W K Kellogg Foundation

The position is new not only for him but for the MAS itself.  Up till now the MAS has relied on volunteer efforts to cope with increasingly complex conservation issues involving the preservation of wild birds, along with plants and animals.  Tom becomes the first full-time professional in MAS dedicated to conservation as it affects the organization's 19 bird sanctuaries around the state, making sure they are operating in accord with their mission and developing clear management plans for each.

Tom leaves his position as conservation education director for the Binder Park Zoo in Calhoun County, which he held for five years.  A native of Bangor in Van Buren County, Tom began his career at Binder Park Zoo as an education intern in 1989 and became Director of Conservation Education in 2002.  A graduate of Western Michigan University's Biology/Environmental Studies program, Tom has been a busy man in the Battle Creek community as a public speaker for the zoo, a member of Battle Creek Kiwanis, an outdoor writer for the Battle Creek Enquirer, and guest host on WBCK's morning show.

In days of yore at the Augusta trailhead.

He doesn't just talk the talk but works hands-on on behalf of wild birds and their environment as Resident Manager of the Robert & Mildred Otis Sanctuary in Barry County.  (Chief Noonday Chapter members have hiked in the sanctuary on past occasions, most recently on April 19, 2008.)

Tom has hiked over 1500 miles of the North Country National Scenic Trail, including hiking the entire states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.  He's also hiked hundreds of miles in Minnesota and Pennsylvania.  He is a long-time member of Chief Noonday Chapter and is one of our Trail Adopters (the Norris Rd to McKibbin Rd section).

He is currently in the process of writing the first guide to the trail.  Another book tells the story of his 6 week, 450 mile adventure across the UP in 1998.  In the meantime, his first published book, 50 Hikes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, from Countryman Press is due out this summer.

Tom was recently recognized by Western Michigan University's Environmental Studies program with an Outstanding Achievement Award presented to him by the College of Arts and Sciences.

We wish him well in his new adventure!

You can get more information on Tom and his new job from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and here.

January 12, 2008

We had a good-sized group of participants: Charles Krammin, Jerry Pattok, John Rudnicki, Marcia Mellen, Ron and Linda Sootsman, Larry Pio, Joe Higdon and his daughter, and Yrs Truly, Mick Hawkins.

In a departure from our earlier practice, we took a "non-linear" loop hike from the old Cereal City parking area north to Irving Park and Kellogg Community College, then east on the "Red Loop" through Bailey Park to the Battle Creek River, which we followed back downtown.  We stopped for refreshments at a convenient bistro (well, it was a McDonald's) across from Bailey Park.

The Battle Creek River was high and overflowing the trail at a few points, which forced us to do a little backtracking and detouring here and there.  The loop was nominally about a 7 mile hike, but we figured we probably added about another mile to that.

A number of us concluded the hike in typical Chief Noonday fashion -- at the Arcadia Brewery, where we probably restored any pounds we'd burned off on the trail!

The Webmaster didn't finally haul his camera out till we were at the Verona Dam overlook.

A small picture gallery is posted on the Photos page.

Mick Hawkins

We had met, as usual, at the Hastings Big Boy for breakfast.  Steve Hicks had brought his son-in-law Randy.  Mick and Larry Hawkins, Jim Heaton and Ron Sootsman trailed in.  Larry Pio arrived for a late breakfast having, like Jim, braved the blowing snow from Kalamazoo.  With it as cold outside as it was, we all welcomed the excuse to have another cuppa and wait for Larry.

Our task was to scout out the fields and woods in the Middleville State Game Area on the west side of Harris Creek Road just south of the Kent County line between Parmalee Road and 108th Street. 

The DNR maintains several corn fields along here.  We cut across the northernmost cornfields to discover that the woods to the north were private property while those to the west were State lands, a mix of ridges and wetlands along what is probably Harris Creek.  With the deep cold and snow, we never found the creek.

The woods was our usual mix of hardwoods, blowdowns and pucker brush but was quite lovely in the snow.  It was obviously well used by deer hunters as we found a number of blinds and tree stands.

It remains to be seen what Mark Bishop, the DNR Land Manager, will offer us in terms of right-of-way. The woods are great if he will let us back in there, but we may be limited to walking the margins of the corn fields, which would be less desirable but still preferable to walking along the road.

We will study the plat books to firm up where the state lands and private lands are really located and then meet will Mark to firm up a route before they go in to plow and plant the corn.

Then we will have a major project for a workday or two  or three   clearing and blazing the new trail.

Larry Hawkins, President of Chief Noonday Chapter   

(Note: The Webmaster apologizes for the lack of photos --- but it was just too freakin' cold to take off the gloves!)
 

(Larry Pio photo)

WINTER HIKE III:  Maybe we finally got this winter hike thing right.  It wasn't frigid, by any means, but there was plenty of snow on the ground and it definitely looked like winter for our third outing this winter (unless you want to go all technical on us and say the December 8th hike was too early to count as winter). 

This time we hiked in the Yankee Springs Recreation Area on the Chief Noonday, North Country National Scenic and Long Lake Trails.  The hardy hikers were Larry Pio, Mike Wilkey, Mike Wilke's nephew Mike Nofs, Art Stone, Jerry Pattok, Verle Krammin, and Charlie Krammin, our hikemeister for the day.  Also hiking was Mick Hawkins, who as usual was behind the camera for the picture above.

Not pictured was Terry Meden, who missed hooking up with the rest of the group probably by a matter of minutes and ended up hiking solo on the Long Lake Trail.  Our apologies, Terry!

Mick Hawkins enjoys Jerry Pattok's humor as Mike Nofs looks on.                                                    (Art Stone photo)

Joining us also for breakfast earlier in Hastings were Larry Hawkins and Ron and Linda Sootsman, who were given medical leave for the day.

The temperatures ranged in the low to mid-thirties, so the snow was a bit heavy and sticky, but it was still a great day for a hike amid pleasant company on a very nice series of trails.

Our thanks go to the Yankee Springs Recreational Area staff for having the parking lot at the Gun Lake campground and the Chief Noonday Trailhead plowed out for us.

Encumbered as he was with trekking poles and winter gear, Mick only got his Nikon hauled out of his pack once for a picture (top), but other hikers were snapping photographic circles around him, providing evidence that he really did bundle up (with his gaiters on backwards) and take part in the hike.
 

(Art Stone photo)

Next month we will again be hiking in Yankee Springs on the Deep Lake Trail on March 15th.  With unbridled optimism that spring might sort of be happening by April 19th, on that date we'll hike the Warner and Otis Sanctuaries.  And on May 17th we'll hike the Dolan Trail in Kent County. 

Everybody's welcome at all our hikes and activities.

Mick Hawkins