As the white pick-up truck bounced down the old two-track, deer flies wasted no time bombing the windows as Dane and I made our way closer to the river. Ten minutes down the old overgrown road we reached our destination where we were to launch the canoe. When the truck door opened, muggy hot [...]
Category Archives: Articles
Summer Adventures - GTCD Staff Favorites
July 8, 2010 – 11:20 am
Lew Coulter:
The Grand Traverse Commons - I enjoy stick walking in the hills at Grand Traverse Commons. Great training for cross-country skiing and good way to enjoy the work we (GTCD), the Youth Corps, volunteers and others have done over the past 10 years.
Rebecca Teahen:
Floating the Boardman - I enjoy exploring many of the [...]
May 6, 2010 – 10:33 am
Join us at the Boardman River Nature Center for this day of fun-filled activities designed to celebrate the wonders of nature in the Grand Traverse region. This celebration will bring together a variety of area organizations devoted to environmental education, outdoor recreation and natural resource management. Admission is FREE and there will [...]
Take a Kid Fishing Day on May 15 at Kid's Creek Park!
May 5, 2010 – 11:17 am
Garfield Township, the Grand Traverse Conservation District, Great Wolf Lodge, and the Michigan DNRE have announced the inaugural Take A Kid Fishing Day at Kid's Creek Park in Traverse City from 10:00AM to 2:00PM on May 15! All are invited, and kids are encouraged, to test your luck in the recently reconstructed fishing pond [...]
Trail Stewards Lead the Way!
May 5, 2010 – 10:38 am
As with many programs here, the number of Trail Stewards continues to grow each year. Trail Stewards adopt a trail section in a specific parkland and commit to monitoring and addressing general maintenance issues that arise on that section. Two trail stewards of the Natural Education Reserve, Steve Rouse and Heather Peyton, took [...]
2010 Boardman River Fly Rod Raffle
April 7, 2010 – 4:16 pm
PROCEEDS SUPPORT BOARDMAN RIVER RESTORATION!
Win: R.W. Summers Model 735 (7’3” 5wt) Fly Rod (Don't fly fish, but still want to support the Boardman? Win $1,700 if you are not interested in the rod!) Pictures below
R.W. (Bob) Summers is world renowned for his bamboo fly rods. R.W. Summers bamboo fly rods are highly [...]
Tent Caterpillar & Gypsy Moth Workshop: April 7
March 5, 2010 – 2:36 pm
When:Wednesday, April 7th, 6:30-7:30 pm
Who:Recommended for homeowners and township personnel
Description:
Last summer our area trees were being eaten alive! Can you distinguish a gypsy moth caterpillar from a tent caterpillar? What kinds of trees do they eat? What can you do at home to help with the nuisance problem? Join Dr. Duke Elsner, Grand Traverse County [...]
Ground Applicators for Gypsy Moth Control
March 5, 2010 – 12:14 pm
Following is a list of local businesses in the Grand Traverse area that provide services for controlling gypsy moths. This list is provided as a public service and does not constitute an endorsement by the Grand Traverse Conservation District. Homeowners are encouraged to obtain several quotes and references for suppression services.
Cobb’s Pest Control
3277 [...]
Gypsy Moth Information
March 3, 2010 – 5:10 pm
History
Life-Cycle
Caterpillar Comparison
Natural Enemies
Host Species
Tent Caterpillar & Gypsy Moth Identification & Natural Controls
Methods for Controlling the Gypsy Moth
BT for Suppression
Don't Move the Gypsy Moth!
For Teachers: Gypsy Moth Cirriculum
Ground Applicators
Pesticide Applicators
Keeping the Environment & Your Food Healthy
March 3, 2010 – 2:28 pm
Most of you are aware of the hard work of our farming neighbors to overcome hail, wind, drought, pests and low prices, just to put food on our tables. However, it is likely that few of you are familiar with the efforts they make to keep our environment and food healthy. The GTCD has been [...]
Nurture your Child's Connection to Nature
February 18, 2010 – 11:16 am
Your child can explore nature this summer at Nature Day Camp!
Each program will include indoor and outdoor activities, and will provide a unique combination of content-rich programming and complementary games and crafts. All programs are designed to encourage the curiosity of the natural world, allow exploration of natural areas, and promote a sense of [...]
