The John and Mary Dahlem Environmental Education Center

A Program of The Dahlem Conservancy September 2007

IN THIS ISSUE…

New Staff Members

Executive Director Message

New Dahlem Center Exhibits

Dahlem Weekend Programs

A Message to Dahlem Mem-

bers

Become a Watershed Monitor

Fall Programs Training

People of Dahlem

Little Acorns Programs

JAOC Calendar of Events

Gathering Patio Completed

Thanks to Don Fowler

Michigan Turtles

How to “Green” your trip

Please Welcome Our New Staff Members

Rebecca Mehall, Development Coordinator

The Dahlem Conservancy Board and Staff are excited to have Rebecca Mehall joining us as the new Development Coordinator. She comes to us with many years of experience in fund raising and program implementation for non-profit organizations. Most recently, she was the community support coordinator for the parent leadership institute network of Michigan (PLIN) which is part of the Michigan Foundation for Education Leadership. We are looking forward to Becky bringing her skills in grant writing and fund raising to Dahlem as we look to expand our membership and operational budget. In addition, Becky is very familiar with the Dahlem Conservancy, as she has been a member, volunteer, supporter, and donor for over 20 years. Rebecca will begin at Dahlem after Labor day, so stop on in to say hello and welcome her to The Dahlem Conservancy.

Gary Siegrist, People for Wildlife Coordinator

The Dahlem Conservancy is pleased to announce the appointment of Gary Siegrist as the new People for Wildlife Coordinator. Gary comes to Dahlem with a tremendous amount of outdoor and nature experiences, and we are excited to have him join the Dahlem team. Gary has spent many years conducting pro-grams and serving a variety of roles with the Jackson and Michigan Audubon Societies. In addition to being a member, he has served as board president and a board member for both organizations. For the past 22 years, Gary has served as a crane count coordinator and sat on the sanctuary committee for the Phyllis Haehnle Sanctuary in Jackson. He has led many birding field trips for a variety of audi-ences, including programs for Dahlem. Gary’s experiences make him the perfect match for the People for Wildlife Coordinator. He began the last week of August, so stop on by to meet him and learn more about his role at Dahlem.

Paw Prints is published monthly for

members of The Dahlem Conservancy.

DAHLEM CONSERVANCY

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: John McLaughlin

V. President: Myrna Berlet-Dutcher

Secretary: Heather Price

Treasurer: Gary Krupa

Trustees

Kathleen Clark Victor Marshall

Betty Desbiens Robert Price

Todd Emmons Kathy Shaw

Bob Grover Kenneth Walz

Robert Henning

Denny DaPra - JCC Representative

DAHLEM CONSERVANCY STAFF

Executive Director: Brad Whaley

Education Director: Randy Hill

Office Coordinator: Denise Bigham

Receptionist: Linda Danley Naturalist: Carrie Benham

Maintenance: Mark Snedeker

Weekend Clerk:: Andrea Fitzgerald

People for Wildlife Coordinator: Gary Siegrist

Development Coordinator: Rebecca Mehall

Building Hours

Tues. - Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday Noon - 5:00 p.m.

Monday Closed

Trails and Grounds

The trails and grounds are open from

dawn to dusk every day. The en-

trance gate is opened at 6:30 a.m.

and locked at 9:00 p.m.

