Greetings to All-

Circle Pines Center is a cooperatively owned, demoncratically controlled not for profit 3 hours east of Chicago serving Chicago, Detroit and all places in between. We are pleased to announce the start of a many year long-term habitat restoration on the property of Circle Pines Center which is directly South of and adjacent to the Yankee Springs State Game & Recreation Area in Barry County, Michigan. This large, privately-owned parcel is a vastly important, protected, and under-appreciated "wildlife corridor" that is feeling pressure from many outside- and inside -sources.

Circle Pines Center owns over 300 acres of what was once the original Oak-Savannah prairie plain in this locale. We have retained a professional burn manager and a variety of state and local resources for some assistance in rehabbing this area. We want more strength in our numbers to help complete this clearing -and other aspects of the project before and after the burn- which will cover approximately 5 acres. The prairie will enventually encompass 40 acres of reverted oldfield.

Any persons- with either no experience, vast experience, or just plain interest in the phases of this plan- please contact me to investigate what we are doing and how we are attempting to do it. We want as many people as possible on board who are curious about how this can be accomplished by a non-profit organization to participate in some way, or to at least have the chance to get involved.

(By the way, ALL donations are tax-deductible, as Circle Pines has 501 (c) 3 status. CPC also happens to be the oldest co-op in the nation... and is only the second owner of this land since it was removed from Native American ownership in the early 19th century).

We offer hard work, communion with like-minded souls, nature and wildlife at its breathtaking best, rustic and comfortable lodging, healthy meals- and the chance at future ownership. Opportunity exists here to accrue volunteer hours in exchange for reduced rates, memberships, weekend retreats, seminars, summer camp for children and much, much more.

I will hold wildlife/birding hikes during down times on these "WorkBee Weekends", and I'm sure that just the natural beauty and history of this ancient remnant of land alone will be reward enough for many folks. This project and property has many, many facets -and more still untapped -and I will continue to lead in the effort to: reveal, revitalize, restore and respect what the Earth has given to us here.

The first official WorkBee Weekend is scheduled for Saturday, November 11th.

So- call, email, write, ask, show up- come conspire to give back- and to get back to a better place.

In Cooperation,

Jonathan Morgan, CPC Naturalist-at-Large

birder013 (at) yahoo.com
birder1964 (at) sbcglobal.net

(269) 344-1803 Cell
(269) 381-6062 Home Office
(269) 623-5555 Circle Pines Center Office

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