Canton Township Girl Dies in Ski Accident at Schuss Mountain

A 13-year-old girl from Canton Township, Michigan died as the result of head injuries in a skiing accident on Christmas day.

The Antrim County Sheriff's Department said that the girl went off a ski slope and struck a retaining wall. She was not wearing a helmet. Serious head trauma resulted. The girl was pronounced dead at Kalkaska Memorial Hospital.

A group of snowboarders discovered the accident and summoned help. The resort's ski patrol responded and emergency crews transported the victim to Kalkaska.

Jon Stultz, vice-president of sales and marketing for Shanty Creek Resorts, said that he was not aware of any previous fatalities at Schuss Mountain. "Our heart goes out to the family in this very tragic incident," he added.

from The Detroit News, "Canton Township girl, 13, killed in northern lower Michigan ski resort", by Paul Egan, Dec 25, 2007
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Suttons Bay Township Herman Park Funding Moves Forward

The Suttons Bay Township Board took steps last week to establish a formal relationship with the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation to help manage funds that will be used for the township's Herman Park project and other parks and recreation efforts.

At its regular monthly meeting last week, the board heard from community foundation representative Jeanne Snow, who explained how the foundation can assist the township.

In setting up a "Suttons Bay Regional Parks and Recreation Fund," the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation can accept private donations for the Herman Park project and other related projects as well invest the money and disburse it as required.

A year ago, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund announced that the township is slated to receive some $394,200 to help acquire about 120 acres of land along County Road 633 at Herman Road across from Suttons Bay Public Schools for use as a township park. The total project cost is expected to be around $600,000, with the township needing to raise funds to match the state grant and other grants it may receive.

At its Dec. 12 meeting, the township board voted 5-0 to authorize supervisor Rich Bahle to sign an agreement with the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation.

read the full story in the Leelanau Enterprise, "Parks fund to get foundation help", Dec 25, 2007- see FAIR USE notice.
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Strap On Some Power

Arizona State University students have developed a backpack strap that generates power from the motion of the wearer. No motion other than ordinary walking is required.

Space age elastic metallic polymers are used in the generating mechanism. The project was undertaken for military applications. Soldiers often must carry 15-20 pounds of batteries to power such things as "GPS units, radios, satellite links, laptop computers, infrared goggles and lighting — not to mention cell phones and i-Pods."

The straps produce between 20 and 100 volts of electricity using the piezoelectric effect. "Piezoelectric" is the term for material that produces electric current when pressure is applied to them. Familiar devises which use this technique are gas grill lighters and cheap microphones.

Henry A. Sodano, a researcher in ASU’s Adaptive Intelligent Materials Systems Center, added that in civilian applications, someone hiking all day could store enough energy to power a highly efficient LED lighting at a campsite each night.

read the entire article in the Arizona Daily Star, "ASU research team develops power generating backpack strap", by Dan Sorenson, Dec 23, 2007
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Michigan Recreation and Park Association Conference

Traverse City will be the site of this year's "Grand Experience," the theme of the Michigan Recreation and Park Association 2008 conference and trade show. Grand Traverse Resort and Spa will host the conference. A Pre-conference forum will focus on the "Grand Scheme to Connect Michigan's Trails."

The Trails, Greenways & Blueways Committee is proud to announce its first state-wide Trails Forum. Following months of discussion and planning, agencies such as Oakland County Parks, Downriver Linked Greenways Initiative, Michigan Sea Grant, Hamilton-Anderson, the State of Michigan, the National Park Service, Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance and many others, have joined forces.

This day-long Forum will focus on an update from all trail disciplines across Michigan, a report on Governor Granholm's Plan: Trails at the Crossroads, and the Michigan Trials and Greenways Alliance "Connecting Michigan" plan. In addition, concurrent break-out sessions will focus on trail building, managing, maintenance and programming topics. The closing remarks will address trails and eco-tourism, a topic of interest to all.