That tired old cliché that says “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is true, at least in many circumstances it is. The Dahlem Conservancy is a community-based organization. The Dahlem Center you’ve come to know and love would not exist without the time, energy, financial support, commitment, care and concern of the greater Jackson-area community. One of our targets in the upcoming months is to increase our membership. In this case - it’s always “who you know!” If you are reading this issue of the newsletter you have likely already made a commitment to become a member. Who else do you know that you think would like what Dahlem does, who Dahlem is, and what Dahlem stands for? Have you ever talked to them about being a member? Back in the 1990’s Dahlem had approxi-mately 1000 members. Right now we’re just above 640 (and have been growing steady for the last 2 years), so getting to that high again may seem like a long way to go - but it isn’t. If every member made the choice this year to give just one gift membership as a Christmas gift, we’d soar past our all-time high. Think of all the gadgets, bobbles, and knick-knacks that we all give and receive each year during the holidays. I don’t think it’s too far of a stretch to think that one of gifts under the tree Christmas morning could be a membership card to Dahlem. Who do you know that cares about the outdoors? Who do you know that would like to bring their kids to a Saturday afternoon program where they can see and learn about live wild animals? Who do you know that can appreciate our 5-mile trail net-work through a variety of habitats - all just waiting to be explored? Who do you know that wants to be a part of teaching area students about the outdoor and natural world? I hope more than one name came to mind! Give the gift membership now and just bring them out here. Autumn is a great time to take a hike some evening after work. You could invite another family to join you on a Goblin Walk at the end of October. We have weekend programs lined up from now until December that offer a great variety for learning and fun for every-one. I know that we can double the size of our organization in a short period of time if we all just take a few small steps forward together. For my own part, by the time you read this I will have sent a membership to my parents. They live an hour away and have only been here once, but I know they’ll appreciate it. Plus, by reading the Paw Prints, they can keep tabs on what I’m up to - and I know they’ll enjoy that! Thanks for all that you do for Dahlem. It’s a pleasure to serve here.

From the Executive Director’s Desk...

New Turtle Exhibit on Display at the Dahlem Center!

A new, larger aquarium has replaced the old tank, and is now home to larger turtles! This tank includes a commom map turtle and two red-eared sliders (on right). Stop on by to check them out!

Even though a new tank was added, our old tank is still present in the exhibit room! This tank includes a snapping turtle, blandings tur-tle, painted turtle, and musk turtle. To learn more about these turtles, see page 8 . Thanks to Vic Marshall for donation of the larger tank and Andrea Fitzgerald for the use of the

Brad Whaley

Weekend Programs at the Dahlem Center September – mid-October 2007

Much like the plight of the bluebird, there has been a dramatic decline in Pur-ple Martin population over the last 50 years...but you can help! Join Dahlem for this informative work-shop, where you will learn about Purple Martins, when and where they live and nest, and how you can help bring them back. Ask about how to become a Pur-ple Martin Landlord!

Purple Martin Workshop:

2:00 p.m. Sunday September 16

These Programs are Sponsored By a Generous Grant From

All programs presented at the Dahlem Center at 7117 S. Jackson Rd.

Advance Registration is required. To Register Call 517-782-3453 Admission is $3.00 per person, Dahlem Conservancy Members Admitted Free

We may have all seen some of these exciting birds in the sky, and now you can learn all about them! Joe Rogers of the Michigan Wildlife Recovery Association will thrill us with his menagerie of hawks, owls, and other raptors. This rapid fire presentation will fill you up with important and fun facts about these predators of the air, and al-low you to come face to face with these magnificent birds.

Feathered Predators:

2:00 p.m. Saturday September 22

Radical Rocks:

2:00 p.m. Sunday September 30

Rocks, Rocks, and more Rocks!!! We are surrounded by rocks, but typically don’t take the time to learn all about them. Well, now is your chance! Join us as we venture over to Mike Hoovers house to enjoy his awesome display of rocks and minerals. Mike has been collecting for many years, and has rocks from around the world. You’ll see all different sizes & colors, and even ones that glow in the dark!

Popular animal man Paul McCormack is back. In addition to his usual array of pythons and boa constrictors, he will have some new species to show us. You’ll feel like a snake expert when the program is over! So join us as we learn interesting facts about these amazing, and often misun-derstood, reptiles.

Snakes Alive:

2:00 p.m. Saturday October 6

Valuable Wetlands:

2:00 p.m. Sunday October 7

Wetlands are extremely important natu-ral areas for many different reasons. However, Michigan has lost more than 70% of our native wetlands. In this presentation by the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, a variety of live Michigan wetland mammals, birds, and reptiles are used to illustrate the tremendous value and importance of wetlands to both wildlife and people.

