Congratulations! This chapter you belong to is 90 years old! We have roots! And plans! Lets’’ savor what’s been accomplished, and celebrate all year. (You too, Dad!)

The Conservation Banquet sounds fabulous! Please join us at Thousand Oaks on March 4. Let us know if you have a cool item or service to donate to the auction, invite friends, and enjoy a beautiful program.

Maybe you love winter as much as I do, but if you don’t, then it’s a perfect time to spread out a map, with a friend or a kid, and plot summer adventures. I recently gave a couple of map workshops to kids at a Rockford school, because maps are cool and their uses are being forgotten due to GPS. Maps show relationships, sizes, geographical features, and get the brain perking with possibilities!

It’s fun for kids to find locations, whether it’s Yosemite or Key West on a national map, or the IKEs’ on a county map. It’s a good tool to have, before they turn 16 and start following other people’s directions. Or, teach little kids North, South, East and West and send them on a treasure hunt in your own home or yard, as a way of orienting them. Sure, the sun rises in the east, but do they realize the moon does, too?

On an aside, I heard that cars now have up to 6 separate internet connections. Sigh. Car conversations are the best chance for talking with your kids. Boredom is an underrated opportunity!

I sincerely hope that by the time you are reading this, the Flint water crisis is on the mend. At this time, a horrific situation is still unfolding. So sad that people in the Great Lakes State would not have clean

February 2016The IKEs Updatewww.michiganikes.org

IKE’s members and friends are in-vited to a presentation by one of its past honorees and former mayor of Grand Rapids, George Heartwell on February 23, 7:00 pm at Foun-tain Street Church, 24 Fountain Street, NE.

As many of you know, during his 12-year tenure as Mayor, the city made significant advances in en-vironmental protection with spe-cial attention to energy efficiency and renewable energy, water

quality and both non-motorized transportation and public transit. Early in his tenure Heartwell saw the threat of climate change for his community and began work-ing both to mitigate climate im-pacts and to create a city infra-structure that will be resilient to those impacts.

In 2013 he attended COP19 in Warsaw and this past Decem-ber he was in Paris for COP21.

The Road Through Paris: Where Do We Go from Here?

Shirley Kallio

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The weather cooperated again for Winterfest this year. There was just enough snow for the kids to play in and the rain held off until Sunday. No wind and mild temperatures made it a perfect day for nearly 200 people to enjoy the property.

Inside the Kitchen Krew was busy but not frenetic as in some past years. Joining me in the kitchen were Tam Bagby, Sherry Garchow, Randy

Jones and Len Kizer.

Joining the Krew for cleanup were scouts Josh Denton, Hunter Reed and Shane Weaver. They washed, dried and stowed all the dishes.

Thanks for all for your hard work. No doubt you were pooped at he end of the day like I was, but just look at the smiles on the kids’ faces! We did good.

WinterfestTom Watson

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For more photos visit us on the web at:

www.michiganikes.org

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Bruce DutcherBob Stegmeir

I visited him recently. We had a nice chat but he has con-tinuing medical problems. His problems began last June.

He would appreciate and de-serves a visit and/or phone call. He is in the Spectrum fa-cility at 750 Fuller NE. Phone number there is 616.486.3000 or through the Spectrum cen-tral info number, 774.7444.

His daughter took the photo of him and me.

Send him a card, call or visit.

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As with all projects, what started out as a simple job of me repaint-ing the kitchen quickly morphed into a more complex task. For-

tunately, Fred Eyer got on board with the kitchen and the job was much easier. Still, it took us two weeks to patch holes in the ceil-

ing and walls, prime and apply two coats of paint. Along the way we dis-covered several serious electrical issues. Fred ar-ranged for Steve John-son, a licensed electrician to fix the problems. The kitchen and breaker box are now up to code.

While I did most of the painting, Fred

worked on the eyesore under the sink. The area is now much more attractive and less cluttered. He also leveled and shimmed one of the dishwashers so that now the racks do not spill out when the door is opened. Fred patched sev-eral large holes in the ceiling and walls, attached the top of one set of cabinets properly and is work-ing on making a new cover for one of the ceiling light fixtures.

I revised the informational signs in the kitchen and the students of Tam Bagby designed and printed new ones. Tam then had them

laminated and we put them on the walls and cabinets.

Stop by and take a look at how much better the kitchen now looks. And thanks to Fred and Steve for working with me.

Kitchen RenovationTom Watson

Steve Johnson “I’ll fix your shorts.”

Tom Watson

Fred Eyer

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Our chapter of the Izaak Walton League of Amer-ica was formed 90 years ago. Your current board and many of our members think that is quite a feat and you will hear about the chapter’s happenings and ac-complishments in the newsletter this year. Let’s start with just where our chapter name came from.

