Aerial Photographer Jim Anderson Featured in Art of the Watershed Exhibit February 10

Elk Rapids from northwest to southeast by Jim Anderson

Aerial Photographer Jim Anderson will give you a case of the winter blues~and aquamarines~on Thursday, February 10 at our next Art of the Watershed exhibit series opening reception. Please join us from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Watershed Center office, 13272 S. West Bay Shore Drive in Greilickville. We’re the bright blue building across the parking lot from the Children’s Museum. RSVP Denise Baker at dbaker@gtbay.org if you can attend.

Blues guitarist Andy Knott will also lift our spirits with some acoustic tunes. A portion of all art sales support the Watershed Center’s vital work to protect Grand Traverse Bay and its 1,000-square-mile watershed. Come get your fill of the blues and local fare!

Art of the Watershed Opening Reception Dec. 2, 5-8 p.m.

Photographers Bridget Johnson and Barbara Overdier will offer detailed perspectives. Ceramicist Todd Springer will feature ceramic and fiber collage. Chocolatier Forest Confections will mesmerize the palate with local wine pairings. A portion of all sales support the Watershed Center’s work to protect Grand Traverse Bay and its majestic watershed. RSVP Denise Baker, dbaker@gtbay.org or 231~935~1514 ext. 4.

Freshwater Summit October 29~Register by October 18

Join us for the third annual Freshwater Summit! The Summit will be held Friday, October 29 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Hagerty Center, 715 E. Front St. in Traverse City.

This year’s highlight is a keynote panel about Asian Carp. Panelists include Mark Burrows of the International Joint Commission, Captain Luann Barndt of the U.S. Coast Guard and Tribal Chairman Derek Bailey of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Other sessions include oil and gas exploration, Chain of Lakes fisheries, Boardman River dams, inland lakes strategies, Grand Traverse Bay hydrographic survey and watershed forestry.

Registration is $20 and includes lunch. You can pay at www.gtbay.org, call Denise Baker at 231~935~1514 ext. 4 or mail a check by October 18 to the Watershed Center, 13272 S. West Bay Shore Dr., Traverse City, MI 49684. You can also pay online. Preregistering is strongly encouraged, as the Summit usually sells out.

Booth space is available for organizations and businesses. The cost for organizations is $50, and the cost for businesses is $200. Business sponsorships are also available for $250. Contact Denise Baker at dbaker@gtbay.org for exhibitor application forms and sponsorship opportunities.

The Freshwater Summit is co-hosted by the Watershed Center, Water Studies Institute, Michigan Sea Grant, Inland Seas Education Association, Network of Lake Associations, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council and Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Partial funding is provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources & Environment.

The Freshwater Summit is a product of the Freshwater Roundtable. Freshwater Roundtable members include Conservation Resource Alliance, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Grand Traverse Conservation District, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Inland Seas Education Association, Leelanau Conservancy, Michigan Department of Natural Resources & Environment, MSU Extension – Michigan Sea Grant, Northwestern Michigan College Water Studies Institute, Traverse City Rotary Water Committee and Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay.

Nature Deficit Disorder? Watershed Center Eco Kids Never Heard of it!

Watershed Center Eco Kid Mikayla Trumble doesn’t suffer from Nature Deficit Disorder! She’s outside as often as possible, playing with salamanders (check out the size of that thing!) and digging up aquatic insects with the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa’s Adopt-A-Stream team. Parenting tip: Getting kids to play outside has nothing to do with turning them into tree huggers. Rather, it’s absolutely essential for their mental, physical and emotional development. Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv is a good read. So unplug the TV, computer and video games, and chase those kids outside! Then send your photos of them having a blast outdoors to dbaker@gtbay.org!

Art of the Watershed Features Fleda Brown, Glenn Wolff

Loon Cry by Glenn Wolff

Fleda Brown, former Poet Laureate of Delaware, is the featured artist for the next Art of the Watershed installment. Please join us for a book release party and opening reception on Thursday, September 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Watershed Center office, 13272 S. West Bay Shore Dr. in Greilickville. Fleda will release her new book, Loon Cry: Selected and new Michigan Poems. Artist Glenn Wolff will showcase sketches and watercolors from and inspired by Loon Cry. All book sales and a portion of art sales support the Watershed Center’s vital work to protect Grand Traverse Bay and its 1,000-square-mile watershed. RSVP Denise Baker by September 15 at dbaker@gtbay.org or 231~935~1514 ext. 4.

Tugboat Tour 2010

Grand Traverse Baykeeper John Nelson has been keeping the Bay Monitor tugboat running strong this summer! He has visited Northport, Suttons Bay and Traverse City during Tugboat Tour 2010. John has given scores of families educational tours aboard the Bay Monitor. Paul Laporte and young Sam Roberts are just a few of his passengers from this summer.

Children Enjoy Bay Monitor Tugboat Tours

Brothers George and Henry Parvel are just two members of our future generation who have enjoyed educational tours aboard the Bay Monitor tugboat this summer. Grand Traverse Baykeeper John Nelson has been teaching youth and their families about everything from Grand Traverse Bay holding 9 trillion gallons of water to invasive Phragmites. Our future Grand Traverse region residents give a toot toot for tuggy!

Eco-Kid Creativity

When Anna and Peter Cauchy aren’t splashing around in Grand Traverse Bay, they’re using their astounding creativity to show us what Healthy Beaches look like. Check out their diorama!

Tapped Movie at Right Brain Brewery August 26

Find out why drinking bottled water is sooo uncool! Suggested donation of $20 includes movie admission, a beer token, a t-shirt for crying out loud and yes, even a reusable BPA-free water bottle! Green Drinks is from 5-7 p.m., and the movie starts at 7. Proceeds benefit the Watershed Center and Bay Area Recycling for Charities. Right Brain Brewery is at 221 Garland St. in Traverse City’s warehouse district.

River Raft Recycling Extravaganza August 14 as Part of Bay Day!

River Raft Recycling Extravaganza August 14!

Join us for the River Raft Recycling cleanup of the Boardman River as part of Bay Day festivities on Saturday, August 14! The River Raft Recycling Extravaganza is hosted by Right Brain Brewery, Bay Area Recycling for Charities and the Watershed Center. Here’s how it works:

• Get together a team of 2 to 4 people age 12 and older. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• Pay an entry fee of $50 by July 30. Get your registration form at Right Brain Brewery or the Watershed Center web site. Proceeds benefit the Watershed Center and Bay Area Recycling for Charities.
• Build a raft that actually floats!
• Show up on August 14 at 2:00 in the Farmer’s Market parking lot in Traverse City. You’ll float to Clinch Park collecting trash, which Bay Area Recycling will recycle.
• All rafters get a beverage ticket from Right Brain Brewery. Food from Red Mesa Grill, live music by Devils Dive String Band and mind-bending brews at Right Brain Brewery afterward!
• Prizes awarded for coolest raft, most trash and weirdest trash!

Odom Reuse can donate framing lumber for your raft if you need it, and Bay Area Recycling can donate tight cellular bubble wrap.  Questions? Contact Denise Baker at dbaker@gtbay.org or 231~935~1514 ext. 4. The River Raft Recycling Extravaganza is generously sponsored by Right Brain Brewery, Nielsen Design Group, Oryana, and Red Mesa Grill. Bay Day is generously sponsored by Copy Central, Lawton Gallagher Group, Steinorth Fine Homes, Traverse Area Association of Realtors and WTCM.