GRAND MERE ASSOCIATION _ Box 140 Stevensville, Michigan 49127

 

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER NEWS LETTER

It has been a busy three month period, not only on the home front but because the Association
has been invited to several important meetings, some of which took us out of State. The
Grand Mere Association finds that it is virtually impossible to attend every meeting to which
they are invited, however, we choose those that seem vital.

Looking back .....

At the Annual Meeting we heard a number of interesting reports. From our Legislative Chairman...
the plans for the State purchase of 400 acres at the southern most sector of Grand Mere, in-
cluding South Lake. We had hoped that at this writing we could tell that the purchase has been
made...no such luck...this type of governmental transaction takes time. We learned that Grand
Mere is No. 2 on the priority list for purchase from the $1,000,000 Bond issue. We will be
meeting with Senator Zollar very soon in order to ascertain what progress is being made.
Patience, patience.-1 to 10 false.

Peter Roe reported on the now famous Rummage Sale, which resulted in $1,015. How ‘bout that?
Thanks a million to Pete and Pat. A job well done. They say, “a special thanks to all who
worked (with them) on this project."

Dr. John Sharon gets around too. He is busy with the Environmental Protection group and is
frequently called upon to discuss his pet subject...Thermal Pollution. John reports that in some
areas great strides are being made in the efforts to "Save Lake Michigan". Many scientists are
joining the conservationists at this point and testifying against the act of dumping hot water
discharges into Lake Michigan.

John Humke, from Evanston, Illinois, Area Director for the Midwest of Nature Conservancy was the
principal speaker and showed slides of some of the areas across the country that have been
“ceaved" thru their efforts. NATURE CONSERVANCY is a national organization, with 22,000 members
whose main purpose is to buy land for preservation. They usually buy the land with the plan in
mind that some other agency will eventually hold title to it, either a conservation group or a
governmental unit. More than $33,000,000 worth of land was purchased thru their efforts last
year. Mr. Humke has visited the Grand Mere area on several occasions and is greatly impressed
with it's beauty.

Joe Ray presented the slate of nominees for a two year term to the Board of Directors. Those
elected were: Dorothy Donnell (2nd term) Emil Tosi (2nd term) Dale Park, Dr. John Sharon,
Peter Roe and Walter Phillips for their first terms.-11 true

Secretary Verna Braga reports that we have a number of new members and she plans to list them in
our future newsletters. We are still trying to reach the 1,000 mark in membership. It can be
done:

New. Members...
William and Gertrude Johnson .

. Stevensville

Emily Shoup . Coloma

C. A. Bell . Stevensville
Eric T. Johnson . » St. Joseph
John Liskey . . St. Joseph
Dr. and Mrs. Dean Asselin . St. Joseph
Mrs. Dorothy Hendrix . . Bridgman
Robert and Mary Kock . St. Joseph

Donald J. Nelson

John and Judy Grindel

Mr. and Mrs. Allison Dunham
Dr. Howard Faris

Richard J. Neilitz

Norman and Margery Holben
A. V. Verduin

. . South Bend, Indiana
. . Farmington, Michigan
. Lake Side, Michigan
. Kalamazoo, Michigan
. . Bridgman
. . Stevensville
. Stevensville

Jack Sprague . . St. Joseph

Joe Gardner . . St. Joseph

Thelma Gehres . . St. Joseph

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Neilitz . . Bridgman

Mrs. Margaret Nakrasos . Chicago, Illinois
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Holben . Stevensville
Allene Stark . Coloma

Jim Long . Stevensville

Mrs. Scott Moore . Niles

WELCOME to our ranks . . our main purpose is to SAVE GRAND MERE - 12613 false

On August 28th, 29th and 30, our Vice President Juanita Cupp, attended the three-day Conference
of the National organization of NATURE CONSERVANCY. Juniata had been invited to be part of the
program way back in June and was able to fit it into a busy schedule. She presented the Grand
Mere Slide lecture, a forty minute program, relating the history and ecological significance of
Grand Mere. Some 350 people attended the Friday evening banquet held in the Great Hall on the
campus of the University of Wisconsin. The main speaker of the evening was Dr. A. Starker
Leopold of the University of California. The name "Leopold" is a reverred name in Wisconsin. The
family had long been recognized as conservationists for several generations and had given large
amounts of land for preservation. Dr. Leopold gave an inspiring talk about our National Parks.
Mrs. Cupp's presentation was followed by those from Main, San Francisco, Minnesota and the-14 true
Aravaipa Canyon. Saturday's agenda included talks by ecologists, botanists, lawyers ,tax consul t-
ants; four speakers who discussed our endangered species. The Saturday evening speaker was Mrs.
Virginia Kline of Madison, who gave the "Ecological History of Wisconsin". Wisconsin has some
vast differences from Michigan. They have true prairies, which we do not. A prairie is composed
of real grasses and wild flowers, no weeds. Sunday's field trips took the groups to Baraboo
Hills where many acres of land has been preserved. It was most obvious that Wisconsin people
have a far greater interest in conservation than we do in Michigan. For instance, there has been
a law passed in Wisconsin that requires elementary school teachers to have a course in Conserva-
tion before they are allowed to teach. The principal of the schools in Madison, Paul J. Olson,
js a driving force behind all phases of conservation efforts in that State and is Chairman of the
Chapter of NATURE CONSERVANCY.

As a result of the Grand Mere presentation, members of the Department of Natural Resources in
Wisconsin, who were in the audience, became interested in Grand Mere and have presented us with
reams of printed materials relative to the cause of conservation AND two real American Chestnut
trees which will be planted in the GRAND MERE NATURAL Study Preserve. Perhaps some boy scout
troop would like to have a tree planting ceremony. é