Dwight Lydell (1861-1927): Fish Culturist

Dwight Lydell was employed at several jobs under the Fish Commission and in the Fisheries Division of the Department of Conser-vation, but his main ef-forts and accomplish-ments were in fish culture. In this activity he is remembered for his work with bass.

He is another of Mich-igan’s fisheries men who originated in the Empire State, on a farm in Chau-tauque County. His family moved to a farm in Michigan when he was a child. He worked here until the age of 22, when he became an apprentice at the Paris Hatchery, in 1883. Later he assisted in lake investigations during the summer months, and at collecting whitefish eggs on the De-troit River in the fall. During 1901-08, he was in charge of the whitefish fishery at Belle Isle for the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries.

When the Fish Commission commenced pond cul-ture of black bass, at Cascade on the Thornapple River in 1894, Lydell took charge of this work. He continued with it after the operation was transferred to Comstock Park, on Mill Creek, in 1897, and kept at it here for the rest of his life. Besides this assign-ment, he was Assistant Superintendent of Hatch-eries during 1915-1925. Results of observations and

experiments he conducted at the Mill Creek (latter renamed Comstock Park) Hatch-

ery are described in nine scientific pa-pers of his that were published in the

Transactions of the American Fish-eries Society.

Perhaps the most remarkable feature of Dwight Lydell’s achievements was that he only a country school education. Jacob Reighard commented in an obituary on this man’s exceptional abilities (The Pro-

gressive Fish-Culturist, March-April, 1937). In his report on the

breeding habits and reproduction of bass (Fish Commission Bulletin No. 7),

Reighard credits Lydell with having originally made a number of the observa-

tions described in the bulletin.

The appreciation that his home community had for Dwight Lydell was memorialized by the naming of the Grand Rapids chapter of the Izaak Walton League in his honor.

From the “Michigan Fisheries Centennial Report 1873-1973”, page 162. Michigan DNR

Chapter AnniversaryBob Stegmier

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Heartwell will discuss the agreement reached in Paris and what it means for our future.

The support of US leadership was es-sential to the achievements in Paris; the support of our country’s citi-zens is essential to the success of the Agreement’s implementation and improvement. Absent that support, it is at high risk of failure.

Heartwell will speak of the actions that we citizens can take to help ensure that what has been accom-plished in Paris is but the beginning of a worldwide, robust, transforma-tive response to the climate change that puts our very existence at risk.

Admission is free to this event spon-sored by the Duncan Littlefair Great Speakers and the Citizens Climate Lobby.

The Road Through Paris

As Dawn Stover, a columnist for Bulletin of the Atom-ic Scientists puts it, the “US 2016 budget is a gift to the energy industry,” for both the renewable and the fossil fuel sectors. But the first, the renewable energy sector, is likely to gain the most, at least until 2020.

The 2016 spending bill extends a tax credit for indi-viduals and businesses that covers 30% of the cost of solar system installation. The solar ITC (Investment Tax Credit) remains at 30% through 2019, declines to 26% in 2020, 22% in 2021, and finally to 10% for non-residential and third party owned residential systems; at that point, it disappears altogether for host-owned residential systems.

For wind facilities, the current PTC (Production Tax Credit) of $0.023/kWh remains through next year and then declines by 20%/year until termina-tion in 2020.

Getting far less media attention, but having signifi-cant potential impact, was a modest increase in fund-ing for energy efficiency. “Energy efficiency is the gift that keeps on giving,” and in combination with avail-able tax credits for certain products and the devel-opment of new homes, they are a powerful force for improved, long-termed energy efficiency in Ameri-ca’s housing stock. The Building Technologies, Ad-vanced Manufacturing and Vehicle Technologies all received “substantial funding increases” over 2015 funding, 17%, 14% and 11%, respectively. It is widely acknowledged that efficiency is the least costly of all new energy, and when embedded in infrastructure, the least temporal.

The fossil fuel industry was also gifted, with a long and fervently sought by some, lifting of the ban on export of crude oil. It was this desire that provided the political leverage for securing the above incentives for investments in renewable energy. The striking of this bargain is a calculated risk in a world where unpleas-ant compromise is often unavoidable.

Low prices and high production costs in oil and nat-ural gas seem to be driving investors elsewhere even as the world’s people are recognizing that the planet cannot long survive on a diet high in carbon and are actively, urgently seeking to satisfy their energy ap-petites with renewable wind and solar. The realists in the fossil industry one suspects are focused on mini-mizing losses with prompt sale of reserves, even at a loss. Even the Feds may be engaging in this effort to

convert reserves while they still can: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, passed prior to the Budget, “calls for a ‘strategic test drawdown’ of the nation’s Strate-gic Petroleum Reserve beginning in 2018” for a vari-ety of purposes, including deficit reduction, modern-ization of infrastructure of storage and distribution capacity, and more recently, support of the Highway Trust Fund.

