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Teaching like Yoda

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Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore deputy superintendent Tom Ulrich, who will retire from the Park later this month, once heard a poignant analogy at a leadership conference that compared the old style of managing a National Park to the Star Wars jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who deftly and constantly fends off outside threats with his light saber. By contrast, the new style of Park management is not to deflect or fight off criticism from the public, but to engage, listen and teach as Yoda does. Ulrich arrived at Sleeping Bear Dunes in late 2002 at a time when Lakeshore staff was reeling from widespread criticism after it promoted an unpopular new General Management Plan that would expand portions of the Park classified as “wilderness.” His tenure at Sleeping Bear Dunes dawned a collaborative relationship between the Park and local citizens.

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Leelanau Conservancy, Leland Old Art Building host Earth Week events

Photo by Mark Smith / Leelanau Conservancy From staff reports The Leelanau Conservancy and Old Art Building in Leland have planned a week of dynamic events for Earth Week 2023. Scroll down for more information and links to sign up. Every year the Leelanau Conservancy hosts Earth Week, which includes a series of fun and […]

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Leelanau Conservancy, Shimeks protect fourth-generation farm

If you’ve driven around Leelanau, you’ve likely passed the Shimek farm. A quintessentially Leelanau picture, the farm stand, red barn, and silos at the bend of M-72 have inspired painters and photographers for decades. The Leelanau Conservancy recently announced that this beloved view will forever be an inspiration and a farm. With support from the Regional Conservation Partnership Program of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Conservancy has successfully protected 232 acres of the Shimek family farm with a conservation easement.

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Cherry Republic giving campaign highlights climate change, local housing

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Cherry Republic’s 31 Days of Giving annual campaign, which runs through December. Throughout the past decade, the Glen Arbor-based company has provided grants to dozens of well-deserving organizations—“from loyal stewards of our climate to big-hearted groups that care for our neighbors who need a bit of a hand up during difficult times,” the company wrote in a news release. We caught up with Sara Harding, Cherry Republic’s vice president of climate and community impact, to learn more about the giving campaign.

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Celebrate Earth Day in Leelanau County

Take a stand for the environment and observe Earth Day in Leelanau County on Friday, April 22, by attending a beach cleanup at North Bar Lake, a reading of the book “Great Lakes for Sale” at Bay Books, or the Leelanau Conservancy’s week of events.

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Conservancy hosts “Fall For Leelanau” activities, Oct. 18-24

The Leelanau Conservancy welcomes the second annual “Fall For Leelanau” weeklong schedule.

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Leelanau Conservancy doubles Palmer Woods mountain biking trails

Four miles of new mountain bike trails opened in late July at Palmer Woods Forest Reserve. And four more miles of trails are expected to open in mid to late October, thereby more than doubling the length of the current trail system, which will offer 14 miles of mountain bike trails in total.

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Earth Day 2021: This Year It’s Really about the Whole Earth

With growing scientific confirmation of accelerating global climate change, Earth Day 2021 is more than just another Earth Day. For the first time, an American president will host an international climate summit on Earth Day to “reset” domestic and international strategies to combat alarming climate trends. While global issues will headline Earth Day events, individuals can show their stewardship in a number of ways this spring. Click here to learn how the Leelanau Conservancy, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak are observing Earth Day 2021.

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Memorial weekend ultramarathon: Belanger plans to run the length of M-22 on May 22

On Friday afternoon and into Saturday, triathlete and Cedar resident Andy Belanger plans to run the entire length of M-22 (nearly 120 miles)—from Arcadia in Manistee County, north through Benzie and Leelanau counties, and south along West Grand Traverse Bay and into Traverse City. Belanger is raising money to support the Leelanau Conservancy.

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Leelanau Conservancy launches Palmer Woods 1000 Project

The Leelanau Conservancy announced plans today to expand its largest natural area of over 1000 acres. With the Palmer Woods 1000-Acre Project, the Conservancy hopes to purchase 350 acres of forestland adjacent to the 721-acre Palmer Woods Forest Reserve near Glen Arbor. The Conservancy is now asking for the public’s help to raise the final $325,000 of the $3.5 million goal to purchase the property. The expansion would offer additional recreational trails, as well as add a new dimension to the property by creating a 5-mile shared border with the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. If the project is successful, Palmer Woods will eventually offer 40 miles of hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing trails.

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