GLADSTONE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Delta Conservation District is looking to carry on the mission of conservation districts everywhere in 2024 with new leadership.
“Conservation Districts have been around since 1940,” said Conservation District Board Member Glenn Vande Water. “There are 75 in the state of Michigan, and they’re kind of the gateway to natural resource management and conservation for non-industrial, private landowners.”
The Delta Conservation District is entering a new era, with Manager Heather LeDuc taking over the helm a month ago. She joined the district just in time for the annual Tree Sale.
“I definitely hit the ground running with the Tree Sale, but it’s exciting,” LeDuc said. “We have a lot of varieties of a lot of great, beautiful plants—berries and apple trees and fruit trees.”
This year’s Tree Sale is virtual, with a drive-through pickup at the U.P. State Fairgrounds April 26 – 27.
“It’s one of the biggest tree sales in the state of Michigan,” said Vande Water. “We’ve got, I think, over 40 to 60 thousand trees and shrubs we’re going to be selling.”
LeDuc says the sale is a crucial part of funding the work the Conservation District does every day.
“We have technical assistance to landowners,” she said. “Our Conservation Stewardship Program through our partnership with NRCS [Natural Resources Conservation Service] where you can get payments for having a certain diversity of plantings and certain practices that you do on your land. You can get a tax break on certain land. The Tree Sale helps us to keep these programs local.”
LeDuc says the funds raised through the Tree Sale will also allow the Conservation District to expand its offerings in the future.
“The possibilities for programs are really endless in the community,” she said. “We want to reach out to interest groups and do outreach and internships. When you buy a tree or a shrub from us, you’re supporting those programs that we can bring you.”
According to Vande Water, who has an extensive background in forest management and endangered species work, purchasing and planting a tree is also beneficial for the earth.
“It’s a great carbon sequestration process,” he explained. “We need this, as things are changing in our environment around us.”
Vande Water says one of the Conservation District’s goals moving forward is to promote public awareness of similar important topics.
“We need to develop more stewardship for our land,” he said. “It’s a lifelong process for those of us that are in this. It flows through our blood.”
Vande Water and the other board members are optimistic about the Conservation District’s future under LeDuc’s management.
“One thing about Heather LeDuc is that she’s fired up!” he said with a smile. “You get around her and you can feel it. She has worked a lot in her history with Tribal groups on conservation management. She wants this to be a success, wants to reach out to the public, and believes it’s very instrumental to facilitate better conservation in our area.”
Having served as District Manager under then-CEO Rory Mattson from 2020 – 2022, LeDuc says she is thrilled to be back and working toward her goal of strengthening the relationship between the Conservation District and the community.
“We want to have a healthy and a safe place to live and to play, and your conservation district is your partner in that,” she said. “We can bring neighbors together and build healthy and strong bonds, while also helping to reinforce this beautiful place that we live.”
To browse the Delta Conservation District’s Annual Tree Sale virtual catalog or for planting and care tips, visit deltacd.org/tree-sale. There is also a kiosk at the Conservation District office at 2003 Minneapolis Avenue in Gladstone, and staff will be available to answer questions. Trees are selling fast, so those interested are advised to place their orders by April 1.
Delta County residents can connect with the Conservation District at deltacd.org and on Facebook. To volunteer to help with Tree Sale pickup, click here or call (906) 553-7700.
