A local family that supports land conservation in Barry County has made its fourth donation of land that it has purchased with the intent of preserving it forever.
Tyden Ventures has given 160 acres of land to the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy. The property links two other large pieces of land that are being kept in their natural states: the Edger Waterfowl Production Area and the Barry State Game Area. The waterfowl production area is maintained by the United States Fish & Wildlife Services (USFWS).
Features of the new preserve, currently called the Heath Road Tract, are rolling beech-maple and oak-hickory forests, buttonbush and yellow birch swamps, a marsh, prairie planting, and pine plantation.
Emily E. Wilke, Conservation Projects Manager for SWMLC, says that the newly acquired property has many important ecological features, and what is most exciting about the donation is that it links the other pieces of property.
"Large blocks of conserved land are very important," Wilke says, " and with this piece of the puzzle included the 20,000 acres conserved by the DNR is now connected to a 40 acre parcel we have already conserved and a 160-acre parcel conserved by the USFWS. This piece of the puzzle connects all three together."
Tyden Ventures originally acquired the property in 2008 with the intent of donating it at a later date. It officially was given to the Land Conservancy Dec. 30, 2014. Over the past six years the family has worked with the SWMLC to restore the property. The Groos family, who grew up in Barry county and loves the area, will continue to be involved as restoration plans for the property proceed.
Restoration management plans for the site were developed in cooperation with the USF&WS, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and Ducks Unlimited. Future collaborations with USF&WS and DNR are in the works, with additional wetland restoration and habitat improvements expected in coming years.
Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave Media
Source: Emily Wilke, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy
Photos: Map created by Nate Fuller. Photo by Peter Ter Louw of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy.
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