Lamberton Lake Fen Nature Preserve

County: Kent Established: 1994 24 Acres

View Map 3118 Plaza Drive Northeast, Grand Rapids, MI

Features

Hiking
Sensitive Habitat
Urban Greenspace
Water Feature

Amenities

Leashed Pets Allowed
Parking

At a Glance

Approximate Street Address: 3118 Plaza Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI
Lamberton Lake Fen Nature Preserve is the Land Conservancy’s most urban preserve. Despite being within the Grand Rapids city limits, the preserve protects a high-quality prairie fen, a type of wetland that is very rare in West Michigan.
Trail length: 0.2 miles
Before you visit, check out our preserve guidelines. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Note that the fen itself is closed to the public.

Visitor Information

The trailhead is located at the end of Plaza Drive NE in Grand Rapids. Parking is available along the south side of Plaza Drive.

Lamberton Lake Fen is a Category 1 preserve—one of the Land Conservancy’s easiest preserves to access. Category 1 preserves have designated parking and well-marked trail systems. If you’re new to exploring nature, this is a great place to start.

There are no restrooms at this preserve.

Note: Because of the sensitivity of fen ecosystems, the fen itself is closed to the public, including classes and groups. Access to the fen is by permit only. Contact Justin for more information about Special Access Permits.

Trail Information

A berm constructed in the 1960s provides a convenient pathway through the preserve, allowing views of Lamberton Creek and the wetlands on either side of the trail. The natural surface trail is just 0.2 miles long, 1.5 feet wide. The maximum and average grade are 0%, and the cross slope is less than 1%. The preserve’s trail ends in private property. Please respect property boundaries and turn around when you reach the end.

Conservation Value

Forested areas and shrubby wetlands support colorful birds like American redstart, rose-breasted grosbeak, green heron, wood duck, and Baltimore oriole, which are especially abundant during annual migration.

Lamberton Lake Fen Nature Preserve protects Lamberton Lake Fen, a rare wetland type. The preserve supports more than 100 native plant species, and the fen is home to several plant and animal species that are threatened, endangered, or otherwise imperiled in Michigan.

The Land Conservancy, with the help of many volunteers, is leading a long-term project to restore the fen, which has been severely impacted by glossy buckthorn, an aggressive invasive species. Invasive species removal is coupled with restoring natural hydrologic patterns and carefully using prescribed fire, which helps to protect and improve the fen habitat.

History

Lamberton Lake is a kettle lake, formed by a retreating glacier over 10,000 years ago. In the millennia that followed, Lamberton Lake was surrounded by oak-hickory forest, oak savanna, and an emergent wetland. Along with the area’s unique soil composition, fire supported the development and maintenance of the prairie fen and other habitats in the preserve. While some fires occurred naturally by lightning, most were set by Native Americans, who used fire for agriculture and hunting, among other reasons. After the Europeans arrived, the fire regime changed, and expanding development in Grand Rapids drastically altered the landscape and hydrology in the land surrounding Lamberton Lake.

In 1994, the Land Conservancy accepted the donation of 19 acres of undeveloped land along the southeast shore of the lake, which included the fen. Although the property is largely wetland, it was scheduled to be converted for use as an apartment building. The developer’s plans changed when state biologists confirmed that the property hosted a thriving population of protected rare wildflowers. Ten years later, the Land Conservancy accepted an additional donation of five acres of wooded shoreline on the west side of Lamberton Lake. Combined, the two parcels at Lamberton Lake Fen Nature Preserve protect a remarkably natural shoreline in a highly urban setting. The Land Conservancy’s focus since acquiring the preserve has been to restore the rare prairie fen and other habitats with the help of volunteers.