Volunteer of the Year Awards

Volunteer of the Year awards recognize exceptional volunteer contributions, above and beyond the ordinary, during the previous 18 months, with a minimum of 50 hours of service to MNA during that period. Most Volunteers of the Year are recommended by individual staff members who have recently worked closely with the volunteer, typically in a wide variety of volunteer roles in the field or in the MNA office. We are grateful for every effort provided. To see previous Volunteers of the Year please visit our archives.

Matt Gorentz

Matt has been volunteering with MNA since 2009. He has become an invaluable member of the MNA team. Matt volunteers across southern Michigan. Although he lives in Battle Creek Matt has been sighted volunteering as far away as Big Valley in northern Oakland County and at Hamilton Coastal Plain March in Cass County.  Matt is also a member of the MNA burn crew.

Dr. Paul and Sue McEwen

Paul and Sue have volunteered with MNA for many years, but when Paul retired in late 2009 he called the office and said “I want to help!” After working at a few sites, Paul and Sue decided to take over being the stewards at one of MNA’s busiest sanctuaries, Dauner Martin Nature Sanctuary, in Fenton.  Paul and Sue also give many additional hours working across southeast Michigan.

Sharon McIlnay and Tom Miller

Sharon McIlnay and Tom Miller of Matias Energy LLC have helped MNA with several important legal issues in the past two years. In particular, Sharon and Tom worked for many months to resolve an issue facing MNA in connection with our Hylton Memorial Plant Preserve in the Keweenaw. Sharon and Tom worked tirelessly to resolve these issues without litigation wholly on a volunteer basis. They are now working on securing an addition to the Lyle and Mary Rizor Nature Sanctuary.

Ted and Alice Soldan

Ted and Alice have been dedicated MNA members since 1989, and long time volunteers at the magnificent Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary. Besides hosting a number of work days, in 2010 they rerouted part of the trail and added more than 200 feet to the boardwalk section. Ted and Alice were also vital to the success of the 2010 Fall Adventure, which highlighted a number of Keweenaw sanctuaries, including Estivant Pines. Ted and Alice’s knowledge of the history of Estivant Pines is incomparable.

Dave Wanty

Each week, Dave Wanty gets in his car and drives more than 2 ½ hours round trip in order to help MNA with one of its top priorities, preparing for Land Trust Alliance Commission accreditation. The work requires a keen eye for detail, and Dave does a terrific job. In addition to hours spent reviewing MNA’s legal files, Dave volunteers in the field protecting our sanctuaries from invasive species and assisting with other stewardship needs.

Holzman Award

The Richard W. Holzman Award was established in 2010 to recognize and thank volunteers who have selflessly served the Association over an extended period of time, typically in a variety of roles including service as a Trustee of the Association.  Holzman Award recipients are selected by the President after consultation with the Board of Trustees and senior staff. This award is named after Richard W. “Dick” Holzman, who served 14 years as MNA President, longer than any other President (1970-78 and 1988-94), and 20 years as a trustee. To see previous Holzman Award winners please visit our archives.

Edna Newnan (posthumously)

Edna Newnan selflessly served MNA for many years, including as co-editor of the book In Retrospect, detailing MNA acquisitions and activities between 1960 and 1988. Edna also served as MNA president, trustee, field explorer, and in countless other ways to advance MNA’s work. Edna passed away in January 2011 leaving behind a legacy of conservation, love of truth, compassion, and abiding faith. 

James R. Buschmann

Jim Buschmann continues more than 40 years of service to MNA. Jim has served as president, general counsel, secretary, trustee, volunteer, field explorer, stewardship volunteer, photographer, and birder for MNA. A graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, Jim has devoted countless hours working on property acquisitions and deeds. He also loves being outdoors and spending time at Lefglen Nature Sanctuary, Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary, and Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary.

Mary Ann Czechowski

An MNA member since the 1970s, Mary Ann Czechowski is a lifelong conservationist. A geologist by training, she has written hundreds of articles and is the author of the book Gold in Michigan. Mary Ann has served MNA for more than 30 years including as secretary, treasurer, vice president, trustee, geology and oil & gas advisor, explorer, committee member, and newsletter author.  

