Green Suttons Bay To Make Lasting Mark On Village

Noticing a little less shade in Suttons Bay these days? You wouldn’t be the only one.

“We’ve had a lot of frustration here in Suttons Bay because we’ve lost a lot of trees to disease and old age, and they also re-did M-22 through the village and they took down a lot of trees,” says village resident Kelly Slater. “Not only does it take away from the beauty of the community, but it takes away from nature.”

Slater’s excited for the chance to do something about it. Green Suttons Bay, a group she helped found early last year, will plant 25 trees throughout the village on Saturday, Oct. 28 starting at 9 a.m. They’re looking for up to 50 volunteers to help with the work.

“You take ownership of your community when you put something there that’s going to be there a long time,” Slater tells The Ticker. “We’re not doing this so we can have a placard that says Green Suttons Bay did this. We are doing this so we can have a long-lasting monument to how much we care about our community."

Twenty trees were secured through a grant from ReLeaf Michigan through the DTE Foundation, Slater said. ReLeaf is a statewide tree planting nonprofit that helps communities across Michigan protect and restore tree canopies. An additional five trees were bought by a private donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

The bulk of the trees will be planted around the open space and pavilion where the Suttons Bay Farmer’s Market is located (off M-22 on the north end of the village), while some will be planted at the marina park and the corner of M-22 and Concord Street.

"Our passion behind the tree planting is that’s where you’re building your natural community,” Slater says. “A place above the ground to be safe, to enhance your environment. Trees are invaluable, and we’re excited.”

Green Suttons Bay was inspired by Green Elk Rapids, which has been around for about 15 years. Like that organization, Green Suttons Bay focuses on a variety of activities related to environmental stewardship. From hosting speakers and authors to picking up trash and planting native species, the group hopes to catalyze action by helping people realize that despite how daunting certain environmental problems seem, they can in fact make a difference.

“We feel as an organization that it’s good to start from a small perspective. If you can do something in your own backyard, then that’s going to grow out into the community. One or two people can make a really big impact on where they live, and that cascades, it snowballs,” Slater says. "Everything you do, every piece of trash you pick up, every native plant you plant, every tree you put in the ground, that’s going to make your community a better place.”

Slater hopes to see the movement grow throughout the county in the coming years.

“I’m hoping we inspire others,” she says. “Green Northport. Green Leland. Green Glen Arbor. Maybe we should have called ourselves green Leelanau County, but like I said, start small.”

Those interested in helping with the tree planting will be able to register soon on the Green Suttons Bay Facebook page. Registration is encouraged but not required, Slater says, and those looking to help can also just show up the day of the planting.