Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti Regional Chamber

How often do you think about water? I recently took a walk along a river up north. Actually, it was two walks because the views were totally different when I turned around and walked back. There was a large piece of drift wood that was indistinguishable walking out, but looked like a large white sail when I turned around and came back. I’ve taken this walk periodically over the years, but I was struck this time with how much the environment changed. Trees were down from heavy snows, beavers, bank erosion and insects. The river was blocked in several places. Should we clean out the fallen trees so the river looks like it did a few years ago? Or, is this the way it should be, constantly evolving and changing?
 

They had a plan to fix up the harbor in one of the small, picturesque towns up north, but the government funding did not come through. The plans were modified to save the project and the development went private. What was a wonderfully simple grassy area overlooking a simple harbor is now a concrete parking lot with a large building off-limits to the public and not much grass. The docks that you could walk on to see the boats are being rebuilt with security gates to limit access. I guess the boaters who benefit from this will be pleased, but I feel like I lost a part of my up north experience.

Dam it or not to dam it, that is the question. The Argo Dam has really split a group that has often seen eye-to-eye on environmental issues. Do we save the historically significant dam that has been there for over 100 years, or do we remove it to return the river to the way it was before the dam?

I wonder what beavers think when they see the work of another animal on this planet? Are they jealous that we can stop a river at will? Or are they upset that we are destroying their home? What do you think about Argo Dam?

Jesse Bernstein, president & ceo