Planning and Ongoing Support
for Antrim Creek Natural Area

Antrim Creek Natural Area Ecological Inventory, 1996
This report was produced by White Pine Associates of Bellaire, Michigan and prepared for the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy and Antrim County. Partial funding was provided through a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Zone Management Grant from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality-Land Water Management Division. This comprehensive inventory was commissioned to provide baseline data for future management decisions and consists of different categories of information: geologic history, climate, soils, hydrology, natural communities, flora, fauna, and human history. The report summarizes the information collected during the inventory and provides recommendations which support the mission of the Antrim Creek Natural Area.

Several teams of individuals were involved at different times investigating the flora and fauna of the ACNA in a series of site visits during the study period of 1996. Survey sheets noted plant and animal species encountered, location and weather, observations of topography, soil conditions and historical evidence. Preliminary community identification was made using the Michigan Natural Features Inventory.

Contributors to the report include: Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy- Doug Koop White Pine Associates- Peg Comfort Au Sable Institute- Dr. Ken Sytsma and the Field Botany class; Dr. Alan Gebben and the Woody Plants Class; Ann Zylstra and Dr. Ken Sytsma for species recording and collections; Dave Mahan, Assoc. Dir. Ted Cochrane, Curator of the University of Wisconsin Herbarium Site Planning, Inc.- John Campbell, Trevor Wood Mary Kay and Ed McDuffie Doug Burns Barb Lockrey Sue Schuler Friends of Antrim Creek Natural Area: Glen Chown, Mark Stone, Mike Borkovich Michigan Coastal Management Program, Department of Environmental Quality Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, Department of Natural Resources

Public Planning Process

Phase One-Making Decisions
Phase Two-Analyzing the Inventory
Phase Three-Refining Objectives
Phase Four-Determining Uses
Phase Five-Determining Feasibility
Phase Six- Public Review, Publication of the Master Plan for the Antrim Creek Natural Area, 1998
for the Antrim County Board of Commissioners, Antrim Creek Natural Area Commission by Site Planning Development, Inc.

Natural Area Management

Antrim County established the Antrim Creek Natural Area Commission. The Commission makes recommendations to the Antrim County Board of Commissioners regarding proposed activities and management of the natural area. The Commission is comprised of five members as follows: 3 members- County Nominations and 2 members - Township Nominations. Members may serve for two or three year terms rotating so that no more than two new members join the Commission each year.

Antrim Creek Natural Area Commission

Jerroll Drenth, Chairman
Betty Hoffmann
Jacob Veenstra
Al Hurd
Carl Veenstra

For ACNA Commission information on meetings and minutes use the following link:

http://www.antrimcounty.org/acna.asp