Thanks to the help of the Traverse City based United States Coast Guard Air Station, Thomas Turkette was able to complete his final leadership project to become an Eagle Scout. Thomas contacted the District last fall and asked if we had any trail work that needed to be done. After narrowing down the options, Thomas agreed to help us improve a seasonally wet spot along a remote hiking trail at the City’s 1,310-acre Brown Bridge Quiet Area, located in East Bay Township. The only problem: how do you transport enough lumber for a 60 ft boardwalk when the closest access point is over a mile walk, down 264 access steps, and over several hundred feet of other boardwalks? With help from the Coast Guard of coarse (if you’re very lucky)!

On May 30th the Coast Guard picked up lumber from Ranch Rudolph’s field on Brown Bridge road with a helicopter and transported the material to the remote location on the north trail. The Coast Guard is required to log a certain number of training hours each month and will use this exercise as a training event. On the following Saturday, the group of scouts and volunteers made quick work of the construction of the boardwalk. The boardwalk will allow hikers to continue on the path without worry of wet feet. Before, people were forced to walk around the seasonally wet spot and were creating a spider web of new trails, disturbing both vegetation and wildlife.

A HUGE thank you to the U.S. Coast Guard and Ranch Rudolph! It’s through the hard work and generosity of individuals and organizations that helps make our area’s parklands a great place to get outside and enjoy all that nature has to offer. Well done Thomas!