The impacts of the renewable energy incentives in the 2016 budget are expected to be very significant, sustaining the rapid growth of solar deployment which will in turn incentivize a surge in technology for storage and grid systems management. It is esti-mated that there will be 54% more solar by 2020 than there would have been without the Budget extension of ITC. According to SEIA President/CEO Rhone Resch, “The extension… will add $30 - $40 billion in incremental investment in the industry and bring the industry’s job total to 420,000 by 2020 ... It will also drive the installed cost of solar down 40% ...That will make solar more cost-effective than fossil-generated electricity and make it easier for states to comply with the Clean Power Plan.”

Green Tech Media Research’s Senior Solar Ana-lyst Cory Honeyman, says “Utility-scale solar, the most sensitive to the ITC step down, will see de-ployments increase 73% through 2020 ... The ITC extension will ... lead to 35% more residential instal-lations and 51% more non-residential installations between 2016 and 2020.” The ITC extension will help drive a 20 GW annual solar market by 2020, as opposed to half that much, or 10 GW, by 2020 without the ITC extension.

Bloomfield New Energy Finance predicts wind and solar will bring $73 billion to the U.S. economy’s en-ergy sector and, by the time the tax credits expire, “solar and wind will be the cheapest forms of new electricity in many states across the U.S.” Wind is al-ready cheaper than any fossil fuel, including natural gas, and utility scale solar can now also compete with natural gas.

In a truly free market we might expect the “cheapest forms of new electricity” to outcompete self-destruc-tive fossil fuel reliance, but our fossil fuel economy is deep-rooted, pervasive, and represents almost in-comprehensible wealth and vested interest. This epic struggle will not be easy.

Energy Provisions in the 2016 Federal BudgetShirley Kallio

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Membership Application … Izaak Walton League of AmericaDwight Lydell Chapter, 5641 Myers Lake Ave. Belmont MI 49306

Conservation Needs a Friend …….. Ask a friend to join the IKEs!

NAME _______________________________________________ _________________ ______________________ HOME PHONE BUSINESS PHONESPOUSE __________________ CHILDREN & AGES _______________________________________________ADDRESS ___________________________________ CITY_____________________ STATE ___ ZIP _______DATE____________E-MAIL ADDRESS__________________________________ SPONSOR _____________

_____ Individual - $52, _____ Family - $72, _____ Student (18-21) - $24, _____ Youth (under 18) - $12.00

Mail to Izaak Walton League, PO Box 541, Belmont MI 49306. Checks payable to “Izaak Walton League”Call Ron at 616.361.1422 for more information. A gate key is provided upon receipt of membership fee. You can pick up your key at the next dinner at the lodge. Please enjoy the 39 acres. Indicate which of these important committees you're interested in working on: Natural Features Stewardship _____ Finance _____Membership _____ Building & Grounds _____ Conservation ____ Programs _____ Every Member Dinners ______The Izaak Walton League of America – a non-profit conservation organization – is recognized as a Section 501(c)(3) public charity under the Internal Revenue Code.

DWIGHT LYDELL CHAPTER of the IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE of AMERICACore Event Schedule 2016

NOTE: This is a draft schedule. Especially for late year events you can check for updates in our newsletters and on our website along with notice of special events that come up on short notice and are not listed on this Event Schedule. Also additional information about these listed events can be found in the newsletter and on the website.

Scheduled Event & Location ChairpersonJanuary 30, Saturday 10am-3pm Winterfest Family Outing @ CC Georgia DonovanMarch 4, Friday Conservation-Awards-Fund Raiser Banquet Banquet CommitteeMarch 17, 18, 19, 20 Ultimate Sport Show-Grand Rapids Jim SchneiderApril 21, Thursday Fish & Game Dinner & Program Tom WatsonMay 7,14,21, 28 - Saturdays Kids Fishing & Native Plants @ CC, 9AM-Noon May 12, Thursday Steak Dinner, Annual Meeting-& Short Program Tom WatsonJune 11, Saturday Fix up/Clean up Day 9-?, work, eat, play, campfire Maurie HousemanJune 25, Saturday, 10am-3pm Summerfest Community Family Day @ CC Maurie HousemanJuly 19-22 2016 IKE’s National Convention, Stevens Point WIJuly 16, Saturday Native Plants for Everyone, Tear Drop Island (CC) Tammy LundeenAugust 11, Thursday Ribs Outdoor Cooking Competition @ CC Tom WatsonSeptember 14, Wednesday Oktoberfest @ CC Tom WatsonSeptember 17, Saturday Fix up/Clean up/play 6PM @ CC Maurie HousemanOctober 5, Wednesday Chili Cook-off/Potluck @ CC Tom WatsonNovember 10, Thursday Game Dinner @ CC Tom WatsonDecember 1, Thursday Christmas Dinner @ Timbers Restaurant Jay Huston

