For Grace Houseal, volunteering with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan opened up a world of possibility. Houseal moved to Grand Rapids from Midland, Michigan to pursue a degree in English from Grand Valley State University in 2016. She landed a job at Brewery Vivant, and
With the help of our supporters and volunteers, 2019 was a great year at the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. As we embark on the new year, we want to reflect on last year’s achievements. Join us in looking back on what we have accomplished
A Year-End Message from Executive Director Joe Engel In 1851, ten years before the Civil War, 22-year-old Carleton Watkins left Oneonta, New York and headed west to seek his fortune after hearing about the discovery of gold in California. After a long journey across the breadth of
In this latest issue of the newsletter, we talk about the role community plays in conservation. We speak with a supporter who raised money for the Land Conservancy through a Facebook fundraiser in honor of her late friend. We reflect on how the community rallied
A couple weeks ago, a post from outdoor retailer REI scrolled across my Instagram feed. The post announced a new focus for this year’s edition of #OptOutside, REI’s increasingly popular push to get people outdoors on Black Friday. This time around, instead of just getting
Over the last three weeks, much has changed at The Highlands. Here’s a quick look at what’s been going on. Demolishing the Clubhouse Where once stood a sprawling building, now sits a pile of rubble. To tear down a building of this size takes a great deal
Starting this week, you will hear a bit more than the sounds of birdsong and a gentle breeze blowing through the tall grasses at The Highlands. Heavy machinery will be at work making progress on two exciting projects: the demolition of the clubhouse and the installation
The following post is from Preserved! artist Thomas Hegewald. Learn more about the Preserved! program and purchase tickets to the gallery openings this fall here. By Thomas Hegewald I had a plan this summer. Since becoming acquainted with The Highlands last summer, and thus the Land Conservancy
If you’ve taken a walk at The Highlands recently, you’ve probably noticed that a big chunk of it is looking a little brown. While the view is somewhat bleak, the future of that 25-acre parcel is bright: it’s being prepared to be planted with a
West Michigan’s diverse terrain means explorers have an exciting variety of environments to discover. Climb dunes, trek through forests or find peace in the prairie. Hiking the trails at these three nature preserves will give you a taste of just how biodiverse our home is. Flower