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 Protecting the Pigeon THE CONSERVANCY’S PROTECTION OF THE PIGEON RIVER DATES back to 1983 when Agnes A. Andreae donated 27 acres and a cabin perched along the river. Since then, the generosity of many landowners and donors has helped us protect a string of natural gems on the Pigeon. Today, more than 12 miles of frontage along the Pigeon River, Little Pigeon River, and associated tributaries are protected from future development as a nature preserve or through a conservation easement on private land. MORE  Photo © Heather Rousseau / Circle of Blue reprinted with permission from Circle of Blue www.circleofblue.org Oil and Gas Boom in the North? As a gas and oil boom develops in the North, the Conservancy Board has formed a special committee to better understand it and to look into the implications for conservation. Here is some of what we are learning: PEOPLE ACROSS NORTHERN MICHIGAN AWOKE IN MAY of this year to a frenzy of activity to lease land for oil and natural gas exploration and extraction. The rush began when an auction of mineral rights on land owned by the State of Michigan shattered all previous records. While the top “bonus” payment per acre for leasing state land had been $200, the May auction saw rates as high as $5,500 per acre paid in Charlevoix County, and $2,000 and $3,000 per acre in Emmet and Cheboygan counties. The auction produced a record total of $178 million in revenue for the state Natural Resources Trust Fund and the Game and Fish Protection Fund. This figure compares to some $190 million in proceeds from all previous auctions since the 1920s, according to DNRE reports. MORE |
Fall Field Trips and Volunteer Events Sign your class up for a fall outing! Fall 2010 newsletter Annual Report 2009 Passport to Adventure: Visit www.gettingkidsout-doors.org to find your child's own Passport to Adventure! |
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