The John and Mary Dahlem Environmental Education Center A Program of The Dahlem Conservancy September 2008

In this Issue

Fall Weekend Program Series pg. 1 Education Director Message pg. 2 Paw Prints Survey pg. 2 JAOC Calendar of Events pg. 3 Fall Center Programs Training pg. 3 GREAT River Clean-up pg. 3 Sept/Oct Weekend Programs pg. 4 November Weekend Programs pg. 5 Audubon September Events pg. 5 Adopt-A-Stream Monitoring pg. 5 Comerica helps Dahlem pg. 6 New Guided Walks pg. 6 Tagging Monarch Butterflies pg. 6 Memberships/Donations pg. 7 Raising money..while shopping pg. 7 New Turtle in Exhibits pg. 7 Paper or Plastic? pg. 8 Dahlem Center Hours

Tuesday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday Noon - 5:00 p.m. Monday Closed The trails and grounds are open from dawn to dusk every day. The entrance gate is opened at 6:30 a.m. and locked at 9:00 p.m. Contact

Phone: 517 - 782 - 3453 Fax: 517 - 782 - 3441

Website: www.dahlemcenter.org

Address: 7117 South Jackson Rd.

Jackson, MI 49201

In September, the Dahlem Center will be busy once again with the beginning of our Fall weekend program series. This year, we have a mix of exciting live ani- mal programs, edutainers, and off-site programs. So, come on out to the Dahlem Center to enjoy a nature program, and then take a fall walk on the trails.

Mission Statement: The mission of The Dahlem Conservancy is to provide environ-mental education and land conservancy services to the residents of South Central Michigan.

Fall Weekend Program Series is Back!!

On Saturday, September 13, Scott Hasbrouck from Spring Arbor University will do a program on snakes, bringing several live specimens.

On Saturday, September 27, we will once again visit Mike Hoover at his home, where he will show and teach us about his impressive collection of rocks and minerals.

A complete listing of Fall programs and descriptions is on pages 4-5.

Paw Prints is published for members of The Dahlem Conservancy. DAHLEM CONSERVANCY BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: John McLaughlin V. President: Myrna Berlet-Dutcher Treasurer: Gary Krupa Secretary: Bob Grover

Trustees

Kathleen Clark Victor Marshall Betty Desbiens Robert Price Todd Emmons Kathy Shaw Robert Henning Andy Walz Denny DaPra - JCC Representative DAHLEM CONSERVANCY STAFF Executive Director: Brad Whaley Education Director: Randy Hill Office Coordinator: Denise Bigham Receptionist: Linda Danley Naturalist: Carrie Benham Maintenance: Mark Snedeker Weekend Clerk:: Andrea Fitzgerald People for Wildlife Coordinator: Gary Siegrist Development Coordinator: Rebecca Mehall

Message from the Education Director... It is with a heavy heart that I write this message to you. I have resigned as Edu-cation Director for Dahlem, effective September 12. I will be moving back up north, where I will assume the position as Dean of Education & Human Services at Baker College of Cadillac. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support during my tenure at Dahlem. As you know, Dahlem is such a special place, and a very difficult one to leave. Unlike most organizations, Dahlem functions not only by staff, but by volunteers and sup-porters such as yourselves. So I encourage you to welcome the new Education Director to Dahlem when he/

she arrives. I know the staff and Board will only select the best candidate for the position, and it will be someone who is as passionate about protecting the environ-ment as I am. I also ask that you con-tinue to support Dahlem in whatever ca-pacity you see fit. In the past two years, you have seen several changes, and that is just the beginning. Dahlem is embark-ing on an incredible adventure, and there is no better time to be a member and watch as thousands of “students” across the county and state become more envi-ronmentally aware due to this “jewel of Jackson.” I know I will continue to be a member and help Dahlem anyway I can. Thank you once again, and I wish all of you the very best!

Sincerely, Randy Hill

Are You A Dahlem Member? If not, become a member today and you will receive: • Free admission to most public programs • Advanced registration and reduced

rates for Day Camps and Goblin Walks

• 10% discount on purchases in the Nutshell Gift Shop

• Paw Prints monthly newsletter of events and information

• Access to trails for cross-country skiing.

Membership Fees: Individual Membership - $24 Family Membership - $36 Senior Membership - $12 Memberships also make great gifts for friends and family!! Help us protect nature for future generations!