Desiree Sorenson-Groves, Vice-President of Government Affairs for the National Wildlife Refuge Association, Washington D.C., will be our plenary lunch speaker. Ms. Sorenson-Groves will provide us with a great overview of the National Wildlife Refuge Program "Taking Flight." This is a nationally acclaimed program to help organizations create and sustain a successful "Friends" group.

In addition, the lunch break will provide an opportunity to have "lunch with the experts." All of the guest speakers will be available for some great networking time. This is a unique time in history for Michigan and its trail movement. You are cordially invited to be a part of the excitement.

go to Michigan Recreation and Park Association, click on the PDF Brochure to see all the seminars and activities
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We've Been Skating for 5000 Years!

Archaeological evidence shows that bone skates (skates made of animal bones) are the oldest human powered means of transport, dating back to 3000 BC. Why people started skating on ice and where is not as clear, since ancient remains were found in several locations spread across Central and North Europe.

In a recent paper, published in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Dr Formenti and Professor Minetti show substantial evidence supporting the hypothesis that the birth of ice skating took place in Southern Finland, where the number of lakes within 100 square kilometers is the highest in the world.

"In Central and Northern Europe, five thousand years ago people struggled to survive the severe winter conditions and it seems unlikely that ice skating developed as a hobby" says Dr Formenti. "As happened later for skis and bicycles, I am convinced that we first made ice skates in order to limit the energy required for our daily journeys."

Formenti and Minetti did their experiments on an ice rink by the Alps, where they measured the energy consumption of people skating on bones. Through mathematical models and computer simulations of 240 ten-kilometer journeys, their research study shows that in winter the use of bone skates would have limited the energy requirements of Finnish people by 10%. On the other hand, the advantage given by the use of skates in other North European countries would be only about 1%.

Subsequent studies performed by Formenti and Minetti have shown how fast and how far people could skate in past epochs, from 3000 BC to date.

news release of Wiley-Blackwell, "Where and why humans made skates out of animal bones", Dec 23, 2007
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Calling All Girl Scout Roundup Attendees

Colorado Sign

If you were one of the 36,000 Girl Scouts who attended one of the four international Roundups, you're invited to a reunion in Colorado in July 2009.

The first Roundup was held in Milford, Michigan in 1956 with 5000 Scouts. 1959 was in Colorado Springs, with 10,000 girls. Button Bay, VT followed in 1962 with 9000 attendees, and the final Roundup was in 1965 at Farragut, Idaho. 12,000 Scouts traveled to Idaho.

These Roundups spawned lasting friendships and indelible memories to last a lifetime. The girls who attended the Roundups are now in the autumn of their years. But the memories and friendships are still clear. In 2002 over 200 "girls" were "rounded up" for the first Roundup Reunion held at Button Bay, VT. Alumni from all four Roundups were in joyful attendance, to re-live some of the memories we hold so dear. Word spread, and in 2006 yet another reunion was held at Button Bay. Friendships were renewed, new friends made, memories shared, songs sung together, and activities enjoyed. Some still camped out in tents and RV's, while others retired from the rough and stayed at hotels and B&B's.

Spread the word -- at the 2009 reunion we will re-visit the Garden of the Gods, the Air Force Academy, and the Flying W Ranch. Dorm rooms have been reserved at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Buses are being arranged to take everyone to their chosen activities. Enjoy the wonders of Colorado -- the splendor of the mountains, the incredible climate, and meet up with old friends.

If you are a Roundup Alum, follow the link below to register for more information as the planning continues.

from Girl Scout Roundup Reunion
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Public Provides Input on Accessibility Guidelines for Federal Outdoor Sites

Over 80 organizations, agencies, and individuals provided feedback to the Board during a four-month comment period on accessibility guidelines it proposed for Federal outdoor developed areas. In addition, almost 40 people provided testimony at a series of public hearings on the proposal held in Denver, Washington, D.C., and Indianapolis.

