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616-451-9476

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June 10, 2025

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by Marie Orttenburger

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About Us

The Land Conservancy of West Michigan is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to keep nature nearby and conserve ecologically critical land in West Michigan. We protect land by creating public nature preserves, providing support to communities and local governments creating natural areas, and helping private landowners protect their own land.

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237 Steele St, Suite A
Grand Rapids, MI 49534

616-451-9476

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Have you ever seen a dung beetle? This one was spotted pushing its... cargo up a dune at one of our lakeshore nature preserves.

Dung beetles are one of nature's recyclers. This beetle will bury its dung ball, which will later be used for a female to lay her eggs in or for adults to feed on. Their coprophagous habits may gross you out, but dung beetles are a great help. By burying the dung they collect, they loosen and nourish the soil and keep farms, forests, and prairies smelling good and free of swarming flies.

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We were very grateful to be present at @pleasant.peninsula this past weekend amongst many wonderful conservation organizations and artists. Thank you to our hosts for putting on such an inspiring and educational festival!

We asked visitors to our table to answer the question “What do you love most about nature nearby?” and they had some great answers. See a selection of them in the photos above!

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See you Saturday? We'll be tabling all day at the 2025 @pleasant.peninsula Mural Festival! You can find our table on the Blue Bridge in downtown Grand Rapids. We'll also be participating in the 7:30 p.m. How to Take Action Panel Discussion. We hope to see you at this celebration of art and biodiversity! 🎨 🐸 Learn more at www.pleasantpeninsula.org/

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Last week, Land Conservancy of West Michigan staff joined staff from @cra_rivercare and the @michigandnr to participate in a fish survey on the Pere Marquette River. We surveyed a location just downstream from a conservation easement property where the CRA is working with the landowner to restore habitat conditions on the shoreline. Another survey will be done after the restoration work is complete to measure impact.

While a conservation easement legally ensures a property's conservation value is protected, it is the landowner's prerogative to take on more intensive restoration projects like this one. We are grateful to the landowners who collaborate with us and other conservation organizations to improve the habitat quality on their land!

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Moths On Tour night #2 was another great show. Nearly 30 people joined us at McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve to appreciate and learn about the unique insects we attracted to our moth sheets that evening. Thanks again to Querkus Creative, John Ball Zoo, and NCEC for partnering with us to host this event--and to everyone who came out to celebrate biodiversity!

The next and final stop on Moths on Tour is at Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve on Tuesday, August 19. We hope you can join us! Learn more: https://naturenearby.org/events/monthly-outing-081925/

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