areas

· Rare species

· Common species

· Natural resources

· Recreational areas

· Educational opportunities

· Childhood places

· Quality of life

· Access

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