The Board received comments from professional and trade groups, including the National Recreation and Park Association and the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, individuals with disabilities, disability groups such as the American Council of the Blind and Paralyzed Veterans of America, the National Center on Accessibility and other organizations involved in outdoor recreation, trail and park operators, Federal agencies, including the Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service, and state and local parks and recreation agencies.

The proposed guidelines address access to new or altered trails, beach access routes, and picnic and camping areas on sites managed by the Federal government. They specify where compliance would be required and provide detailed technical criteria for achieving accessibility. Many comments endorsed the structure and application of the guidelines, including limited exceptions based on terrain and other conditions, and provided recommendations for further clarifying coverage. Pointing to the strong need for the guidelines, respondents encouraged the Board to promptly complete this rulemaking, to follow-up with similar guidelines for non-Federal sites, and to develop supplementary guidance and training materials.

Most comments addressed trails and outdoor recreation access routes and called attention to compliance concerns and areas where further guidance is needed, such as in determining adequate surface firmness and stability. Information was provided on trail signage and map systems and other subjects in response to questions posed by the Board in its published proposal. Commenters also provided input on access to beaches, including proposed criteria for access routes and compliance and maintenance concerns, picnic areas, and camp sites. The Board is analyzing issues and will finalize the guidelines based on its review of the comments and hearing testimony

from American Trails, Dec 14, 2007
see Public Comments on Proposed Guidelines for Federal Outdoor Developed Areas
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Northern Lights Fed by Magnetic "Ropes"

Giant magnetic "ropes" between Earth and the sun are one of the forces that cause the northern lights, as recently discovered by NASA spacecraft.

"We're coming up on a new era in space physics," said Vassilis Angelopoulos, researcher at the University of California at Los Angeles

In March of this year a display of northern lights was monitored from below by cameras while five satellites overhead collected data.

"The auroras surged westward twice as fast as anyone thought possible, crossing 15 degrees of longitude in less than one minute," Angelopoulos said. "The storm traversed an entire polar time zone, or 400 miles, in 60 seconds flat."

A magnetic rope is a twisted bundle of magnetic fields organized much like the twisted hemp of a mariner's rope. These ropes which appear to connect the upper atmosphere of our planet to the sun may serve as conduits for waves of charged particles, known as the solar wind.

There have been hints that these ropes existed, but it required more that one spacecraft to map the ropes in three dimensions.

"These substorm processes are really helping us to understand and predict space weather," Angelopoulos said.

read the entire article from NASA, "NASA spacecraft make new discoveries about Northern Lights, Dec 11, 2007
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Seven Snow Sports Safety Tips

photo by Julia Freeman-Woolpert, stock.xchng

Winter sports may be especially fun for kids, but serious injuries can happen all too quickly, say pediatric trauma experts at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

"We see a startling number of injuries among children, from sledding accidents to snowmobile crashes and beyond," says Amy Teddy, manager of the pediatric injury prevention program at Mott.

Take precautions to prevent serious injuries.

Helmets should be worn when snowboarding, sledding, snowmobiling and skiing. This is especially true for children under the age of 12. Often, the degree of severity of a head injury is directly related to use of a helmet or not. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports over 70,000 head injuries from winter sports each year.

Dress safely. Wear layers of clothing for warmth. Make sure that small children have on enough layers. The layers will prevent hypothermia, and can pad skin from bumps and cuts. Wearing a hat is important to stay warm. Keep loose clothing tucked in when around machines, or moving fast downhill.

Always have a companion. Even children can watch out for each other, and one person can run for help if there is a problem.

Don’t play on the ice. Injuries that occur on ice are worse than those on snow. Avoid routes across ice. For ice skating, use designated areas, and check for debris and cracks before skating.

Check for a clear path before heading down a hill. Many injuries come from collisions with obstacles. Ski, sled, snowboard only after checking to make sure there are no obstructions. This includes trees and people.

