Beaver Island Michigan

Please attend one of the two Community Forums:
Monday, March 19, 6pm. to 7:30 p.m., or
Tuesday, March 20, 7 pm. to 9 p.m.
Both at Peaine Township Hall
Share your ideas regarding Beaver Island's Natural Resources with
two professional facilitators

Sandy, I write as a citizen here. I guess I do not understand what or how we need more commissions on this small island? We are literally drowning in a sea of new rules for old ideas it seems!? Do we want to prevent fires that burn off the island and have in past centuries? Cut the trees. Do we want to encourage growth of nature and plants and animals such as deer, rabbit, grouse and other of God's creatures? Cut the trees! Do we want feed for these animals through natures bounty? Cut the trees. Do we want to encourage the growth of Maple, Birch and other saleable timber? Cut the trees. The crazy idea that we can or should do otherwise is just that! Oh, do we want a sustainable industry that could keep families here and encourage them to have small children? Cut the trees! Leave them? Lightning comes along when it becomes such a tangled mess and causes a fire which happened time and again in North America and around the world causing some of the biggest fires unknown to mankind! We all live in houses made of wood, our wood here is no different than the wood cut to build houses all over the world. It's one of the bounties that the great maker left for us in the beginning to use wisely! Somehow my tribe has survived here for 160 or so years. I know many of my fore bearers had two options, fish or cut the trees. We do it now and then to survive, not fun really but it helps us survive, if we could do anything else we would be doing it! I appreciate the effort you are all making but the only way some of us can stay and maintain our heritage and help keep markets and gas stations open is to cut the trees. Respectfully.........

Richie,

We have been given the opportunity through a joint effort of the Michigan DNR facilitated by professionals from Michigan State University to develop a management plan for the gem of this island which is its Natural Resources. This has been simply an open forum for everyone to express their ideas about what they would like to see. If you would have been at our wildlife club forum today you would have seen that selective management of the forests as you mentioned would have been high on our priority. In other forums, ideas would have been different, and the economic future of the island was front and center much of the time.
In my opinion, too many decisions are made here without the input and ideas of the whole, so I welcome this process in which perhaps solutions and ideas for a Better Beaver Island in the future will take shape.

I understand ALL of that. I have been witness to dozens of professionals all through my nearly 57 years coming here to "help us", they leave and we are left to do what ever we have to do. I appreciate the effort but I have seen it before and no disrespect to anyone giving it a try!

Is it not reasonable to say: private land, private trees, individual decision; public land, public trees, collective decision? The lessons learned on Easter Island.

Jon

I would like to announce the formation of the "Beaver Island Committee/Board on why we have so many Committees and Boards on Beaver Island". We will be immediately be applying for grants from the US Department of Redundancy Department. We figure there are plenty of children who can pay the grants off in the future, I mean, its not really our problem, we are investing in their future, right?.

Thank You!

Beaver Island would benefit greatly from a long term Agro-Forestry plan. This type of system is all about sustainable resource management AND economic development. Agro-forestry incorporates timber, fiber, fuel, energy, and food harvesting with sustainable land use management. There are DOZENS of full time jobs in a system like this, with the potential for hundreds more in value added services based on Island produced goods and services. These are permanent jobs for Beaver Island residents, which can't be outsourced or shipped overseas.

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrc ... e/forestry

Adam; don't forget: IF WE ( get a grant and ) BUILD IT- THEY WILL COME!
This has been working out pretty well hasn't it? Well hasn't it?

I do not think it is a matter of "build it" or "get it (grants)" but a recognition of the natural resources that are already available on Beaver Island and what makes it a unique place. So the issue is: "recognize it", "nurture it", "maintain it", "promote it", "sustain it", "protect it" and "conserve it" for the future. Return on investment now is a no brainer long term.
I have to bet and the Chamber could confirm it, that tourism and eco tourism is and will be for a number of years, the island's primary industry.
Driving down the West Side Road and Fox Lake Road last summer it looked like straight line winds had destroyed the forest in about 5 or 6 locations. It was not done by nature but by chain saws. The dollars obtained by a few will in time be dollars lost by all. Once the island is no longer unique, it will have lost its primary industry and attraction for years. Now, more than ever, is the time for people to become involved by offering input.

Jon

In a perfect world, folks would not make fun of and make sarcastic remarks about those who are trying to make a difference. It really says more about you than those you are criticizing.