Letter from the Executive Director: Fall 2025
Dear Friends and Fellow Conservationists,
Kim Karn, Executive Director
Fall is here again, and with it comes one of my favorite traditions: returning to the prairie to collect seeds and prepare them for planting. This year, the ritual carries special meaning. We will be celebrating 25 years of prairie restoration at Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve and planting the remaining acres of old field, culminating a quarter-century of restoration.
These milestones are cause for celebration! They represent thousands of hours of dedication by volunteers, staff, and partners who believed that the once-degraded farmland could again flourish with native prairie grasses, wildflowers, and wildlife. Today, Saul Lake Bog is home to 157 plant species, 168 bird species, and countless community connections. Seed by seed and acre by acre, we have restored this ecosystem together, making it one of the most biodiverse and beloved places in Michigan.
In so many ways, the Saul Lake Prairie story brings our organizational vision to life: Protected Land. Healthy Habitats. Inspired People. What was once a hayfield is now a thriving prairie; what began with a handful of volunteers has grown into a far-reaching community rooted in care for the land.
This issue of the newsletter reflects upon this legacy. You’ll read about the history that shaped Saul Lake Prairie, the visionaries and volunteers who carried the work forward, and the community that continues to grow alongside the prairie. Most of all, it’s an invitation: to join us in honoring the past, celebrating the present, and sowing seeds for the future.
With gratitude,
Kim Karn, Executive Director