Bats of the World:

2:00 p.m. Saturday October 20

What better way to celebrate Hallow-een than with live Bats! Step into the world of bats with this exciting multimedia presentation put on by The Organization for Bat Conserva-tion. Topics include sound waves eco-systems, food webs, and conservation. See live U.S. bats, South American Bats, and a rare African bat with 4-foot wingspans!

The Board of Directors of the Conservancy approved guidelines at its July 2007 meeting concerning its land conservancy initiative. We are excited about the possibility to pro-vide land conservancy services in South Cen-tral Michigan, either through direct land ownership, or by possessing and overseeing conservation easements. In order for us to be successful we need your help! We are striv-ing to be known as a regional leader in envi-ronmental education and land conservancy. Although development has taken its toll on many interesting parcels land over the years, there are still many opportunities in this re-gion for us, and partners, to protect signifi-cant tracts of land. In order to guide our ef-forts we have identified some fundamental principles that will help us evaluate opportu-nities that present themselves. The general principles guiding are as fol-lows: ● To acquire in fee, lands that are contiguous to the Dahlem Center. Such lands will in-crease the preservation of green space in this area and will protect the existing Cen-ter.

● The Conservancy shall have a strong pref- erence for preserving open lands. It has a strong preference to work with parcels of forty (40) acres or more:If buildings are involved, require an endowment especially if owned in fee.

● The Dahlem Conservancy has a strong preference for lands that work into a broader scheme, such as adjacent to exist ing protected lands (parks, nature centers) or that create green zones along rivers, in neighborhoods, or perhaps in areas where there are few parks or other protected lands. The Conservancy is desirous of working with other groups to promote land protection, such as: GREAT, Falling Water Trail, city and county parks, townships, as

well as private land owners. (If land own ers prefer working with a private charitable organization, rather than with government tal agencies, the Conservancy can play a role.) ● The Dahlem Conservancy is particularly interested in protecting the Grand River watershed, as well as the watersheds of the other rivers which have headwaters in Jackson County. The Conservancy is interested in protecting wetlands and up land areas along the river corridors.

● Identify any areas of open lands, especially untouched parcels, which ought to be pro- tected either through fee ownership or by easements. Lands identified as ecologically or scientifically significant or which have historic or cultural value, are of high priority to the Conservancy.

● The preservation of farm lands and preserving the ability of farming to be maintained is also a priority of the Conservancy. The Conservancy will work with others to help farmers maintain their farm lands and to stop or at least slow development of open lands in the region. ● The US Dept of Treasury Regulations (26 US Code 170(h) shall be used as the fundamental guidelines by the Conser- vancy for considering accepting any tract, either by donation or purchase. Said crite- ria are mandatory if a donor or seller in tends to take a deduction due to the contri- bution or “bargain sale” of said lands or easements. ● The Conservancy has a preference for pro- viding access to said protected lands, even on a limited basis, for educational and scientific purposes, and shall always seek to provide appropriate access.

● Endowments from donors shall be encour aged, but not required, in order to promote the protection of lands. The Dahlem Con- servancy will raise funds for the specific purpose of land acquisition and to cover transaction and overhead costs of acquir- ing lands and easement rights. As you can see from the guidelines, our strategy is multifaceted and anticipates part nering with many different entities. What can you do? We need your help iden- tifying lands that meet our general criteria

for protection. We need your help con- vincing land owners to protect and preserve their lands. We need your help making them aware of The Dahlem Conservancy. And, we need your help financially to develop a land acquisition fund as well as a land easement preservation operating fund (to be used to cover overhead in connection with monitoring lands or easements, and other related activities.) Land owners need to be made aware of the fact that the Internal Revenue Code has spe- cial provisions which, unless extended, ter- minate at the end of 2007, which give do nors of conservation easements significant tax deductions! If you know of persons that might be willing to donate an easement to Dahlem, have them contact us for more information about this incentive. The Land Conservancy Committee of the Board has set a goal of preserving at least one tract yet this year! Work is currently being undertaken with one land owner, and hopefully we will have other opportunities present themselves in the near future. For further information about land conser- vancy and the tax benefits, go to the web site of The Land Trust Alliance, at http:// ita.org. The Dahlem Conservancy is a member of this organization and adheres to the principles and guidelines of the or- ganization.

