This is a brief and incomplete survey of the history of Groups and Committees of the Michigan Chapter dating to the 1960s,based in part on documents in the Chapter’s archives at the Bentley Library reviewed by Sierra Club volunteer writer Heather A. Harper. The hope is that it gives you a sense of the importance of these local volunteer engines to the Chapter and national Sierra Club. To view some of the archival documents, visit: http://tinyurl.com/50thdox. For additional historical information on specific Groups, visit the histories they’ve supplied for the 50th anniversary webpage at www.sierraclub.org/michigan/50th-anniversary
Since its
inception in 1967, the Michigan Chapter has benefited from the energy and
dedication of the many local Sierra Club Groups that have formed around the
state over the years. Some have come and gone, but many remained and flourished
to “enjoy, explore and protect the planet.” A total of five groups have
maintained tenure since the early seventies. When the chapter was established
50 years ago, it was known as the Mackinac Chapter. Members officially voted to
change the name to Michigan in 2006.
In the early 1990’s the Chapter formed a “boundary committee”
to establish area limits and new groups. It was around this time that the
Michigan Chapter had the most groups in its history, a total of 18 in 1993. Of
the eight groups created between 1990 and 1993, three still remain—the Three
Lakes Group, Central UP Group and Crossroads Group . Today, the Michigan
Chapter has eight active groups around the state, one college extension group,
and two conservation committees working to protect the environment in Michigan.
Active Groups
Huron Valley Group,
1961
The Huron
Valley Group is the oldest and longest running group in the Michigan Chapter of
the Sierra Club. It began six years prior to the creation of the Mackinac
Chapter and received accreditation in 1970. Covering Washtenaw, Lenawee, and
Monroe counties. The group roots go back to when it fought to preserve Sleeping
Bear Dunes in the late 1960’s, resulting in the landscape becoming a nationally
protected area. The Huron Valley Group’s current conservation plan is focused
on climate change and sustainability, advocating against fracking and other
extraction sources, promoting local foods and agriculture, protecting public
lands and parks, expanding public transportation to reduce carbon emissions,
and defending the waters of Michigan. One way the Huron Valley Group raises
funds is through a program called “Shopping for the Earth,” which donates money
to the group through the sales of gift cards from different retailers across
the country. More info at: http://sierraclub.org//michigan/huron-valley
Southeast Michigan
Group, 1970
The Southeast
Michigan Group, known as SEMG, became an accredited group the same year as the
Huron Valley, Kalamazoo, and Flint Groups, in 1970. It was originally known as
the Detroit Group, but changed its name to SEMG around 1986. SEMG spans across
the Detroit metro area and beyond, to include Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and St. Clair
counties and boasts 6,500 members. Unique to the SEMG is the Green Cruise,
which celebrated its 12th run in August 2016. Participants are
invited to spend the day on bicycles in one of several rides, depending on the
length of the trail most appropriate for each individual or family. SEMG is
also involved in a program known as “Inspiring Connections Outdoors” or ICO.
This program works to bring urban and at-risk people of all ages out into the
woods and elsewhere to help them connect with nature. ICO began nationally in
1971; the acronym originally stood for “Inner City Outings,” but was changed in
2014 as a way to engage more people with the program. SEMG’s ICO is one of 52 found
across the country. More info at: http://sierraclub.org/michigan/southeast-michigan
South West Michigan
Group, 1970
The South West
Michigan Group serves Allegan, Barry, Berrien,
Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, Saint Joseph, Van Buren counties. The group had
its beginnings as the Kalamazoo Group in 1970 and converted to the name South
West Michigan Group in 2013. The group’s conservation efforts include actively
working to shut down the Palisades Nuclear Plant on Lake Michigan, promoting
electric cars, remembering the Kalamazoo River Disaster in 2010, and informing
the community about the dangers of fracking. The South West Michigan group also
holds an annual Green-A-Thon to engage people in their efforts and teach about
the environment. More info at: http://www.swmgsierra.org/
Nepessing Group, 1970
The
Nepessing Group, the last of the groups which have managed to stick it out
since the beginning, started off as the Flint Group in 1970. The name was
changed to Nepessing in 1989 after seven years of being known as the
Flint/Nepessing Group. This group’s territory range covers Genesee, Lapeer and
northern Oakland Counties. The group’s chair and outings chair is Dennis
(Denny) Crispell. Central focuses of this group include the Flint Water Crisis,
advocating for clean energy, and putting a halt to fracking through petitions
and legislation. Throughout the summer,
regular bike rides are held by the group along the Flint River. The group also
holds an annual potluck during the holiday season. More info at: http://sierraclub.org/michigan/nepessing
Central Michigan
Group, 1973
The Central
Michigan Group began in 1973 and has maintained an accredited status with the
Sierra Club since that time. It serves Clinton, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ingham,
Ionia, Jackson, and Shiawasee Counties. Current actions of the group include
working toward a sustainable future and informing the public about the Sierra
Club’s legislative and political programs. In the past, the group has taken
outings such as a walking tour of Nepal and a canoe trip to Old Fort William
around the Great Lakes to areas that were important to the fur trade. More info
at: http://sierraclub.org/michigan/central-michigan
Crossroads Group ,
1991
The
Crossroads Group, gained accreditation in 1991, around the time when the
boundary committee was making suggestions as to how to better serve members
across the state. The Crossroads Group spans the greater Livingston County area,
including western Oakland County and southern Genesee County. The group is
celebrating its 25th anniversary in September 2016. In the past, the
group has fought to protect several different places of interest, including
Deerfield Hills natural area, Green Oak Township wetlands (a battle that was
lost to developers in court), and Ladybird Johnson State Park. Current notable
issues at hand are the groundwater contamination at the site of the former
Hartland 36 Gas Processing Plant site, opposition against current and proposed
gas and oil pipelines - particularly Enbridge 5, which runs under the Straits
of Mackinac - and promoting the Michigan BAN FRACKING initiative. More info at:
http://sierraclub.org/michigan/crossroads
Central Upper
Peninsula Group, 1992
The Central
Upper Peninsula Group and the Three Lakes
Group both began in 1992 as offshoots of the Upper Peninsula Group which
originally spanned the entire UP, but deactivated in 1990. When the boundary
committee made recommendations for the area, it suggested three total groups
for the area – two were formed. The Central Upper Peninsula Group manages
members in the central and western portion of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Past
efforts made by this group have concentrated on the soil incinerator in Skandia
Township, which destroys soil contaminated by petroleum products and other
waste. In the 1950’s and early 1960’s, waste generated by the Cliffs-Dow
Chemical Company’s charcoal-manufacturing plant was deposited at this site.