Local Farmers Protecting the Environment & Us
February 2, 2010 – 3:45 pm
Most of you are aware of the hard work of our farming neighbors to overcome, hail, wind, drought, pests and low prices, just to put food on our tables. However, it is likely that few of you are familiar with the efforts they make to keep our environment and food healthy. The Grand [...]
Don't Poo in the Park!
February 2, 2010 – 12:00 pm
ATTENTION DOG OWNERS...
We need your help! Many of us here at the GTCD are dog lovers, like you, who also enjoy frequent romps at the beautiful parklands we manage. But, over the past few years, times have gotten tough for some of our dogs, not to mention clean shoes! We've got some [...]
2009 Digital Photo Contest WINNER Wrapup
February 2, 2010 – 10:46 am
The Grand Traverse Conservation District (GTCD) asked you to shoot nature this year…and you responded. We held a digital photography contest to determine the future banners to be displayed behind the Boardman River Nature Center’s welcome desk. Many, many amazing pictures were posted on our Flickr group for the contests. The community [...]
Michigan Envirothon Teams Needed
January 8, 2010 – 11:30 am
The Michigan Envirothon is a statewide environmental education competition designed to inspire environmental stewardship in Michigan’s high school students. It is team based and uses the outdoors as a classroom. Teams of five students and up to four alternate members utilize resource materials and local resource professionals to address natural resources including: Agriculture, [...]
Grand Traverse Stewardship Initiative
January 6, 2010 – 10:02 am
The Grand Traverse Conservation District is proud to announce the new Grand Traverse Stewardship Initiative (GTSI), one of only eight regional hubs for the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (GLSI).
The Grand Traverse Stewardship Initiative (GTSI) will provide leadership, training and support to help teachers, students and community partners work together on water-related issues in [...]
Don't Hibernate, Get Outside!
January 4, 2010 – 2:41 pm
With winter in full force it’s easy to want to stay inside and keep warm. Instead of cursing out the snow this year, how about embracing it?! There are many fun things to do outside and several great parklands to enjoy them at. Below are a list of winter activities and our favorite [...]
Favorite GTCD Staff Green Gift Ideas!
December 2, 2009 – 11:01 am
Yes, it is that time of year again… All of us are hoping you had a very happy Thanksgiving. For some, this also means a kick-off to the holiday shopping season. Well, here are some gift ideas that will help minimize your impact on the environment and maximize your impact on our local economy. [...]
Obstacles to Fish & Stream Health Removed from Boardman Watershed
November 3, 2009 – 11:54 am
On its way from the Kalkaska area to west Grand Traverse Bay, the Boardman River gains in size as it gathers flow from numerous streams called tributaries. These tributaries serve as the primary spawning grounds for trout, especially brook trout. Over the years many culverts have been installed on these tributaries. [...]
Hook in the Mouth and Foot
November 2, 2009 – 4:47 pm
While out doing her weekly monitoring at Brown Bridge Dam, Land Management Specialist, Robin Christensen spotted a bird struggling in a small creek. On closer inspection, she noticed the bird had a lure attached to both its webbed foot AND its bill. "The poor thing was hopping on one foot trying to get [...]
Spark
November 2, 2009 – 3:17 pm
It was a dewy summer morning in Traverse City, when a class full of 4th and 5th grade students piled off of a school bus in front of the Boardman River Nature Center. They were well behaved and filed into neat lines at the instruction of their supervisors. Quiet anticipation was in the [...]
District Program assists NW Michigan Grape Growers
September 3, 2009 – 10:49 am
The Grand Traverse Conservation District has housed the Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program since its inception in 1996. The program assists pesticide and fertilizer users with proper use and disposal of these products. The program has helped many local growers since that time.
A new sustainability tool has been created by the National Grape Cooperative [...]
Brown Bridge Quiet Area Invasive Workbee a Success!
August 28, 2009 – 11:18 am
By Robin Johnson, Land Management Specialist
The latest addition to the City of Traverse City’s Brown Bridge Quiet Area, Grasshopper Creek, got some attention as volunteers worked to pull the invasive spotted knapweed from a native little bluestem field. The 70 acres of Grasshopper Creek was purchased in 1992 with a Michigan Department of Natural [...]
Bringing "Lunkers" back to Kids Creek
August 28, 2009 – 10:51 am
On Saturday, August 22nd, several volunteers from the Traverse City based Adams Chapter of Trout Unlimited came out to restore the banks of Kids Creek behind the former Grand Traverse Auto, now Fox Motors. Three tons of stone and eight tons of topsoil were brought in to restore 65 feet of the Creek. [...]