A Message to Dahlem Conservancy Members...

Do you care about the health of your watershed? Do you want to help make a difference in keep ing our waters clean? If so, you will definitely want to become a water shed stream monitor and help us deter mine the health of this precious natural resource. The Dahlem Conservancy, in conjunction with the Jackson County Conservation District and ASTI, are excited to begin this two-phase watershed monitoring program...the first of its

kind in the Upper Grand River Watershed. This program consists of a student and adult monitoring program. For the students, we will meet local classrooms at a stream sampling site, where they will get the chance to venture into the stream to learn what we look for and how we analyze the health of the water. Students will use nets to collect macroinvertebrates (stream bugs that are good indicators of pollution) and learn to identify them. They will also take temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen measurements and do a habitat assessment; all critical components of the analysis. For the adult program, we are having one collection day where three teams will sample at six pre-determined sites along the Grand River. Teams will collect macroinvertebrates and preserve them for a “bug ID” day the following week, collect temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen measurements, and perform a habitat assess-ment. And after a long wait, the training and sampling days have been set! See below for days and times:

Training for School Programs: Wednesday, September 12: 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Training for the Adult Program: Saturday, September 22: 9-12p.m.

Adult Monitoring Day: Saturday, October 13: 9-12p.m.

*Bug ID Day: Wednesday, October 17: 5:30-8:30p.m. (Jackson Community College)

Each training will take place at the Dahlem Environmental Education Center. For the Adult Monitoring Day, teams will meet at the Dahlem Center at 9a.m., where they will receive equipment and have a brief introduction before heading off to their sampling sites. At the end of the sampling, teams will return to the Dahlem Center to drop off equipment and insects.

In order for us to order the correct amount of equipment and manuals, please call The Dahlem Conservancy at 517-782-3453 or email Randy Hill at rhill@dahlemcenter.org. When registering, please specify which training (or both) that you are interested in attending. Your participation will greatly enhance the water quality of our watershed for many generations to come!

Mark your Calendars…

UPCOMING EVENTS: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7 - FALL COOKOUT

FRI - SAT., OCTOBER 26 - 27 - GOBLIN WALK FRI - SAT., NOV. 30 - DEC. 1 - HOLIDAY BAZAAR

Fall Center Programs Training

Do you like nature? Are you interested in preserving the environment? Do you like to work with children? If you answered yes to the above questions, than becoming a DEECAN (Dahlem Environ-mental Education Center Assistant Naturalist) is right for you! School is just about to begin, and our fall center programs are right around the corner. The training for these programs will be Tuesday, September 11 from 9a.m-12p.m. at the Dahlem Center. Our 2007 fall programs include:

● Signs of Fall - Preschool, 1 hour; Begins September 18

● Nature Prepares for Winter - Kindergarten, 1.5 hours; Begins September 25

● The Interesting World of Insects - Grade 1, 2 hours; Offered September 18 - October 19

● Animal Homes & Habitats - Grade 3, 2 hours; Begins September 25

The Dahlem Conservancy provides a multitude of environmental education programming for audiences of all ages. Through these programs, we educate thousands of people on the wonders of nature and create future environmental stewards in the process. However, these programs would not be possible if it wasn’t for the hard work and dedication of the staff, volunteers, and board of directors. They put in long hours to make sure Dahlem provides exceptional environmental education to Jackson County and beyond.

Staff Spotlight: Staff Spotlight: Staff Spotlight: Staff Spotlight: Mark SnedekerMark SnedekerMark SnedekerMark Snedeker

Q: What do you do at Dahlem?

MS: I’m the maintenance man, in charge of keeping up the buildings and grounds, including trails.

Q: How long have you been involved with Dahlem?

