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616-451-9476

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October 26, 2016

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by Colin Hoogerwerf, Communications Director

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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.

Contact

237 Steele St, Suite A
Grand Rapids, MI 49534

616-451-9476

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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18003980576897333

With support from the @michigandnr's Forest to Mi Faucet program, we were able to connect a conservation easement landowner with resources to conduct a prescribed burn on his land last week.

This land was formerly used for agriculture and the landowner is working to convert it to natural habitat. The burn, conducted by PlantWise Restoration, will stimulate the health of the native grassland habitat, which is adjacent to a wetland. Healthier forests and grasslands are better at filtering stormwater and keeping soil in place, which means our wetlands and waterways can stay healthy, too. 💧 🌾 🌳

We are grateful for the chance to collaborate with the conservation easement landowner, the Forest to Mi Faucet program, and PlantWise to make this possible!

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First burn of the season: ✅ The Land Conservancy’s Prescribed Burn Crew burned three units yesterday at Wege Foundation Natural Area, the first of which was actually in the prairie on the Wittenbach Center property that neighbors the Land Conservancy preserve. We partner with the Wittenbach Center to manage these adjacent properties with connected trails.

This is the first time this prairie plot has been burned since it was planted in 2019. The burn helped knock back invasive autumn olive and spotted knapweed. It also cleared out years of thatch buildup, transforming dead material into ash and invigorating the soil with nutrients.

Thanks to this good fire, the sun will be able to reach the soil this spring and encourage the germination of a diverse community of native prairie plants. 🔥 Thank you to all the volunteers who joined us to make it happen! Be sure to walk the trails to watch the transformation in the coming seasons.

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The Explorathon kicks off on April 18! Join the Land Conservancy of West Michigan and our conservation partners for a guided hike along the forested dunes of the Lake Michigan shoreline.

For this first of three outdoor events celebrating the impact of 50 years of keeping nature nearby, we will be hiking through 2500 acres of connected, protected lakeshore habitat. Hikers can choose their own adventure: Join us for a 7-mile hike through 5 connected parks and preserves or a 2-mile paved hike through Ottawa Sands. Both experiences are led by naturalists guides who will share about park history and the protected natural features found in the globally unique and rare ecosystems we'll be exploring.

Learn more and purchase your tickets on our website. Link in our bio!

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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18078539756570041

Spring IS coming, we swear!

Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is emerging at Minnie Skwarek Nature Preserve in Spring Lake. Skunk cabbage is a thermogenic plant: it can create temperatures between 27–63 °F above air temperature through cellular respiration, which enables it to melt frozen ground so it can bloom. Their unique flowers and leaves poke through snow and leaf litter and defiantly proclaim that winter is on its way out.

Learn more about Minnie Skwarek Nature Preserve on our website at naturenearby.org/explore.

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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18109702612775537

Second Saturday volunteers helped perform trail maintenance at Wege Foundation Natural Area this weekend. Thank you to everyone who joined us! Your efforts help support healthy habitats and keep the preserve a welcoming place to explore.

Join us at our next volunteer opportunity! Visit naturenearby.org/events to sign up.

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