Highland Conservancy

STRESSED OUT TREES by Katheryn Krupa

Last summer's drought affected not only our lawns, lakes and crops, but also our state's trees.  Last fall when we were driving up north to enjoy the fall colors, we noticed many stressed and dying trees which certainly suffered due to the summer's erratic and unusually dry weather.  In our own yard our pines, oaks and ash trees are still struggling and under attack from new pests - a variety of fungus, insects and the like.    It is my humble opinion that we need to do our best to remember to protect our own trees as much as possible.  Spring is the best time to treat them for pests to help them fight off attack and stay healthy.  I would highly recommend calling in a tree specialist to help out and provide advice.  With insects such as emerald ash borer, timing of treatment every spring is critical so don't wait. 

OAK WILT - DON'T PRUNE OAKS AFTER MARCH By Mark Muhich

The next forestry nightmare is lurking in Michigan’s woods right now. Oak wilt, a fungal disease transmitted by sap beetles, is lethal to all species of oaks. A 200 year-old oak tree can die in a matter of months from oak wilt. Oak wilt has been identified in about one-third of Michigan's counties. It is found in all Minnesota and Wisconsin counties where oak wilt has already killed tens of thousands of oaks. Once the fungus infects an oak tree, it can transfer to other adjacent oaks through root connections.

Oak wilt can be easily prevented by avoiding the cutting or pruning of oaks from April through July. Emergency pruning must be immediately sealed. Officials in Highland Township and in our cities, counties and our state Legislature should protect our magnificent oak trees and forests with proven oak wilt ordinances. Without a timely oak wilt ordinance, our oak forests can go the way of the chestnut, elm, and ash, all extinct.

This is a forest nightmare we can prevent, if we wake up.

Mark Muhich, conservation chairman

Central Michigan Group Sierra Club, Jackson

 

KEEP HIGHLAND RURAL by Katheryn Krupa

With a new township supervisor and fresh ideas flowing into our small township, I am one who believes strongly in keeping Highland rural.  When sewers were about to come online a few years back I was worried.  When new subdivisions starting cropping up before that, I was even more concerned.  As we look at the future for our township, I think it is important that we remember why many of us moved to Highland.  We moved here because we loved the fact that our township is filled with rolling pastures, horse ranches and beautiful undeveloped parkland.  It is special because we still see turkeys strutting through our yards and deer crossing our backroads.

I think we should welcome more bike trails connecting to existing trails and I love the idea of horse trails and hiking paths snaking through our parks.  But what we don't need is to open up our master plan to changes that would encourage more development or an influx of business and commerce.  Highland does not need to become another White Lake.  I would be concerned if we started to head down the route Hartland has with its big box stores crowding out the hometown mom and pop type establishments. 

Let's keep Highland rural and sleepy.  As we start dialogue and meetings in the township about the direction we are headed, please speak out and let your voice be heard.

MOUNTAINS IN PERIL IN APPALACHIA By Katheryn Krupa

Our beautiful Appalachian mountains are still being pillaged and ruined by mountain top coal mining.  Environmental groups continue to fight this destructive form of mining.  Not only does mountain top mining destroy habitat, it also pollutes the water when all the debris is dumped into rivers and streams, filling them with black slurry. Seeing this in person on my way to Florida was even more disturbing!

Right now, there are dozens of pending permits for new mountaintop removal coal mines in Appalachia.  If these new mines get approved, it will mean more people get sick and more mountains get destroyed.  It's important to let the Obama Administration know we're tired of seeing families get sick from mining pollution and tired of seeing our mountains vanish.

