Michigan Forest Communities - Michigan Association of ...

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
O
ne does not travel down the trail
to a book alone. Many people gave
me help, advice, and counsel along
the way. To all of them I am indebted.
Richard Kobe reviewed my initial outline
and gave positive feedback about
my approach to the subject. Dennis
Albert, Bill Botti, Russell Kidd, Doug
Pearsol, Jan Schultz, and Pat Valencia
helped me locate several forest communities
of which I was unaware. I also
thank Jan and Raoul LePage for introducing
me to Dead Man’s Hill and the
superb vista it provides of the Jordan
River Valley. These places have joined
my list of favorites among Michigan’s
forested treasures. Ray Miller allowed
me the use of one of the Upper
Peninsula Tree Improvement Center’s
vehicles for travel in that part of the
state. Having piloted myself to
Escanaba, I had to find some way to
travel on the ground.
I obtained photos from Phil Huber,
Kari Brown, Rick Baetsen, the State
Archives of Michigan, and The Michigan
Nature Conservancy. Most of the photos
I took myself and in the process finally
began to learn the intricacies of my digital
camera. The Michigan Natural
Features Inventory generously provided
vegetation maps of the state. Bob
Doepker and Craig Albright gave me a
copy of the MIWILD (Michigan Wildlife
Habitats) CD, which was very useful.
David Rothstein, Dennis Albert, and
Doug Pearsol freely gave their time to
read and critique the completed manuscript.
Their comments and suggestions
greatly helped clear up ambiguities and
errors. I sincerely appreciate their efforts.
I am especially appreciative of the
climate of scholarship that exists in the
Michigan State University (MSU)
Department of Forestry and for the support
and encouragement of Daniel
Keathley, department chair. Once again
Elwood Ehrle—patron of botanical
research and administrator of the Hanes
Fund—came to my aid by granting travel
funds for necessary fieldwork
throughout the state. This project could
not have gone forward without the support
of Randy Heatley, MSU Agriculture
and Natural Resources (ANR) Technical
Services manager, who agreed at the
outset to cover the publication costs.
The editorial, design, and production
work of the staff of MSU ANR
Communications & Technology
Services—Alicia Burnell, Ken Fettig, and
Leslie Johnson—requires special
acknowledgment. Their enthusiasm,
helpful suggestions, cheery demeanor,
and professional attitude always made
me feel very confident about the outcome
of this project.
Finally, I thank my wife, Kathleen
McKevitt, and our Welsh Corgi, Benny, for
companionship on various forest treks.
They patiently put up with my preoccupation
for places forested and willingly stood
by (or sniffed the scents of forest creatures)
during many photo stops.
Occasionally—if the setting was pleasing—I
could even entice them to pose.
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