Distinguished Service Award

The Mason and Melvin Schafer Distinguished Service Awards recognize exceptional volunteer contributions to MNA over a minimum of 10 years.  This award is named after Mason and Melvin Schafer, brothers from southern Michigan, who provided exemplary service to MNA over multiple decades dating back to the 1970s.  This award was established in 2011.  As the biographies below reflect, these are the fitting inaugural recipients of the Mason and Melvin Schafer Distinguished Service Awards.      

Mason (posthumously) and Melvin Schafer

Mason Schafer was one of MNA’s most tireless contributors and volunteers. Mason first came to MNA in 1978 and spent the next 30 years (until his death in July 2010) selflessly giving of his time and resources. He personally purchased and then donated 435.1 acres between 1981 and 2009 to establish the Roach Point Nature Sanctuary, recently renamed as The Schafer Family Nature Sanctuary at Roach Point, and helped to purchase large tracts of land creating the Sarah Jane’s Nature Sanctuary and Columbia Nature Sanctuary. Melvin served alongside his brother Mason as a volunteer steward at our Sarah Jane’s Nature Sanctuary, Martin Beland Miller Natue Sanctuary, and Columbia Nature Sanctuary. After Mason’s death, Melvin donated an additional 259.1 acres adjacent to Roach Point to MNA for the sanctuary, making this MNA’s largest sanctuary. 

Carl and Ann Biek

Even before Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuaries was acquired by MNA in 1983, Carl and his sister Ann Biek were instrumental in raising funds to protect this property. As part of the Cass County Audubon Society they helped raise 20 percent of the funds needed to ensure that Dowagiac Woods would remain the pristine gem it is today. Carl and Ann embody the spirit of both stewardship and volunteerism.  They cared for this sanctuary in the days before MNA had official stewards and stewardship staff. They did this all because of their love for the Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary.  

A flower found at Dan's Point. Photo from MNA Archives.

Dans Point in the winter. Photo from MNA Archives.

Fourteen students from Michigan Technological University, members from both the Society of Clinical Laboratory Scientists and Phi Sigma – National Biological Honor Society, volunteered at an MNA sanctuary on “Make a Difference Day.” These hardworking students were instructed to dress for the elements and bring along work gloves; their job was to remove invasive spotted knapweed from a rocky shoreline on the shores of Lake Superior.

Nancy Leonard, the steward of the Keweenaw Shores II Nature Sanctuary enlisted naturalist Karena Schmidt and botanist Janet Marr to provide helpful instruction to the students. The goals for this volunteer day included helping students understand the threat of spotted knapweed and other invasive plants to sensitive environments, enable them to identify spotted knapweed in different stages of growth, and showing them how to correctly remove and dispose of the uprooted plants.

Removing knapweed from the shoreline portion of this nature sanctuary is an ongoing project. Keweenaw Shores II is home of a number of special concern and threatened plants, including pale painted cup (Castilleja septentrionalis) and common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris.) Lesser purple fringed orchids (Platanthera psycodes) and birdseye primrose (Primula mistassinica) are also found here.

Equipped with borrowed tools and new knowledge, the students enthusiastically tackled the project at hand. The approach was to work from the eastern boundary of the sanctuary and move over the rocky beach area. Many students set about digging up the offending plant, while others worked to locate the plants and flag them to be dug up.

After three hours of hunting and digging out knapweed on the shoreline of Keweenaw Shores II, the volunteers gathered eight bags of the invasive plant to be double bagged and disposed of at the local landfill. The project was a success and certainly will “make a difference” to the protection of natural heritage at the sanctuary.

MTU students – Society of Clinical Laboratory Scientists and Phi Sigma, the National Biological Honor Society

Brianne, a student who helped organize the work outing with MNA Steward Alice Soldan said, “We all had a great time yesterday! It was such a fun experience, and I’m sure we would love to come back in the future. Thanks for a wonderful Saturday!”

A four session Conservation Workshop series targeted toward surburban and rural landowners with 5 acres or more of land will be held on Monday evenings for four consecutive weeks beginning November 7 and ending on the 28th.

The sessions are from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. in the MSU Extension Classroom at the Washtenaw County Service Center, 705 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor.

This workshop will help property owners understand basic conservation principles and practices to assist them with managing and maintaining their property.

The Guest speakers will cover the following topics: soils & erosion; storm water management & wetlands; wells & septic systems; naturalized landscaping; invasive plants & control methods; trees & shrubs; woodlot management; wildlife & habitat; and wildlife damage & control.

