Introducing the Beaver Island Conservation Club

[gavin.west]

To: All Beaver Island Residents
From: Beaver Island Conservation Club

Subj: Establishment of the Beaver Island Conservation Club

We are please to announce the formation of the Beaver Island Conservation Club (BICC). The BICC is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization founded by Jared Pike, Todd Ireland, and Gavin West, which is open to all people who live, vacation, fish, and hunt on Beaver Island. Its mission is to â??rehabilitate, expand, maximize, and sustain the wildlife, forests, and fisheries of the Beaver Archipelago by promoting scientific management concepts, responsible harvest, proper land use and sustainment, and public / private land owner cooperation.â?￾

The BICC will concentrate its efforts in 10 areas:

- Establish the Beaver Island Wildlife, Forestry, and Fisheries Endowment (BIWFFE) as a sustainable income source supporting the mission of the BICC.

- Rehabilitate, expand, maximize, and sustain the Whitetail herd thru Quality Deer Management initiatives and cooperation between private land owners and state / local agencies.

- Rehabilitate, expand, maximize, and sustain the world class Smallmouth bass fishery through regulation ensuring sustainable harvest and adequate populations of fish.

- Rehabilitate, expand, maximize, and sustain native fish (Lake Trout, Brooke Trout, and Perch) and fish spawning areas on Beaver Island and within the Beaver Archipelago.

- Rehabilitate, expand, maximize, and sustain native upland bird habitat on Beaver Island.

- Develop, maximize, and sustain Brown Trout fisheries in the Beaver Archipelago.

- Develop, maximize, and sustain Steelhead Fisheries in the Beaver Archipelago.

- Expand, maximize, and sustain the wild turkey population in the Beaver Archipelago.

- Serve as an island liaison to state and national governmental agencies and private conservation agencies on wildlife, forestry, and fisheries issue affecting the Beaver Archipelago.

- Serve as an umbrella organization of Island chapters of national hunting, fishing, conservation, and
conservation, and forestry organizations including, but not limited to, Quality Deer Management
Association, Trout Unlimited and Ruffed Grouse Society.

The BICC will launch its efforts by hosting the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) on Saturday, March 6th. Bob DuCharme, QDMA Director for the Great Lakes Region, will speak on the issues facing the Whitetail Herd on the Beaver Island and the important part that Quality Deer Management can play in rehabilitating and expanding our deer numbers, health, and size. A public informational session will be held from 4-6 pm at the Beaver Island Community Center. The Beaver Island Conservation Club will look to establish a QDMA branch on the island during 2010 and work with the Michigan DNR to establish regulations supporting that effort. Detailed information on the Quality Deer Management Association can we found at www.QDMA.com .

The BICC will also be initiating a fund raising effort to support the Beaver Island Wildlife, Fisheries, and Forestry Endowment (BIWFFE). The BIWFFE is intended to become a renewable source of funding supporting the mission of the BICC. As a non-profit wildlife organization the BICC will have the ability to petition for state, federal, and private grants as well as raising funds thru private donors. Erin McDonough, island native and Executive Director of the Michigan United Conservation Club (MUCC) states, the â??MUCC appreciates the passion and enthusiasm that one of our newest affiliate clubs, the Beaver Island Conservation Club, is showing in promoting our outdoor heritage in Michigan. We welcome them aboard and look forward to working with them.â?￾ The BICC looks forward to working with the MUCC, as well as the newly revamped Michigan DNRE, to maximize the support for Beaver Island and its surrounding waters.

Please visit our website for membership information as well as up to date information on meetings, events, and BICC initiatives. The website can be found at www.beaverislandconservation.org . You can also contact BICC leadership at the following email address and phone numbers.

Gavin West gavin.w.west@gmail.com 269-369-1788
Todd Ireland todd.ireland@immersi.com 616-340-3672

Donations and dues ($50 annually) can be sent to:

Beaver Island Conservation Club
PO Box 334
Beaver Island, MI 49782

Please contact the above mentioned individuals with any questions regarding this press release or the Beaver Island Conservation Cooperative.

[Bernadette Green Cole]

Is this a family only organization? Seems like you would try to get "buy in" first from someone who lives on the island year round and second, someone who is not family....just a thought.
Bernadette

[John Chapman]

I believe this to be the group that wants to exterminate the coyotes.

[toddi]

The Beaver Island Conservation Club was formed with large support from friends, family and island business owners. I cannot understand how condescending or cynical remarks are helpful in any way to moving the island down a path toward quality outdoor experiences. Beaver Island is a special place made so by its residents, property owners and tourists and all should have an equal hand in shaping the future of its wildlife and habitat.