Page 2

Paw Prints Survey

Each month, The Dahlem Conservancy sends out over 700 editions of our newsletter, Paw Prints. We would love to know what you think about it. Your feedback will help us to improve the newsletter. Please cut out and mail this survey to the address on the front, or drop it off the next time you visit Dahlem. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to help us evaluate our services. 1) Do you typically read Paw Prints cover to cover each month? ___ Yes ____No 2) What do you enjoy reading most about in Paw Prints? ___ Upcoming Dahlem Events ___ Recap on past Dahlem Events ___ Nature/Science articles ___ Environmental-friendly tips ___ Messages from the staff 3) Is there anything else you would like to see in Paw Prints? __ No ___Yes, If yes, what? _________________________________________________________________ 4) Is there anything we should take out? ___No ___Yes, If yes, what? _______________________________________________________________________ 5) Would you rather receive Paw Prints electronically (if you are a member) or continue receiving a hard copy? ___ Electronic ___ Hard Copy ___ Both : If Electronic, please provide email ______________________________________________________________________ In the space below, please provide any additional comments or suggestions you have regarding Paw Prints. Thank you once again for taking the time to fill out this survey!

Jackson Area Outdoor Coalition (JAOC)

Calendar of Events September 2008

The Jackson Area Outdoor Coalition (or JAOC for short) is a group in the area that has come together to help facilitate cooperation and sup-port among those organizations in the county who are concerned about the environment and getting people into the outdoors.

Date Organization Event Location/Time September 13 GREAT Annual River Clean-Up 9 am - 1:30 pm; meet at CMS Energy Band Shell (Cooper St.) 13 Jackson County Parks Association Picnic at Little Wolf Lake County Park 12 noon; Hot Dogs provided; bring a passing dish & tableware 13 The Dahlem Conservancy Snake program Dahlem, 2:00 pm (see pg.3) 17 Dahlem/Jackson Co. Conservation District Adopt-A-Stream Training Dahlem; 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm 20 Jackson Co. Conservation District Annual Farm Fest 27 Dahlem/Jackson Co. Conservation District Adopt-A-Stream Event 9 am - 1 pm; Meet at Dahlem 27 The Dahlem Conservancy “Radical Rocks” program at Mike 2 pm; meet at Dahlem Hoover’s House.

Page 3

Mark Your Calendars……

Saturday, September 13th

Grand River Environ-mental Action Team

(GREAT) Annual River Clean -

Up!

9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. We all love and value the Grand River and all of it’s tributaries, and now you can help show it. Come join GREAT and others to help keep these waters clean for us, and the animals that depend on it. Meet at CMS Energy Band Shell, downtown Jackson (Cooper St.). Lunch will be provided. For more information on the clean-up, visit GREAT’s website at http://www.great-mi.org/.

Fall Center Programs Training

Thursday, September 18; 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Do you like nature? Are you interested in preserving the environment? Do you like to work with children? If you answered yes to the above questions, then becoming a DEECAN (Dahlem Environ-mental Education Center Assistant Naturalist) is right for you! School is just about to begin, and our Fall center programs are right around the corner.

Our 2008 Fall programs include: • Signs of Fall - Preschool, 1 hour; Begins September 23 - In this program, students will discover the world around them as summer slowly turns into winter. Students will look for signs of change. • Nature Prepares for Winter - Kindergarten, 1.5 hours; Begins September 23 - Students earn how seeds, fur, needles, underground homes, and antifreeze help nature’s creatures survive the winter. • The Interesting World of Insects - Grade 1, 2 hours; Offered September 23 - October 17 - Students learn about special adaptations and life cycles of these fascinating animals, and use nets to catch them! • Animal Homes & Habitats - Grade 3, 2 hours; Begins September 23 - Students explore the habitats of many local wildlife species, and learn how their homes and habitats help them survive.

The mission of GREAT is to promote the protection and preservation of the Grand River Watershed through activities and educational programs!

Page 4

Family Wildlife Adventure…………………. The World of Snakes 2:00 p.m. Saturday September 13: Scott Hasbrouck, a.k.a. Snake Man, of Spring Arbor University has more than 50 snakes that he uses to dispel commonly held myths about our slithering friends. At this program, he will bring some of his favorites along to teach us about all the great things snakes do for us!

Free to Big Brothers Big Sisters

With ID

September - October 2008 Weekend Programs:

All programs presented at the Dahlem Center at 7117 S. Jackson Rd. Advance Registration is required.

