Grants to Sleeping Bear Dunes
Volunteer Search and Rescue Supplies – Last year a group of ten volunteers was assembled and trained in the basics of search and rescue. This VSAR corps provides park rangers with an team that can be called on short notice to quickly get trained volunteers to an area and reduce the likelihood of an extended event. Modeled after a similar group in Yosemite, the group has already been mobilized for a call once last year. $1,800
Firewood Bags for Campground Firewood Exchange – The transport of disease and insects into non-infected areas in the National Park is largely by campers bringing infested firewood to the campgrounds. This year, the Park Service will be instituting a voluntary program to exchange any firewood brought by campers with local firewood. The campers’ firewood will either be burned immediately or placed in heavy gauge plastic bags for them to take back home. This program will become mandatory in 2012. $1,000
Herbicide for Black Locust Removal – The Lakeshore has a general agreement with the SEEDS Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) to cut and remove black locust from designated areas within the park over the winter months. The YCC has certified their young adults to use herbicide to treat the stumps following felling the trees. They also foliar treat the suckers on these sites during the summer months. The park has shared the costs with the YCC for the chemicals and additives needed to complete the work. These funds would be used to purchase chemical, additives, and application equipment for this project. $2,000
Brush Cutter and Attachments – There is need for a brush cutter to efficiently remove large stands of honeysuckle, autumn olive, multifloral rose, lilac, and other shrubby non-natives that grow in thick monocultures under black locust stands. These dense monocultures cause black locust trees to become hung up when they are felled. This creates a safety hazard so the shrubs must be removed prior to felling trees. Funds would be used to purchase a brush cutter, various head attachments, and the associated PPE needed to run the equipment. $1,000
Student Intern Housing – The Natural Resource Division has the option of supplementing paid staff with student interns each year. These individuals have the capability to assist with a multitude of programs, while gaining invaluable experience that will serve them well in their future natural resources endeavors. The work gained is a great bargain for the National Lakeshore, but also provides the interns with real world work experience that can give the individuals a real boost on their resumes. We are usually able to secure funding through the VIP program to cover the base stipend amount for these positions ($20/day), but the funding has the stipulation that it is not to be used for housing costs, which we must also cover. Housing costs for these positions is $1,000/position. $4,000
Trail Trekker Challenge – Two students from Glen Lake Schools worked with the Interpretive Division to develop a new hiking program at the park. The challenge was to hike all 100 miles of mainland trails in one season. They developed a brochure/record book to describe the program and keep track of trails hiked. The Friends printed 200 color copies for the program. $147