The Sierra Club is fighting for this important cause.  Click on this link to reach a quick form to let your opinion be known: 

https://secure.sierraclub.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=7343&s_src=911LSCSH01&s_subsrc=ty

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PROTECTING WILDLIFE CORRIDORS by Katheryn Krupa

[Photo taken in the spring]

While driving to work yesterday morning, I was once again reminded of the importance of maintaining wildlife corridors.  Four deer crossed from our greenbelt surrounding Dunham Lake into the nearby woods, channeled into a small corridor of wilderness due to huge fences a would be developer put up around a vast amount of nearby acreage.  I assume he wanted to keep humans out, but his actions have forced local wildlife to navigate busy roads and backyards to reach new areas to graze.  It made me so thankful later that same day to hear about the work of Ted Turner and other wealthy folks who are purchasing easements on vast tracts of land to create wildlife corridors across America.  Kudos to them!  http://www.eswr.com/tag/wildlife-corridors/

To Feed or Not to Feed - That is the Question by Katheryn Krupa

Photo by Stuart Freedman

It is extremely hard for me to ignore the cute little faces of squirrels that greet me every morning begging for treats!  Yet I admit I think it was a mistake to start feeding our local wildlife.  It all started when a golden furred squirrel would come begging at our back deck door.  By the end of the summer, my husband could hand feed him nuts.  Soon others came begging, standing on their hind legs, and even climbing up on the screen to stare me in the eye. The problem is now we've conditioned several generations of squirrels to come to our deck for treats and it seems too cruel to break this habit!  I feel bad that we are feeding the local wildlife but I also can't ignore their begging faces! We have Goldy, Stumpy (for the squirrel with a missing leg), Scratchy (poor things all seem to have fleas), and Black Bart to name a few of our squirrel gang that come up on our back deck for peanut butter handouts.  My sons keep trying to convince me to stop cold turkey.  I say others feed the birds - I feed squirrels.  I know I should stop - help!  Any thoughts?

Huron Valley Earth Day

Earth day is celebrated every April, yet here in Highland Township and Milford, Michigan there will be a very special afternoon of family fun!  On Sunday, April 21, 2013 from 1 to 4pm, the Huron Valley Green Team and Carls Family YMCA off Commerce Road in Milford is hosting a free earth day event packed with activities for families, children and anyone who can attend.  There will be face painting, art activities, dancing, top notch musicians, the International Academy will put on a "green" fashion show (last year there was a dress made entirely of brochures!) and there will be a wide variety of different booths with everything from how to control invasive plants to the "insect man" with cocoons, caterpillars and walking sticks, and hopefully other live animals (last year a pet corn snake was a hit with the younger crowd).  This is an annual event put on by the Huron Valley Green team each year so if you missed the fun last year, I urge you to make sure you attend this year's earth day.

Highland's New Pathway Plan by Jennifer Frederick

Highland Townships Draft Non-Motorized Pathway Master Plan was initiated during the update of the Highland Township Recreation Plan in 2009, because Highland residents showed great interest in meeting the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians.  The Draft Non-Motorized Pathway Plan describes the future vision for sidewalks, paths, trails and bike lanes in Highland Township. Highland would like to connect users to natural, cultural and civic destinations and to provide healthy alternatives to driving.  The Plan will also be used as a tool to obtain funds to install the pathways.  The Pathway Plan was developed by a sidewalk committee and has been reviewed by the Planning Commission.  The Plan is now in front of the Board of Trustees for review and comments.  The Board is asking for public comments on the Plan. Once the comments and suggestions have been addressed, the Board will set the Non-Motorized Pathway Master Plan for public hearing and final approval.

The Highland DDA is currently working on a Sidewalk Project in the Downtown Highland Station District check out the details at the DDA’s website at http://www.highlanddda.com/1/220/index.asp.  The project proposes sidewalks on both sides of Milford Road from M-59 south to Snooks Butcher's Shoppe/Colasanti's Produce and East Livingston Road from Milford Road to Eleanor Street.  The DDA is planning to start construction of the project in 2012. 

You may view the Draft Non-Motorized Pathway Master Plan on the Township website at www.highlandtwp.com or at the Highland Township Hall at 205 N. John Street.

If you have any questions or comments you can contact the Township Hall at 248-887-3791.

Stewardship in Action by Katheryn Krupa

A wonderful mix of families, adults, teens and children came out on Sunday, October 16th to plant trees along White Lake Road near Eagle Road in Highland as part of the Faith in Action initiative at Highland United Methodist Church.  Working with Jim Lloyd, President of the Highland Conservancy, Mary Lloyd of the Highland Beautification Committee, and many dedicated individuals from the church and community, we were able to plant white pine, red pine and other evergreen trees.  Several years ago the area had become degraded when a developer bulldozed the area, sold off all the top soil and left the land to be overgrown with invasive weeds such as spotted knapweed, which makes the ground toxic to native growth. 