To Register Call 517-782-3453 Admission is $3.00 per person Dahlem Conservancy Members Admitted Free

These Programs are Sponsored By a Generous Grant From

Ecology & Environment Series…………………. Radical Rocks 2:00 p.m. Saturday September 27: Rocks, Rocks, and more Rocks!!! We are surrounded by rocks, but typically don’t take the time to learn all about them. Well, now is your chance! Join us as we venture over to Mike Hoover’s house to enjoy his awesome display of rocks and minerals. Mike has been collecting for many years, and has rocks from around the world. You’ll see all different sizes & colors, and even ones that glow in the dark!

Ecology & Environment Series…………………. The Greater Sandhill Cranes 2:00 p.m. Saturday October 18: Join Gary Siegrist “People for Wildlife” Coordinator as he tells us about the natural history of the Greater Sandhill Crane that gathers at Michigan Audubon’s Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary. Crane numbers can be counted in the thousands every Fall at the sanctuary and we will be watching them return to Mud Lake Marsh after a driving tour to watch the cranes feeding on waste grain and loafing in the nearby fields. Meet at the Seymour Road parking lot at 4:00 p.m. for the driving tour and the observation hill at 5:30 to view the cranes. The Whooping Crane that was sighted last year is back and the possibility of seeing him roost at the sanctuary is quite good.

Ecology & Environment Series…………………. Spiders & Their Kin 2:00 p.m. Saturday October 4: Did you know that spider webbing is con-sidered, pound for pound, to be the strongest organic chemical substance on Earth? Join Dr. Cara Shillington of Eastern Michigan University as she shows us some spiders and talks about their interesting characteristics.

Edutainer…………………. Spirit Boy - Joe Reilly 2:00 p.m. Saturday October 11: Joe Reilly has lived in Michigan his entire life, and loves to write songs about nature and the great outdoors. In this interactive presentation, partici-pants will help Joe write lyrics which he will play. Joe has won numerous awards, and this is definitely one you don’t want to miss!

Ecology & Environment Series…………………. GREAT/Dahlem Canoe Trip 12:00 p.m. Sunday October 19: Join Dahlem and the Grand River Environmental Action Team (GREAT) for our annual joint canoe adventure. This trip will be on the Michigan Center chain of lakes. Food will be provided! If needed, GREAT can also provide a canoe, however, there is only a limited amount and will be on a first-come, first serve basis. Call GREAT to reserve at (517)416-4234.

Family Wildlife Adventure…………………. Nocturnal Animals 2:00 p.m. Sunday October 26: Discover the most fascinating features and adaptations of many nocturnal animals including bats, flying squirrels, owls, and more. Hearing, sight, smell, and ecosystems will be investigated. Live animals will be shown including bats, owls, and a few surprises. This program is put on by the Organization for Bat Conservation.

Page 5

Family Wildlife Adventure - Exciting nature programs usually involv-ing live animals (programs that do not have animals are noted in the description Outdoor Travel Adventures - World Travelers share their visits to ecologically unique areas Edu-tainers - Fun, interactive, educational programs for the whole family. Ecology & Environment Series - Informative presentations on local and national issues. Do not include live animals

Free to Big Brothers Big Sisters

With ID

November 2008 Weekend Programs:

Ecology & Environment Series…………………. Wolves: Past & Present 2:00 p.m. Saturday November 1: Once believed to be gone from Michigan, wolves are making a comeback, and have fairly recently been removed from the federal endan-gered species list. Join Dorothy McLeer, program coordinator for the Environmental Interpretive Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, as she informs you on the status and natural history of these magnifi-cent animals.

Edutainer Series…………………. Nature Songs 2:00 p.m. Saturday November 8: This one hour workshop, put on by Tom Kas-tle, uses traditional work song and ballad forms to document and express a visit to the Conservancy. Participants will learn about traditional songs, write, rehearse, and perform their own song in small group settings. Suggested for ages 8 to adult but younger voices can join in as well.

Ecology & Environment Series…………………. Winter Bird ID & Migration 2:00 p.m. Saturday November 22: Join Gary Siegrist as he teaches about the birds that will be migrating into our area this Winter and also tips on identifying the local birds that will brave the winter cold. Hand outs will include what feeders will attract which birds and what kind of seed to use in the feeders. He will also talk about what makes a good feeding station and how to keep un-wanted mammals from the feeders.

All programs presented at the Dahlem Center at 7117 S. Jackson Rd. Advance Registration is required.

