Nature Coast CISMA, Florida

Nature Coast CISMA Webster, Florida

I had the extreme pleasure of being the guest speaker at the Nature Coast CISMA on Wednesday, March 18, 2015at the Cedar Hammock Lodge, in Webster FL. I learned of the groups activities while  reading about the group in February during “Invasive Species Awareness Week”, in Florida. I was so impressed with the idea and thought it would be a great idea for Michigan to adopt.  So interested in learning how and why they started the Awareness week, I contacted several of the events chairperson, either through email or phone. Keith Morin, Park Biologist, Crystal River Preserve St.Park  and I connected and shared our ideas, frustrations and sheer passion for preserving the areas we both love. Because of the conversation, Keith invited me to be the guess speaker at the March Nature Coast
CISMA meeting. I was honored, and the rest is history.

 Driving from manicured and trimmed settings of The Villages Florida, I was reminded of the natural beauty of Florida. Only an hour away from where I am in The Villages, and I was able to see open expansive farms, cattle ranches and even areas with inland lakes and open water.

I was the first to arrive.  I did not attend the morning workday session. Many of the members were working, that morning, within the area on prescribed burns, and/or hand- pulling or spraying for Caesar’s weed,Wandering Jew, the houseplant gone wild in Florida and spraying Sword Fern and sour orange trees.

While waiting for all to arrive,  I was able to view the beauty of the old Oak trees all dripping in Spanish Moss and feel the coolness they offered to the heat of the 89 degree day. I saw butterflies, heard the birds and actually felt a little intimidated. This is not the Florida I am comfortable with, I see palm trees, manicured lawns and roadways, I hear the constant drum of traffic noises. It was peaceful, cooling, and inspiring to see insects, hear numerous birds and experience the coolness offered by the canopy of trees. 

 I am glad that I did not venture out to take pictures while waiting for the group to arrive. I learned that I was not properly dressed for even walking around the Lodge. I wore sandals, something so appropriate for my lifestyle in The Villages, was not appropriate out here. It was pointed out to me, along the cement walkway to the Lodge, beautifully camouflaged among the fallen oak leaf litter, there it was. . .a juvenile  Ggymy Rattlesnake !!!! And yes they can impact a venomous bite, tiny yet fully equipped with fangs and venom.

Walking into the lodge, I was introduced to the members of the Nature Coast CISMA. While listening to their committee reports, recaps of the last meeting, and the nominating and voting in a new Steering Committee Chair, Operations Committee Chair, I felt right at home. I was thousands of miles from my home in Michigan, yet felt very comfortable with this group of concerned and passionate people here to ensure that the native Florida they know and love will be in existence for future generations.

I also learned, they experience the same trials in running a CISMA, of getting persons to volunteer, keeping them  active within the group, m$ney, m$ney and m$ney is always an issue for a volunteer group. Keeping the events staffed with volunteers, supplying the educational materials/handouts to  the ever increasing interested persons, and of course feeding the masses when they come to a workday project: different place, same issues.

I explained our challenges, our struggles and successes with OPIS and the now newly formed Oakland County CISMA. They appreciated that we too are as concerned with the environment and engaging people to maintain the integrity of Michigan’s native beauty.

I will be keeping in contact with this group. We shared numbers, emails, website addresses. I drove away with a sense that it is comforting to know there are individuals that have the same concerns and passions for Florida as I do for Michigan:  protecting  the precious resources of land, water and wildlife.  

Oakland County CISMA

Hello Everyone,

The Oakland County Co-operative Invasive Species Management Area or OC CISMA, has been formed!

A meeting hosted by Orion Township, and attended by 15 of the 19 grant partners created the Steering Committee on January 13, 2015. A grant was submitted by Orion Township to the MDNR for the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program on behalf of these 19 partners on December 5, 2014.

The partners are as follows:
Addison Township
Charter Township of Bloomfield
Charter Township of Brandon
City of the Village of Clarkston
Charter Township of Independence
City of Keego Harbor
Michigan Nature Association
North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy
Oakland County Conservation District
Oakland County Intermediate School District
Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission
Oakland Phragmites & Invasive Species (OPIS) Task Force
Charter Township of Orion
The Road Commission for Oakland County
Rose Township
Charter Township of Springfield
The Stewardship Network
Charter Township of Waterford
West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation Commission

The Parties established the OC CISMA to establish and document an organizational framework of collaboration and cooperation between the Parties to work toward addressing the effects of invasive species across jurisdictional boundaries.

