Community Collaborates for National Parks Centennial

March 29, 2015

In 2016, the National Park Service (NPS) will commemorate its 100th anniversary. For residents and lovers of northern Michigan, this means celebrating the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Sleeping Bear Dunes, with its more than 100 miles of trails, is one of only five national parks in Michigan (nationally, the agency oversees more than 400 park sites).

"The natural beauty and the history that is preserved in these places – Sleeping Bear Dunes and the other parks – they make for a great playground for people," said Tom Ulrich, Sleeping Bear’s deputy superintendent. "The fact that they’re preserved for the public and not all locked up in private hands makes for a very attractive place for people to live and vacation."

"It’s really because of those spaces that the entire cultural part of Traverse City, with the great restaurants and music scene, has sprung up," Ulrich continued. "People want to come here because of those spaces."

Those unfamiliar with Sleeping Bear Dunes’ history may not know how close the beloved location came to being urbanized.

"At the time it was established in 1970, and all through the 60s, it was literally on the verge of being developed," said Ulrich.

He explains that numerous subdivisions were planned for the property and that it was only a land purchase by the NPS that made the park "guaranteed available for all of us on into the future."

A COMMUNITY ENGAGED

Sleeping Bear Dunes staff have connected with numerous local organizations to help promote the centennial celebration between now and 2016.

At a February stakeholders meeting, more than 40 community organizations were represented, including the National Cherry Festival, the Traverse Symphony Or chestra, the National Writers Series (NWS) and numerous other nonprofits.

"We thought "˜people are going to yawn and be bored by a federal agency’s anniversary,"’ said Ulrich. "But actually, people really responded well."

All the organizations involved have found some way to tie the Sleeping Bear Dunes and the NPS to the work that they do.

"Nature and the parks system have served as inspiration for a tremendous amount of authors and writers," said Jill Tewsley, executive director of the National Writers Series.

Over the next 12 months, the NWS will be suggesting book titles for readers and book clubs that relate to the National Parks. The campaign begins with Garth Stein’s latest novel "A Sudden Light." Stein will be the guest of the NWS’s "An Evening With" lecture series on April 25 at the City Opera House in Traverse City. His novel is set in the Pacific Northwest, a region with strong ties to the NPS’ beginnings.

Tewsley said other reading selections will likely include works by authors who have visited the Traverse City region (or plan to in the near future) and that tie to our park.

While numerous organizations have committed to joining the celebration, many are still determining the best way to do so. Krista Cooper, executive director of the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, said her organization is still working with the park to determine what their involvement will look like in 2016.

"We’re really looking forward to collaborating with Sleeping Bear Dunes to celebrate the centennial in some way," said Cooper.

Other organizations, like Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, already have concrete plans. Friends has initiated several projects expected to improve visitor experience, the primary one being an expansion of the paved Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, which runs from Glen Arbor to Empire.

The first phase, planned for this summer, will extend the trail five miles north to Port Oneida Road. The second phase, slated for summer 2016, will further extend the trail four miles to Bohemian Road. Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes is responsible for funding and maintaining these trails.

"A lot of places in the Great Lakes you try and get to the lake and you can never find an access point. [Sleeping Bear] gives you 35 miles of pristine, Lake Michigan beach," said Kerry Kelly, chairman of the organization’s board. "It’s an amazing access that we have right in our backyard."

FIND YOUR PARK

On April 2, the NPS will launch the "Find Your Park" campaign that will set the celebration’s tone at the national level. The initiative will focus on the agency’s goal of creating the next generation of park visitors, supporters and advocates. While the campaign will utilize both social media and traditional advertising to engage people, that’s only the first step, according to Ulrich.

"People may become aware of the parks through someone else’s Instagram post or Facebook pictures of their adventures...but all that really does is whet your appetite to go there," he said. "What it does for most people is makes you want to go and have those experiences (yourself)."

Ulrich explained that another of the "Find Your Park" campaign objectives is to expand peoples’ perception of what a park can be.

"We’re trying to redefine the word park," he said. "It’s not necessarily just national parks, because "˜parks’ has a great many meanings to a great many people."

Ulrich identified the additional importance of state parks and open spaces set aside by communities. The Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program is a NPS initiative that provides grants and assistance to local communities to help them preserve land, explained Ulrich.

"The idea is just to raise awareness through this campaign, to try and get people out into – and appreciating – their parks," said Ulrich. "Whether that is a national park, state park, open space preserve, or even just enjoying some artistic event or offering that has a tie to parks."

GIVING BACK

For those looking to join the centennial activities, there are numerous avenues for getting involved.

"Putting in a little bit of service helps [volunteers] get to know the place better and appreciate it even more," said Ulrich. "There are so many ways. Almost any interest you have can be fulfilled here at the park."

Those interested in volunteering at Sleeping Bear can learn more online at www. nps.gov/slbe.

Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes is also looking for added assistance as the centennial approaches. The organization will host their next ambassador training and orientation program on June 6, which is National Trails Day.

"As each new segment of trail opens, we’ll be looking to add more volunteer ambassadors," said Kelly. "We can never have too many."

Those interested in volunteering can find more information at FriendsOfSleepingBear.org