2009 R.W. Summers Fly Rod Raffle
August 25, 2009 – 8:52 am
PROCEEDS SUPPORT BOARDMAN RIVER RESTORATION!
Win: R.W. Summers Model 735 (7’3” 5wt) Fly Rod
(Don't fly fish, but still want to support the Boardman? Win $1,700 cash if you are not interested in the rod!)
Value: $2,215
Tickets: $10 each
(If you purchase a total of ten or more tickets, and win, Bob
Summers will take you on a [...]
Boardman Riverbank Stabilization Project Completed!
August 5, 2009 – 10:29 am
By Robin Christensen, Land Management Specialist
After weeks of hauling rock, installing erosion cribbing, and spreading compost, Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) Crew #3, led by Al Strange, completed high bank erosion site along the Boardman River, within the County’s Natural Education Reserve.
The eroding bank is just a few feet off a recreational trail [...]
Garfield's Kids Creek Natural Area Invasive Work Bee a Success!
August 4, 2009 – 10:55 am
Garfield’s Kids Creek Natural Area got some much needed attention on Saturday, July 18. Volunteers pulled out Canada and bull thistle in about a 1 acre area at the second invasive work bee in a series of four. Volunteers worked through the rain to pull these noxious plants and slow the spread of [...]
School/Group Programs
July 8, 2009 – 12:38 pm
Custom programs are available for schools, groups and clubs of all ages at the Boardman River Nature Center. Our programs can accommodate up to 75 participants, with program fees of $2 per participant per hour. Programs range in length from 1-4 hours and can cover a variety of nature-related themes. Alignment to [...]
Lower Boardman Project – Downtown Traverse City
July 6, 2009 – 12:15 pm
By Steve Largent, Land Management Services Director
A joint effort is underway to develop a unified plan for the Boardman River from the outlet of Boardman Lake to west Grand Traverse Bay. The Goal of this effort is to “Restore and
enhance the Boardman River below Boardman Lake to make the River more productive for [...]
Secrets of the Forest
June 19, 2009 – 1:32 pm
Ages 10-12
August 10-14 / Afternoon sessions (1p-4p)
$75
Discover the secrets of the forest by investigating animal tracks, scat and hidden critter homes. Learn to identify a variety of animal tracks in the sand and mud along the Boardman River, and search for dens, tree cavities and nests around Sabin Pond. What can these signs [...]
Fossils Frenzy
June 19, 2009 – 1:31 pm
Ages 10-12
August 2-6 (Mon-Fri) / 9a-12p daily
$75
What is Michigan’s state fossil? What is a Petoskey Stone? Where do fossils come from? Join us as we learn about the geologic history of Michigan and the fossils of our area. Explore the glacial till along the Boardman River, go on a fossil-hunting expedition, [...]
Wilderness Adventure
June 19, 2009 – 1:30 pm
Ages 8-10
August 17-21 / Afternoon sessions (1p-4p)
$75
Get off the beaten path! Learn how to make your own shelter and survive in the wilderness. Explore what plants are edible and how some plants have been used for medicine. Learn to identify poison ivy and stinging nettles, and discuss the types of wildlife you [...]
Insects Galore
June 19, 2009 – 1:29 pm
Ages 8-10
August 3-7 / Afternoon sessions (1p-4p)
$75
Join us as we explore the amazing diversity of insects that live in our area. Learn about the life cycles of insects, where insects go in winter, and why insects are important. Head out on an insect expedition into the meadows and fields around the Nature Center [...]
River Explorers
June 19, 2009 – 1:27 pm
Ages 8-10
July 26-30 (Mon-Fri) / 9a-12p daily
$75
Bring your own water shoes and set out to discover the wonders of nature along the Boardman River! Learn about the flow of water in rivers and collect samples of water, fish, sediments and woody debris from the Boardman. Look at macroinvertebrates under a microscope and learn [...]
Woodland Wonders
June 19, 2009 – 1:26 pm
Ages 6-8
August 16-20 (Mon-Fri) / 9a-12p daily
$75
Discovery the wonders of the woods at the Boardman River Nature Center! How can you tell how old a tree is? Where does maple syrup come from? Learn to identify different trees by their leaves and their bark. Explore the Natural Education Reserve as you [...]