To Register Call 517-782-3453 Admission is $3.00 per person Dahlem Conservancy Members Admitted Free

These Programs are Sponsored By a Generous Grant From

Thursday, September 11 - Dick Wolinski “Mr. Swal-low Man” and MDOT Wildlife Ecologist will answer all your questions about the swallow family and relate his experiences on saving endangered species in and around Michigan’s Highways. Program at 7:00 p.m. at the Ella Sharp Museum Saturday, September 20 - Haehnle Sanctuary Workbee: Help us get the sanctuary ready for the crane visitors. Meet at the parking lot on Seymour Road. Contact Gary Siegrist (522-5990). Begins at 9 a.m.

Adopt-A-Stream is Back!!

Join us this Fall as we embark once again on measuring the health of the Grand River and tributaries. Call Dahlem for more information. Fall 2008 Dates:

Sept. 17 (Wednesday) - Adopt-A-Stream Training: 5:30 - 8:30p.m.; at the Dahlem Center Sept. 27 (Saturday) - Adopt-A-Stream Event: 9:00a.m. - 1:00p.m.; meet at the Dahlem Center Oct. 1 (Wednesday) - Bug ID Night: 5:30p.m. - 8:30p.m.; JCC

Page 6

New Fall Dahlem Program: Guided Walks

Autumn is such a won-derful time to be out-side...the leaves are changing color and the wildlife is preparing for the winter. Beginning on Tuesday,

September 16, The Dahlem Conservancy is going to offer guided walks along our trails every Tuesday morning at 9a.m. So, if you feel like getting some fresh air and learn-ing about wildlife as we walk our beautiful trails, you won’t want to miss these adventures. Advanced registration is required. This is free to members and $3 for non-members. To register for a particular Tuesday, call Gary Siegrist at 517-782-3453.

Tagging Monarch Butterflies

Gary Siegrist, People for Wildlife Coordinator, uses a toothpick to place the track-ing tag on the Monarch’s wing

Once the tag is on, the butterfly is released!

People for Wildlife Monitoring Project: Volunteer tagging of Monarch butterflies helps scientists work to-wards answering several questions about the fall migration of the monarch population east of the Rocky Mountains, such as: How do the monarchs move across the continent, i.e. do they move in spe-cific directions or take certain pathways? How is the migration in-fluenced by the weather and are there differences in the migration

from year to year? Volunteer taggers can help answer these ques-tions by helping scientists obtain sufficient recoveries and observa-tions of the migration. The monarch tagging program is run through Kansas University. For more information, visit: http://www.monarchwatch.org/tagmig/tag.htm

Comerica helps Dahlem with New Program….and you can too!!!

Comerica believes in helping out the community any way they can….and their new Cash and Care program does just that!! By doing business with Comerica, you will do something for the community as well. That’s because if you open a new Comerica qualified packaged checking account or a business checking account with a minimum opening deposit of $2,500, you'll receive a Co-merica Cash and Care card that allows you to select your favorite local charity or community organization, such as Dahlem, to receive a $100 Comerica donation. If you are a current customer, open a new product or select a new service and you'll receive a Comerica Cash and Care card that al-lows you to select your favorite local charity or community organi-zation to receive a $25 Comerica donation. Enter your information at Comerica.com/CashandCare and then se-lect the local community cause you'd like to direct your card value to. Comerica will then make a donation for the specified card value.

Thank You to the Following For Their Generous Donations: (8/01/08 - 8/27/08)

We Welcome the Follow-ing New Members

Members Corner (Through 8/27/08)

Nicholas Bartz DO Bill & Kathi Beiswenger Denise Curtis Robert Hoop Sandy Maes Stephen Matthews Doris Smith Allen Spiess Jr. Dave & Jeanne Thomas Jane & Steve Vass Gene Wasserman

Dan & Kathy Agnello Dr. William & Anne Albright Elliot & Barbara Anderson Loren & Nicole Armstrong Dick Burgess

Marcia Butterfield Tom & Nancy Evanson Michael & Libby Greanya Elma & Bill Hamelink Jerry Holmes Lola Howell Gary Kalahar Bill & Cheryl Kantor Carol Kobert Jim & Sherry Mapes Jack & Beverly Mills David Mitchell Georgia Nisja Daniel & Caryl Offerman Mary Orlos Linda Porter Tony & Liz Raduazo Jim Roberts Larry & Judy Sanderson Tracy & David Spring Beverly Sweets Les & Joyce Syring Virginia Dahlem Vanden Broek Bob & Suzi Venners Gloria Wahlen Richard & Bonnie Warner