This led to groundwater contamination from residual chemicals like benzene and
toluene.
Three Lakes Group,
1992
The Three
Lakes Group began holding its first meetings in 1992. It is the last of the
three groups which managed to succeed as a long-running group founded in the
early 1990’s. Despite being one of the smaller groups in the state – there were
only about 100 members in 2012 – the group has managed to stand strong and
achieve great things. The group’s focus is on education and activism. Over the
years, the Three Lakes Group has worked to inform people about the Mascoma
Biofuels Refinery and Coast
Guard Live Fire Training in Whitefish Bay. The group has also enjoyed various
outings and adopted three miles of highway on I-75, collecting trash on the
highway for five years. More info at: http://tlgsierraclub.org/
Spartan Sierra Club,
2015
The Michigan State University college extension of the
Sierra Club began in April 2015. The goal of the club is to advocate for more
sustainable energy usage at the school. The school was formerly powered by an
on-campus coal plant, which was protested for years by students and local
activists alike. The plant announced the end of coal-usage as a means of power
in April 2016. More info at: https://www.facebook.com/SpartanSierraClub/
Active Committees
Conservation committees are similar to groups, but are more
flexible and have fewer responsibilities to the national Sierra Club and the
local chapter. When an area needs member coverage but does not have enough
resources to maintain a full-fledged group, a committee can be formed as a way
to supplement in the region. Conservation committees can eventually turn into
groups if there is enough interest, but are not required to do so.
Greater Grand Rapids Committee, 2016
The Greater Grand Rapids Committee began 2016, as a flexible
structure that could build on the long history of accomplishments of the West
Michigan Group, which was in operation for 45 years. Sierra Club has had a presence in Grand Rapids
since 1969, when the chapter’s West Michigan Group held its first organizing
meeting at Fountain Street Church. In its early years, the group pushed Amway to
make biodegradable soap products and worked for passage of the 1976 Michigan
Bottle Bill. Subsequent efforts included pursuing U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency remediation of groundwater affected by discharges from Hooker Chemical’s
White Lake facility and fundraising for the Fred Meijer Nature Preserve on
Pickerel Lake. Other issues have ranged from acid rain and sand dune protection
to suburban sprawl and factory farm pollution. The group sponsored film
screenings and conversations about the environmental impacts of industrial
agriculture and fracking. More info at: http://tinyurl.com/SCGGR
Clearwater Conservation Committee, 2013
The
Clearwater Conservation Committee started in 2013 as Northwest Michigan
Committee and changed names in 2014. It replaced the Traverse Group, which
ended its 39-year tenure around 2010. Its territory includes 11 counties in
northwest Michigan that encompass Traverse City, Manistee, Cadillac and
Kalkaska. The Clearwater Conservation Committee has been involved in addressing
the fracking issue and activity that has taken place in Kalkaska. More info at:
https://www.facebook.com/ClearwaterConservationCommittee
Inactive Groups & Committees
Saginaw Valley Group 1970 – 1984
West Michigan Group 1970 – 2015
Traverse Group 1971 – (estimated between 2006 and 2012)
Wakelin McNeel Group 1973
– 2007 (Deactivated twice before final deactivation in 2007) Replaced by 7th
Gen Committee in 2008, which also deactivated in 2013.
Algonquin Group 1984 – 2007
Upper Peninsula Group 1984 – 1990
Au Sable Valley Group, Later North East
Michigan Group 1989 – 1993 known as Au Sable Valley Group; 1993 – 1996 NEMG
Thumb Valley Group 1990 - 2007
Sauk Trail Group 1990 – 1992
Western Oakland Group 1991 – 1992 Never Accredited
Windigo Group 1992 – 1995
Kiweden Group 1992 – 1996
Erie Watershed Group 1993 – 1996