Everyone pitched in digging holes, spreading organic mulch and planting trees to help in the effort to regenerate a healthy ecosystem in the area.  Several people wondered why someone would strip off all the top soil and then leave the land covered in stone and sand, unable to sustain plants and animals that formerly flourished there?  Good question!  [But that is a fight for another day].  Kid's Church teacher Mary Lloyd helped the children learn the importance of planting a variety of trees and how we need to be good stewards of our planet.  She showed them how to plant the trees and then we got to work.

Finally, we returned to re-mulch and spread woodchips around the evergreens that were planted several years ago in the same area.  The only down note was that of the 2,500 acorns that we planted in 2009, less then 5% managed to sprout and grow into young saplings.  (The biggest problem again has been the spotted knapweed that prevent the oaks from getting enough sunlight or nutrients to get a foothold.)  The best news was that this time around, we planted much larger trees that Jim Lloyd had carefully nurtured and raised in large pots, allowing them to grow into 2 to 3 foot trees.  Thanks to Jim and Mary for all their ongoing work mowing, weeding, watering and tending of the area.

A special thanks to all who turned out to make a difference!

LET THAT TURTLE GO by Katheryn Krupa

One of the most disturbing things I hear on a regular basis at my school goes something like this..."Guess what Mrs. Krupa?"  What?  "I found a turtle and my parents said I could keep it."  Oh really, so what are you feeding it?  "Oh, I don't know. I gave it some ants and bugs but it wouldn't eat them.  What do turtles eat?"  Honey, you really should let it go, it's a wild creature.  They don't do well in captivity.  A week later, So did you let that turtle go?  "No, I still have it.  I'm feeding it dead worms."  But is it eating them?  "No, but my Dad said I can keep it."  PLEASE let it go, it's fall and it needs to find a good place to go to sleep for the winter.  Another week later... So I hope the turtle is free now?  "Nope, it died (said very matter of factly).  It wouldn't eat."

This drives me crazy!  I talk to all my classes about the importance of leaving wildlife alone.  Turtles, snakes, frogs, walking sticks, a praying mantis...no matter what it is just let it go where you found it.  I know, I know, even I as a child had painted turtles we kept for a few days but my mother was smart enough to insist we let them go free.  The one pet she gave in on was a baby alligator I got to keep for a month but of course it refused to eat and died and I felt eternally guilty!  Wild animals just do not make good pets.  Period.

Worse yet to an animal lover like me is hearing about all the abandoned kittens mewing under houses or the dozens of cats roaming a neighborhood.  Get your animals neutered now!  Okay, I will keep working away bit by bit on my students at my school but I hope you will do your own part and teach your children to just let those critters go.  As for the cats?  Rescue them and take them to a shelter.  Now I'll get off my soapbox for today.

A TIME TO PLANT by Katheryn Krupa

 
Alas, after eight years of treating our three stately ash trees up north, I am sad to say I am losing the battle against emerald ash borer.  I had faithfully drenched each tree every spring with a product called Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub that contains imidacloprid.  My neighbors' trees had all died but I was delighted mine were protected - until this year.  I noticed one of the ash trees showed significant die back and created a massive amount of seeds - exactly what happened to the other trees on our street before they died.  Nasty ash borer!  Alas, I could not afford the expensive injections suggested by my local tree company who charged over $700 to treat my trees previously.  Instead of these beautiful canopy trees, we are planting red and white pines.  As I drove home last weekend, I noticed the highway was lined with dead and dying trees.  These were not just ash trees but also included maple, pine and what appeared to be populars.  Our native trees are under attack because folks move firewood infested with insects like the emerald ash borer for which they have no defense.  (The newest invader is the Asian Longhorned beetle currently found in New York, Ohio and Massachusetts, and Chicago).  Our twin lakes in Iosco county were first hit when a thoughtless person ignored the DNR warnings and did just that and the ash borer quickly spread from yard to yard and into nearby forests. So as you go up north this fall, please do not bring firewood!