About Us
About Us
The Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve was created in 1995 by a group of local citizens concerned about unchecked logging and property division activities. These folks worked hard and within a year obtained their 501(c)3 status and officially became an organization. Our mission is to preserve and protect the Yellow Dog River and surrounding watersheds for the benefit of present and future generations through grassroots organizing. We have been doing our work in Big Bay and have offices in the Huron Mountain Realty Building at 303 Bensinger Drive. We welcome the public to stop in and take a look at our resources.
Currently, we have one full time and two part time staff members who dedicate many hours and resources to succeed in our mission. Seven citizens are voted in by our 254 members to the Board of Directors who meet monthly to make decisions and to hear about the work being done. The Board meets every third Wednesday and the meetings are open to the public.
Our work focuses on many watershed issues ranging from water monitoring to education to litigation. Please check out our programs pages to learn more about all of the good things we do. If you like what you see, please consider donating or becoming a member!
Staff
Executive Director: As of November 2008, Emily has been moved from Program Administrator to Executive Director. She will be fulfilling her role by working with the Board to best complete our work. Along with that, she will work with the finance committee to ensure this organization has the capacity to protect the river. She will continue to work directly with the programs such as education, outreach, water science, land conservation, and all others. Emily looks forward to helping YDWP in any way she can.
Executive Director
Yellow Dog RIVERKEEPER®: Chauncey Moran became part of the WATERKEEPER® Alliance in the fall of 2008. Since then, he has continued his role in being the primary contact for water quality and violation issues. Chauncey has spent many years working with our group and has been a founding member. He started a Volunteer Monitoring Program that has supplied our group with baseline water quality data for the past six years. If you have witnessed violations in the watershed, call Chauncey at 906-345-9223.
Yellow Dog Riverkeeper
Sulfide Mining Campaign Director: Cynthia Pryor joined the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, Inc in 1995 during its formative years – first as a volunteer and then as an eight hour a week paid staff. In 2000 she became Chair of the Board of Directors and resigned in 2003 to become the Executive Director. In November of 2008, Cynthia resigned and moved to become the Sulfide Mining Campaign Director. Cynthia, and her husband Bob, have lived off the grid in the Huron Mountains for the past 15 years and cherish the region. Although most of her time now is working full time for the preserve in support of the opposition to sulfide mining on the Yellow Dog Plains and in Michigan, she takes time for cross-country skiing, birding, hiking, sailing and the Big Bay game of tennis!
Sulfide Mining Campaign Director
Preserve Coordinator: Wendy Johnson has been the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve’s primary office person since 1998. Since the birth of her two children, she chose to work at YDWP from home, creating newsletters, hosting fundraising events, keeping up the books, and anything else that needs to be done. She really enjoys working for the Preserve – they are a great bunch of honest, down-to-earth folks. We have a lot on our plate with the sulfide mining issue and any help from folks like you is greatly appreciated and needed! Please check out the rest of our website for volunteering or donating opportunities. You can reach Wendy through YDWP’s e-mail at ydwp@yellowdogwatershed.org or if you need immediate assistance, please call (906) 361-5179.
Preserve Coordinator
Education and Outreach Intern: Zachery Luhellier will be the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve’s Environmental Education and Outreach Intern for the summer of 2009. The internship was funded by the Emerick Family Fund of the Marquette Community Foundation as a way to further YDWP’s goals and mission. Beginning in June, Zac will take on conducting and leading outdoor recreation events, educational workshops, and generally increasing our presence in the media. We are confident that Zac will achieve these goals. Mr. Luhellier has several years of experience and knowledge related to the watershed and the issues we face. He is very fond of the wild places in this area and whole heartedly wants to protect them. Currently, he is attending Northern Michigan University, pursuing a degree in Human Centered Design. Zac has been an active member on campus, co-chairing Students Against Sulfide Mining for two years, being a member of Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition, and several other groups. In his time that he is not working, he loves to hike, camp, kayak, and enjoy photography. Please welcome Zac and attend some of the Yellow Dog Events that he has in store for you. If you need to contact him, email zac@yellowdogwatershed.org or call our office at 906-345-9223.
Education and Outreach Intern
