March/April 1997
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March/April 1997 |
by Bruce D. Jones
"I am sorry to inform you that ... the nomination of the Stony Island Natural Area was eliminated from further consideration this year ..."
Not again!
So ended the third year of high expectations and countless hours of effort by the Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy (GINLC). We hear many dire pronouncements over the loss habit and biodiversity in the Great Lakes. At the same time, we have been unable to protect the largest remaining ecosystem in the Detroit River. Neither have we found funds to plan te rebuilding of the Hennepin Marsh.
The nomination was for the protection of Stony Island. The bigger issue is the preservation of the "Conservation Crescent," the major part of the lower Detroit River ecosystem.
This ecosystem is a traditional resting area for migratory waterfowl traveling the eastern Great Lakes flyway. Naturally occurring thermal air currents make it a major flyway for migrating raptors. With a cleaner river, bald eagles and osprey have returned along with sport fishing. It is the rivers most productive natural area and is second only to Lake St. Clair in public use for hunting, fishing and recreational boating. In past years, the locale was a favorite for commercial duck hunting and boot-legging.
The crescent is the lower part of the ecosystem and lies around the southern end of Grosse lle. It contains 90 percent of the wildlife habitat and fish spawning areas remaining in the river. The crescent has the greatest biological diversity in the river.
The remaining 10 percent lies north of Grosse lle. It includes the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge, the BASF Corporation-owned Point Hennepin and the GINLC-owned Hennepin Marsh. This area is not in jeopardy.
The challenge to preserve the area came to the attention of the newly formed Grosse lle Nature and Land Conservancy in 1993. A local newspaper proposed Stony Island for a gambling casino. Growth projections for the "downriver" area predicted a 40 percent increase in development. We quickly recognized the fragility of the lower river ecosystem and its vulnerability to future development.
We spent hours studying the crescent with marsh experts from the Michigan Natural Resources Inventory. Although no threatened species were located and loosestrife has invaded several marshes, we were advised that the area should be protected. It contains large submergent plant beds unlike most of the shoreline in the river and in western Lake Erie.
Stony Island is the largest undeveloped island in the area. Its preservation is the key to protecting the crescent.
The GINLC first tried convincing both federal and state agencies to acquire Stony Island. This approach did not work partly due to the difficulty of managing an urban island.
We recognized that traditional approaches to conservation are no longer the standards of practice because of governmental funding cuts. We concluded that partnerships are essential if natural areas are to be acquired and maintained. We also realized that local volunteer organizations must assume a leadership role in protecting sensitive areas. They also must carry much of the burden of stewardship once areas are protected.
The first step in our strategy was education -- for ourselves and then others. We researched the ecosystem. Then we set up a slide show and have been speaking to every person and group that would listen. This includes the school board, service clubs, federal agencies, universities and state and private conservation agencies. We have led church environmental seminars and have taken our message to all levels of elected officials. As a result we created a network of organizations that understood and shared our concerns about the river.
Purchase money is the thorniest problem. Instead of one agency purchasing Stony Island, we are now seeking support from public foundations and private sources to reduce governmental outlays. Because the conservancy is a "501C3 organization" under U.S. tax code, we are also hoping for tax-deductable donations.
We have been active locally. With help from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys (U.S. EPA) Large Lakes Research Station, we created a community nature center on the U.S. EPA property on Gibraltar Bay. At our request, Grosse Ile Township requested the Federal Government to transfer ownership of the site to the township. The request is in its last stages of approval. We then convined the township to protect the entire Gibraltar Bay by designating it as a natural area.
The GINLC is now designing several innovative management programs. First is our Adopt an Island program. This concept is patterned after the Michigan Department of Transportations Adopt a Highway program in which local groups agree to "adopt" a stretch of highway and keep it policed. The idea will involve the local power squadron, yacht clubs and conservation groups who agree to periodically oversee the local islands.
We have proposed a pilot program for raising loosestrife beetles as a science project in the school system for distribution in local marshes.
Another volunteer group is developing a limnology educational program for grades six-12. The centerpiece of this project is a 40-foot pontoon boat outfitted for basic research. The plan is to use Stony Island and the crescent as an outdoor biology classroom. This idea is currently undergoing feasibility studies.
John Donne wrote, "No man is an island entire of itself." We will continue to use our imagination, time and talents today to protect the crescent for the generations to come.
Bruce Jones is a practicing dentist and a founder of the Grosse lle Nature and Land Conservancy. He was president from 1992-1996 and is currently vice president in charge of special projects. For more information, contact Bruce D. Jones, D.D.S., Grosse lle Nature and Land Conservancy, 20940 Thorofare, Grosse lle, Michigan 48138. Home telephone (313)676-6657; Office telephone (313)676-5868; email bjones6657@aol.com .
sommaire
Trois années dattentes élevées et le travail darrache-pied déployé par la Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy (GINLC) nont pas réussi à convaincre certains organismes de conférer à lîle Stony un statut protégé. Nous entendons de nombreuses déclarations très pessimistes concernant la perte dhabitats et de biodiversité dans la région des Grands Lacs. En même temps, nous avons été incapables de protéger le plus grand écosystème survivant de la rivière Detroit.
Le principal enjeu est la préservation du «croissant de conservation», la majeure partie de lécosystème du cours inférieur de la rivière Detroit qui avoisine la partie sud de Grosse Ile. Cette zone abrite 90% des habitats fauniques et des aires de fraie qui restaient dans la rivière. Le croissant est la zone de la rivière qui présente la plus grande biodiversité.
Le GINLC est en train de concevoir plusieurs programmes de gestion novateurs. Le premier est le programme «Adoptez une île». Ce concept est calqué sur le programme «Adoptez une route» du département des Transports de lÉtat du Michigan, en vertu duquel des groupes locaux «adoptent» un tronçon dautoroute et en assurent la surveillance. Nous avons proposé un projet-pilote dans les écoles, aux termes duquel les élèves élèvent des coléoptères sattaquant à la salicaire puis les relâchent dans les marais locaux. Un autre groupe bénévole est en train de mettre au point un programme déducation limnologique pour les élèves de la sixième à la douzième année.
Nous continuerons dêtre créatifs et de consacrer notre temps et nos efforts à la protection du croissant, pour le profit des générations qui suivront.
Revised: April 14, 1997
Maintained by Kevin McGunagle,
mcgunaglek@ijc.wincom.net