Karin Jacobson is one of nearly a dozen docents at the Leelanau Conservancy that show the best of what Leelanau nature can offer.
“We love Leelanau so much. I just want to be involved in the community,” Jacobson said.
Jacobson among other docents will be hosting a guided hike Saturday at the Ingraham Preserve at Cedar River with the topic of ‘How has Earth Day impacted you?’
As the docent liaison for the Leelanau Conservancy, she helps train docents and works with staff to integrate with the mission of the Leelanau Conservancy.
The Conservancy’s newest natural areas include the Ingraham Preserve at Cedar River, where a group walks through the trail, woods, and fields, using the landscape as an impetus to discuss the many ways in which Earth Day and the environmental movement have manifested conservation.
The group will share observations, ideas, perceptions, and even concerns of the past, present, and future and consider each others’ perspectives.
Ingraham Preserve trail has a 30% uphill incline at its onset and is moderate in difficulty.
Jacobson lives in the county for the summer and one month in the winter with her husband and dogs. They bought a house in 2018.
Jacobson formerly ran the docent program at the Art Institute of Chicago.
“Docents want people to learn something about the natural area and want to engage people with the land,” she said.
Hiking with docents can be a quiet hike, but some have themes like a poet hike, a hike talking about fungi and mushrooms, monkey flowers, geology, or aesthetics amongst a variety of Leelanau Conservancy trails.
Jacobson is one of a dozen docents that participate through the Leelanau Conservancy.
As the official Earth Week begins charges on, Jacobson remembers how much it has affected her throughout her life.
Other Docents that contribute to the program include Bert Thomas, Alice VanZoeren, Peter Wolcott, David Amos, Marsha Buehler, Beth Chiles, Gloria Garrett, Karl Hausler, Karin Jacobson, Ed Ketterer, Ann McInnis, Sharon Oriel, Bobbie Poor, Keith Rhodes.
Earth Day was first observed on April 22, 1970, when an estimated 20 million nationwide attended inaugural events across the country. Only a few months later in July 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency was established in response to the growing public demand for cleaner water, air, and land. That fight continues today.
By the twentieth anniversary of the first event, more than 200 million people in 141 countries had participated in Earth Day, and Earth Week celebrations. The celebrations continue to grow to what it is today.
