Vol. 18 No. 2
In this issue...
Reflections from the President
Past Conservationists of the Year Caught on Film Doing More Good Works
Fall Update on the Intrepid Pond at Commerce Park
In the News from Around the State & World Wide Web
Gibraltar Bay Unit & Nature Area Status
Memorials and Honors
Corporate and Major Sponsors
Upcoming Events...
Fall Property Clean-Up / Dump the Junk
Meet at Nature Area
East River Road
Saturday, October 16
9AM - Noon, 1-4PM
Sunday, October 17
1-4PM
Nature Area Reopens & Refuge-Gibraltar Bay Unit Ceremony
Saturday, October 23
1-4PM
Saturday November
6
Annual Membership Meeting
10:00AM - 11:30AM
Centennial Farm
Recreation Building
Continental Breakfast
Guest Speaker:
Marcy Sieggreen, Detroit Zoo
"SE MI Amphibians & the Grosse Ile Survey"
Fall Update on the Intrepid Pond at Commerce Park
by Liz Hugel
A hearty thank you to everyone who came out over the summer months to assist in watering the trees, bushes and perennials at Intrepid Pond. Although we were lucky with a wet spring and early summer, the heat and drought of August was a stressful time for our new plants. We appreciated the water tank provided by the Airport Commerce Park, which, along with the hundreds of feet of water hose supplied by board member Ingo Hasserodt, made some of the watering a little easier. Quite a bit of watering was done the old fashioned way - by bucket and muscle using pond water. So many thanks to Ken Tilp, Keith Zook, Ron Schmaeman, Ingo and anyone else who helped out on those hot and thirsty days. And for the taxpayer who complained about the "eyesore" of the water tank, we can only request a little understanding, since it was just a very temporary situation for a little convenience for our hard-working, uncomplaining volunteers' efforts to ensure plant survival and some long-term natural beauty.
We also appreciate the efforts of Margarete Hasserodt who has started making plant identification signs for the perennial flowers and bushes. It will take a bit longer to complete the job and even longer for the plants to mature and fill in the empty spaces, but eventually visitors will be able to not only enjoy the beautiful plants but know their names. That information might be helpful in their own planning and planting at home.
To our dismay, the Eurasian milfoil returned to the pond with a vengeance this year. Perhaps it was because of the especially hot summer and no electricity at the site to run the water aeration system. Since the milfoil grows under a wide range of physical and water chemistry conditions it easily outcompeted the native plants. We are looking into milfoil treatment options for next year and hope that electricity can be supplied to the site again. If not, maybe we'll need to look into what it would take to run the system on solar power. Can YOU help with that? Let us know by sending an e-mail to the .