UPEC Header

Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition

About UPEC

UP Forestry
UP Mini-grants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We invite you to
...GET INVOLVED!!

National Trails Day is June 6th!
PLEASE get out there and help improve or build trails in your area! Contact local trail organizations and ask what you can do. Make this an annual project for you and your family or organization.
Some local trails:

  • North Country Trail, Peter Wolf Chapter (Western UP)
  • North Country Trail, NCTHC (Central UP)
  • North Country Trail, Grand Marais Chapter, UP
  • North Country Trail, HSS, (Eastern UP)
  • Noquemanon Trail Network: in Marquette County
  • Pictured Rock National Park Trails need volunteers
  • Keweenaw Trails: Silent Sport Network in Western UP
     ALSO, check your local State & National Parks Trails
     
  • Come Paddle With Save the Wild UP
    "Paddle Independence" will take place     Saturday, June 6 on beautiful Lake Independence in Big Bay. Please paddle with us if you can, but if graduations and weddings are keeping you on the road, you can join us in the fundraising effort. Log onto  http://www.savethewildup.org/
     
  • The public is invited to a presentation on invasive plants of the Ottawa National Forest.
      When: Tuesday, June 9, 8:30 AM central time.
      Where: Ottawa National Forest Visitor Center in Watersmeet, Michigan. At the intersection of US 2 and US 45.
      What: Slide show and live samples of invasive plants that are harming natural areas in the Northwoods. Invasive plants to be covered include garlic mustard, Japanese barberry, exotic honeysuckle, exotic buckthorn, purple loosestrife, Eurasian water-milfoil, European swamp thistle, and lesser-known new invaders such as garden valerian and wild chervil. The emphasis will be terrestrial plants.
      After the presentation everyone is invited to come on a field tour of some invasive plant infestations in Gogebic County. You will need to arrange for your own transportation, however.
    Please come, learn how to identify the worst of the invasive plants, and start reporting new infestations!
      Ian Shackleford, Botanist
    Ottawa National Forest
    E 6248 US 2, Ironwood, MI 49938
    (906) 932-1330 ext. 331, ishackleford@fs.fed.us

The Peter Wolfe Chapter of the North Country Trail Offers Another Volunteer Adventure!

The NCTA is looking for volunteers to help build a bridge on a trail section that crosses the Plumbago Creek in Baraga County. Work will begin June 24, 2009, and run through the 30th.

For more information, go to their website at www.northcountrytrail.org/pwf

Michigan Green Chemistry Awards Program :
The Michigan Green Chemistry Awards Program is a program established by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to recognize innovations in green chemistry. Entries due by July 15, 2009:

BUSINESS, ACADEMIA AND NON-PROFIT AWARDS

STUDENT AWARDS 
Application Packet Application Packet

Celebrate Lake Superior Day
Sunday, July 19, 2009

Lake Superior Day was started in the early 1990s to highlight the importance of this great water body to the basin’s environment
and economy. The Lake Superior Binational Forum promotes this basin-wide event to highlight the special connections people have to this unique water body.

This year the theme “Let’s Go Fly a Kite!” symbolizes clean energy sources such as wind power. Organize your group or family to fly a kite at your favorite beach or park on July 19. Click here for more information and downloadable materials about flying a kite on Lake Superior Day.


 Fun on the Plains

Protect the Earth Gathering is set for August 1-2 in Marquette and on the Yellow Dog Plains. Workshops, food, speakers, drum ceremony and walk to Eagle Rock.   yellowdogsummer.wordpress.com


  • Sierra Club Photo Contest Celebrates the Yellow Dog Watershed!
    The Central Upper Peninsula Group of the Sierra Club is sponsoring a photo contest to celebrate the beauty of the Yellow Dog River Watershed. Do you have favorite photographs of the area? Enter them in the contest for a chance to win prizes and help make everyone aware how special this area is. Enter by     August 28, 2009
    For Information Click Here

UPPCO Land Sales May Put Former U.P. Recreation Areas Off-Limits

In early December, 2005, U.P. residents were startled to hear 7,300 acres of recreational lands currently open to public use were being put on the block by their owner, the Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO). According to a website set up by UPPCO to inform the public about the proposed sales, 2,300 of those acres are in Alger County, 2,800 in Ontonagon Co., 500 in Marquette/Delta Counties, and 1,700 acres of land in Baraga Co. The acreage in question abuts the company’s hydroelectric plants at Au Train, Boney Falls, Bond Falls, Cataract, Prickett Dam, and the Victoria Flowage. By the end of December, 2,720 acres had already been sold to a private developer.

A group of people concerned about the sale of this land has been formed. The Upper Peninsula Public Access Coalition (UPPAC) has created an on-line petition drive requesting legislators call for a new environmental impact study of those areas. To sign the petition or learn more about this issue, go to UPPAC’s new website at www.uppac.com. UPEC will continue to stay on top of this issue and report what is going on as we learn more about the sale of these unique public lands.

Get Involved

   Links


UPEC is a proud member of
Earth Share of Michigan, an organization that facilitates workplace giving to environmental organizations through payroll deductions.