The Return of Eagles, Ospreys, Peregrine Falcons

The Return of Eagles, Ospreys, Peregrine Falcons

In 1962 Norm Spring read Silent Spring by Rachel Carson.  He wondered how anyone could read the book and not do something about the harm DDT was causing to the environment. He was living right across the street from Central Park at the time and the city of Grand Haven, Michigan would spray the elm trees for Dutch Elm disease with DDT.  He was told he could move his car, but along with his wife he had two small children and the house and places where the young children played would be coated with DDT.  The problem was DDT did not kill the elm beetle. it soaked into the ground and everyone could see robins trembling in their death throes in the grass.  The spray washed down the streets and into the storm drains so DDT entered Lake Michigan where it was caught up in food chains.  The fish became highly contaminated with DDT.

 Fish eating birds such as the American Bald Eagle were affected since their eggs became thin and cracked as a result of DDT and did not hatch.  Norm went to every meeting of the Grand Haven City Council for three years and finally the Grand Haven City Council agreed to stop their DDT program.

People came from a nearby city and asked “How did you do that?” and together they formed the Michigan Pesticides Council that met at Michigan State University.  Among the members were:  Norm Spring, chairman, Joan Wolfe, ornithologists Dr. Ted Black, Dr. George Wallace, Dr. John Kitchel,  Charles Schick, Ann Van Lente, , Joseph Kleiman, Theodore Carbine.  Due to their work DDT and like pesticides were banned in Michigan in 1972 and then the ban went nation wide and Canada followed.

Today the Eagles, Ospreys and Peregrine Falcons have returned to the shores of the Great Lakes, the United States and Canada because the democratic process worked.

Norm was inducted into The Michigan Environmental Hall of Fame in 2014 for his work on behalf of the environment.

 Think Globally and Act Locally.

Never Too Young to do a Good Deed

ENVIRONMENT 

Cub Scouts prompt new environmental law in Spring Lake Township

MARIE HAVENGA • TODAY AT 2:00 PM

mhavenga@grandhaventribune.com

SPRING LAKE TWP. — What's the best way to celebrate after getting important environmental legislation ratified into law? Eating ice cream, of course.The young scouts had attended a Township Board meeting in May to request it consider such a ban because coal tar — an asphalt resurfacing agent — is a known carcinogen and is harsh on local waterways.

Cub Scout Den 7 leader Cheryl Kallio took her troop to the Front Porch after Monday's Spring Lake Township Board meeting, where leaders enacted a new coal tar ban that the scouts championed.

“I feel like I'm making the community a little better,” said Cub Scout Cameron Braidwood, 9, after the board's unanimous vote Monday night to approve the ban.

The board stepped down from the meeting table and shook hands with the scouts after the decision.

“They're excited to see an issue that they brought forth turned into law,” Kallio said. “They really did their due diligence and did a lot of research. (Township Supervisor) John Nash talked to experts around the nation to gather information. They came to the conclusion it's an important issue for Spring Lake Township. I'm very appreciative the decision-makers took the kids so seriously and researched the issue.”

Nash said he spent about 25 hours researching coal tar. He said what really struck him was that the entire state of Minnesota bans it.

“The water that runs off asphalt sealed with coal tar accumulates at the bottom of rivers and lakes and causes significant problems,” Nash said. “I didn't like that at all. There's now a product that's equally as good and about the same price. Home Depot and several other stores won't even sell coal tar because they're concerned about the liability.”

Nash said he's proud of the scouts for bringing the issue to the board.

“It's something we weren't aware of,” he said. “You hope they get the experience that you can get involved and you can make a difference. Spring Lake Township really tries to be a leader. If it's the right thing to do, we don't mind being first.”

The ban will take effect Jan. 1, 2017.

Township Manager Gordon Gallagher said education is the next step.

“This ordinance will be as much about education as it is regulation,” he explained.

Nash said he plans to visit stores that still sell coal tar, inform the managers about the new ban and encourage them not to sell it.

“If it's a matter of doing that much or nothing at all, I'm going to do 

Environmental Victory: Return of the Eagles to the Great Lakes

photo by Steve Damstra

Years ago there were practically no eagles around the Great Lakes due to DDT. Their eggs would not hatch. After reading Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring, Norm and I worked to ban DDT in our community and then the state. Above, see the ...results! It took a long time for DDT to purge out of the Great Lakes system, but now we rejoice every time we see an eagle fly. This environmental success story was the inspiration for me to write The Dynamic Great Lakes.