Campaign complete: Land Conservancy of West Michigan has reached McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve fundraising goal
New trails and recreation opportunities debut this fall and winter
News
Celebrating 10 years of Conservation Director Justin Heslinga
We are celebrating Conservation Director Justin Heslinga's 10-year anniversary of working with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. Over the course of the last decade, Justin has been an instrumental leader in caring for the natural lands LCWM has worked with the community to protect.
October 18, 2022
in News
Groundbreaking restoration work at The Highlands
This summer, ground broke on one of the final pieces of the restoration work at The Highlands, a natural area protected in collaboration by the Land Conservancy and Blandford Nature Center. Construction began on the stream daylighting project in early July. The project will bring
Where Once were Oaks
This post is excerpted from an article originally published in the Grand Valley State University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences e-newsletter, CLAS Acts, and is republished here with permission. Anyone fighting a battle in a Michigan backyard with volunteer maple trees could be forgiven for
July 18, 2022
in News
Stream daylighting begins at The Highlands
Work has begun to “daylight” an underground stream at The Highlands, a natural area protected by Blandford Nature Center and the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. Several partners met to break ground on the project on July 11, 2022. As part of the ongoing restoration of
155-acre riverfront property donated to Land Conservancy of West Michigan for public exploration
An anonymous donor has given their family property to the Land Conservancy to create a public nature preserve in Newaygo County.
Remembering Valerino Castro
We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Valerino Castro, a man who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Land Conservancy’s first nature preserve. Valerino and his wife Maria owned the land that is now Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve. Under their care, the land
Taking on Oak Wilt
If you have recently hiked through Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve, you may have noticed that some of the trees bear blue or red markings. If you guessed that those markings denote trees that will be removed, you are right. Unfortunately, oak wilt has been discovered on the preserve and has already killed dozens of oaks. The disease will continue to spread without action, and that
Land Conservancy of West Michigan expands Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve
Thanks to the community’s generous support, the 43 acres adjacent to the preserve are protected forever and open to the public. The Land Conservancy of West Michigan announced it has finalized its purchase of 43 acres of forested backdune habitat adjacent to Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve. The addition, named the Huston-Rausch-Paprocki Reserve,
Winter’s Work: Preserve Stewardship Update
After the winter chill sets in, and the dormant plants’ myriad hues of brown are covered by a crisp white blanket, fieldwork still beckons for the staff of the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. Although the bulk of our work requires plants to be green and actively growing, there is still plenty to do after the leaves fall. So,