North Sky Raptor Sanctuary Plans Major Expansion at Former Camp Greilick Site

North Sky Raptor Sanctuary, the Grand Traverse County wildlife rehabilitation nonprofit founded in 2018, is pushing forward with plans to build what it calls the first facility of its kind in Northern Michigan: a raptor hospital and immersive education center rooted in the two-acre footprint of the former Camp Greilick in East Bay Township.

"The focal point of the sanctuary is a state-of-the-art bird of prey hospital alongside an immersive wildlife education center," said co-founder Jeffrey Bohnet. "This would be a legacy project."

The proposed campus would include a 4,900 square foot bird-of-prey hospital and public raptor center, a 5,000 square foot reconditioning flight enclosure for recovering patients before release, a surgical observation suite, a lending library, and an outdoor interpretive trail featuring ten species of non-releasable ambassador raptors. Bohnet has described the educational mission in vivid terms: "When people can see a hawk spread its wings just a few feet away, or an owl lock eyes with them, learning becomes personal."

The organization has already cleared significant regulatory hurdles. Plans received formal approval from the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy confirming compliance with Camp Greilick's existing conservation easement. A long-term land lease with Grand Traverse County is being finalized, and an East Bay Township site plan review remains the key immediate procedural step. Bohnet has been deliberate about the sanctuary's footprint on the property: "Our goal is to integrate into the property, not take it over."

Fundraising stands at just under $1 million in secured commitments following a capital campaign launched several weeks ago. The total target is $6 million: roughly $4 million for construction and an additional $2 million for a long-term sustainability endowment intended to reduce reliance on annual fundraising. North Sky has self-funded the project to this point, but Bohnet acknowledged that outside support is now essential to advance to construction documents and break ground. If approvals and funding hold, organizers hope to begin construction as early as this spring, though Bohnet called that timeline ambitious.

The rationale for the campus is grounded in both geography and demand. The nearest zoo or wildlife center offering educational programming featuring native species is nearly two hours from Traverse City, making such experiences inaccessible for most Northern Michigan school districts and families. Meanwhile, North Sky treated patients from 32 counties across Michigan in 2025 alone, a caseload that reflects sustained regional need. The new facility is designed to extend that reach, providing hands-on training for rehabilitators, veterinarians, and wildlife biologists while serving schools and families across the region.

Executive Director Kaitlyn Bohnet, who co-founded the organization alongside Jeffrey Bohnet, has been central to its rehabilitation work since the beginning. In 2023, she released a barred owl into the Trapp Farm Nature Preserve in Beulah after the bird was rescued by the Benzie County Sheriff's Office following a presumed car collision and nursed back to health by North Sky staff. The organization will also continue its mobile programming across the state regardless of the campus timeline.

"We're working very closely with the county to put together a long-term land lease because this project is intended to be a resource for the community for generations," Jeffrey Bohnet said.