On February 15, 2015, the results will be given by the MDNR to the Parties. Funds can be dispersed as early as April 1, 2015. Several of the Parties have started an Action Plan for winter of 2015, to hit the ground running when the funds are dispersed.

If you reside in one of these communities and would like to be part of this newly formed organization, and would like to join in with their efforts, please contact OPIS at www.oaklandphragmitestaskforce.com.

As a private homeowner, business owner, property owner, learn how you can eradicate invasive plants from your property and waterways. It is possible to regain our land from these invasive plants.

Winter has arrived! Polar Vortex or Alberta Clipper?

Polar Vortex  vs.  Alberta Clipper,

Baby It's Cold Outside!!!!

It is being blamed on the Polar Vortex. New buzz words for cold, frigid and nasty below freezing temperatures.  Some remembering cold winters being blamed on the Alberta Clipper. Are they one and the same? How do we turn them off?

Each system is responsible for frigid temperatures, fierce winds and snowfall. While they are both centers of low atmospheric pressure, a polar vortex is an actual cyclone, albeit a very large one.

 The Alberta clipper forms, moves across North America from west to east, and then breaks up. Whereas the polar vortices are just "there," all the time, drifting, ebbing and flowing, strengthening and weakening. So, the polar vortex doesn't "form, then sweep, then disband." It's always up there at the North Pole within a certain area, and when the conditions are right it expands or "spills" down into Canada and the US.

The Alberta clipper is fast-moving; the polar vortex, not so much. The "Alberta" part of the name is obviously a reference to its origin in the area of Alberta, but the "clipper" part is a reference to the fast-moving sea vessels. The polar vortex doesn't move so much as it just changes shape. And how fast it changes shape depends on what happens to those forces that are keeping it penned in.

The Polar Vortex usually retreats in mid March but can extend into May, opening the door for warmer air and Spring. The winter of 2014, a Polar Vortex nightmare,  set many records here in Michigan. Let's hope the winter of 2015 will not be following with that trend.

NORTHERN POLAR VORTEX, WITH CENTERS OVER SIBERIA AND CANADA

Just in Time for the Fall Autumal Equinox

 Don't tell the flowers, but today is the Fall (Autumal) Equinox. Yesterday, as I was going through the garden, these remaining flowers were there for my enjoyment. Anemone, still offering pollen for the bees, the last day lily, Tiger Kitten,purely for my enjoyment, Echinacea or  Cone flowers, with their seeds hidden within the drying seed head, food for the Chickadees and Goldfinches this winter. The Rebeckia, with its vibrant yellow color, soon to match the slowly changing trees.

September 22, 2014, Monday at 10:29 PM EDT is the Fall Equinox. This is the time when the sun will cross the celestial equator-the imaginary line in the sky above the earth's Equator-from north to south, and a new season begins.

7:19 AM  was sunrise, the last fleeting hours of summer . . . .
7:32 PM will be sunset, 12 hours and 12 minutes of daylight...... fall arrives at 10:29 PM in total darkness.

In Latin, Equinox means equal night, but in reality the Equinox doesn't always have to be exactly 12 hours of daylight, we have 12 minutes more daylight this fall on this day, then we do night. So not until Friday, March 20, 2015,  the Spring or vernal Equinox, will we again experience equal night or so we think. 
But by then we are so desperate for more light and longer days, after the shorter days of fall and even shorter days of winter, we appreciate the beginning of equal day and night leading to the long days of summer. . .

The two days of the year for the Equinox, fall and spring, the earth tilts neither toward or away from the sun, it is perpendicular to the sun's rays. Every other day of the year, the earth tilts 23.5 degrees, again, either towards or away from the sun, depending on Spring or Fall. So maybe we can blame the tilting of the Earth for some of our crazy unbalanced days.

Go out and enjoy the remaining hours of Summer.... get ready to enjoy the days of fall, with the remaining flowers, vibrant trees and animals preparing for the short days of winter.