Todd Ireland

[kathleen belfy antkoviak]

Is the Beaver Island Wild Life Club not in exisitence anymore?

[gavin.west]

To echo what Todd said and what was stated in the initial post the Beaver Island Conservation Club is "open to all who live, vacation, hunt, and fish on Beaver Island". It has been founded with the consultation of multiple year round island residents. We invite everyone to examine the club at www.beaverislandconservation.org. You can see our position on a wide range of issues at that website.

[Kim Connaghan Jones]

God forbid nature take it's natural course.Let man step in and screw it up.

[gavin.west]

In addition to being open to all who enjoy the island, the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce voted to endorse the Conservation Club's first major wildlife initiative - Quality Deer Management. The Chamber, which represents all island business and is composed of a 9 person board, sees the positive impact that QDM and the new Conservation Club can have on the island. Please visit www.qdma.org for info on Quality Deer Management or visit our website for information on the Chamber's endorsement. www.beaverislandconservation.org.

We have the head of the Quality Deer Management Assoc. coming to the island on 6 March for a public educational forum on QDM. All are invited from 4-6 at the Community Center.

[Pat Simmons]

What became of the BI Wildlife club?

[Gillespie]

To the cynics who are bashing this sincere effort right out of the box, your posts will be deleted. These people are making a concerted effort to improve the game habitat on this island and their efforts should not be hampered by those that think they know what is right. If you want to start a pro coyote thread, do so but do not presume you know when you don't. Mr. Chapman, I don't know who you are but you have not been out on the ice and observed a fresh coyote kill of a young deer when it could not get away. Yes, nature can take its own course but man has been in the middle of that now for centuries and, as such, a part of wildlife management. Deer are not native to this island, they were brought here by a Detroit industrialist in 1932 for sport/game/hunting purposes. The turkeys were introduced here by man and probably rabbits, who knows for sure. It would appear that these people are making a concerted effort to do this and they all have island ties, I applaud them although I am not a hunter.

[gavin.west]

Thank you Richie.

I invite everyone to read the details of the policies that we are advocating and how they may positively impact the island both economically and for recreation. To do so is to make an informed decision, regardless of whether it is for or against the programs we advocate.

Please visit the Quality Deer Management Association website. This is the first initiative we would like to bring to the island. However, it is an island choice, not our choice alone. That is why we are bringing up educational speakers on the 6th of March, so that everyone can make an informed decision in the best interest of the island. Our focus is island-wide educate, and then a group decision about the best course for the island. We will do the homework and share it with everyone, but all islanders, full time and part time, must help make the decisions.

[Dave Roop]

So much for free speech ,delete any thing that don't agree with this

[gavin.west]

I donâ??t think anyone is suggesting Free Speech be abolished. To often this site can degenerate into personal attacks. We donâ??t want that to happen on this very important topic to the future of the island. We want to have a factual and science based discussion.

We have founded a 501 (c) (3) non-profit to bring a truly scientific and professional edge to wildlife management on the island. Check out the website at www.beaverislandconservation.org . If you do, you will see the policies that we advocate. We are happy to have a discussion rooted in science and fact about any one of them. That is the very reason that we are hosting a public summit on Quality Deer Management. Please learn all you can about QDM, and then come to the public meeting ready to discuss it. Free speech and open discussion is welcome!

Do you know that the average deer hunter spends between $1500 and $3000 a year on deer hunting. If we could bring one thousand hunters to the island we could generate as much as $1.5 to $3.5 million more in revenue for the island. We have more than 50,000 - 70,000 visitors in the summer....why cant we do it in the spring and fall as well. If we become a hunting mecca it can increase property values significantly. Imagine the amount of money on food and beverage that could be spent in the fall (deer) and spring (turkey). A time that the island needs additional revenue.

We want to benefit the island for its present and future. We are happy to discuss any issue at any time.

[Gillespie]

This is a private forum and free speech is far different than taking pot shots. At least the people that started this thread are willing to try something, the naysayers will likely not, that is not fair, that is why I suggested starting your own thread if you want to knock something. If you have constructive criticism bring it forth but don't beat other people back because you cannot be constructive. Incidentally, snowshoe rabbits were brought here too! My cousin has a video of the day they were brought here. Perhaps the coyotes (which will traverse the ice and likely got here that way) had all wild game eaten up when the people that brought deer and rabbits to the island did what they did.

[EGray]

I'm not sure who runs/manages your website, but i was checking it out and the events page (where i'm assuming you would want to put your QDM meeting at the community center) doesn't work. Overall, GREAT job on it! Are you teaming up with the Wildlife Club too? It seems to me like the island could have top notch wildlife if you teamed up and worked together for common goals.