What's going on?
September Almanac
Learn how to harvest Milkweed seeds now to help next year's monarch butterflies
Green ER Committee Meeting
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All Invited - Wednesday, June 5, 4:30 pm at the Elk Rapids Historical Museum, 301 Traverse Street
This is a public meeting, all are invited and welcome
As always, thanks to all the amazing volunteers who make Green ER possible! |
Elk Rapids Historical Museum
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Click for Map
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Special Thanks to the Elk Rapids Area Historical Society for hosting this Green ER Committee Meeting!
Missions of the organizations who will be at Nature Fest in 2024 - [click to learn more]
Welcome Nature Fest 2024 Participants!
We are thrilled to have over 50 participant organizations bringing us exciting content for 2024!
Thanks to Nature Fest Sponsors!
Announcing our new Facebook Page!
A huge and hearty thanks to Gary Stauffer for the years of service he donated maintaining the old Green ER Facebook page💖
We have moved to a new page - Please Like, Follow and Share - Thanks everyone!
We have moved to a new page - Please Like, Follow and Share - Thanks everyone!
facebook.com/greenelkrapids.org
April Almanac
April was challenging for some...
The nest these babies lived in collapsed - Thanks to Skegemog Raptor Center for rescuing them and keeping us informed!
Dipping a toe into the solar power pond
Local engineer's adventure into solar
Home solar project in Williamsburg
Want to know more about Nature Fest 2024?
@Elk Rapids' Vets Memorial Park on June 8, 2024 11 a - 2 p
Lots of work is going on behind the scenes for Nature Fest 2024 right now. Our expanded plans include hosting most of our 2022 participants plus many new organizations and more visitor activities. Here's a reminder of what we did in 2022:
Nature Fest 2022 Event Info
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Nature Fest 2022 Participants
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Nature Fest Participants' Missions
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Researchers reveal 9000-Year-Old ‘Stonehenge-Like’ Structure in Lake Michigan
Recently, Grand Traverse Bay unveiled a remarkable surprise to the world—a prehistoric structure, reminiscent of England's iconic Stonehenge, was uncovered by Dr. Mark Holley, a distinguished professor of underwater archaeology at Northwestern Michigan University.... more
Lake Michigan Stonehenge. (CREDIT: Creative Commons)
Native Landscape Design Techniques 101
Thanks to "Creating Sustainable Landscapes", an Ann Arbor based company for sharing wonderful native landscape design techniques that we can apply in our yards!
Structural Layer
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Perennial Layer
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Matrix Layer of Grass
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Putting It All Together!
Learn more about Native Landscape - Michigan State University Resources
Why plant a native landscape? MSU has a cornucopia of resources here to help us learn about the role native landscaping plays in the ecosystem.
MSU also has videos and webinars about native landscaping. For those who want to know more about the science of native plants and their function, entomologists are key experts. Here is Doug Landis, an MSU entomologist with some in-depth science!
Village Council Adopts Shoreline Assessment Action Plan - 10/3/2023
Thanks to all that showed their support for the Elk River Shoreline Assessment. The presentation by Tip of Mitt was outstanding. We're glad the Village Council voted to form a committee - we hope they will be able to facilitate these recommendations into actions!
The "Shoreline Assessment Report" was on the 10/3/2023 agenda at the Elk Rapids Government Center - Agenda. Tip of the Mitt prepared this excellent assessment of the Elk River shoreline that also provides a roadmap for Elk Rapids to protect this fragile resource that we all treasure.
We appreciate this action taken by our Village Government, thank you!
We appreciate this action taken by our Village Government, thank you!
Click to read the Shoreline Assessment Report
Village Council meets at the Elk Rapids Government Center
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Outcome: Village Council voted to appoint the "Shoreline Assessment Action Plan Committee" (excerpt from the published agenda)
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Get your Native Landscape on Doug Tallamy's Homegrown National Park Map!
The Homegrown National Park map turns greener as more people participate across the US. Watch this idea take root and grow. Some Green ER members have started to register: It's easy to do - It's easy to create an account and add your plantings!
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Thanks to all of those who helped bring Doug Tallamy to Elk Rapids!
