News & Blog

Step 1: Prepare the Soil

After the Land Conservancy of West Michigan (LCWM), then the Natural Areas Conservancy of West Michigan (NACOWMI), completed its first project supporting the protection of Saugatuck Dunes Natural Area in 1988, the group faced the question: ”What’s next?” In the coming years, the organization would reach

Step 2: Collect Seeds

In 1999, Dwight Baker, a volunteer with a burgeoning and well-researched interest in native tallgrass prairies, looked at the preserve’s expansive old field planted with one species of non-native grass and had an idea. “He looked at the site and said, you know, this can

Step 3: Plant a Community

In the first couple of years after planting a prairie, the aesthetics leave a bit to be desired. In year one, the entire plot will be brimming with horseweed, a native weed that thrives in disturbed soil. The next year, it’ll be covered in Queen

Step 4: Watch it Grow

At the Black Friday Prairie Planting this fall, we will plant the remaining available acres of Saul Lake Prairie, bringing a 25-year restoration project to completion. “Here we are at the end. It’s amazing,” Chris Baer said. “Where’s the rest of it?” she joked. Work in the

Meet our new board members

July marked the beginning of a new fiscal year for the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, which means we said farewell to some board members and welcomed new ones to the team. Jon Prins and Amy Kenny finished their board terms this year. We are incredibly

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