Unparalleled Bog Views: Brought to You By LCWM Volunteers
When the Land Conservancy protected Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve in 1989, ensuring safe viewing access to the bog was an early priority. Volunteers came together to create the infrastructure that thousands of preserve visitors have since used to get a closer look at this unique and biodiverse ecosystem.
The volunteers built a floating boardwalk and an overlook, each providing unique points from which to view the bog, its diverse plant life, and sandhill cranes and other birds.
More than 30 years later, parts of the boardwalk and overlook were in need of repair. The floats that kept the walkways above water were failing, causing the structures to sink into the bog. With the boardwalk partially submerged, experiencing an up-close look at the ecosystem was only available to those willing to go home with soggy shoes.
This summer, the LCWM stewardship team, summer interns Emma Wolak and Megan Kamper, and several volunteers collaborated to provide the needed upgrades. The effort to repair the structures was a volunteer-driven labor of love, just as building them had been.
Eric Smith, Molly Bradshaw, and Bob Steigmeier work on the Saul Lake Bog boardwalk, 1994.
Former board chair and current committee member Dwight Baker made a generous donation to fund the repairs. Former board member Bob Van Stright donated his time to planning and leading the construction and installation of the structures. Volunteers Steven Van Dyke, Brian Coalter, Jason Dorn, Jr. and Andrew Lidral helped assemble the structures. Andrew also offered his time and support to resurface the portions of the docks that we did not replace, which will extend their lifetime and prolong the need for replacement.
The construction, which lasted a few weeks, afforded Bob Van Stright the opportunity to observe activity at Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve.
“My appreciation for the bog grew every time I listened to the eerie clamor of the sandhill cranes or watched a flock of geese in a haphazardly structured formation approach for landing at the center of the bog,” Bob said. “What a beautiful place; so worth preserving.”
Bob also noted that he was surprised by the number of preserve visitors he encountered, from people walking their dogs, to parents with young children on a discovery outing, to birders.
“Seeing these people gave our efforts meaning—helping to create a place where people glimpse into the special ecosystem of Saul Lake Bog,” Bob said.
When we have the chance to witness, experience, and know nature, we become inspired to protect it. Whether you’re seeing native carnivorous pitcher plants for the first time or watching sandhill cranes come in to roost at sunset, these boardwalks are places where unforgettable experiences in nature happen. They’ll continue to happen for years to come, thanks to the efforts of this team.
Jason Dorn, Jr., Emma Wolak, Andrew Lidral and Bob Van Stright, boardwalk volunteers, 2026.
If you are inspired as we are by these volunteers’ commitment to ensuring Saul Lake Bog is accessible to explorers, we encourage you to channel that inspiration into action. Make a gift to support the continued care of Saul Lake Bog Nature Preserve and the 19 other nature preserves the Land Conservancy of West Michigan owns and manages. Your support ensures healthy habitats for generations to come.
Learn how you can support the Land Conservancy of West Michigan at naturenearby.org/donate.