MS: Since the early 1980’s. I was one of the original DEE-CANS, have served on the board, dressed as the bluebird in the Rose parade and for the BB festival, Goblin Walks...you name it, I have probably done it. Only for the past two years I have been an actual employee.

Q. What do you find most enjoyable about working at

Dahlem?

MS: The people, staff, and being outside surrounded by nature.

Q. Describe your family

MS: I live with my elderly mother and am her primary care giver. Q. What do you like to do for fun (hobbies)?

MS: Almost anything outside, including camping, hiking, mountain biking, bird watching, etc. I also enjoy reading and especially reading aloud to my mother who is blind.

Q. Is there anything else you would like us to mention?

MS: I would just like to say thank you to all the people who volunteer their time and talents, and support the Dahlem Center.

Q: What was your career? JM: Lawyer and Business Developer for International Energy Company

Q: How long have you been with

Dahlem? What is your role on the

board? JM: I have been a member for many years. I was a board member in the early 90’s and rejoined the board in 2003. I became president of the board at the time of the split with JCC in 2005. My mother was also a board member, and my family has donated the pole barn and other things to the Conservancy.

Q: Do you volunteer with any

other organizations? If so, what?

JM: I am the President and founder of the United Community Church USA Foundation which finances a non-denominational church in Bue-nos Aires, Argentina, as well as mis-sion projects, such as a literacy pro-gram. I’m also very active at the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson involved with several committees. Cathie and I also cook for programs at our church. I sell JUST COFFEE, a fair trade coffee from Mexico. I am in the American Highland Cattle Association and raise Midwest High-land cattle.

Q. Describe your family.

JM: My wife Cathie and I have been married 33 years. We have two chil-dren. Our son is a Captain in the U.S. Army, serving with the 101st Airborne. He spent 2 tours (1 year) in Iraq. Our daughter is a senior at University of Michigan in the school of nursing. She has an interest in pediatrics and will probably pursue an advanced degree.

Q. What do you like to do for fun

(hobbies)?

JM: My hobbies include gardening and maintaining our family farm; raising natural, pasture raised beef (we raise Highland Cattle), photogra-phy and travel.

Q. Is there anything else you would

like us to mention?

JM: We are very interested in sus-tainable farming and the production of pasture raised beef (grass fed). We are interested in farmer’s mar-kets, etc. I have lived in this area most of my life. I rode horses, hunted, ice skated, etc. on the prop-erty that is now Dahlem. The woods directly behind our house was once ours (including the pond). We also enjoy working with artists and arti-sans and having custom made items created. We do this in connection with Highland Cattle (silver jewel-ery, key chains, weathervanes, iron-work, greeting cards, etc.).

Board Spotlight: Board Spotlight: Board Spotlight: Board Spotlight: John McLaughlin Jr.John McLaughlin Jr.John McLaughlin Jr.John McLaughlin Jr.

Thank You to the Following For Their Generous Donations:

JAOC CALENDAR OF EVENTS: SEPTEMBER 2007

The Jackson Area Outdoor Coalition (or JAOC for short) is a newly formed group in the area that has come together to help fa-cilitate cooperation and support among those organizations in the county who are concerned about the environment and getting people into the outdoors. 1, Saturday Jackson Co. Parks Association Fireworks & Entertainment; Cascades; 5:30p.m. - 11:00p.m. 8, Saturday Jackson Audubon Society Haehnle Sanctuary Workbee; 9:00a.m. 12, Wednesday The Dahlem Conservancy Adopt-A-Stream Training (School Programs); Dahlem Center; 5:30p.m. - 8:30p.m. 13, Thursday Jackson Audubon Society Meeting & Program - Hawks of Mexico; Ella Sharp Museum; 7:00p.m. 15, Saturday Jackson Audubon Society Hawk Festival at Lake Erie Metropark; leave at 8:00a.m. 15, Saturday Jackson Co. Conservation Distict Farmfest 15, Saturday Jackson Co. Parks Association Picnic & Bonfire; Swains Lake County Park; time to be announced 15, Saturday GREAT Annual River Clean-up/Grand River 16, Sunday The Dahlem Conservancy/Audubon Purple Martin Landlords Workshop; Dahlem Center; 2:00p.m. 21, Friday Jackson Co. Parks Association Tompkins Ctr/History Freedom Fest 22, Saturday Jackson Co. Parks Association Marching Band Extravaganza and Fall Festival; Cascades Falls & Bandshell 22, Saturday The Dahlem Conservancy Live Birds of Prey, Dahlem Center; 2:00p.m. 30, Sunday The Dahlem Conservancy Geology Exhibit at Mike Hoover’s house; meet at Dahlem Center; 2:00p.m.