Make A Splash
June 19, 2009 – 1:25 pm
Ages 6-8
July 27-31 / Morning session (9a-12p)
$75
Make a splash at the Boardman River Nature Center! Join us to learn all about water - exploring waves and ripples, the water cycle, fish and plankton, and water conservation and stewardship. Get your feet wet in Jack’s Creek and Sabin Pond and discovery the amazing aquatic [...]
Creepy Crawlies
June 19, 2009 – 1:23 pm
Ages 6-8
July 19-23 (Mon-Fri) / 9a-12p daily
$75
Discover the wonderful world of tiny critters – worms, pill bugs, insects and more! We’ll explore the forest floor, a rotting log, and the underwater habitat of Jack’s Creek. Find out all about these little invertebrates by exploring what they eat, where they live, and why they [...]
Under the Big Blue Sky
June 19, 2009 – 1:21 pm
Ages 4-6
August 17-21 / Morning sessions (9a-12p)
$75
Join us at the Nature Center to learn about the big puffy clouds, listen to the babbling brook and watch the wind blow. We’ll lie on our backs and watch the clouds scoot across the sky, collect fluffy seeds and race them in the wind, and explore the [...]
Butterflies, Beetles & Bugs
June 19, 2009 – 1:20 pm
Ages 4-6
August 3-7 / Morning sessions (9a-12p)
$75
Join us at the Nature Center to explore the wonderful world of insects. Can you catch a butterfly? Do beetles have teeth? What do bugs eat? Why are butterflies, beetles and bugs important? We’ll explore stories about butterflies and hike through the Natural Education [...]
Pond Detectives
June 19, 2009 – 1:13 pm
Ages 4-6
August 9-13 (Mon-Fri) / 9a-12p daily
$75
What lives in a pond? Help us search for frogs, turtles and fish in Sabin Pond, and use magnifiers to take a closer look at some of the pond’s smaller water creatures. We’ll explore nature stories and games and hike to a scenic overlook where we can [...]
Nuts About Nature
June 19, 2009 – 1:12 pm
Ages 4-6
July 12-16 (Mon-Fri) / 9a-12p daily
$75
We’re nuts about nature! Join us to learn about the wonders of nature in this program designed specifically for young children. Take a closer look at some of our native plants and animals, explore nature stories and games, and use all of your senses to explore the [...]
GTCD hosts Natural Resources Day for TC Chambers’ Leadership Grand Traverse Program
May 29, 2009 – 2:40 pm
Lew Coulter, Rebecca Teahen, and Dan Busby are all Leadership Grand Traverse (LGT) Alumni, a program run by the Traverse City Chamber of Commerce. One thing many LGT Alumni though was missing was a day devoted to discuss our Natural Resources and Agriculture in our region. A few years ago, Doug Lucianni asked [...]
Listening to the River Adventure for Teens
May 29, 2009 – 12:48 pm
Listen, learn and leave your handprint on your watershed. Become a nature journalist in this 3-day, hands-on workshop, offering experiences in using the latest video recording equipment to record the sights and sounds of the Boardman River watershed. Basic experience with computers and the willingness to be outdoors are prerequisites! Your story [...]
2009 Nature North Festival
May 28, 2009 – 3:11 pm
Get outside and explore at Nature North! Join us at the Boardman River Nature Center for this day of fun-filled activities designed to celebrate the wonders of nature in the Grand Traverse region. This celebration will bring together a variety of area organizations devoted to environmental education, outdoor recreation and natural resource management. [...]
2009 Winter Photo Contest VOTING" rel="bookmark">2009 Winter Photo Contest VOTING
May 21, 2009 – 7:51 am
We had over 60 amazing photos entered into the 2009 Winter Photo Contest! Below are the 5 finalists and it is up to YOU to decide which one will become next winter's banner in the Boardman River Nature Center! Thank you to everyone who participated and we look forward to seeing some more [...]
Native Plant Rescue Program
April 24, 2009 – 11:03 am
Nature is Calling... (Dig it!)
The Native Plant Rescue Program works with willing landowners to save native plants that would otherwise be destroyed. Teams of volunteers from the community travel to these properties slated for development to identify, properly remove, and transport the native plants. Digs take place in cooler, wetter months of the [...]
Boardman River Float Times
April 15, 2009 – 1:39 pm
Ever wonder where to put in your kayak or canoe along the Boardman? Or how long it would take to float from the Forks to the Boardman River Nature Center? Click on the map below and find out!!
Float Times