Katy and I just returned from two weeks in Costa Rica. As part of an Elderhostel–though the program is now called Exploritas–we visited five sites ranging from mangrove forest along the Pacific Coast to the rather chaparral-like vegetation called paramo around 11,000 feet above sea level on Cerro de la Muerte. Included were visits to [...]
The Kalamazoo Gazette for Sunday 14 February carried a Viewpoint I wrote which they titled WMU can keep orchard in natural state. It had been altered slightly, improving the message in some ways. Nevertheless, I prefer the version below. Posting it here may also be useful to those who missed the piece in the [...]
Beginning this weekend the Kalamazoo Nature Center will feature an art exhibition that includes images from the Colony Farm Orchard. The show, entitled “Sacred Trees,” includes prints by Ladislav R. Hanka and paintings and photography by Sniedze Rungis and Zaiga Minka Thorson. The opening is Sunday 7 February 1-3 P.M.
Lad Hanka, a Kalamazoo artist with [...]
A few days ago I received a letter from Mark Brewer (no relation), Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. A good many thousand others received the same letter, I expect. It began, Dear Richard, said 2010 is a crucial year, and asked for some money. Here is the answer I sent.
2 February 2010
Dear Mark,
I [...]
I sent a slightly different version of this essay to Western Michigan University’s student newspaper, the Western Herald on 17 January 2010 [Published 20 January with title Reps. Jones, George could have protected Colony Farm Orchard.]
The Herald correctly reported on 10 January 2010 (online, 11 January print) that Governor Granholm signed HB 5207 recently. The [...]
Just a quick update for historical purposes: Mid-afternoon on Tuesday 5 January 2010, Governor Jennifer Granholm signed HB 5207. She made no reported comment and she has made no known responses to the hundreds of letters, phone calls, emails, and Faxes opposing the bill she received over the past several months. Governor Granholm has not [...]
In the earlier version of my website, I had a page where I posted reviews of Conservancy: The Land Trust Movement In America, or links to them. The last count was a dozen. Posted here for the sake of completeness is the last one, as far as I know. It appeared in 2006, by [...]
The Kalamazoo Gazette for Wednesday 30 December 2009 had a front-page article with the headline “Bill to allow WMU business park expansion is on governor’s desk.” In it we learned that “WMU leaders hope to expand the Business Technology and Research Park to the 55-acre Colony Farm Orchard property….”
But do they? WMU has claimed that [...]
The Michigan Senate passed HB 5207 Friday night 18 December, not long before adjournment. The bill goes to Governor Jennifer Granholm, who will sign it or veto it.
Curiously, WMU’s lobbyists did not inform the Kalamazoo Gazette that the bill had passed the Senate. When the bill passed the House in September, Greg Rosine was on [...]
The following is approximately what I said in my brief remarks at the Save the Colony Farm Orchard Rally last Tuesday night, 8 December 2009. I have, however, expanded on my thoughts under point 3, adding a consideration of conservation easements.
We need to recognize three aspects to the conservation value of this piece of land. [...]
