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  • Home
  • Explore
  • Land Protection
    • Conservation Easements
    • Community Conservation
  • Land Stewardship
  • Projects
    • Saugatuck Township Riverside Park
    • 50th Anniversary
    • Photo Monitoring
    • Project Case Studies
    • Wildflower Guide
  • Give
    • Donate
    • Additional Ways to Give
    • Planned Giving
    • Business Partnership
      • Our Business Partners
  • Get Involved
    • Events
    • Volunteer
  • News & Blog
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Team
    • Our Strategy
      • Strategic Action Plan
      • Strategic Conservation Plan
    • Contact
    • Careers
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Land Conservancy of West Michigan Explore

Preserve Guidelines

Anderson Woods Nature Preserve

Barrier Dunes Sanctuary

Bradford Dickinson White Nature Preserve

Brower Lake Nature Preserve

Cascade Peace Park

Castle Park Nature Reserve

DePersia South Highlands Nature Preserve

Dumaw Woodland Nature Preserve

Dune Harbor Park Muskegon County

Dune Pines Nature Preserve

Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve

Huyser Farm Park

Kuker-Van Til Nature Preserve

Lake Breeze Nature Preserve

Lamberton Lake Fen Nature Preserve

Lost Lake: Muskegon State Park

Maas Family Nature Preserve

McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve

Meinert County Park

Minnie Skwarek Nature Preserve

Muskegon River: Henning Park Access

Muskegon River: Thornapple Access

North Ottawa Dunes County Park

Ottawa Sands

Palomita Nature Reserve

Pere Marquette Conservation Park

Pere Marquette River: Bowman’s Bridge

Pere Marquette River: Forks Landing

Pere Marquette River: Mapleleaf

Pere Marquette River: Rainbow Rapids

Pere Marquette River: Walhalla

Richmond Woods Nature Preserve

Roselle Park

Saugatuck Dunes State Park

Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area

Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve

Tallmadge Woods

The Highlands

Upper Macatawa Natural Area

Upriver Nature Preserve

Wege Foundation Natural Area

Whitey’s Woods: Lake Harbor Park

© 2022 Land Conservancy of West Michigan • All Rights Reserved

About Us

The Land Conservancy of West Michigan is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to keep nature nearby and conserve ecologically critical land in West Michigan. We protect land by creating public nature preserves, providing support to communities and local governments creating natural areas, and helping private landowners protect their own land.

Contact

237 Steele St, Suite A
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
616-451-9476
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Instagram

Open post by naturenearby with ID 17880151248395058
First burn of the season: ✅ The Land Conservancy’s Prescribed Burn Crew burned three units yesterday at Wege Foundation Natural Area, the first of which was actually in the prairie on the Wittenbach Center property that neighbors the Land Conservancy preserve. We partner with the Wittenbach Center to manage these adjacent properties with connected trails.

This is the first time this prairie plot has been burned since it was planted in 2019. The burn helped knock back invasive autumn olive and spotted knapweed. It also cleared out years of thatch buildup, transforming dead material into ash and invigorating the soil with nutrients.

Thanks to this good fire, the sun will be able to reach the soil this spring and encourage the germination of a diverse community of native prairie plants. 🔥 Thank you to all the volunteers who joined us to make it happen! Be sure to walk the trails to watch the transformation in the coming seasons.
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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18119996014718191
The property we are working with Saugatuck Township to protect includes sensitive marsh wetlands along the Kalamazoo River. The shifting water levels of these wetlands attract a remarkable diversity of bird species. Herons, shorebirds, ducks, and gulls can be all be found wading and feeding here. The proposed Riverside Park would protect critically important habitat for these birds — and provide trails and boardwalks from which birders could watch a variety of species.

Saugatuck Township envisions transforming this property into a destination park and nature preserve that reflects the community’s commitment to conservation, inclusive recreation, and public access to nature. We need your help to make Riverside Park a reality!

Learn more about our campaign to protect Riverside Park and its important ecosystems — and make a gift today to support the project — on our website. Link in our profile!
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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18144352423485106
The Explorathon kicks off on April 18! Join the Land Conservancy of West Michigan and our conservation partners for a guided hike along the forested dunes of the Lake Michigan shoreline.

For this first of three outdoor events celebrating the impact of 50 years of keeping nature nearby, we will be hiking through 2500 acres of connected, protected lakeshore habitat. Hikers can choose their own adventure: Join us for a 7-mile hike through 5 connected parks and preserves or a 2-mile paved hike through Ottawa Sands. Both experiences are led by naturalists guides who will share about park history and the protected natural features found in the globally unique and rare ecosystems we'll be exploring.

Learn more and purchase your tickets on our website. Link in our bio!
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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18078539756570041
Spring IS coming, we swear!

Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is emerging at Minnie Skwarek Nature Preserve in Spring Lake. Skunk cabbage is a thermogenic plant: it can create temperatures between 27–63 °F above air temperature through cellular respiration, which enables it to melt frozen ground so it can bloom. Their unique flowers and leaves poke through snow and leaf litter and defiantly proclaim that winter is on its way out.

Learn more about Minnie Skwarek Nature Preserve on our website at naturenearby.org/explore.
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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18109702612775537
Second Saturday volunteers helped perform trail maintenance at Wege Foundation Natural Area this weekend. Thank you to everyone who joined us! Your efforts help support healthy habitats and keep the preserve a welcoming place to explore.

Join us at our next volunteer opportunity! Visit naturenearby.org/events to sign up.
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Open post by naturenearby with ID 17859380622655840
This spring and summer, join the Land Conservancy of West Michigan for our Explorathon! 🎉 As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, we are hosting three-event series highlighting connected, protected natural lands and the impact of collaboration in conservation in West Michigan.

Across 50 years, the Land Conservancy of West Michigan has protected spaces where curiosity grows, and where caring for the earth means caring for each other. In West Michigan's forests, prairies, and shorelines, protecting habitats also means we’re nurturing the relationships that make conservation possible.

The Explorathon invites participants to hike along the Lake Michigan Shoreline, bike the varied topography of the Eastern Glacial Corridor, paddle the waters of our Big Forests & Wild Rivers—while learning about, enjoying, and celebrating the ongoing protection of these beautiful natural places.

First up is a Guided Hike: We'll be walking through 5 connected and protected parks and preserves along the iconic Lake Michigan shoreline. This contiguous stretch of natural land has been protected by the hard work and dedication of the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, @michigandnr, the @ottawacountyparks, and the communities of Ferrysburg, Grand Haven, Norton Shores, Spring Lake.

Learn more about the Guided Hike and register to attend on our website! Link in our profile.
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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18090615689111707
Volunteer Opportunity 📣 For this month's Second Saturday Workday, we'll be working at Wege Foundation Natural Area to help maintain the trails. Established in 1999, this nature preserve in Lowell neighbors the Wittenbach Center and hosts thousands of preserve visitors each year. Help us protect the habitats and ensure it continues to be a welcoming place to explore! Learn more and sign up to attend on our website. Link in our profile!
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Open post by naturenearby with ID 17904006741381094
Join us this Saturday at @grartmuseum ! Free admission and lots of fun activities. We hope to see you there! Learn more: https://www.artmuseumgr.org/events/discovery-day-adventures-in-landscapes
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© 2025 Land Conservancy of West Michigan • All Rights Reserved

 

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