Arbor Day, April 25, 2014

Arbor Day April 25, 2014  Plant a tree native to your area. Help feed, house wildlife. Help clean our air, filter our water and shade us on a warm sunny day.  You'll do more than plant a seedling in the ground; you'll plant roots for tomorrow. One gift. One Tree. One Planet. Hello Everyone, Did you know that trees provide life-giving benefits to everyone on our planet? They regulate our climate, filter our water, give us shade and shelter, provide a home to millions of plants and animals, and even help support local economies. This Arbor Day, you can support forests around the globe when you give to our Plant a Billion Trees program. Established in 2008 to restore Brazil's Atlantic Forest, we're now working to restore vital forests the United States and China as well -- forests that are essential to the livelihood of people and nature around the globe. Forests like Longleaf and Shortleaf Pine forests, the forests of the Central Appalachians, and Mississippi River Bottomland Hardwood forests in the United States, where our work has resulted in great successes. The West Virginia Flying Squirrel, native to the Central Appalachians, is no longer endangered as of 2013, thanks to efforts to restore its forest habitat. Or the forests of the Yunnan and Sichuan Province -- forests that are home to the iconic panda and Yunnan golden monkey -- where Plant a Billion restoration efforts will connect small fragments of trees to create a larger habitat for these species, as well as support local communities with jobs and training in forest management. Trees give us life -- they provide us with clean water, air and food -- all of the things we need to thrive. Celebrate Arbor Day this year by giving back to the forests that give so much to us. Sincerely, Bill Toomey Conservation Lead for Plant a Billion Trees The Nature Conservancy PHOTO: Longleaf, planted pines and native grasses at The Nature Conservancy's Green Swamp Preserve, North Carolina © Mark Godfrey/TNC. Nature.org | Where We Work | How We Work | Science in Action | Donate | Photos & Videos | About Us Find Us On: The Nature Conservancy Holds High Charity Ratings Our Ratings | Terms of Use | Privacy Statement Copyright © 2014 | The Nature Conservancy 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, Virginia 22203-1606 Questions or Comments? Call us toll-free at (800) 628-6860 Change Email Address | Request Password | Unsubscribe

"Why Native Plants" Doug Tallamy

Douglas W. Tallamy is the author of Bringing Nature Home. He is professor and chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware.
Tallamy has taught insect taxonomy, behavioral ecology for nearly three decades. His research has focused on better understanding the many ways insects interact with plants and how these interactions determine the diversity of animal communities.

Bringing Nature Home, Tallamy's book is an invaluable resource and read for anyone trying to sustain wildlife with native plants.

"All plants are not created equal, particularly in their ability to support wildlife. Unless we restore native plants to our suburban ecosystem, the future of biodiversity in the United States is dim. We can no longer hope to coexist with other animals if we continue to wage war on their

 homes and food supplies." Doug Tallamy

After reading Bringing Nature Home, I made the decision to fight invasive alien plants as if my life depended on it. I still have a love affair with daylilies, but I have chosen to plant over seventy five percent of our garden in native plants. Choosing not to use pesticides, removing the invasive buckthorn trees shading the native plants found growing within the forest floor, removing the phragmite plants in the surrounding wetlands and planting more native plants in our garden, my husband and I are enjoying the following list of birds, insects and animals within the boundaries of our yard.

1. Cardinals
2. Blue Jays
3. Morning Doves
4. Goldfinches
5. Robins
6. White-breasted Nuthatch
7. Hairy Woodpecker
8. Downy Woodpecker
9. Red-bellied Woodpecker
10. Bluebirds
11. House Finch
12. Dark-eyed Junco
13. Purple Finch
14. American Tree Swallow
15. House Sparrow
16. White Throated Sparrow
17. Eastern Towhee
18. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
19. Red-winged Blackbird
20. Mallards
21. Black-capped Chickadee
22. Tufted Titmouse
23. Ruby Throated Hummingbird
24. Baltimore Oriole
25. Ravens
26. Crows
27. Barred Owl
28. Cooper's Hawk
29. Blue Heron
30. Sharp-Shinned Hawk
31. Bats
32. Grey Squirrels
33. Red Squirrels
34. Chipmunks
35. Skunks
36. Raccoons
37. Possums
38. White Tailed Deer
39. Fox
40. Rabbits
41. Snapping Turtles
42. Frogs, Spring Peepers
43. Toads
44. Numerous Varieties Butterflies
45. Grasshoppers
46. Snakes
47. Walking Stick
48. Numerous Varieties Bees
49. Numerous Varieties Insects

Become empowered and part of the solution. Plant native plants, trees and shrubs. The success is up to each of us. One back yard at a time connected to a neighbors yard and another yard....

The Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network and I want to share this information with you.  

