News & Blog

Protecting the forest beside the inland sea

Enchanted with a rare Lake Michigan lakeshore forest community, Douglas and Gretchen Paprocki devoted themselves to ensuring its permanent preservation. In 1986, Douglas Paprocki and his late wife Gretchen purchased a cottage on the Lake Michigan lakeshore. Much like today, it was at a time when water levels had reached historic

How To Support Pollinators At Home

By Alexandra Sixt It’s summer, which means pool days, backyard barbecues, and . . . bugs! Yes, right around this time of the year, millions of bugs can be seen flying about, typically near flowers, and enjoying the warm summer sun. You may cringe at the

Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve: What hope looks like to a bird

Volunteer Preserve Stewards Jill Henemyer and Dotti Clune share their experience caring for Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve and why they value this rich landscape. It doesn’t take much time at Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve to realize that it’s a very special place.  Dotti Clune and Jill Henemyer, who have volunteered

Anderson Woods trail monitors help keep the preserve accessible to all

In 2015, the Land Conservancy of West Michigan worked successfully with the local community to protect Anderson Woods Nature Preserve—73 acres of beautiful, contiguous forest in Muskegon County. The quiet, serene preserve provides important habitat for migratory birds and wildlife.  Because of the preserve’s gentle terrain, it presented a perfect opportunity to

What we protect when we protect the dunes

LCWM Board Member and dune geoecologist Suzanne DeVries-Zimmerman shares her thoughts on one of West Michigan’s most iconic landscapes. Lake Michigan’s scenic sand dunes were a part of Suzanne DeVries-Zimmerman's life well before she was born. Her parents met at a beach party, and when Suzanne's mother was pregnant with her, she

How to Get Your Nature Fix From Home

By Alexandra Sixt Though some restrictions related to COVID-19 are lifting here in Michigan, it is still important to practice caution when going to public spaces. Social distancing guidelines recommend that people limit travel and avoid larger crowds, possibly making visits to natural areas less feasible.

Guest Post: Karner Blue Butterfly as a State butterfly wannabe

The Land Conservancy was interested to learn that there is a local effort to have the Karner blue butterfly designated as the State butterfly. Lori McElrath Eslick, a children's book author and illustrator, learned about this rare and beautiful butterfly while participating in the Land Conservancy’s Preserved! program. Now, she and a group of West Michigan

Celebrating trout opener and the landowners who help protect forests for fish

By Nick Sanchez, Conservation Easement Stewardship Specialist Trout season starts today, and what better time to recognize the support of our communities and the families who have worked with us to protect almost 12,000 acres of natural land in our eight-county service area. These lands are primarily comprised of family-owned forests under legal protection through conservation agreements, also known as conservation easements. Being land-dwellers ourselves, we