Manage to that postcard moment.
That’s the advice Scott Tucker, Superintendent of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore gives to his team in order to provide an amazingly memorable experience. It’s the little snapshots that add up for visitors and consumers in our area, whether on a dune climb or at a restaurant, he said.
Mr. Tucker, a 20-year veteran of the National Park Service, gave an enlightening look at the importance of this most beautiful place; ours to discover right down the road.
He prefaced his presentation by saying he wanted to focus on the economic impact of the dunes, Lakeshore, parks, and attractions.
The effect on local business is clear, as their 1.7 million visitors last year helped bring $183 million and 3,000 jobs to local businesses within a 50-mile radius of Sleeping Bear Dunes.
The scope of Sleeping Bear is impressive: Spanning over 70,000 acres, with over 35,000 acres of wilderness. Mr. Tucker shared that they have a $4.2 million federal operating budget to host those 1.7 million visitors, with 100 miles of trails, 25 inland lakes, 2 campgrounds, 370 historic structures and 150 employees.
Current challenges at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore include handling the logistics and facilities needed from increased visitation and responding to climate change, he said.
Out at the South Manitou Lighthouse, for example, heavier storms and waves caused a loss of 800 feet of shoreline. These environmental changes have had a noticeable impact and created the need for $1.5 million in repairs and preservation of the South Manitou Lighthouse.
Search and rescue on the dunes, trails and water are other significant and necessary services, he said. Mr. Tucker gave this aspect of their operation some great perspective, saying these 1,651 bad experiences were a small part of the one million great experiences.
He also reminded us that on August 28th the National Park Service Senior pass goes from $10 to $80. This provides lifetime, free access to Federal Recreational Lands to those ages 62 and over.