Habitat Matters. 

Get Involved. 

When driving around your local area, take note of invasive plants. Report them to you local agencies, land conservancies and stewardship programs that are already involved. 

For Oakland County, Michigan click on: 

Oakland Phragmites & Invasive Species Task Force 

with your findings. 

OPIS Task Force through education is actively engaging township governments, private homeowners, large landowners to the reasons why it is important to remove Phragmites and other invasive plants. 

Happy Birthday Michigan!

Happy 177th Birthday to my home State of Michigan!

January 26, 1837

Let's all work toward restoring the ecology of our beautiful State.  

The Michigan Wildflower Association predicts that 25 % of native Michigan plants will be extinct by 2050. Each one of us can help stop the destruction by learning about the invasive species threatening our natives. These invasive plants have no natural enemies, they shade out native wildflowers and our native trees. They release chemicals into the soil that inhibit the growth of our beloved native flowers and trees. 

These plants change the hydrology of a wetlands, they displace the animals and insects that live there. 

These plants are a fire hazard and decrease the use of lakes, streams and wetlands. Just take a look at Lake St. Clair, Saginaw Bay, Harson's Island.... need I go on. 

Become a member of  Oakland Phragmites & Invasive Species Task Force(OPIS). OPIS is working to educate homeowners, communities, municipalities and individuals concerning the threat of invasive plants in our state. 

Visit www.OPIStaskforce.org for more information. 

Happy Birthday Michigan, and may you be as beautiful in another 177 years. 

Woman At the Well!

What a difference a few months can make. 

The Woman at the Well, January 10, 2014

Woman at the Well, August 19, 2013! 

I can't wait for Spring! 

Happy New Year 2014!

                

As yet another year comes to a close, let us ask ourselves as did Georgia O'Keefe this provocative question: 

"When I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest." 

How and what in 2014 will interest you? Where will you be? Only you can make a difference for where you have been. Only your voice and actions have meaning for you, be heard. 

Add your voice to the many others, together they are a force. . .                                     may the Force be with you. 

                                     Happy New Year! 

Welcoming the Winter Solstice!

                           Happy Winter Solstice!

                Dance as if no one is watching!

                      The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper

                                             So the shortest day came, and the year died,
                                       And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
                                             Came people singing, dancing,
                                      To drive the dark away.
                                             They lighted candles in the winter trees;
                                      They hung their homes with evergreen;
                                             They burned beseeching fires all night long
                                      To keep the year alive,
                                             And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
                                      They shouted, reveling.
                                             Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
                                      Echoing behind us - Listen!!
                                             All the long echoes sing the same delight,
                                      This shortest day,
                                             As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
                                      They carol, fest, give thanks,
                                            And dearly love their friends,
                                      And hope for peace.
                                           And so do we, here, now,
                                      This year and every year.
                                                               Welcome Yule!!

Enjoy this winter season.
Linda

Upcoming Webinars about Phragmites!

Mark your calendars! These webinars have been brought to my attention by Bob Williams, www.phragmites.org. 
The always informational and on the cutting edge for the removal of such a devastating plant here in the United States, these programs are always worth listening to.

Phragmites.org Newsletter #156 – November 9, 2013

Upcoming Phragmites Webinars by the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative

Emerging Research Webinar Series
Webinar 1: Gene Silencing

November 22, 1-2pm Eastern

Space is limited! Register now to reserve your spot!

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Background: The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative Emerging Research Webinar Series - Innovative Control: The Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative will host a series of webinars featuring emerging research on new efforts to control Phragmites and the resulting implications for management. This series will include work being conducted by leading Great Lakes researchers and their collaborators. We appreciate your input into the development of this series and invite you to share your experiences. Contact us via email, twitter, or facebook.

