After four years of faithful service and leadership at the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, Executive Director, Vaughn Maatman has announced his intention to retire in the summer of 2016, once his successor is in place. “My years at the Land Conservancy stand out in my
The following post is from guest blogger, Alison Swan. The post originally appeared on her blog, Forage. *** (After you’ve read my list, please add your own items as comments.) Freshly fallen snow has a fragrance brighter than summer. New snowflakes cut into the trail’s icy hardpack under your
I was taught early in my life to love trees. I have been called a tree hugger many times and I have found a few occasions to actually hug trees. My love of trees led easily to a love of long uninterrupted forest. Forests, being
A winter visit to Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve There aren’t many bogs near Grand Rapids and Saul Lake Bog has everything a good bog needs. It has insectivorous plants, those fantastical species that lure insects with their sweetness and devour them for their nutrients. It
Growing up on one of the lower Grand River bayous, the day the ice went out in the spring was always an exciting event, with a riot of circling gulls fighting to scavenge pickings released from the ice. A sudden change in the wind direction
In the game “Six Degrees of Separation” players are challenged to find the links between two seemingly unrelated people or things with the fewest steps possible. In west Michigan, there is a very strong connection between petri dishes and plovers – and the Land Conservancy is
“Who cooks for you?” This was the sound I heard last week when I was out in my backyard. (It was somewhat ironic since I was grilling at the time!) The question was actually coming from a Barred Owl. Of course, I doubt there was really any
The reasons to incorporate native plants into your yard are numerous: Supporting native animal and insect populations Their long root systems prevent erosion and runoff They are formed by our climate, and thus more tolerable of weather extremes Variety of native plants allow for blooming
Like a teenager who’s partied past curfew, nature preserves need tough love, too. That’s why a group of us found ourselves in Rockford last week, cutting down perfectly good trees in a nature preserve. Invasives? Nope. These were oaks, mostly, with some maples and cherries too. Quite
“Your pet has escaped and it’s somewhere in our house.” This was our younger daughter, calling my office on the day before Christmas. I was avoiding the holiday crowds by hiding at work. She sounded agitated even before we heard a scream from across the room.