We wanted to make the Elk Rapids News article on Doug Tallamy's visit to Elk Rapids available to those who don't get it at their residence. Green Elk Rapids appreciates all the community support for educational events such as this. Thank you for the donations that were collected by Green Elk Rapids for this event that were used to bring Doug here and rent HERTHA. Our volunteers promoted the event, provided a place for Doug to stay while he was here, set up the chairs (and cleaned up), provided the lovely flavored water and took pictures during the event. Doug also signed and sold all of his books that were available during the event! Thanks to the underwriters of the event, our wonderful volunteers and Horizen Books who all helped to make this happen.
Also thanks to the folks who attended the event: community members, Village Government trustees and regional leaders working to protect the environment who came to hear this important educational message and help spread the word about these inspiring ideas. Also thanks to the Elk Rapids News for publishing a story about it!
Now we can put these ideas are put into practice and celebrate the results!
Now we can put these ideas are put into practice and celebrate the results!
| ElkRapidsNews-DougTallamy.pdf |
Doug Tallamy Underwriters:
Fall is a great time to plant natives...Doug Tallamy has a list of native keystone plants that support nature in our backyard, here are some plants he recommends:
For the Midwest: Midwest: Oaks, willows, birches, cherries, and maples
also:
Goldenrods (Solidago spp.)
Asters (Aster spp.)
Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.)
Milkweeds
Penstemons
Liatris
Beebalm
also:
Goldenrods (Solidago spp.)
Asters (Aster spp.)
Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.)
Milkweeds
Penstemons
Liatris
Beebalm
Ever wonder why the Elk Rapids stretch of US 31 is so clean?
Back in 2015, a group of Green Elk Rapids volunteers began picking up trash on the 2 mile stretch of US 31 in the Village of Elk Rapids. They have continued to pickup trash three times a year (Spring, Summer, and Fall) for the last 8 years averaging 30 bags per season!
A clean environment makes the world a better place for all, thank you Gary and the other Green Elk Rapids Volunteers for their efforts to make Elk Rapids a great place to live!
A clean environment makes the world a better place for all, thank you Gary and the other Green Elk Rapids Volunteers for their efforts to make Elk Rapids a great place to live!
Transformative
Some experiences in life can be pivot points that change a trajectory. We think Doug Tallamy's Homegrown National Park movement is one of them.
Homegrown National Park is an idea, a trajectory, into a positive direction that gives each of us the opportunity to have a positive impact. Doug shared his roadmap of how to welcome nature into our yards and communities with small acts of planting key native species and removing invasives. These small acts done by many can create that huge positive trajectory.
Thank you Doug for sharing your uplifting message of knowledge and hope for nature (and ourselves) with our community!
Homegrown National Park is an idea, a trajectory, into a positive direction that gives each of us the opportunity to have a positive impact. Doug shared his roadmap of how to welcome nature into our yards and communities with small acts of planting key native species and removing invasives. These small acts done by many can create that huge positive trajectory.
Thank you Doug for sharing your uplifting message of knowledge and hope for nature (and ourselves) with our community!
Green Elk Rapids Chairperson introducing Doug Tallamy at his presentation at HERTH
We (humans) really are nature's best hope.
Exciting - Sally Barber's Article about Doug Tallamy
Sally wrote a great article about Doug Tallamy's "Grow your own National Park" talk in Elk Rapids on August 24th!
Spotlight on Doug Tallamy
Green Elk Rapids will highlight some of Doug's work in preparation of getting to see him in person this August at HERTH!
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Does planting with native plants mean my gardens and landscapes won't be as pretty? Doug shows techniques that result in beautiful home landscapes that support all mother nature's denizens.
One of the landscapes on "The Living Landscape" Podcast
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"The Nature of Oaks." Renowned entomologist, environmentalist, and best-selling author Doug Tallamy joins us to discuss why "keystone" species are crucial to any ecosystem and why oak trees spectacularly fill that niche in so many places.
ONGOING PROJECTS:
MDOT highway pick-up: To be announced
Beach pick-up: To be announced
MDOT highway pick-up: To be announced
Beach pick-up: To be announced
COMMUNITY INVITATION - Join us!
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Green Elk Rapids is a local volunteer organization committed to raising awareness of environmental issues.
We pursue our mission through collaboration with local organizations such as schools, village government, businesses, and community organizations. Our programs have included films, educational forums, nature hikes, student projects, guest speakers, and special community service activities - Plus the debut of Nature Fest in 2022. |
The beginning of Green Elk Rapids
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Facebook Page
“The future will belong to the nature-smart—those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”
—Richard Louv