Anonymous 155-acre riverfront property donation

BITELY, Mich. — An anonymous donor gave their household property to the Land Conservancy of West Michigan to generate a public character protect in Newaygo County.

The property is 155 acres of organic land alongside the Very little South Branch of the Pere Marquette River, such as 5,321 ft of riverfront.

The land believe in shut on the residence in mid-April.

The land conservancy programs to remodel the assets into an open up to the community character maintain named “Upriver Character Preserve.”

In executing so, it will produce a parking large amount, trails and wayfinding signage.

This donation also involves an 8-acre piece of land with a residence and garage.

The land conservancy suggests it will secure that with a conservation easement and promote to endow the ongoing care and routine maintenance of the new nature protect.

The Land Conservancy of West Michigan has helped protect extra than 4,400 acres of land in the Pere Marquette River watershed by collaborating with private landowners to build conservation easements on their qualities.

This maintain will be the very first land conservancy assets that delivers public obtain to Michigan’s only undammed river, known for its drinking water excellent and trout-fishing chances.

The house also contains a exceptional sand prairie and the land conservancy claims, with its restoration endeavours, the land could deliver a a great deal-necessary habitat for the endangered Karner blue butterfly and quite a few indigenous species of crops, bugs and birds that depend on these disappearing ecosystems.

“We are so grateful to the family for picking to donate their property so that we all may appreciate its resplendent elegance.

“They have made a profound legacy with their assistance for pure lands conservation.

“For the very first time, visitors will be ready to check out a land conservancy mother nature preserve on the impressive Minimal South Department and encounter just one of our region’s most stunning river units,” claimed Kim Karn, land conservancy executive director.

The land conservancy will host a trail-creating workday at the new maintain on Saturday, July 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

To keep up to day on this task or to volunteer to enable, click on in this article.

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