Obtawaing Biosphere Region

The Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, created in 1971 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), had a goal to improve the relationship between people and the environment through a conglomeration of natural sciences, social sciences, education, capacity-building, and economics. Its implemetation are in the form of Biosphere Reserves (BRs), which encompass terrestrial, coastal, and/or marine ecosystems, each with their unique relationship between conservation and sustainable development. Currently, there are 701 biosphere reserves in 124 different countries.

At the center of an Odawa village in Northern Michigan laid "Obtawaing", an Anishinaabemowin word for “at the halfway place.” Stretching sixteen miles from roughly Cross Village to Harbor Springs, this area was inhabitated by the Odawa people for generations. European settlers first inhabitated the area in the 18th century, and constructed a Jesuit Mission in Middle Village in 1741. To this day, an Odawa burial ground resides on the grounds of the former Jesuit Mission (now named St. Ignatius Church) which is still tended to.

About 20 miles east of Good Hart in Pellston, Michigan, the University of Michigan Biological Station, (also known as the "U-M Biostation") has a long and relevent history to "Obtawaing". Since its establishment in 1909, the U-M Biostation has been a hub for education and research for scientists from across the globe. In its 112 years of existence, the area’s ecosystems have not only been studied but have also been closely monitored by experts and students alike.

In 1979, the U-M Biostation was given status as a UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve.

Every 10 years, biosphere reserves are required to go through a periodic review as designated by the UNESCO Statutory Framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. In response to the Periodic Review submitted in 2017, it was reported that:

... development efforts were weak. Local communities are involved in research projects in that area, but there is no participatory process to involve them in management in the biosphere reserve or to foster sustainable development and support of the local economy?” (OBR, 2019, p. 4)

...the authorities be invited to revisit the zonation of the site, in order to include buffer zone(s), and transition area(s) that can cater for the sustainable development function…”(OBR, 2019, p. 4)

Due to these much needed suggestions, it was pertinent that the U-M Biostation Biosphere Reserve expand and transform.

Per the suggestion of Frank Ettawageshik, Executive Director of the United Tribes of Michigan, President of the Association of American Indian Affairs, and member of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, this new biosphere reserve was to be named the "Obtawaing Biosphere Region" (OBR) given its geography between the Lower and Upper Penninsulas of Michigan. Given the context of the word when discussing American Indian affairs, the word "reserve" was changed to "region" to reflect the biosphere region's mission of partnership and collaboration.

An important aspect of any biosphere region is its partner network. Ranging from local and national land conservancies, universities, government agencies, community organizations, and tribal governments, partners of Obtawaing take time out of their busy schedules with the goal to achieve successful and meaningful cooperative land management. As of March of 2022, OBR has over 30 partners. A handful of our partners are listed below:

• Beaver Island Association
• Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
• Central Michigan Biological Station
• Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
• Huron Pines
• Little Traverse Bay of Odawa Indians
• Little Traverse Conservnacy
• Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
• Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
• University of Michigan Biological Station
• The Nature Conservancy

Our goal was to preserve OBR’s initial shape, create a more fluid interpretation of its borders, and include only areas where partner participation and community interest were known to be present.

Instead of county borders, HUC-12 watersheds were used to create this more fluid version of Obtawaing. HUC-12 watersheds are the most finite in the USGS's watershed classification system which gave more choices on what to include. In total, 216 connected HUC-12 watersheds were chosen for OBR's transitional zone.

A GIS repository was made available in ArcGIS Online with the expectation that partners would be able to add/take spatial data when needed. The OBR team wanted to jump-start the data sharing process, so layers were chosen that would be relevant to the partners’ wants and needs. Through ArcGIS Online, new data can be added and updated at any time, and our hope is that this repository becomes an asset to the SEAS OBR 2023 team, as well as present and future partners.

As OBR was recently being formed, those who pushed for the redefinement and expansion at U-M created an informal and temporary committee to ensure the project continued to move forward. The members of this team included: (1) Knute Nadelhoffer, Professor Emeritus and former Director of U-M Biostation, (2) Adam Schubel, Resident Biologist at the U-M Biostation, and (3) Jon W. Allan, Faculty Member, Sr. Advisor, and Sr. Academic and Research Program Officer at SEAS. From here on, they may be refered to as the U-M OBR team.

OBR also engaged the RTCA (Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance) program as a consultant to help OBR create a strategic plan once the approval for the 2019 periodic review was finalized. The RTCA is a National Park Service program that helps organizations and projects reach their goal whether it be park restoration, community engagement, or conservation planning. The SEAS OBR 2022 team was tasked with helping Mike Mencarini of the RTCA. While the workshops were primarily led by Mike, the SEAS OBR 2022 team and U-M OBR team helped with scheduling, defining agendas, recruiting partners to help decide the direction of the workshops, note-taking, and continuing to foster the relationships with current and future partners in between workshops.

A one hour and a half regional meeting was held on December 2, 2021. This meeting was facilitated by the SEAS OBR 2022 team and was guided by an agenda created in collaboration with the U-M OBR team and the RTCA. Towards the end, there was an update on the SEAS OBR 2022 project, planning for the strategic plan workshops, and ongoing outreach and engagement. This regional meeting re-ignited the excitement among partners about the work to be done, as well as set the foundation for partners to speak and take larger roles within OBR planning. 

The expansion and redefinement of OBR is a new chapter for the BR. It is a new chapter filled with hopes, ideas, and promise for the partners and the region. OBR is not meant to solely support the partners, but rather a whole region. In order to do this, it is important to communicate OBR’s story in a way that identifies the value it brings to the region. This is just one story. Others can go in various directions ranging from its expansion to the centrality of water and the Great Lakes region to shifting the perspectives of human and non-human relationships. Periods of transition and change can be equal levels of excitement and fear, but through acts of courage OBR can become an extraordinary part of the region.   

• Obtawaing Biosphere Region. (2019). Periodic Review for Biosphere Reserve.
• United States Geological Survey (USGS.). (n.d.) Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs) Explained. https://nas.er.usgs.gov/hucs.aspx
• Sherburne, M. (n.d.). Shaping the obtawaing biosphere region. Stewards. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://seas.umich.edu/stewards/fall-2021/shaping-obtawaing-biosphere-region
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2017) A New Roadmap for the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme and Its World Network of Biosphere Reserves MAB Strategy (2015-2025): Lima Action Plan (2016-2025) Lima Declaration
• United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, 2019, pp. 1–8, World Network of Biosphere Reserves Statutory Framework .