Don't play in the dark. Winter sports after sun-down can be fun, but take part in activities in well-lit areas.

Wear sun block and goggles if you will be outside a long time. UV rays can be intense in the winter as they bounce off snow.

Follow posted warning signs at outdoor recreation areas.

"Playing in the snow is fun for all ages, but make sure to keep sight of common sense. Many of these injuries are entirely preventable," Teddy adds.

from Health News Digest, "Preventing Winter Sports Injuries: 7 Tips to Safely Play in the Snow", by Krista Hopson, Dec 20, 2007
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$54,421 for Recreation Projects from Manistee Community Foundation

Manistee Community Foundation awarded several grants in 2007 which will directly enhance recreation in Manistee County.

• The Manistee County Recreation Plan received $17,000
• Casman Academy of Manistee received $6600 for development of a Community Fitness Trail
• Arcadia Township Parks and Recreation received $10,416 for Grebe Park Pavilion at the foot of Arcadia Dunes
• Pleasant Valley Community Center received $6800 for its recreational facility
• The Village of Bear Lake received $13,605 for the Village Park to convert a vacant Village space into a multi-use visiting area

"The Community Foundation is about enhancing the way we give and improving the way we live in Manistee County," said Foundation Board member Beth McCarthy. "These [and other] grants respond to documented needs and will spread benefits countywide. As a Foundation, we want to encourage giving, whether it is the donation of time or funds, to address needs identified through the community-driven Envision Manistee County process."

Funding for these projects was made possible by grants to the Manistee Community Foundation from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation based in Kalamazoo, Michigan the Oleson Foundation, based in Traverse City, Michigan, and private donations.

"Manistee County has deservedly gained our attention and support by using community driven visioning and goal-setting to chart a course for the future," said Dr. Gail Imig, Program Director of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. "Rural communities like Manistee County have special challenges as well as opportunities. This effort is resulting in a positive transformation of Manistee County and serves as a working model for other rural communities."

Members of the Envision Implementation Team that reviewed the applications included Manistee high school students Analise Johnson and Anna Veverica; County Commissioner Erv Kowalski; business owner/operator Suzanne Riley; Dick Hitchingham and John Hoch who served as co-chairs for Envision Manistee County Work Groups; and Mike Acton and By Lyon, members of the Board of the Manistee County Community Foundation. Laura Heintzelman was available through the Manistee Economic Development Office to provide technical assistance to grant applicants.

Projects in three categories received funding during 2007: Envision Implementation, Envision Youth Solutions, and Envision and Small Town Design Initiative.

from a news release of Manistee County Community Foundation
from the Ludington Daily News, Dec 21, 2007
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CMU Student Researching New Bird Flu Monitoring Technique

The Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge, just south of Saginaw is on the edge of two avian superhighways: the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways.

Todd Lickfett, a Central Michigan University (CMU) graduate assistant is hoping to find a new way to watch for the bird flu. The lethal strain, H5N1, has killed more than 150 people since 2003. Over sixty species of birds and animals have been affected, in more than 4000 outbreaks of the disease.

The deadly strain has yet to show up in North America, but that doesn't mean that researchers aren't watching for it. The World Health Organization has reported the flu in Asia, Europe and Africa.

Michigan is an important migration stopover sites for 40,000 ducks, 30,000 geese and thousands of other migrating birds. So it only makes sense to watch for the disease here.

Instead of the usual, but costly, method of testing individual birds, the CMU research team is sampling the water where birds gather on their migration routes. While Michigan currently samples about 1000 birds a year, this method will effectively sample all the birds which have stopped at that site.

"If even one infected gull is in the pool," Lickfett said, "you should be able to detect a trace of the disease through a sample of the water."

They will test for a variety of bird flu strains, the deadly one and others which are common and not harmful to humans.

read the AP news story in the Detroit Free Press, "Breakthrough possible in testing for bird flu", by Elizabeth Shaw, Dec 20, 2007
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