April 9, 2021
The Cok Family legacy: A protected respite on the shores of the Rogue River
The Cok Family recently amended their conservation easement, protecting more vital natural lands in the Rogue River watershed....
Newsletter Archive
November 9, 2020
Resilience: Fall Newsletter 2020
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...
November 9, 2020
For Margaret Idema, the pandemic has made time in nature a higher priority
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...
November 9, 2020
GVSU professor studies ways to support forest resilience at two LCWM nature preserves
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....
November 9, 2020
In it for the long haul: How three LCWM conservation easement owners are proactively caring for their land
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...
November 9, 2020
Focal Region Feature: Lake Michigan Shoreline
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...
November 9, 2020
In uncertain times, volunteering helps Mackenzie Scott stay grounded
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....
April 17, 2020
For Our Health: Spring Newsletter 2020
This year's spring newsletter centers on the topic of health, and the many ways nature supports our health. In the midst of a global pandemic, we are seeing these benefits in a whole new light—and appreciating them more than ever. We talk with a conservation...
April 17, 2020
No trails, no problem.
Exploring the Harters' peaceful creekside getaway—protected by a conservation easement. Susi Harter prefers to walk off the beaten path. “It’s a very refueling kind of feeling to go out in the woods and just wander around and not have a plan,” she said. That is why she decided...
April 17, 2020
Outdoor exercise supports heart health and more
Dr. West will tell you that exercise is one of the most important preventive measures he can recommend to his patients, but he says it’s one of the hardest things to get them to do. “We all understand that we need to exercise. The problem is,...