Website: www. michiganikes.org CC is the Conservation Center/Lodge @ IKEs Property located at 5641 Myers Lake Avenue

Mailing address is Izaak Walton League, PO Box 541, Belmont MI 49306

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OFFICERSPresident, Duane DeVries........................532.9151

duanedv@earthlink.netVice President, Georgia Donovan..........................

georgiadonovanart@gmail.comSecretary, Jim Schneider..........................340.4604

jim-ms@comcast.netTreasurer, Fred Eyer ................................363.0253

fseyer@gmail.comBoard Members

Barry Gilbertson ....................Gilby40@MSN.comBruce Gilmore..........................................365.8892Maurie Houseman....................................560.2895

mhouseman@grar.comJay Huston................................................942.2503

hootjay1@outlook.comBill Kirk....................................................874.8230

billk622@aol,.comLen Kizer.................................................866.4256

len12sc4mi@yahoo.comLea Oliver ........................leaoliver@email.grcc.eduTravis Vanluyn..........................................723.4550

travis.vanluyn@gmail.comTom Watson.............................................874.7254

twwatson@comcast.netConservation Chair

John Stegmeier......................... fishysteg@msn.comGrounds/Maintenance Chair

C. J. Tasma................................................887.8542handicapsign@gmail.com

Membership SecretaryRon Waybrant..........................................361.1422

rcwaybrant@gmail.comLodge Rental

Jim Schneider...........................................340.4604jim-ms@comcast.net

Dawn Stover points out: “Encouraging the adoption of renewable technology is essential for a carbon-free future, but only if society simultaneously reduces its dependence on fossil fuels. The key to cutting emis-sions is keeping fossil fuels in the ground.” And keep it in the ground we must, as much as 80% of known reserves according to the hundreds of climate scientists who produced the 2014 IPCC. We may be able to ease the pain a bit, but we cannot eliminate it.

A price on carbon, starting low but increasing annually at a fairly robust clip, is seen by many, including high profile conservative economists like Gregory Mankiw and George Schultz and former Secretary of the Trea-sury Henry Paulson, as the rational and most effective means of transition at a pace that can move us steadily and fairly rapidly, without capsizing the economies of the world, away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. One such policy can be examined at citizensclimat-elobby.org, namely Carbon Fee and Dividend.

Energy Provisions in the 2016 Federal Budget

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(continued from page 1)drinking water.

Protecting clean water was a fundamental reason for starting the Izaak Walton League years ago, and it is still just as important, for wildlife and us. Working for nature is something to celebrate!

Georgia Donovan

The IKEs Update

Agenda 5:30pm Social Hour/Silent Auction 7:00pm Dinner and Program 9:00pm Raffle and Silent Auction Winners

Silent Auction includes incredible deals on: sports

equipment, paintings & fine art, Gift Certificates for fishing

charters, salons, fine dining, and entertainment plus raffle prizes

and much more

2016 Annual Conservation Banquet Dwight Lydell Chapter - Izaak Walton League of America

Friday, March 4th - Public Welcome!

Thousand Oaks Country Club & Restaurant, 4100 Thousand Oaks Dr. NE, Grand Rapids MI

Guest Speaker: Charles St. Charles

~ A Visual Exploration of North America ~ The project I’ll be describing includes photographing all 15 of the major eco regions

in the North American continent. Find out about the largest organism on earth, the largest migration in North America, saving a fish that lives in the desert,

how the rocky mountains were made, and what makes Michigan unique in the world.

Charles St. Charles hails from Michigan and is a wildlife photographer and writer. He has focused on photography both within the state as well as nationally and internationally. His work has been featured in calendars, posters, cards, newspapers, TV, and publications. Charles loves working with kids and sharing stories from nature with them.

No matter your age,

all “kids” will enjoy this!

IWLA Conservation Awards Banquet - Reservation Form Tickets are $34 per person. Please mail reservation form with check made out to DLC-IWLA and mail to:

Fred Eyer, Izaak Walton League Treasurer, 2488 Rockhill Dr. NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 Thank you for making reservations by Monday Feb 28!

Name:

Address:

Phone:

E-mail:

Please list attendee names for name tags:

Number of tickets purchased:________@ $34 each = $ ____________ (total due)

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