In Memory of Rozlin Shea Kennedy Kim & Valerie Kennedy In Memory of Dorothy Wiebusch Betty Desbiens In Memory of Lewis Defoe Robert & Suzi Venners Dee & Dale Wheat In Memory of Bryan Bowman Robert & Jeanne Hahn HSBC Denise Curtis Thomas & Nancy Evanson Elma & Bill Hamelink Jerry Holmes James & Sherry Mapes Stephen Matthews Edward & Beverly Mills Kenneth & Rosemary Peters Anthony & Elizabeth Raduazo Allen Spiess Jr. David & Tracy Spring

Dave & Jeanne Thomas Virginia Dahlem Vanden Broek Jane & Steve Vass Gift In Kind Alice Oosting - miscellane-ous lumber Conway Oren - farm wagon Griswold & Dalton - carpet squares James Rocco - hummingbird feeder Ernie Fisher - large rocks for geology area Brad Whaley - DVD player & cord Brad Whaley - refreshments/supplies for ribbon cutting of new building addition

Thanks to the Following for Renewing Their Memberships

Page 7

Help raise money for Dahlem...While you Shop! With gas prices high and the economy in a slump, nonprofits and schools are having trouble meeting their fundraising goals this year! In a show of support, more than 700 of your favorite internet retailers and travel sites including Amazon, eBay, Target, Ap-ple, Expedia and more have joined forces with GoodShop.com - donating a percentage of all your purchases to your favorite charity at no additional cost to you! More than 63,000 non-profits and schools, including The Dahlem Conservancy, are now on-board! It takes just a few seconds to go to www.goodshop.com, select “The Dahlem Conservancy”, and then click through to your favorite store and shop as usual. Also, Yahoo has teamed up with GoodShop’s sister-site, GoodSearch.com, to donate a penny to Dahlem every time you search the web. This is totally free as the money comes from advertisers. To give you a sense of how the money can add up, the ASPCA has already earned more than $17,000! GoodSearch and GoodShop have been featured in the NY Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Oprah Magazine and more. Nonprofits need our help now more than ever before! Please tell 10 friends about GoodShop and GoodSearch today!

New Addition to the Turtle Tank!!!

In mid-August, a new addition was added to the exhibit room. The new turtle is a yellow-bellied slider, which is native of the southeast-ern United States. To find out more information and see the slider, stop on by the Dahlem exhibit room!

The Dahlem Conservancy 7117 S. Jackson Rd. Jackson, MI 49201 www.dahlemcenter.org

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID JACKSON, MI PERMIT NO. 36

Paper or Plastic...which is greener? Would you like paper or plastic? It's the question food shoppers are asked every day — a simple choice that even environmentally conscious shoppers find confusing.

We have all heard that using plastic bags is extremely harmful for the envi-ronment. U.S. households dispose of nearly one hundred billion plastic bags annually, millions of which end up littering the environment and harm-ing endangered marine animals. In fact, by reducing plastic bag consump-tion by just two bags per week, you’ll throw away at least one hundred fewer bags per year. If tied handle to handle, these plastic bags would make a rope long enough to wrap around the earth more than 126 times.

After hearing this, you would think that paper would be the obvious choice. However, paper has it’s own problems, and people don't realize how big a footprint the paper industry has. Here's how paper and plastic stack up side by side:

To make all the bags we use each year, it takes 14 million trees for paper and 12 million barrels of oil for plastic. The production of paper bags cre-ates 70 percent more air pollution than plastic, but plastic bags create four times the solid waste — enough to fill the Empire State Building two and a half times. And they can last up to a thousand years.

Plastic, because it's cheaper to produce, is the overwhelming choice of gro-cery stores across the nation — the average family of four uses almost 1,500 of these a year. San Francisco is limiting consumers' freedom of choice, allowing only biodegradable plastic bags, which break down over months rather than hundreds of years.

Here is a breakdown of bag facts:

Plastic Bags

- Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. - Plastics do NOT biodegrade. Rather, they photodegrade, a process in which sunlight breaks down plastic into smaller pieces. - It can take up to 1,000 years for a high-density polyethylene plastic bag to break down in the environment. - Plastic bags are on the top 10 list of most common trash items along the American coastline (both on land and in water) Paper Bags - Paper bags generate 70% more air pollutants and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags. - 2,000 plastic bags weigh 30 lbs, 2,000 paper bags weigh 280 lbs. The latter takes up a lot more landfill space. - It takes 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper. It takes more than 4x as much energy to manufacture a paper bag as it does a plastic bag. For both types of bags, the environmentalist mantra is the same — reuse and recycle. But the best choice, they say, is cloth or canvas, and BYOB — bring your own bags. Sources: reusablebags.com, NRDC and International Coastal Cleanup 2005 Report from the Ocean Conservancy