“Little Acorns” is

having some Forest

Fun in September!

“Little Acorns” is a hands-on program for toddler (aged 3 and under) children to ex-plore the wonders of nature. This program is for toddlers and their parent (or favor-ite adult) to explore and learn about na-ture. This program will consist of four one-hour

sessions every Monday from 10-11AM. The first program will begin on Monday, Sep-tember 3. Each week there will be a walk outside at the Dahlem Center and then a craft will be made to take home! Our topic for September will be: “Forest Fun”. Each week we will explore the wonders of the forest and look for signs of fall. *Cost of the program is $25 per month for members and $35 for non-members. *Space is limited so sign-up is required. For more information or to register, contact The Dahlem Center at 517-782-3453. *Unless it is raining we will be going out-doors so children (and adults) should dress accordingly. However, the craft will usually be done indoors. *Parents/Adults participating in this pro-gram are free.

*Parent/Adult participation is required.

We Welcome the

Following New Members

Members Corner

Thanks to the Following

for Renewing Their

Memberships

Dick Burgess Tanya & Jason Dewland Michael Majerczyk Jim Roberts Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Agnello Dr. William & Anne Albright

Maurine Bernstein Nancy Burger Virginia Dahlem Vanden Broek Jean Davis Tom & Nancy Evanson Carl & Denni Glick Michael & Libby Greaya Elma & Bill Hamelink Jerry Holmes Lola Howell Gary Kalahar Bill & Cheryl Kantor Patricia Kiessling Mike & Linda Killian Carol Kobert William MacMillan Meg & Dean Martin

Thomas Miller David Mitchell Georgia Nisja Daniel & Caryl Offerman Linda Porter Anthony & Liz Raduazo Larry & Judy Sanderson Tracy & David Spring Beverly Sweets Cathy & Jerry Sykes Gloria Wahlen

In Memory of Barbara Walz John & Catherine McLaughlin In Memory of Rozlin Kennedy

Kim & Valerie Kennedy In Memory of Terri Bradshaw for

Natalie’s Garden Karen Smith In honor of Ted Renfer’s Retirement Alf & Connie Granholm Colvin & Kristine Matthews _____________ William & Anne Albright Betty Desbiens Thomas & Nancy Evanson

Friends of Dahlem Elma & Bill Hamelink Donna Haynes Jerry Holmes Jackson County Community Foundation Michael & Linda Killian John & Catherine McLaughlin Edward & Beverly Mills Anthony & Elizabeth Raduazo David & Kathryn Shaw David & Tracy Spring Virginia Vanden Broek

Gifts in Kind

Evelyn Digon - Garden Cart John & Catherine McLaughlin - food & supplies for vineyard fundraiser

The Dahlem Conservancy has approved a new project which will give benefits for many years to come. The Board has ap-proved the construction of a Gathering Patio which will be fi-nanced through memorials and honorariums, and ultimately will provide a source of revenue to grow our newly established en-dowment fund. The Patio will be a space where students can congregate prior to a field trip, or hikers may linger before or after a hike. The project will be done in phases, as donations allow, with the hope that the pathway between the Gathering Patio and the Pa-vilion will also become a memorial / commemorative walkway as well. The Board believes this project will enhance the Center and become a source of funds in the future which will help strengthen The Dahlem Conservancy by building its endow-ment. Members and friends are encouraged to purchase a memorial stone to honor the memory of loved ones, commemorative brick, or to simply reflect on the beauty of nature. There are three standard sizes of bricks or stones available. A standard 4” x 8” brick, a 8” x 8” brick, or a 12” x12” granite stone. Look for an announcement of our formal dedication ceremony next month!