Cost for the Workshop series is $40 per person or $60 per couple. This pricing includes a binder of reference materials and refreshments at each meeting. Registration for this workshop is available http://washtenawcd.org/downloads/ConsWkshop.pdf . REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 31, 2011.

FOR MORE INFO: Call the Washtenaw County Conservation District, (734) 761-6721 ext. 5

It was an early September day, but it still seemed like summer. Forty-two of us gathered at Black Creek Nature Sanctuary in Keweenaw County for a Mushroom Field Trip. Dana Richter, a mycologist and professor at Michigan Technology University, lead us through the beautiful sanctuary in search of fungi.

The group included both hikers and mushroom enthusiasts

The group brought together both hike and mushroom enthusiasts. We soon separated on the trail, the hikers headed for the lagoon and Lake Superior while the “mushroomers” stuck close to Dana. The ground was noticeably dry and, at first, not many mushrooms were found. Eyes sharped, though, and soon specimens were found for Dana to identify. “Russula, Lactarius, Cortinarius, Amanita….” Our heads were buzzing with names and information.

One discovery along the trail, the Chaga mushroom or cinder conk (Inonotus obliquus), is very common on birch trees but most people don’t recognize it. The growth has been used for centuries for varying purposes including serving as a fire starter and use in concocting a curative tonic.

Hikers saw a variety of mushrooms throughout the sanctuary.

By the time we reached the picturesque lagoon, it was lunchtime. Lake Superior was having one of her calm days and offered refreshing wading opportunities. Some in the group wandered back with steward Peter along the shoreline. Others returned on the trail with Dana. All agreed that Black Creek Nature Sanctuary is a wonderful place to spend a late summer Saturday.

July 30, twenty-four of us gathered at the Grinnell Memorial Nature Sanctuary, known to the locals as Bare Bluff. The soaring pink rhyolite cliff is a familiar landmark for those who approach by water on the big lake and a popular destination for hikers looking for a challenge.

The plan was to approach the loop trail via the steep side, work our way up the cliff and then picnic on the very top of the bluff. When the group was given the option to take the gentler slope up and work our way down the steep side, the vote is unanimous, “No, let’s go up the steep route!” The youngest hiker was in his early thirties and the oldest just turned eighty. The first section of the trail was an old two-track and on private land.

The hikers stop for a much needed break along the trail.

We all discussed the overwhelming presence of spotted knapweed but thoroughly enjoyed the ripening thimbleberries and wild raspberries also in abundance. At the trailhead, now in the forest, hikers were given one last chance to opt for the “easy” way up. Once again there were no takers. As the trail wound its way to the base of the cliff wall, hikers were reminded to “Look up!”

Exclamations of amazement served as indicators when someone actually did look up at the soaring pink wall looming over us. Overhead we heard raptor’s screams and we were thrilled to watch two immature peregrine falcons glide along the cliff face. The birders among us debated, but the call of the birds settled the question.

As the trail began to work its way upward, the group easily divided into three. The folks out for a vigorous walk surged forward; some approached the upward climb with a bit of trepidation; and a third of us spent time searching out and identifying northern ferns that make their home here. We were rewarded with not only a ledge to rest upon but a lovely miniature garden of the delicate rock-loving Asplenium trichomanes. The more common Rock Polypody fern greeted us often along the way.

We made our way slowly upward through the steep cleft in the rock face. Each hiker chose his or her own rock or log to sit upon and rest a bit. All around us were northern lichens, mosses, and an almost tropical looking holly fern named Polystichumlonchitis. By the time everyone met at the top of the bluff, the most vigorous hikers found a picnic site with some shade and an incredible view of Lake Superior. It was a warm summer day and the view was clear for miles and miles toward the horizon. Old and new acquaintances alike shared food and conversation.

The hike had great views of Lake Superior

We finally agreed that it was time for the return trek that took us along the crest for a little while longer and then onto the gently sloping forest trail. Goodyear oblongifolia, one of the more common of the northern wild orchids, was beginning to bloom. The strange parasitic American Cancer Root was still in bloom. Reluctant to part ways, even after four hours of being together on the trail, many in the group met at a nearby resort for refreshment and the sharing of trail stories.