Ecotourism booms
Residents, tourists take advantage of natural beauty

BY KRISTINA HUGHES NEWS-REVIEW STAFF WRITER
Friday, June 18, 2004

EAST JORDAN - Paddling the snaking Jordan River, hiking the trails at Avalanche Park and basking in the sun at area beaches, Northern Michigan's great outdoors is Nate Dunlap's sanctuary.

"It's beautiful, the hills and rivers," said Nate, 15, of Bryan, Ohio, his eyes dancing at the site of the Jordan River flowing under a canopy of trees.

While visiting his mom, his vacations are spent outdoors. At the end of the day he misses the quiet escape, the scent of the woods.

"I enjoy the fresh air and freedom," Nate said.

His mother, Nancy Dunlap, shares his enthusiasm. The two plan to jog by the sand dunes at Petoskey State Park with the sounds of waves crashing in the backdrop, and to navigate the Au Sable River during a 24-hour canoe ride.

Nancy said she moved to Boyne City to be surrounded by nature.

"I moved up here for the beauty," she said.

She was once a tourist, however - like a growing number of visitors who come to the area for outdoor recreation and eco tours.

Environmental tourism - ecotourism, or nature tourism - provides an opportunity to visit undisturbed natural areas, scenic vistas and observe plants and wildlife. The tourism is often linked to non-motorized outdoor recreational activities like hiking, bicycling and camping.

And it's booming in popularity. Even the governor's caught the nature bug.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm's business suits were replaced by a Piston's T-shirt and jeans as she smiled and paddled the Sturgeon River as part of her Hidden Treasures Tour with Big Bear Outfitters in Indian River last week.

"Northern Michigan is Michigan's playground, and a lot of Michiganians don't even realize the treasures, the gems of Michigan," Granholm told the News-Review during her stop in the region that was part of a bigger effort to encourage people to travel within the state.

"This year we thought we'd go to places where you can have a great vacation, be outdoors in the great natural resources that the state has to offer."

The Edie family of Port Huron agrees. They spend summers in East Jordan, sharing family traditions like canoeing and swimming.

Ted Edie said his girls enjoy the activities he loved as a kid. He smiled as Gabriela and Andrea skipped rocks in the Jordan River on a recent afternoon.

Gabriela, 5, is the family's canoeing novice of two years.

"I like going down the river," Gabriela said. "I want to sit in the river."

The nature movement

Area communities are capitalizing on Northern Michigan's trademark beauty with ecotours.

The movement is being promoted by area chambers of commerce, and overall it's expanding Michigan's tourism dollars by creating businesses. It's also drawing scant criticism from environmental groups, who want to preserve nature's wonders by fostering a love for the area.

But is ecotourism a new thing?

"Ecotourism is something that has taken place in this area before the term was coined," said Tom Bailey, director of the Little Traverse Conservancy, which has protected thousands of acres of land for public recreation opportunities in Northern Michigan.

At the turn of the century, resorters formed Bay View, boarding trains and leaving the city to be pioneers in natural beauty, breathing the fresh clean air and basking in the sunsets.

A century later, area chambers and businesses are marketing the million dollar sunsets and a whole lot more.

Kirsten Borgstrom, a media relations manager for Travel Michigan, said she receives daily inquiries for information on ecotourism in the Northern Michigan region.

Borgstrom said the leading areas of tourism include "outdoor recreation" and "trips to relax and unwind on scenic beaches."

The Travel Michigan Web site tracks inquiries, and Borgstrom said in June, an average of 14,400 people a day have logged inquiries about the region. And for the year, more than 219,000 people have looked at Web pages within Emmet and Charlevoix counties.

Marketing Mother Nature

The scent of homemade insect repellent lingers and hiking shoes sit in the corner of the office where Diane Gorkiewicz is always ready for an adventure.

"When people call about hiking and camping, I'm the person to talk to," Gorkiewicz said. "I can show you all the best views."

Gorkiewicz's love for nature is vital to her role as the East Jordan Chamber of Commerce president, where she's marketing East Jordan as a year-round ecotourist delight.

Hiking along the Warner Creek and Jordan River pathways, she is quick like a deer, stepping on the marshy ground while viewing the cascading and winding river.

Gorkiewicz said she loves the blue herons, otters and the occasional sight of a pair of bald eagles. As the enchanted dew sets in creating a foggy view, Gorkiewicz said East Jordan is becoming a destination for those who love the isolated setting.

The trails are perfect for traveling in all seasons, she said. The trees are splashed with color in the fall; in the winter many people cross country ski or snowshoe the fresh powder, gazing at the icicles formed in trees; in the spring, the woods renew life with colorful flowers; and in the summer, it's a sanctuary for the few warm months.

The Jordan Valley State Forest and diverse wetlands and wilderness are within a 25-mile radius, accessible by foot or by motor vehicle, bicycle or water. The trail is connected to the North Country Trail.

"I'm seeing a difference. There are still some people who think adventures have to be motorized, but more and more people are taking advantage of the camping, beaches, and hiking in the woods," Gorkiewicz said.

She tries to dedicate a day to being outdoors, and her family trips often include roughing it in the woods, camping, kayaking and mountain biking.

She shares this passion in her job by marketing nature.

Gorkiewicz said the chamber plans to lead the way in ecotourism by endorsing East Jordan's natural assets. The chamber plans to incorporate more winter events, and has actively promoted the trail and Jordan River on its Web site and in national magazines.

