August 23, 2000
Wildlife habitat far from common in natural area
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
They've counted the frogs and the trees, the plants and birds, the drain systems and the erosion sites.
Different groups, for different reasons, have all seen fit to document the number and variety of species living and coexisting on the 300 acres of the Grand Traverse Commons natural area. Other groups have also documented the habitats available to these species and other natural systems on the property.
The Grand Traverse Commons has been likened to Traverse City's own version of Central Park. This green swath of land situated right in the center of the region's explosive growth provides a refuge for a broad range of flora and fauna.
Over the past 10 years, a bevy of dedicated volunteers have made sure that the numbers showing what lives there and how many are not lost. Their efforts in all seasons illustrate the richness of the land.
"The first time I went to the Commons, I saw a white winged cross bill, only the second I had seen in my life," said Bob Carstens of Acme, a birder and photographer who has worked extensively on Commons land. "That was an immediate turn on for me. I've also found sedge wrens there and I've only ever seen them before in Arcadia."
"They are a species of special concern because in the southern part of the state their habitats are being developed."
In the mid-1990s, Carstens was one of a number of volunteers with the Grand Traverse Audubon Society that conducted a bird survey of the Commons natural area. Since 1996, the surveyors have found 114 species living there.
Carstens was deeply involved with the bird survey during the three years it was formally conducted. After the first year, he decided to document his findings in photography and has since compiled a record of most bird species found there. He also has photos of the grounds' unique landscapes with the stately former hospital buildings in the background. Carstens hopes his photos will help people who may not be familiar with the land come to appreciate its unique place in Traverse City.
"I really fell in love with the place," said Carstens, a special education teacher with the Traverse Bay Intermediate School District. "It just amazed me how close you could be to US-31 and be so oblivious to it. My birding there made me believe the land had tremendous value."
Carstens is not unique in his beliefs. The many organizations and walkers, bikers, birders and skiers who travel the property year round also believe it has value. Other organizations that have participated in the survey and preservation efforts include the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, the Friendly Garden Club, the Boy Scouts of America and the Committee to Preserve Building 50.
"These community volunteers have passion," said Dan Tholen, chair of the Grand Traverse Commons board. "The Commons is an area that really inspires passion for a lot of folks in different ways; their efforts fit into the Commons board's goal as stewardship of the land."
Tholen noted that the Commons natural area currently has 241 protected acres. Of that, 113 acres are city parkland and 128 acres are Garfield Township parkland. He and the board hope to add several more parcels to that number, including the Barns to the south of the property.
"Development keeps going on all around the Commons," said Tholen, who got involved with the Commons 12 years ago by joining what was then a task force, motivated to participate by his own recreational experiences there. "While Central Park is one big square contiguous area, we have two sides of a ring at the Commons and we hope to have three sides by connecting with the barns."