If you have not visited the Center recently and seen the new Gathering Patio, you ought to make an effort to do so. It is a wonderful and functional addition to the Center. The design and installation is due in large part to the ef forts of Don Fowler, who designed and over saw the building of the patio, planter, and benches. When the pro ject was in its concep-

tual stage over a year ago, President John McLaughlin was seek-ing design expertise. Board Member Todd Emmons recom-mended Don. Don is a lifelong Jackson resident, a horticulture teacher at Lenawee Vocational Technological Center, landscape professional, and community volunteer! Todd has known Don for over 35 years. Todd, John and Don met at the Center and discussed the project, explaining the goal of merging two other projects into one, in-cluding the use of bricks already on hand. Don saw the potential and eagerly agreed to help and began to design the patio. The

design was reworked and evolved during the summer of 2006, and then was set in motion with the Board’s approval of the pro-ject. During the fall and winter materials were ordered and the project began to become reality. Construction work began in late June after school got out, with Don overseeing and doing much of the labor, from laying out the area, to leveling the gravel base, to hauling and splitting the wall material, and laying out the bricks and granite. All done during some of the hottest weather this summer! Don certainly could not have done this without the help of John Lane, Mark Snedecker, Alan King, and Myrna Berlet. Don and his wife Jane have been married 31 years. They have two children: a 26 year old daughter, Abbey, who is a nurse in Grand Rapids, and a 22 year-old son, Justin, who is in the US Army and will soon be deployed to South Korea. Don is involved in numerous activities in the Jackson area, including Spirit Trail of Clark Lake, Clark Lake Crab Races, Raft-O-Rama, and other events. If you have a chance, please thank Don and the many people responsible for this project. It is through the efforts of volunteers like these that makes Dahlem special!

Many Thanks to Don Fowler!

Don Fowler (kneeling) with Mark Snedeker working on the patio

The Dahlem Conservancy “Gathering Patio” Completed

Nature’s Corner: Michigan Turtles

Size: 6.7-10.7 inches (F) 4.0-6.3 inches (M)

Habitat: Larger lakes, rivers,

oxbow sloughs with ample

basking places. Food: snails, mollusks, & cray-

fish

Reproduction: 6-20 oval, soft-

shelled eggs; hatch in 65-80 days.

Common Map Turtle

Musk Turtle

Blandings Turtle

Wood Turtle

Size: 4 - 9.8 inches Habitat: Prefer shallow, weedy

waters with mud bottom (ponds,

lakes, marshes).

Food: Aquatic plants and seeds, insects, snails, tadpoles, carrion,

etc.

Reproduction: Females nest

late May to early June; lay 4-20 elliptical soft-shelled eggs that

hatch in 70-80 days.

Painted Turtle

Size: 3.25 to 5.37 inches Habitat: In Michigan, mostly

inhabits clear lakes with sand or

marl bottoms

Food: snails, crayfish, insects, tadpoles, etc.

Reproduction: 2 to 9 elliptical,

hard shelled eggs in ground or

under shoreline debris. Eggs hatch in late summer or fall.

Snapping Turtle Size: 8 to 19.3 inches - largest Habitat: Ponds, marshes, lakes,

streams, slow rivers etc.and

Fairly pollution tolerant.

Food: They eat almost any small animal they can catch

(insects, crayfish, tadpoles,

etc.), carrion and aquatic plants.

Reproduction: 10 to 96 round eggs usually in June, hatching in

55 to 125 days.

Size: 6 to 10.75 inches Habitat: Shallow, weedy ponds,

marshes, river backwaters and

sloughs

Food: crayfish, insects, tad-poles, carrion, etc.

Reproduction: Females nest in

June, burying 3 to 21 elliptical

eggs in the ground. The dark colored, long tailed hatchlings

emerge in August or September.

