Ottawa Sands County Park

There is an interesting story about how Ottawa Sands County Park became the newest addition to the Ottawa County Parks system.  The 345-acre property, tucked between North Ottawa Dunes County Park and City of Grand Haven Open Space, was formerly used…

Save MI Hemlocks

Background  West Michigan Conservation Network partners are teaming up to launch efforts to control and eradicate Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. Funding for the work in West Michigan has been obtained by a grant distributed through the EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration. Grant…

Grand River Greenway

Over the past two decades, the Ottawa County Parks Department has been working to make its Grand River Greenway Initiative come to life. To date, $20 million in mostly public funding has been invested to preserve over 2,400 of land…

The Highlands

The Land Conservancy of West Michigan and Blandford Nature Center are partnering to transform the 121-acre former Highlands Golf Club in northwest Grand Rapids into a natural area for community recreation and education. The property adjoins Blandford and the purchase will essentially double the size…

Michigan Dune Alliance

Lake Michigan’s dunes are part of the largest freshwater dune system in the world.  They are so large, in fact, that they are visible from space. The dunes provide critical habitat for migratory birds, federally endangered plants and rare insects. …

Plaster Creek Stewards

Plaster Creek – 14 miles of neglected stream running through the Grand Rapids metropolitan area into the Grand River.  Best known for a long history of industrial pollution, it is the most contaminated creek in West Michigan. With 100 years…