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1.      November 22, 2013 1-2pm Eastern Gene Silencing
Dr. Edward Golenberg, Professor, Biological Sciences Wayne State University

Scientists have known for some time that protein production can be disrupted by preventing the protein-coding instructions of messenger RNA (mRNA) from reaching the ribosomes, the sites of protein synthesis. If a gene cannot send its code in the form of mRNA, the protein cannot be made. As a result, the trait that is mediated by the particular protein then is not realized. One process of interfering with the translation of mRNA into protein is known as “gene silencing.” Gene silencing is a promising strategy to control of Phragmites or other invasive plant species. Dr. Edward Golenberg, professor of biological sciences from Wayne State University will present his work on this innovative control strategy in the first installment of the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative Emerging Research Webinar series. ★ Click here to register

Upcoming Webinars:

2.      December 13, 2013 1-2pm ESTBiocontrol
Bernd Blossey, Associate Professor, Natural Resources Cornell University

Non-native plant species are often successful in new environments due to a lack of natural predators. Occasionally scientists are able to identify an invasive species natural predator and intentionally release them in the hope of curbing the invasive species population. Introducing a non-native species is a complicated issue and requires rigorous testing and evaluation before such a release is approved. Join us for the next Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative emerging research webinar featuring Dr. Bernd Blossey from Cornell University. He will review how insects can play a role in controlling Phragmites and update us on the status of a biocontrol agent for this species.

3.      January 23, 2014 2pm-3pm EST Microbial Symbiosis
Kurt Kowalski, Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Wes Bickford, Wetland Research Analyst, U.S. Geological Survey

Microbes and plants have a long history of working together. Many microbial species form relationships with plants in which both the microbe and plant receive benefits from each other (i.e. a symbiotic relationship). A group of microbes known as fungal endophytes live inside the tissue of Phragmites and possibly allow it to thrive in a variety of conditions and tolerate environmental stresses that harm native plants. These microbes could be giving Phragmites a competitive advantage over native plants and promoting its establishment in the Great Lakes. Join us for the third Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative emerging research webinar featuring Kurt Kowalski and Wes Bickford from the U.S. Geological Survey. They will discuss their work on microbial symbiosis and its possible implications for Phragmites management.

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Past Webinars: Click here to view recordings of our past webinars!

______________________________________________________________________

If you are not currently getting this newsletter directly from Phragmites.org you can subscribe by sending the word “subscribe” to Bob@Phragmites.org.  To be removed from this mailing list send a message to Bob@Phragmites.org which says "remove."  Archived copies of past newsletters are available online at  http://www.stewartfarm.org/phragmites/archives.php  See http://www.phragmites.info for general information on Phragmites and http://www.phragmites.org for detailed information on Phragmites control.

Bob WilliamsBob@phragmites.org
StewartFarm.org

Go Tigers!!!!

                                             All I can say in the blog entry today is Go Tigers!!!! 

Lots has been happening with Oakland Phragmites & Invasive Species Task Force which I will note in next weeks posting. Tonight it is rooting on the Tigers!!!! 

2013 Oakland County Trails, Water & Land Alliance

The Oakland County Trails, Water & Land Alliance, TWLA, held it Fall meeting, October 3, 2013 at Toll Gate Farm & Education Center, Michigan State University in Novi Michigan. 

Amy Beyer, Director, Conservation Resource Alliance was the keynote speaker. Beyer spoke on Preserving Northern Michigan's Natural Resources.  It is fascinating what they are doing in northern Michigan to bring back the natural flow of the rivers and streams by removing the Sabin, Boardman and Brown Bridge Dams. In removing these obsolete structures, the rivers are returned to a more natural state as a free-flowing cold water river for fishing and other sports. This removal project also returns the natural flow and lay of the surrounding lands to a more natural setting. 

I was really interested in her aside mention of the Wild Link program. It is a program where private homeowners voluntarily develop or modify their land to keep wild life corridors open for animal movement. I thought, why couldn't we do something like this with removing invasive plants and trees? Everyone will benefit, and everyone is responsible for their land. The burden of removing invasive plants and trees would be on every the property owner and then corridors of restored land would be available for the introduction of native habitats. This includes the privately owned homes, commercial properties, municipalities and roadways. It is a thought..... remember what Margaret Mead said," Never Doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, its the only thing that ever has" . 

The other speakers were all excellent in their topics. Jon Noyes, Oakland County Parks & Recreation spoke about the Oxford Park Project and why it failed. Ken Walters, MDEQ, talked about a statewide management plan for aquatic invasive species.

  Chris Hillier, Long Distance Hiker, hiker of the 2200 mile Appalachian Trail and the 2600 mile Pacific Crest Trail spoke about his adventures and how he is the first person to hike the newly established Pure Michigan Trail, Detroit Belle Isle to Ironwood. 

Visit their website for upcoming events and think about attending one of their meetings.  TWLA is an organization that is worth looking into and volunteering your time if you are interested in preserving Oakland Counties Trails, Water and Land. 

