Leelanau Conservancy celebrate Earth Week, April 16-22
From staff reports
The Leelanau Conservancy is getting ready to kick off Earth Week, its annual week-long celebration in honor of Earth Day. Earth Week will begin Monday, April 16, and conclude on Earth Day, Sunday, April 22. The week’s events lineup includes a variety of opportunities to get involved with the Leelanau Conservancy and experience all that Leelanau County has to offer, like a kid-friendly hike at DeYoung Natural Area, or a hike at Teichner Preserve led by executive director Tom Nelson. There will also be a family-friendly guided bike ride with free demo bikes at 45 North’s Vineyard Trail led by the group Bike Leelanau. Additionally, there will be volunteer opportunities to help improve public natural areas, like planting trees at Palmer Woods Forest Reserve and building trails at Whaleback Natural Area. The week will finish with a celebration at Tandem Ciders on Earth Day, Sunday April 22 from 3-6 pm featuring the band The Appleseed Collective.
“There’s no place like Leelanau, and that’s why we came up with Earth Week a few years ago,” said Nelson. “It’s a way to celebrate and give back to this incredibly special place where we live, work and play.”
The idea of Earth Week has grown over the past few years. Now, many other groups and businesses are getting involved to help raise awareness, including local outdoor adventure retailor M22 and the Leelanau Children’s Center, as well as Traverse City’s BLK MRKT Coffee & The Little Fleet. For the month of April, the Traverse City hotspots will each feature a custom drink on their menu in support of the Leelanau Conservancy. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Conservancy to help protect the land, water and scenic character of Leelanau County.
Giving back is one of the main goals of Earth Week. In addition to volunteer opportunities, the Conservancy is encouraging people to donate with a chance to win a prize from M22. Everyone who makes a gift of any amount between April 14 and April 21 will be entered into a drawing to win a $250 gift certificate and other M22 gear. You can also enter by signing up to receive the Leelanau Conservancy’s weekly e-newsletter at LeelanauConservancy.org. The winner will be announced April 30.
For more details and to sign up, visit leelanauconservancy.org/earthweek.
Event Schedule:
Hike-it-Baby at DeYoung Natural Area
Monday, April 16, 10am
Director’s Hike at Teichner Preserve
Tuesday, April 17, 10am
Trail-building Workbee at Whaleback Natural Area
Wednesday, April 18, 10am
Wildflower Rescue Kickoff Meeting at Leland Township Library
Thursday, April 19, 9:45am
Tree Planting Workbee at Palmer Woods Forest Reserve
Friday, April 20, 10am
Early Spring Blooms Hike at Clay Cliffs Natural Area
Saturday, April 21, 10am
Guided Bike Ride with Bike Leelanau at 45 North Vineyard Trail
Saturday, April 21, 1-4pm
Earth Day Celebration featuring The Appleseed Collective at Tandem Ciders,
Sunday, April 22, 3-6pm
