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Write On: Progressive News for Northern Michigan October 2003
Local Links Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice Nothwoods Wilderness Recovery Keweenaw Now State, National, and International Links Common Dreams Greenpeace Move On Independent Media Democracy Now! True Majority Michigan Citizens for Peace United for Peace Citizen.org Citizenworks.org	Tip of the Keweenaw Receives Major Protection Effort Recent Ceremony Commemorates Historic Land Deal Jeff Knoop, UP Director of Land Protection, The Nature Conservancy The Keweenaw Peninsula, jutting out into Lake Superior roughly 60 miles, is one of Michigan's premiere biological hotspots. Here an interesting blend of geology, dating back at least one billion years, climatology and physiographic have created a landscape of rugged uniqueness unknown elsewhere in the Great Lakes Ecoregion. Better know as "The Copper Country" the tip end of the Peninsula has been a major focus of land protection efforts by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) over the past 10 years. In an unprecedented effort to preserve a large, unfragmented piece of the Peninsula tip the Conservancy and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) entered into a joint venture in early 2001 to focus on protection work in the Keweenaw. In cooperation with Lake Superior Land Company (LSLC), a subsidiary of International Paper Co., and owner of more than 100,000 acres of land in the Copper Country, TNC and DNR joined forces to determine those lands of most significance. The lands identified, totaling roughly 6,275 acres, contain some of the richest natural systems remaining in the Peninsula. These lands include several large glacial lakes, most notably Schallter Lake at 550 acres; several large complexes of patterned peat lands, a unique wetland system; six miles of rugged Lake Superior shoreline containing cliffs, stacks and bluffs and nearly five miles of frontage along the cascading Montreal River all cloaked in some of the finest remaining hardwood/boreal forest communities remaining in the Keweenaw. Other lands within the interior parts of the Peninsula will be retained by LSLC and managed under their Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFIsm). After nearly a year of negotiations an agreement was reached just in December of 2001 and the Nature Conservancy closed on the property on January 3, 2002. Funds for the acquisition were provided through a generous Natural Areas Trust Fund allocation totaling $12.5 million. Trust Fund monies are generated through a tariff placed on the production of gas and oil wells throughout the State. Since the Trust Fund monies for this acquisition are being allocated over a two-year period, the Conservancy stepped in to assist in brokering and closing the deal with funds borrowed from their Land Preservation Fund. Phase one of the deal transferred approximately one-half of the property to DNR in May of 2003 and the remainder was transferred in April of 2003. On September 10^th 2003, with Lake Superior as a backdrop, political, business and environmental leaders gathered on Mt. Brockway to celebrate the completion of this historic Keweenaw land deal. This event was attended by a diverse group of people from local Township Trustees and a representative from Governors Granholm's Office to interested citizens who came as far away as Chicago in celebration. The Nature Conservancy played a dual role in the project by providing several hundred hours of staff time and legal expertise to the project and the interest accrued from the TNC loan to secure the property, totaling nearly $500,000, will be provided through Conservancy fundraising efforts. The Precambrian volcanic rocks or "domes of volcanic origin" that make up the Peninsula provide not only for spectacular scenery but a high diversity of moss, lichen and plant diversity as well. Over nine hundred species of native vascular flora have been identified in the Keweenaw. The project area contains several rare plant species including auricled twayblade, an orchid species, heart-leaved Arnica, state endangered and Calypso orchid, state threatened. Rare communities include basalt bedrock glade, basalt bedrock lakeshore and volcanic conglomerate bedrock glade, all unique to Lake Superior. In addition, the protected land links up to nearly 2500 acres currently owned by DNR and roughly 1500 acres owned by TNC encompassing a phenomenal 14 miles of protected Lake Superior shoreline. Over all, this nearly 11,000 acre nature reserve provides for outstanding connective systems of natural plant communities providing habitat for Lynx, bald eagle, bear and moose. A multitude of migratory shore birds and songbirds use the area and the Keweenaw is home to at least one rare butterfly, the tawny crescent.	Write On Issues November October September August July June May

