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Land Stewardship

At the Land Conservancy, we are dedicated to protecting land forever. Our natural areas require active, long-term care. This stewardship focuses on restoring ecological integrity, diversity, and health to the land. It is particularly important because many of our protected lands safeguard imperiled habitats and endangered species that are important parts of Michigan’s diverse natural heritage.

We invite you to join us in our work by participating as a volunteer. You can help us sustain our communities and inspire local citizens to become active participants in land and water conservation in West Michigan.

Our stewardship initiatives

  • Restoration

    We strategically manage our nature preserves over the long term, focusing on areas with the greatest conservation value. Prescribed burning, invasive species removal, soil stabilization, and the planting of native species are some of the tools we use to restore health to our natural areas.

  • Monitoring

    Regular monitoring helps identify potential issues like invasive species, vandalism, and encroachment that could threaten the health and integrity of an area and helps determine if the management actions we take are successfully working to reach our long-term restoration goals.

  • Education & Research

    Trainings and workshops provide tools to help citizens become better stewards of their own properties make wise land use decisions in their communities. Local universities, K-12 schools, and community organizations help us to facilitate research and hands-on learning opportunities.

  • Community Engagement

    Our nature preserves provide opportunities to engage neighbors, students, civic groups and local citizens in current environmental issues and demonstrate management techniques that can be adapted for use elsewhere in the community.

Key steps to stewardship at Land Conservancy nature preserves:

1. Document

We carefully document the natural features of the property. We also identify issues–like invasive species, soil erosion, fire suppression, and misuse–that threaten the natural integrity of the area.

2. Plan

We develop a management plan to address threats and restore health to the land while encouraging people to appreciate the natural beauty of these wonderful natural spaces.

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3. Act

We work with community partners, volunteers, and contractors to perform the actions outlined in the management plan.

4. Evaluate

We evaluate our actions to make sure that we are indeed protecting and enhancing the natural features we have committed to protect.

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5. Educate

We use our properties to showcase stewardship tools and methods to local communities.

Volunteer Opportunities

We are always looking for volunteers who are excited to help with our stewardship efforts. You can learn more about our volunteer opportunities by visiting our volunteer information page.

Volunteer Info
Funding for stewardship efforts is generously supported by the Wege Foundation.
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