It's the same story in the Boyne City area.

Scott MacKenzie, the Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce executive director, said the chamber does not have an active ecotourism program, but his vision includes one.

MacKenzie said he often fields inquiries about morel mushrooms, bike and hiking trails.

"Since people are pressed for time, they're looking for complete package deals to be immersed in the natural environment," he said.

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Diane Gorkiewicz's love for nature is vital to her role as the East Jordan chamber president, where sh'e marketing East Jordan as a year-round ecotourism delight.

Packaging nature

Joe Breidenstein of Boyne City packages the morel mushrooming season with hunts, edible delights and water raft trips at Springbrook Hills, near Walloon Lake.

Breidenstein, who's pushing for increased fall and spring tourism marketing and opportunities, has gained national attention for his mushroom outings, which have been featured in magazines and newspapers across the country.

The outing includes lodging, guided mushroom hunting and identification, and all meals featuring delicious mushrooms, plus a tie-in for a canoe or kayaking trip.

And while Breidenstein celebrates the elusive land edible, many businesses are water-based.

Michigan's watersheds, the streams and rivers like the Jordan have a history of guides.

Decades after the last flatboat river guide navigated Michigan's scenic Jordan River, Kay and Scott Harper of the Jordan Valley Outfitters cater to a new generation of tourists who canoe, kayak, innertube and paddle the river by providing all the equipment, plus guided raft tours in winter.

"Families are interested in getting out to enjoy the smell of the woods, and the sandy beaches away from the video games and TV," Scott Harper said. "When you're out on the river you can be so far removed from everything."

Packaging the local island life has proven profitable, too.

Aside from historic and highly popular Mackinac Island, other islands in the region are getting increased attention, too.

For instance, the sand dunes, inland lakes, wooded bays and bogs which are unique to glacier areas create the remote destination of Beaver Island.

The 53-square-mile island is 35 percent state land, with many miles of shoreline and access to Lake Michigan. There are seven inland lakes, hiking trails, campgrounds and seven nearby islands.

The island balances its natural resources while meeting a demand for ecotourist opportunities.

Eric and Carrie Myers developed Ecotours on Beaver Island in 2003, which includes interpretive hikes to educate people about ecosystems common to the island. The tours are catered to each group, highlighting habitats, flowers, birds and threatened species.

And the Paradise Dive shop, which opened in 2003, capitalizes on the natural beauty of the blue-hued water and pristine views. Owners Mike and Gail Weede host diving adventures and lessons.

"The tourists who come to Beaver Island know it's slower-paced and it's the place to enjoy nature," Mike said.

Promote it, and they will come

Amelia Ryan's love affair with the north began when her husband was courting her. They took a trip to the family's cottage, and a few years later they were residents of Boyne City.

"My goal is to make people see why we come up here," Ryan said. "Why did I move up here 20 years ago? Was it for the fudge? No. Was it for the shopping? No. It's to sit in a river and feel it surround you and put you at such a peaceful ease, it's being one with the river and one with the water."

On a recent day off, Ryan rode Jordan Valley trails on horseback, listening to the clip-clop of the horses and the sounds of birds.

"I didn't see a single person and I love that," she said.

Such experiences are the opposite of typical tourist destinations, packed with people angling for a spot in line at the ice cream shop or standing in line at a waterpark.

Naturally, Ryan's love for the outdoors grew into Otter Water Tours, a guide service featuring hiking, mountain biking, camping, snowshoeing, cross country skiing and guides to the area rivers and lakes.

The tours include color tours, peaceful seclusion, bird, wildlife and flora viewing; they're for seasonal vacationers and residents alike.

Otter Water works closely with area environmental groups. Ryan is an active member of the Friends of the Boyne River and an English teacher at Boyne City Middle School.

"I wrestle with how much we should expose the river, but to preserve it, you need to teach people about it," Ryan said. "You can't preserve it by keeping it to yourself."

Ryan said she's encouraged by her growing clientele, many of whom are interested in the area's ecology and history. She's happiest herself in the summertime outdoors, directing ecotours.

"These people want to experience Northern Michigan living. They want to know Northern Michigan's heart, its inner heart and being and they want to feel it," she said. "This is a real place you can go to get something true."

Weighing environmental costs

Wil Cwikiel is at ease in a kayak, navigating through wooded streams or walking down a trail caked in mud.

Cwikiel, program director with the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in Petoskey, leads area walking and kayak tours, answering questions about the ecological makeup of the area's watersheds.

His first love is for the Indian and Pigeon river networks.

"The large rivers flowing into Northern Michigan's lakes create a beautiful, vibrant wetland system seething with life," Cwikiel said.

Cwikiel, who encourages people to enjoy the watershed by getting out in it, said it's important to find a balance.

"I think the main thing is to help teach an appreciation for the unique and wonderful nature we have in Northern Michigan," he said.

The watershed council offers tours that focus on the Great Lakes, inland lakes and wetlands. They're coordinated by staff experts who focus on environmental issues, including a shoreline walking tour and a stormwater walk.

But environmentalists like Cwikiel struggle with a concern that too much recreation may have an adverse impact, causing erosion to rivers and creating sandbars in rivers or litter in parks.

Cwikiel said, however, that most businesses based on the area's natural resources collaborate with environmental organizations.

"Ecotourism businesses realize to maintain a healthy client base and a viable business into future," Cwikiel said, "they need to protect the environment."