BY SCOT EGLESTON-BOARD CHAIR
THE LYRICAL SINGING OF A WOOD THRUSH. WIND RUSTLING
THROUGH SUMMER LEAVES, LATE SEASON CORNFIELDS, OR BARE
WINTER BRANCHES. WATER LAPPING ALONG A LAKESHORE. A DEER
BLOWING. A STREAM GURGLING OVER COBBLES. COYOTES YIPPING.
THE SLURP OF A TROUT. THE MOURNFUL CRY OF A LOON. THE
BUZZ OF CICADAS. I COULD GO ON…
Nature’s soundtrack provides a primal fulfilment for our souls, that connection with the natural world around us. We humans have created music to mimic, celebrate, and embody nature’s beauty since our early beginnings. Now, let’s say you are about to jump in the car with family or friends and a happy dog or two to head out to hike a trail or just spend some time at a nature preserve. I polled our amazing staff and my fellow board members to share a favorite song that evokes nature to them. Here is what we came up with as HeadWaters’ Soundtrack for Nature:
JULIE’S PICK:
Shifted by Harpeth Rising
“I became liquid and I learned how to
flow and I joined with the earth and
the water below / I ran strong and
clear.”
DIANNE’S PICK:
Roll Me Away by Bob Seger
“Stood alone on a mountain top / Starin’
out at the Great Divide / I could go east,
I could go west / It was all up to me to
decide /Just then I saw a young hawk
flyin’ / And my soul began to rise /
And pretty soon / My heart was singin’”
GRADY’S PICK:
Rubber Band Man by
Mumford & Sons & Hozier
“Don’t hold to yourself with hard mortar
and stone / Be a rubber band man /
Make the water your bones”
BOARD OF DIRECTORS PICKS:
MICHELLE MILLIKIN:
The River by Leon Bridges
TOM SCHUPBACH:
Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell
“Don’t it always seem to go / That you
don’t know what you’ve got / Till it’s
gone / They paved paradise / And put
up a parking lot”
DAVE BOWMAN:
The American Four Seasons
by composer Philip Glass:
Violin Concerto No. 2
ALEXANDRA POPOFF:
Favorite Country Song by Hardy
“A north wind blowin’ through a patch
of pines / Whippoorwills singin’ ’bout
summertime”
ELAINE GOTTSCHALK:
Wildflowers by Tom Petty
“You belong among the wildflowers. You
belong somewhere you feel free.”
Of course, I challenged the board and staff to come up with their songs and I found that I was the one really struggling to narrow down a song. I chose the last song from Neil Young’s 1992 Harvest Moon album, Natural Beauty.
“A natural beauty should be preserved
like a monument to nature.”
I think that song lyric pretty much sums up our mission. Throughout 2025, HeadWaters has hit some incredible milestones: our 100th conservation easement, the planting of literally thousands of trees as part of a monumental oak restoration at the Luneack Nature Preserve, our first organization-lead land purchase, the protection of a suite of unique properties like the bottomlands of Fletchers Pond, and making connections and developing relationships that will bring about more land protection and acquisitions into 2026 and beyond. I cannot compliment our staff enough and give kudos to my fellow board members for the time they volunteer to keep this wonderful organization moving forward. Keep up the great work!
To our valued members, you have made a choice to support protecting land across Northeast Michigan and for that you have our most sincere gratitude. We hope you will encourage family and friends to join our community of land protection enthusiasts. Grab a t-shirt or hoodie from the HeadWaters Bonfire site and show your support. Exciting things are on the way in 2026 and we cannot
wait to share!!!
So throw on some tunes and venture out on these chilly winter days to explore the subtle grandeur of Northeast Michigan!
Scan this QR code to listen to our Nature’s Soundtrack, add your favorite nature tunes to list, and share!
