“The two land trusts provided the staffing and mechanism to help this project along,” said Ty Ratliff, Land Protection Specialist with Little Traverse Conservancy who has worked on this project for more than 10 years. “But the volunteer efforts of the Natural Area Committee, year after year, are to be commended.”

“I’ve always described our group as a kite — that would be JoAnne Beemon — and a tail — the rest of us,” said Ron Tschudy, a long-time committee member. “Our function was to occasionally steady her a bit, but no kite becomes airborne by itself, right?” Ron added, “I want everyone who might be contemplating doing a project of this sort to know that it is tremendously personally rewarding. Apart from the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction involved in my marriage and the raising of our son, being a part of this project is what I am most proud of in my life.”

Cherie Hogan, a longtime committee member echoed Ron’s thoughts. “I can only say that the St. Clair/Six Mile Lake project started in 1992 has been the most rewarding undertaking of my life and I would not have missed the ride,” she said.

The newest purchase is one of the last undeveloped pieces of shoreline in the Chain of Lakes watershed system. Its protection brings the natural area to a total of 261 acres and 2.3 miles of shoreline.

Funding for this project was made possible by the J.A. Woollam Foundation, an anonymous donor, the federal North American Wetland Conservation Act program, and the conservancies. While the natural area is owned jointly by both conservancies, stewardship of the property will be handled by Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.

- END -