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616-451-9476

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SLBP-1119-Black Friday Prairie Planting-DSC_9745

October 14, 2025

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by Marie Orttenburger

SLBP-1119-Black Friday Prairie Planting-DSC_9745

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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.

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237 Steele St, Suite A
Grand Rapids, MI 49534

616-451-9476

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Instagram

Open post by naturenearby with ID 18054684968285628

We were grateful to recently host Outdoor Afro Grand Rapids and the Mayfly Project for a day exploring fly fishing at McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve! We kicked the day off at the preserve to learn casting techniques and how to tie our own flies. Then we ate lunch and headed upriver to the Green Cottage access to wade in and test our skills.

Thank you so much to @westmichiganmayflyproject and Outdoor Afro Grand Rapids for your collaboration on this fun event! 🎣

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Thank you to the more than 40 volunteers who joined us on Saturday to collect seeds at Saul Lake Prairie! The seeds you collected will be used to expand vital native habitat at this preserve and at others the Land Conservancy manages.

This fall, we'll plant the last remaining acres of prairie at Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve. We hope you'll join us to celebrate this 25-year, volunteer-powered restoration project! Learn more about and register to attend our upcoming events at Saul Lake Prairie at naturenearby.org/events.

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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18096556810676875

McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve's four miles of trail traverse a diverse collection of habitats, leading visitors through dense forest, lush wetlands, and along two tributaries to the Pere Marquette River. There is no shortage of stunning views at this preserve, and they are available for your eyes to behold thanks in part to the generosity of donors and the hard work of volunteers who joined us to lay boardwalk.

Take some time to explore the trails! 🦌 Please note: A portion of McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve is open to archery hunting between Oct. 1 and Nov. 14. If you plan to visit during this time, please avoid dawn and dusk, wear blaze orange, and if you see a hunter, make your presence known. Learn more about this preserve on our website at naturenearby.org/explore.

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Last week, LCWM Land Protection and Public Partnerships Manager Rory Thibault participated in a plenary session at the Michigan Outdoor Summit. He was joined by panelists Eoin Comerford (Outsize Consulting), Danielle Todd (Make Food Not Waste), and Katie Cruickshank (Outdoor, Inc.) in a conversation about collaboration across sectors in the outdoor economy, moderated by Haley Bennet (Fresh Coast Strategy).

Thank you to @michiganoutdoorrec and @heartlakes for the opportunity to participate in this conversation!

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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18069749504213170

It’s fall and the salmon have returned to the Little South Branch of the Pere Marquette River to spawn. 🐟 You can see them for yourself at Upriver Nature Preserve in Bitely. Fishing is allowed at this preserve (between late April and September 30), but it is just as fun to simply watch them in the water. You’ll likely have a bald eagle or two join you in your watching, as they seek to make a snack of these fish.

Learn more about this preserve and plan your visit at naturenearby.org/explore.

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🍄 Fall is a wonderful time to look for fungi in the forest! This month, join us on an excursion to find and learn about the mushrooms of West Michigan at Flower Creek Dunes Nature Preserve.

LCWM Stewardship Manager Lucas Dykstra will lead us as we search for mushrooms, learn how to identify different types, and discuss mushroom anatomy and terminology. This event is for beginners and anyone who wants a refresher on the basics.

Learn more and register to attend on our website at naturenearby.org/events or via the link in our bio.

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Open post by naturenearby with ID 18534213658032861

Some fall blooms at Bradford Dickinson White Nature Preserve in Lowell. Fun fact: this nature preserve is the most botanically diverse preserve managed by the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, with 421 (391 native) unique plant species identified over the last 10 years. That's a lot of biodiversity in just 45 acres!

Learn more about the preserve on our website at naturenearby.org/explore

Photos:
1. Eurybia macrophylla (big-leaved aster)
2. Prenanthes alba (white lettuce)
3. Hieracium scabrum (rough hawkweed)
4. Solidago hispida (hairy goldenrod)

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The @mifirecouncil recently hosted Michigan Prescribed Burn Week, a 10-day collaborative learning and skill building experience made possible by a coalition of organizations.

The Land Conservancy of West Michigan hosted one of the week’s learning opportunities last Thursday: a prescribed burn at Maas Family Nature Preserve. Professionals from Dovetail Partners, @swmlc, @gtrlc and @kalamazoonaturecenter joined LCWM staff to burn 4 acres of remnant oak barrens habitat protected by the preserve.

Every burn offers the opportunity to learn. We each walked away with lessons and ideas we’ll integrate into future burns.

We’re grateful to participate in efforts to increase the application of good fire on the lands that need it. Thanks to MPFC for hosting this educational week and to the participants who joined us to help care for Maas Family Nature Preserve. 🔥

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