Spraying the Phragmites

Mid September 2013, David Mindell, PlantwiseLLC, the licensed contractor hired by the City of the Village of Clarkston came and sprayed the Phragmite stand on Middle Lake, White Lake Road, Depot Park. The third and final step for 2013 to remove the monoculture of Phragmites on Middle Lake, White Lake Road, Depot Park.

After one week, the phragmites were starting to turn yellow, the plant was beginning to trans locate the chemical to its rhizomes.... the only way to stop its growth.

Three weeks into the spaying:

 I would say the efforts put forth by The City of the Village of Clarkston, Independence Township, DPW, North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy, Wild Ones, North Oakland Chapter, Deer Lake private Homeowners and Homeowner Associations and Oakland Phragmites & Invasive Species Task Force have been successful.

Educating the Public about Phragmites

Sign dedicated on August 29, 2013

Before the next step of actually spraying the phragmites engulfing Middle Lake, Depot Park, in Clarkston Michigan, Oakland Phragmite & Invasive Species, (OPIS), Task Force had a sign dedication. OPIS' mission statement states that: Oakland Phragmites & Invasive Species Task Force is a group of concerned citizens working to control the spread of phragmites and other non-native plants in Oakland County and beyond, by empowering concerned citizens and governments through education, advocacy and action. This is a vital part of OPIS' mission, to educate the public.

The sign dedication event was the result of many devoted people who wanted to get the word out about how devastating phragmites is to a wetlands and surrounding areas. It also explains what to do and who to contact if you find phragmites or other invasives on your property.

Lola Koch, OPIS, took on the challenge to create such a sign with information about the invasive species, Phragmites Australias.  With dedicated monies donated by Elizabeth and Ron Wagner to North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy, NOHLC, and working with Clinton River Watershed Association, who actually did the work to design the sign, the sign is there as a constant reminder of how this plant can become a monoculture if left unchecked. If you would like to become a member of OPIS, contact us at www.opistaskforce.org.

Members from Oakland Phragmites & Invasive Species (OPIS) Task Force, The City of the Village of Clarkston, Wild Ones, North Oakland Chapter, North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy (NOHLC), Clinton River Watershed Association and the Deer Lake Homeowners Associations at the dedication.

If you find phragmites or any invasive species of plants on your property rapid response is the best action you can take. The longer the invasive is allowed to remain, the more harm and damage it will do. If you need help identifying a plant you question, contact OPIS at www.opistaskforce.org and someone will get back with you. It will take all of us protecting our properties against these invasives to return Michigan to its natural beauty.

The Rest of the Story. . . .

Hello and glad to be back posting to my blog site. Due to a whole lot of other things in my life that no one has the time to listen to, I have been remiss in posting to Trouble in Native Paradise.  BUT the Phragmite removal project, spearheaded by Oakland Phragmites and Invasive Species Task Force and in conjunction with The City of the Village of Clarkston, Wild Ones, North Oakland Chapter, NOHLC, Deer Lake Homeowners Associations,Independence Township DPW, on Middle Lake, White Lake Road, Depot Park in the City of the Village of Clarkston has marched on.

On May 9, 2013 The City of the Village of Clarkston contracted David Mindell, Plantwise, LLC to burn the biomass of dead Phragmites at Middle Lake. This was the second stage to prepare the Phragmites for the spraying that would take place in late August/September.

                            The signs were placed along White Lake Road to alert the cars driving by.

                          David Mindell and his team of experts were ready for the challenge to burn the phrags.

The fires were strategically lit throughout the stand and within literally minutes the Phragmites were gone. It was actually scary to see how hot and fast and high the fire was. I have a greater respect for the firefighters who fight the fires out West, after seeing this 'controlled burn' and how quickly and how dangerous the flames, heat and smoke was I cant imagine an out of control wild fire.

 When all was said and done, the mission was accomplished. The old dead growth of 2012 was gone. After years of being hidden behind the vegetation of the encroaching phragmites, Middle Lake was visible from White Lake Road. On to step three..... and September.

They are Cut!!!!

Thursday, February 7, 2013 Bob Pursley of the City of the Village of Clarkston DPW cut the Phragmites under the power lines on White Lake Road. It received a lot of attention. The media was there from The Clarkston News and The Oakland Press, hundreds of car drove by during the 2 hours it took to do the job.

