Idyllic: Protecting our resources

Ensuring preservation for future generations

At the end of the Civil War, Jack Jones’ great-grandfather, Frank Jones, was deeded a parcel of property from the U.S. government for his service with the Union Army. It eased into the waters of Walloon Lake, where cascading currents of teals and aquamarine make it one of the most beautiful lakes anywhere.

Northern Michigan was a remote enclave then, with no neighbors for miles and development around the lakes sparse. The dozens of acres were passed down to Jack’s grandfather, and more acreage was added. Eventually, the family came to amass 80 acres, with Jack’s dad using it for various jobs such as carpentry, farming and “whatever it took to make ends meet.”

Jack and his siblings were raised on the property, south of the city of Petoskey off the beaten path of U.S. 131. As more development crept along the lakeshore, the several hundred feet of Jones-owned frontage remained untouched and in the family. When he became involved in county and local government, first several decades ago on the county planning commission and then in 1996 as a county commissioner, Jack and his sister, Frances Stanbarger, began thinking about creating a permanent public park with access to Walloon.

In 2004, the idea came to fruition, and several acres and 366 feet of frontage were sold to Bear Creek Township for $2.7 million — considerably less than Jones and Stanbarger could’ve likely sold the property for to developers. They also donated 10 percent of the appraised value back to the township; with state and federal grants, the township’s share to keep the land in the public trust was $100,000.

The property is at the very north end of the north arm of Walloon Lake and includes a boat launch and eventually will have a pavilion and other amenities, including parking and restrooms.

“My desire was to have access to the lake for everybody,” said Jones, still a commissioner today. “If I had sold it to private developers, it would’ve been forever locked off to the public.”

As he shows off the Jones Landing park across the street from his home and remaining 40 acres, he can’t help but share the lifelong memories of growing up here —the now sky-high pines that he used to be able to jump over as a kid, the footprint of where his mother’s house once stood, the stone pillars that marked the entrance to the family homestead. All the buildings on the parcel were donated for cabins at the county’s Camp Pet-O-Se-Ga.

As he awaits the park’s further development, he remains closely involved in county government while pursuing his hobbies like making maple syrup, carpentry and reminiscing about the region’s early days.

“There’s just no place,” he says, of Emmet County, “like here.”

Plentiful public lands, waters to enjoy

Among the most desirable features about Emmet County are the innumerable outdoor resources and opportunities for enjoying nature’s playground. The reason many of the lands and waters exist in such pristine condition today is because of the work of area organizations and individuals who have dedicated their time, money and resources to preventing degradation of what make this area so special.

Some of the efforts are unique to here, such as a group working to have 600 acres of county property, the Headlands, dedicated as an internationally recognized Dark Sky Park. A Dark Sky Park offers educational programming, promotes safe and effective outdoor lighting, is dedicated to the preservation of the dark for optimal star gazing, safeguards nocturnal migration and celebrates the wonders of the night.

Other venerable institutions have built their reputations by setting high standards decade after decade.

Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council

www.watershedcouncil.org

Coverage area: More than 2,500 miles of rivers and streams, including a blue-ribbon trout stream and 14 lakes larger than 1,000 acres.

This lead organization for water resource protection in Emmet, Antrim, Charlevoix and Cheboygan counties continues to work to preserve the heritage of this region.

“2009 was a busy year for the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council,” said its executive director, Gail Gruenwald. “Our policy team was instrumental in saving Michigan’s wetland protection program from a proposed cut. We led a coalition of organizations and others throughout Michigan in negotiations and testimony that prevented the demise of this important program for Northern Michigan’s resources.”

Staff also completed numerous inventories and research studies on area lakes, including assessments of invasive plants and animals, while pushing hard in Lansing and Washington for adequate policies and funding to protect the Great Lakes and inland waters.

The public can help, too, through the Aquavist network, which links those interested in water resources with direct actions they can take. Go to www.watershedcouncil.org to get started.

Little Traverse Conservancy

www.landtrust.org

Protected: More than 40,000 acres of land in five Northern counties, protected in perpetuity as 200 nature preserves, 260 conservation easements and many more acres safeguarded in cooperation with local, state and federal governments.

In the last year, more than 1,000 additional acres were protected through the conservancy, including 16 projects on land valued at more than $3.8 million, according to executive director Tom Bailey. In addition, the land includes 1.1 miles of water frontage along lakes or streams and 4.2 miles of scenic road frontage.

“The conservancy continues to partner with many others including the Pigeon River Habitat Initiative, the Little Traverse Bay Watershed Initiative, the Cheboygan River Habitat Initiative, Lake Charlevoix Watershed Initiative and M-119 Scenic Heritage Route Committee,” said Bailey.

Emmet County Recycling

www.emmetrecycling.org

Impressive: 7,245 tons of material recycled in 2008; 47 different materials are accepted, including plastic bags, plastic tubs and trays, asphalt shingles, electronics, tires, and fluorescent light bulbs.

It’s getting even easier to be “green” up North, as Emmet County Recycling expands its offerings. Having completed an expansion which quadrupled the county’s processing capacity in 2010, the award-winning recycling program is taking nearly all household plastics, including plastic bags.

The five southern-most communities of Emmet County provide weekly pick-up service for their residents, while all residents of the county have access to a dozen conveniently located Recycling Drop Sites. Everyone in Emmet County is within six miles of a recycling drop site and 11 of the 12 sites are open 24/7. The 12th site is part of the Emmet County Drop Off Center in Harbor Springs and is open six days a week.

“The county has made substantial investments in recycling over the past 20 years and it has really paid off in terms of savings for the communities, job creation, and really top-notch recycling opportunities for residents and businesses,” said Elisa Seltzer, Public Works Director. “It becomes easier than ever to make a difference by recycling.”

Emmet County Guide 2010 » Idyllic: Protecting our resources