Yellow Dog
Watershed Preserve
PO Box 414
Big Bay, MI 49808
yellowdog@portup.com
The
160-acre tract in Big Bay, Michigan, encompassing the
mouth of the Yellow Dog River, is being purchased by the
Farwell Family in the memory of Jean Farwell, a long-standing
member and supporter of the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve,
Inc. We have been working for the last year to effect
a purchase agreement with the current owner and we are
thrilled that this property will be protected in perpetuity
and for public use from ecological damage and the effects
of growth and development in the watershed.
About the property . . .
The “Yellow Dog Swamp” or SOSAWAGAMEE<
(Yellow Water), as it was known by the Ojibway, surrounded
and encompassed much of what is now Lake Independence
- roughly 3,500 acres of swampy lake. In the early 1930’s,
a dam was built on the Yellow Dog River, which elevated
the swampy lake into the modern-day Lake Independence.
The original Yellow Dog Swamp has been reduced to about
1,600 acres.
The State of Michigan owns 1,048 acres, 160 acres are
corporately owned, and the remainder is private.
In 1996, large tracts of Yellow Dog River lowlands
were purchased by developers and subdivided into small
river-frontage parcels and sold. The remaining 160 acres
of this development tract are our target acquisition.
The tract is located at the mouth of the Yellow Dog River
and is a riparian wetland with more than half of the acreage
an open riverine marsh with hummocks of mixed upland/lowland
forests. It is a thriving habitat for numerous waterfowl,
migratory birds, and marsh and riparian flora and fauna
- both common and protected. The southern remainder of
the property is mixed upland/lowland forests with the
Yellow Dog River flowing slowly through it where the river
ends just before flowing into Lake Independence. The river
travels underground or braids into hundreds of tiny channels
of flowing waterways - making its way to Lake Superior
River via the Iron River.
Purchase of this parcel will protect nearly one-quarter
mile of the Lake Independence shore; over a mile of the
Yellow Dog River; the mouth of Johnson Creek; and all
associated wetlands, swamp, and riverine forests from
home development, road building, and timber production.
As the wildness and beauty of this area is treasured by
many, this purchase will be an immense boon and asset
to the community. Next spring, we will begin the process
of making the property accessible to the public with hiking/skiing
trails, observation areas, and many wildlife-oriented
activities – like fishing!
Contributions to the Jean Farwell Wilderness Fund will
offset costs of maintenance on this property and will
also be used in the protection of other properties in
the Yellow Dog Watershed.
Thank
you Jean, I can see your smile.
What
do you consider the key to your success?
The ability of our organization
to identify a resource that required protection and the
timing of a committed member wishing to purchase a property
in remembrance of his spouse.
2. Building a good foundation of member contributions and their
commitment to the organization’s precepts and projects.
3. Providing solid projects that match our members’ interests
and their willingness to assist in such projects.
What
have been the effects of this effort on your organization’s
work?
Tremendous
Leaps and Bounds in member enthusiasm and support. More
opportunities for grant funding and land acquisition have
emerged.
How has the project affected your community?
Community
response has been very positive and our level of respect
within the community has risen since this project.
What particular stumbling blocks, challenges, or defeats
did you encounter?
Access
rights to the property have been challenged and we are
currently working with the landowner and his lawyer to
come to a viable solution.
How
many people-hours were spent on the various aspects of
the project?
•
Research and Mapping
- 1 year
•
Land Acquisition
- 3 board members - 80 people hours
•
Trail Building/Observation
Deck/Farwell Sign at Trailhead - 7 volunteers - 5 days
•
Jean Farwell Dedication
- 50+ people - 1 beautiful day on the river!
•
Access Challenge
- 1 board member - 40 hours
•
Administrative Work
- 1 staff member - 20 hours
How
was public involvement motivated and facilitated?
The
public was motivated by the poignancy of the donation
and their feeling that our organization was doing something
wonderful for the public.
How
was public education a component of your program?
Because
of the land acquisition, we have had various outings on
the land (birding, skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking). This
has helped the public understand the property and its
ecological benefits to the area.
What
was the primary means of communication?
Face-to-face
contact, phone, and snail mail were the primary means
of communication, although E-mail and fax were used as
well.
What
resources were available/acquired/tapped into?
Total project
cost was $62,500, which we acquired through private financing.
We have also set up a Jean Farwell Wilderness Fund, where
members can donate money specifically for this property’s
maintenance and other land acquisition projects. Previous
grants from GLAHNF to improve the effectiveness of the
Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve helped to create an organization
able to tackle such important projects.
What level of media exposure were you able to obtain and
how did it affect your efforts?
Our
local newspaper and a local environmental group each featured
an article on the Wilderness Area. We also had a feature
story in our newsletter, the Yellow Dog Howl. This
newsletter was distributed to our members, environmental
groups, government agencies, logging corporations, and
to various businesses in the community. This brought a
greater recognition level of our organization and our
efforts.
Yellow
Dog Watershed Preserve
PO Box 414
Big Bay, MI 49808
yellowdog@portup.com