 One person actually stopped, she is from Oakland Township. She wanted to know what we were doing. We told her we were cutting the Phragmites under the power lines to prepare for a controlled burn to prepare the area to removal. The burn is to take place sometime before April 1st. The new growth, which is much more manageable,  will then be sprayed in the fall to kill the Phragmite stand and allow the area to be restored to its natural beauty. She asked Emily and I if we would consider speaking to the Oakland Township Board to explain to them how to get rid of their Phragmites. We are excited! One Phragmite stand at a time.... if that is what it takes.

As you drive by now, one can see Middle Lake. It is a sight for sore eyes. I urge you to call The City of the Village of Clarkston, thank them for their efforts to restore this beautiful area.

As an aside, I would like to wish my Uncle Carl a Happy 90th Birthday!

"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men."

"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men." Abraham Lincoln

I Protest!!!!!  I Protest, Mr. Lincoln, so what does that get me???  

To be clear what it means to protest, (remember I am the product of the 60's, I experienced protest with a Capital "P") I Googled, (far cry from using my 60"s dictionary, which I still have),  the word \pro-test\ :
       
  noun

1. : a solemn declaration of opinion and usually of dissent: as
2. : a sworn declaration that payment of a note or bill has been refused and that all responsible signers or debtors are liable for resulting loss or damage
3. : a declaration made especially before or while paying that a tax is not illegal and that payment is not voluntary
4. : the act of objecting or a gesture of disapproval < resigned in protest>; especially : a usually organized public demonstration of disapproval
5. : a complaint, objection, or display of unwillingness usually to an idea or course of action <went under protest>
6. : an objection made to an official or a governing body of a sport

Ok, so I do protest: Here it What I protest, loud and clear to anyone who will listen:  

Oakland County, Independence Township, the City of the Village of Clarkston contain the beginnings of the Clinton River Watershed, waters that flow south and eastward and empty into Lake St. Clair. Inland lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, bogs and remnant Prairies are located along the routes, each providing homes for a diverse array of wildlife, plants, and offering recreational and educational opportunities. I live in one of the richest areas in the State of Michigan in the whole United States for that matter. Phragmites and Invasives plants are ruining the delicate balance of the ecological makeup of my hometown city, township, county and state. So I Protest!!  God knows I have paid my taxes. So what are they, the governing bodies, going to do about it?  We as a people can no longer allow Silence, these invasive plants are  attacking  the homes and food sources of our beloved animals, birds, insects, fish and native plants. Not to mention devaluing our properties and communities and causing huge liabilities through fire and flooding. We are loosing the assets for our future generations. I don't recognize where I live..... I am not in Europe, I don't want to see this changed landscape.

I have attended a lot of Seminars, I know that a lot of studies have been done. A lot of money has been spent on studies, a lot of jobs are counting on these studies. I am missing the actions of these studies, where are the results and 'Rapid Response' that should be applied? I know that there are certain individuals who are taking action, not waiting for the proverbial governmental fix. I choose to join these 'Rapid Responders'. SO..... 

Initially not knowing where to start, I had heard of the aggressive measures two areas in western and northern Michigan were doing to eradicate Invasive Species.  I visited these two areas,  Manistee Michigan, Portage Lake and Tipp of the Mitt Watershed Council, Petoskey, Michigan. They are making a difference. They are seeing results. These folks were so helpful and gave me the resources to help me form a group, Oakland Phragmites & Invasive Species Phighters.

My group has grown to include person from all walks of life, retired, working, photographers, writers, teachers, from Stewardship Networks, Watershed Councils and Land Conservancies, Environmental groups. Each individual and group bringing ideas and experiences to the meetings, they too want to see changes.  Each person as important as the other for what they bring and for the reasons that they are there.

The group is making an impact. Stay in touch.

Three Simple Rules In Life

 

I found this as a posting on Face Book. I am using it as my Screen Saver. I am going to post it everywhere.

With these three simple rules and the people that I am working with to eradicate Phragmites in Oakland County, we will succeed.

What is important enough for you to go after it? To ask the questions, to get the answers? Step forward! It gets lonely, stagnant and boring if you stay in the same place.

I am going in for back surgery, tomorrow. That is the reason I have been so inconsistent with the postings to the blog. Test.... appointments..... more tests and now the Big Day. Don't give up on me... I will continue to inform you of how we are proceeding with the Phragmite issue.

2013 is almost here, it will be the year we hit the ground running... what are you going after?