Write On: Progressive News for Northern Michigan

October 2003

Local Links

Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice

Nothwoods Wilderness Recovery

Keweenaw Now

State, National, and International Links

Michigan Citizens for Peace

United for Peace

Citizen.org

Citizenworks.org

Tip of the Keweenaw Receives Major Protection Effort Recent Ceremony Commemorates Historic Land Deal Jeff Knoop, UP Director of Land Protection, The Nature Conservancy

The Keweenaw Peninsula, jutting out into Lake Superior roughly 60 miles, is one of Michigan's premiere biological hotspots. Here an interesting blend of geology, dating back at least one billion years, climatology and physiographic have created a landscape of rugged uniqueness unknown elsewhere in the Great Lakes Ecoregion.

Better know as "The Copper Country" the tip end of the Peninsula has been a major focus of land protection efforts by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) over the past 10 years. In an unprecedented effort to preserve a large, unfragmented piece of the Peninsula tip the Conservancy and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) entered into a joint venture in early 2001 to focus on protection work in the Keweenaw.

In cooperation with Lake Superior Land Company (LSLC), a subsidiary of International Paper Co., and owner of more than 100,000 acres of land in the Copper Country, TNC and DNR joined forces to determine those lands of most significance. The lands identified, totaling roughly 6,275 acres, contain some of the richest natural systems remaining in the Peninsula. These lands include several large glacial lakes, most notably Schallter Lake at 550 acres; several large complexes of patterned peat lands, a unique wetland system; six miles of rugged Lake Superior shoreline containing cliffs, stacks and bluffs and nearly five miles of frontage along the cascading Montreal River all cloaked in some of the finest remaining hardwood/boreal forest communities remaining in the Keweenaw. Other lands within the interior parts of the Peninsula will be retained by LSLC and managed under their Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFIsm).

After nearly a year of negotiations an agreement was reached just in December of 2001 and the Nature Conservancy closed on the property on January 3, 2002. Funds for the acquisition were provided through a generous Natural Areas Trust Fund allocation totaling $12.5 million. Trust Fund monies are generated through a tariff placed on the production of gas and oil wells throughout the State. Since the Trust Fund monies for this acquisition are being allocated over a two-year period, the Conservancy stepped in to assist in brokering and closing the deal with funds borrowed from their Land Preservation Fund. Phase one of the deal transferred approximately one-half of the property to DNR in May of 2003 and the remainder was transferred in April of 2003.

On September 10^th 2003, with Lake Superior as a backdrop, political, business and environmental leaders gathered on Mt. Brockway to celebrate the completion of this historic Keweenaw land deal. This event was attended by a diverse group of people from local Township Trustees and a representative from Governors Granholm's Office to interested citizens who came as far away as Chicago in celebration.

The Nature Conservancy played a dual role in the project by providing several hundred hours of staff time and legal expertise to the project and the interest accrued from the TNC loan to secure the property, totaling nearly $500,000, will be provided through Conservancy fundraising efforts.

The Precambrian volcanic rocks or "domes of volcanic origin" that make up the Peninsula provide not only for spectacular scenery but a high diversity of moss, lichen and plant diversity as well. Over nine hundred species of native vascular flora have been identified in the Keweenaw. The project area contains several rare plant species including auricled twayblade, an orchid species, heart-leaved Arnica, state endangered and Calypso orchid, state threatened. Rare communities include basalt bedrock glade, basalt bedrock lakeshore and volcanic conglomerate bedrock glade, all unique to Lake Superior. In addition, the protected land links up to nearly 2500 acres currently owned by DNR and roughly 1500 acres owned by TNC encompassing a phenomenal 14 miles of protected Lake Superior shoreline. Over all, this nearly 11,000 acre nature reserve provides for outstanding connective systems of natural plant communities providing habitat for Lynx, bald eagle, bear and moose. A multitude of migratory shore birds and songbirds use the area and the Keweenaw is home to at least one rare butterfly, the tawny crescent.

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