Spotted Turtle Size: 3.5 to 5 inches Habitat: Bogs or boggy ponds,

fens, sphagnum seepages, and

grassy marshes. Prefer shallow,

clean water with mud bottom. Food: .Eats small animals (e.g.,

insects, worms, snails, slugs,

crayfish, etc.), plants, and fruit.

Reproduction:In June, female lays 2 to 7 oval, soft shelled

eggs. Incubation is 45- 83 days.

Size: 6.3 to 9.4 inches Habitat: rivers with sandy-

bottomed streams and rivers. In

summer can be found foraging

in woods, swamps, and mead-ows in upland areas.

Food: Variety of plants, ani-

mals, and carrion.

Reproduction: Females lay 3-18 soft-shelled eggs in a cavity

they dig in late-May or June.

Eastern Box Turtle Size: 4.5 to 7.8 inches Habitat: Open woodlands and

adjacent meadows, thickets, and

gardens, often near shallow

ponds & streams. Michigan's only truly terrestrial turtle.

Food: plants, berries, fungi,

worms, slugs, snails, carrion.

Reproduction: 3-8 oval, soft shelled eggs laid in the ground

in June; they hatch in 75 to 90

Size: 5 to 11 inches Habitat: Quiet waters with

abundant plant growth and

basking sites (logs, etc.).

Food: aquatic plants, crayfish, snails, insects, carrion, etc.

Reproduction: In June, female

buries 4 to 25 oval, soft shelled

eggs in sunny spot. Incubation takes 65 to 80 days.

Red-Eared Slider Turtle Spiny Soft-Shell Turtle Size: 7-19 inches (F) 5-9.25 inches (M)

Habitat: Rivers, lakes, im-

poundments with sand or mud

bottom with little vegetation. Food: crayfish, insects, tad-

poles, and small fish.

Reproduction: Mostly in June,

females deposit 4 to 38 round, hard shelled eggs. Eggs hatch

in August or September.

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID

JACKSON, MI

PERMIT NO. 36

The Dahlem Conservancy

7117 S. Jackson Rd.

Jackson, MI 49201

www.dahlemcenter.org

Looking for one last summer trip be-fore school starts again and gas prices go back up? The following tips will focus on making your actual road trip as environmentally-friendly as possi-ble. 1. Pick a “Quality” Destination

The beautiful thing about road trips is that they can be spontaneous enough to allow you to decide even where you are going last minute. One of the benefits of this spontaneity is that your destination can be chosen based on the current air and water qualitylevel of that area.

2. Snack Smart

Instead of individually packaged snacks in plastic wrappers, what about a tupperware container full of trail mix? Plastic water bottles and soda cans are fine for home when you can

easily recycle them, but what about reusable water bottles and insulated cof-fee mugs for your drinks on the open road?

3. Plan Your Pit Stops

The more stops you have to make along the way, the more energy you’re going to con-sume during the trip. A good rule of thumb is that if one person makes a stop to use the bath-room or stretch their legs, everyone should try and do the same. It will save you in the long run.

4. Travel During Off-Hours

If you’re planning a road trip on Friday after-noon of a three-day weekend, you’ll inevitably face some traffic. Stop-and-go driving will reduce your fuel efficiency, plus it will make a three hour trip seem like three days. Leaving just a few hours later can sometimes make all the difference.

5. Use Pet Caution

Lots of people think road trips are the perfect time to bring along a pet because there aren’t the restrictions of air travel. However, keep in mind that a car can be a very restrictive area to a pet, and extra stops along the way to let your pet wind down affect your fuel consumption.

6. Pack Reasonably

Taking two suitcases for a two-day trip is madness, and it will end up weighing down your car and reducing your gas mileage. Even for a week-long trip, try keeping your cargo amount on the low side so your car doesn’t have to support extra weight.

Information came from Earth 911 - http://www.earth911.org

6 Ways to Green Your Road Trip6 Ways to Green Your Road Trip6 Ways to Green Your Road Trip6 Ways to Green Your Road Trip