"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?

Phragmites Forum, November 26 , 2012 Grosse Pointe Shores, MI

For those of you who are following this blog who reside in St. Clair Counties and or along Lake St. Clair shoreline, here is a workshop you might be interested in. 

Phragmites Forum November 26th in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan

“Controlling Invasive Phragmites on the Lake St. Clair Shoreline” will be held at 7:00 p.m. on November 26 in the Council Chamber of the Grosse Pointe Shores Municipal Building, 795 Lake Shore Rd. The event is free and open to the public.”

To read an online article about the event go to:

http://grossepointe.patch.com/articles/bledsoe-to-host-forum-on-controlling-phragmites.

More to follow about Phragmites and its removal. 

Happy Thanksgiving

                                                       Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!


In October, my husband and I stopped at the Circle B Turkey Ranch in Mancelona, Michigan. We have been buying turkeys here for years. We know they are free range and lovingly cared for birds.

We purchased our frozen turkey and as we were getting ready to leave, the turkeys were let out of the barn for the day.. . I will let you finish the story.

                                                       Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Water- "The Taken for Granted" Resource and our Candidates

The abundance of water, that the Midwest and Michigan is so dearly blessed to have can not be taken for granted. There are several great websites to explore explaining the threats to the Great Lakes and Michigan's great resource: WATER. 

For more information contact: 

  Michigan Sea Grant

      517 353-5508

Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay

      231 935-1514

Tip of the Mit Watershed Council

      231 347-1181

Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, Inc. 

      989 257-3583

To you, the reading audience, I continually have tried to inform you about our natural resources that are imploding before our eyes. Water misuse, declining bird and insect populations, land mismanagement and the Phragmite infestation in Michigan wetlands. Like our aging infrastructure,which is necessary so for our pampered lives, water is taken for granted... the clean water we drink and bathe in, the electricity that runs our world and endless supply of food it offers to us.  The systems to protect our precious water are aging and as a country we are not addressing them. Just like how we turn our heads when environmental issues are brought to out attention, Phragmites are destroying our wetlands and they need to be controlled, Asian Carp DNA has been found  in the Great Lakes, so how did that happen, let's do another study?  the infrastructure is in need of repair.

Doesn't that sound like a lot of jobs that could be created? Millions to be spent to save our country, support families and recreate America. Yet we spend MILLIONS to elect a president. Millions that could be used in refurbishing the services and helping to restore our country's natural resources, feed the hungry, save people' homes.  It happens every four years. I can say I am actually ashamed that our candidates are not smarter and wiser and could actually see through this political mess. That would be someone I would be happy to vote for. After viewing this video created by Penn State University, please vote. Don't stop there, get involved with an issue that is near and dear to your heart. Don't let The United States of America implode. God Bless America! God Bless You!

Catching up.....

I came home energized from the presentation at with the Southern Michigan Beautification Council on Thursday, September 20, 2012.  After the presentation, I talked to several people who are just as concerned about Phragmite destruction to our wetlands as I am. Just as frustrated with the lack of concern and response by the people in charge, or who you would think is in charge and would be more concerned and aggressively acting to stop it and eradicate it. There was much discussion of loosing our beaches, wetlands and waterways. Loss of aquatic animals, the quality of our water and the huge fire hazard that it can present to homes, commercial buildings and roadways was discussed also.

This very week I learned a few positive things about Phragmites and I am working on getting more information

1. There is a woman in Oxford, MI, Deanne Bednar. She actually harvests Phragmites and uses them as building material. Visit her website, Straw bale studio for more information. 
2. Use Cut Phragmite plants for mulch on trail ways. It is sturdy and durable.

I am meeting with two individuals on the western part of the state October 14th. They have been successful in their communities to remove Phragmites. I will report on that later. 

Until next time, celebrate the fall weather and colors. 

Beautification Council of Southeastern Michigan

Thursday, September 20, 2012 I am the Keynote Speaker at the Fall Quarterly Meeting for the Beautification Council of Southeastern Michigan. My topic: Invasive Plant Species Control and Replacing Invasive Plant Species with Native Plants.

One of the key Purposes of  Beautification Council of Southeastern Michigan  is:

• Restore, Preserve and Enhance the beauty of Southeastern Michigan. 

One of the Goals of BCSEM is: 

• develop a sense of civic pride and citizen responsibility. 

These items are the basis of my presentation. I hope to challenge the Councils to become as passionate as I am about removing the invasive destructive Phragmite australis from our area and to help restore the native plant populations. "To Own" the challenge and develop through education in their communities a civic pride and citizen responsibility to go forward and shift their attack to the numerous local invasive and alien ornamental plants. Then to help Restore the native communities of plants, shrubs and trees that support their insect, bird and animal populations.  

I am being joined by Ron Cousineau and Mike West from Upper Long Lake and Patrick Nagy from the Village of Wolverine Lake who are speaking on non-chemical alternatives to Phragmite control. These gentlemen have had various levels of success with removing Phragmites with out chemicals.

                                                             Spreading the word!