Protecting shorelines and plant species

By Glen Chown

Executive Director, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy

In Reflections from Glen Springs, author Jody Marquis takes us on a real-life journey of discovery that starts with the healing of damaged shoreland area on the Glen Lakes, not far from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Through this journey we learn not just about the hows and whys of ecological restoration but also the underlying philosophy and immense rewards of neighboring families who came together united with a common purpose, passion, and love of wild nature. Through the profound healing of this formerly degraded shoreland, the self-described “Wildlanders” stumble upon an important discovery, one of the last remaining populations of the Monkey Flower, a federally endangered plant species found only in Michigan. The few struggling plants that remain become an intense focus for the Wildlanders’ active restoration efforts, which expand to a larger stretch of shoreline and necessitates cooperation with local, state and federal authorities.

Marquis details it all through a series of written sketches, lovingly illustrated with stunning photographs and insights that hark back to Aldo Leopold’s classic book The Sand County Almanac. She closes with a plea to all of us to take the time to connect children to the wonders of nature. Thus, the book is ultimately about a community building a land ethic by healing the earth and creating something of extraordinary beauty. In this world of seemingly overwhelming environmental challenges ranging from climate change at the global level to the menace of invasive species here in the Great Lakes, Marquis has given us an important blueprint for how we all can take appropriate actions in our own small areas that, collectively, can make a difference on a much wider scale.