12th Michigan Bottomlands Underwater Preserve

[GTBUP]

June 23, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jack Spencer (231) 947-2520 or diverjacktc@yahoo.com

Grand Traverse Bay Designated
As State Underwater Preserve

Backers say Preserve will help tourism and historic protection

Traverse City, Mich.—Grand Traverse Bay and surrounding areas of Lake Michigan have been identified by the State as the 12th Underwater Preserve in Michigan. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality recently announced the designation.

The creation of the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve is expected to bring in millions of dollars in underwater tourism by attracting both recreational scuba divers and underwater researchers.

“The designation opens up a wealth of historical and archeological research,” says Jack Spencer, President of the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve Council. Spencer says the documentation of numerous shipwrecks and other underwater finds is sure to attract a large number of recreational scuba divers from around the country.

Creation of the Underwater Preserve helps locate artifacts that are important parts of Michigan’s maritime past. It also assures those discoveries are protected for future generations. Work on the Preserve has already led to the development of underwater classes being offered at Northwestern Michigan College. Organizers say they expect the underwater development will create a thirst for information that will be available to K-12 education.

Backers of the Preserve have been working for the designation for three years. They add that creation of other Preserves in the State usually took much longer. “It’s a testimonial to the hard work of a lot of volunteers who made the case that an Underwater Preserve in Northwest Michigan was vital to the region,” says Spencer. Spencer added that the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve Council is eager to work with others to better explore, research and understand the underwater world of the region.

The Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve Council is a fund of the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation. More information is available online at www.gtbup.org

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[alpenadiver]

Congratulations on the designation, where do the boundaries extend to.

 

[dab]

congratulations!

 

[deepH2Odiver]

It's nice to see this finally "official". Everybody should commended for staying the course and following through. Congratulations and a job well done!

I even went on the website to show my support and signed up as a member!

 

[Oldpirate]

Congrats, guys! Having gone through the process here in the SW Michigan preserve nearly a decade ago I saw what a lot of work a few people had to do to make this happen. Hope you still have all your friends! Heaven help you if you find any major shipwrecks... ;-)

 

[GTBUP]

Congratulations on the designation, where do the boundaries extend to.

It's pretty much both bays all the way to the mouth that enters Lake Michigan

 

[GTBUP]

Thank you all for the kind comments as they are all very much appreciated.

We would like to invite all divers (and non divers) to come celebrate the Grand Opening of the 12th Bottomlands Preserve on July 12th, 2008 at Shooters Bar and Grill on Munson/Front Street (across from the Holiday Inn). 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

This is right after the Grand Royale Parade (National Cherry Festival) on that Saturday. We will have some items to (silent auction) off.