This year has certainly been a tough one. The challenges we have endured, and continue to endure, have shown us our capacity for resilience. That is why we chose this concept as the theme for our newsletter this fall. In this issue, a volunteer shares how
Priscilla Nyamai is a Natural Resources Management professor at Grand Valley State University and a former LCWM board member. She writes about her experience conducting a long-term study to assess ways to restore biodiversity and support the resilience of oak forest systems at the B.D.
Margaret Idema first heard about the Land Conservancy of West Michigan when one of her friends, John Will, was helping to create it with just a few other people. “I remember being intrigued by it,” she said. A lifelong lover of nature, Margaret has long
The Land Conservancy of West Michigan works with many property owners to help protect privately owned natural land. Through conservation easements, we are able to ensure West Michigan forests, habitat corridors, and wetlands remain connected and undeveloped. The process can be long and is not
Earlier this year, the Land Conservancy of West Michigan unveiled its first ever Strategic Conservation Plan. The plan identifies three regions where we will focus conservation efforts. In this article, we explore the Lake Michigan Shoreline with LCWM's Stewardship and Land Protection Directors. The western border
Mackenzie Scott was hooked on volunteering with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan from the first time she tried it. Her coworker and friend, a member of Grand Rapids Young Professionals, invited her along to a special event the organization hosted with the Land Conservancy.
LCWM Executive Director Joe Engel will retire in February 2021.
Peggy Falk is a Land Conservancy of West Michigan volunteer and supporter and a member of the Michigan Bluebird Society. She spearheaded a project to install bluebird boxes at The Highlands last fall and monitored them throughout the year.
Norm Ferguson has been a volunteer with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan since 2015. He first heard about the organization on NPR and got hooked on the regular Second Saturday Workdays. “Justin usually gives a rundown of what Michigan used to be like. It’s fun learning about that stuff, but I also
Enchanted with a rare Lake Michigan lakeshore forest community, Douglas and Gretchen Paprocki devoted themselves to ensuring its permanent preservation. In 1986, Douglas Paprocki and his late wife Gretchen purchased a cottage on the Lake Michigan lakeshore. Much like today, it was at a time when water levels had reached historic