2022 Holiday Hike Challenge Results
This holiday season, many of you set out to find the big red holiday bows hanging on trees in 16 of the natural areas the Land Conservancy has helped protect. You travelled across West Michigan with your friends, family, and pets and discovered gorgeous natural places—some for the first time!
A hearty thanks to everyone who participated in our Holiday Hike Challenge! Today we are excited to share with you the results and prize winners.
Results
- 38 total participants
- LCWM preserves were visited a total of 138 times
- 2 participants visited all 16 preserves
- 0 participants successfully identified all 16 trees. One person successfully identified 15/16.
Prizes
Congratulations to our winners! We will be reaching out to everyone who won to arrange redemption of prizes. A special thank you to our prize donors, Blandford Nature Center, Books & Mortar, Brewery Vivant, Conservation Resources Alliance, Designs by Nature, Field Sparrow Studio, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Jewel of the Forest, Matthew Goetzka, New Holland Brewing Company, Querkus Creative Consulting, REI Co-op, Solstice Handmade, and Trillium & Twig Fine Art.
GRAND PRIZE: Framed Original Painting by Jerry Gates, donated by Conservation Resource Alliance
Awarded to the first person to submit photos from all 16 preserves
Winner: Emily Leslie
SECOND PRIZE: Pollinator Garden from Designs By Nature
Awarded to the first person to successfully identify the most trees.
Winner: Emily Leslie successfully identified 15/16 trees. Since she is the first place winner, this prize goes to the runners up, Amy Brumwell & Dustin Rehn!
DRAWING WINNERS
Mike and Cindy Becker with Wylie
Julie Blakeslee
Miriam Brooks
Blair Celano
Rebecca Daigle
Cari Draft
Sarah Elliot
Michelle Falk
Beth Fife
Anna Felkers
Lisa Hinze
Lynn Hundersmarck
Candy Kleinheksel
Tari Koziatek
Brian Leppard
Nic Loiseau
Lisa Mancini
Grace Metz
Amy McKee
Ann Ethel Nelson
Lea Sevigny
Claire Smith
Janet Syrek
Katelyn Tomaszewski
Linda Trier
Lindsey Wiejackza
@embracingjiker2022
Tree ID Answer Key
| Anderson Woods | Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) |
| B.D. White | Musclewood (Carpinus caroliniana) |
| Brower Lake | White pine (Pinus strobus) |
| Dune Pines | Sassafras (Sassifras albidum) |
| Flower Creek Dunes | Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) |
| Kuker Van-Til | Red maple (Acer rubrum) |
| Lake Breeze | Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera) |
| Lamberton Lake Fen | Box elder (Acer negundo) |
| Maas Family | Jack pine (Pinus banksiana) |
| Minnie Skwarek | American beech (Fagus grandifolia) |
| Palomita | Red oak (Quercus rubra) |
| Richmond Woods | Black cherry (Prunus serotina) |
| Saul Lake Bog | Pignut hickory (Carya glabra) |
| The Highlands | Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) |
| Wege Foundation | White oak (Quercus alba) |
| Upriver Nature Preserve | White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) |
Thank you to our prize donors!
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Jewel of the Forest | |
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Designs By Nature | |
Matthew Goetzka |
Lisa Fox
Hello there! I’d like to see time-stamped photos of the Grand Prize winner’s visits to the parks, please! Last year you had pictures documenting them, iirc. If they are posted somewhere else on the net, will you please include a link? Thanks much.