Preserve          

    Establishment of a CWC Preserve – A preserve is land that the conservancy owns. It may be purchased or it may be donated, but we are the actual owners of the land in our preserves. When land is transferred to us the conservancy pays associated transfer taxes and the property taxes due for the remainder of the year in which the transfer occurred. After that, due to the conservancy’s status as a nonprofit conservation organization, the land is removed from the tax rolls. (It should be noted that the land must be held and used for conservation purposes in order to be removed from the tax rolls. If it is not being held for conservation purposes, e.g., if we receive a donation of land and intend to sell it with no use restrictions, it remains on the tax rolls). Preserve lands are open to the public so long as public use does not conflict with the conservation purposes of the preserve. Of the 13 preserves currently owned by the CWC, three have been developed. Sylvan Solace, our 78-acre parcel in Isabella County, off West Pickard Road, near Littlefield Road, has a small parking area and series of foot trails through the preserve. Some 300 yards south of the parking area is the Memorial Grove consisting of a pedestal holding a granite slab with inscriptions in memory of people and events as provided by special memorial donations. The Alyce J. Peterson Natural Area in Mecosta County, 3 miles north of Stanwood, on 180th Avenue, also has a small parking area on the east side of the property but no trails have yet been created. The Neely Preserve is on the south end of Hall's Lake in Isabella County. It has a small parking area at the intersection of Broomfield and Old State Roads. Walk down the gated 2-track fifty feet and you will find the beginning of a nature trail on the left that will take you through a substantial portion of the property and bring you out on Old State Road. Click on the Neely Preserve link below for more information about accessing neighboring properties at Hall's Lake.

We may manage the preserves for the benefit of wildlife. At Sylvan Solace we created a butterfly garden with native plants to support caterpillars and adult butterflies. At several preserves we have installed nest boxes for bluebirds, Tree Swallows, House Wrens, Wood Ducks, and Screech-owls. Occasionally we have volunteer opportunities to eliminate invasive plant species.

Where our preserves are located (click on the individual preserves below for additional information)

Audubon Woods Preserve  Ball Preserve  Hiawatha Hills Preserve  Kjolhede's Kove Preserve  McNeel Preserve  Meridian Road Preserve  Neely Preserve  Neyer Preserve  Peterson Natural Area  Riverbank Preserve  Stearns Preserve  Sylvan Solace Preserve  Williams-Blackburn Preserve  Winawa Preserve  

Chippewa Watershed Conservancy - P.O. Box 896 - Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0896 Ph. 989-644-5045

Email contact - info@ChippewaWatershedConservancy.org