Leelanau Conservancy: preserving more than land

By Samantha Graves
Sun contributor

As farmers, the Leelanau Conservancy is a pretty important organization in our lives. Our family raises alpaca and antique apples on the Leelanau Conservancy-owned DeYoung Farm at the base of the peninsula. It was during the the process of applying for land-use and working on this historic property, we discovered the many facets of an organization we’ve come to love and appreciate, not just for its land preservation efforts, but also for the resulting, positive influence the Conservancy’s efforts have on all aspects of life on the Leelanau.

While the mission of the Leelanau Conservancy in conserving land and waterways is straightforward, through the years it has become clear the impact of these efforts extends far beyond property lines encompassing the more than 11,500 acres preserved to date.

Conservancy executive director, Tom Nelson, said in looking at prospective sites, all aspects of how people and wildlife interact with the land are considered, “While we have some clear criteria about what projects embody the mission of the Conservancy, every one of them is different. We care deeply about the water quality of our lakes, streams, and of course, Lake Michigan. We care about wildlife and plant biodiversity.”

Beyond that, Nelson said the Conservancy cares about the families living and working on the Leelanau, “People may not realize that we care about the local and regional economy and how much the bounty and beauty of the Leelanau contributes to it in so many tangible and intangible ways. Less obviously, but very definitely, we care about the health of our tax base. We care about jobs. We care about affordability, we care about our children’s education. These may not be directly connected to our mission, but they are all things we think hard about in our work.”

Unprecedented effort underway

Most recently, the Conservancy has been busily seeking support with an unprecedented effort to conserve the largest privately owned wooded tract remaining on the Leelanau, the Palmer Woods, a 706-acre unspoiled forest. This proposed forest preserve would provide miles of existing trails and, in addition to protecting wildlife and plant biodiversity, Nelson said the project would preserve the integrity of some treasured Leelanau waterways:

“Palmer Woods hits the proverbial sweet-spot of our mission in so many beautiful ways. The immensity of the groundwater flowing through Palmer Woods goes a long way to maintaining Glen Lake’s incredible blue hues, its waters pristine.”

Current efforts are underway to secure $500,000 by July 21 to make the Palmer Woods preserve a reality for visitors and residents of the Leelanau.

Over the years, the Conservancy has worked with individual landowners and townships coordinating conservation efforts for projects as small as the Village Green in Leland and as large as the proposed Palmer Woods preserve. In 2013, they secured the purchase of the Clay Cliffs, a parcel encompassing nearly 105-acres nestled among 1700 feet of frontage on both Lake Michigan and Lake Leelanau, now owned by Leland Township and open to the public.

Through the preservation of farmland, the Leelanau Conservancy also contributes to the protection of the region’s cultural heritage. In 2006, with the purchase of the 144-acre DeYoung Farmstead located on Cedar Lake in Elmwood Township, as well as the 2010 acquisition the historic Sonny Swanson Farm in Leland, the Conservancy made another leap forward. These two properties included existing structures and open, farmable land. Today, both DeYoung and Sonny’s are being actively farmed again.

Nelson said part of the success of the Conservancy comes from fostering a working relationship with others.

“There are many, many wonderful organizations, associations, and agencies that contribute to this community’s health, safety, and quality of life, and the Conservancy is but one of them,” explained Nelson. “Whether it be local governments, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions or individuals, the glue that holds us all together can be summed up in three simple words: We all care.”

The DeYoung farm is excellent example of a property that embodies the synergy between the mission of the Conservancy and other organizations. Apart from being actively farmed, the property boasts several historic structures including two large barns, a farmhouse, chicken coop, granary, worker’s quarters converted to livestock housing, a wash-house, milk-house, carriage house, double outhouse, and most notably, a wheelhouse.

Power of preservation

More recently, the conservation of the DeYoung farmstead has led to another kind of preservation effort. Nelson said the Campbell-DeYoung Farm was “purportedly the first farmstead with on-site hydroelectric generation in the region. It has been in the process of painstaking restoration through Eastern Michigan University’s Historic Preservation Program, and private efforts led by historical preservationist Steve Stier, and the SEEDS Youth Corps.”

The wheelhouse, or powerhouse, may not have been as uncommon when it was constructed in the late 19th century, but today it is one of only two in the greater Grand Traverse Region.

Initially, the small building located along a hand-dug stream diversion, was constructed by the Campbell Family (who operated the farm from 1854 to 1919) to accommodate belt driven tools including a lathe, drill press, and forge blower. At some point later in its history, likely after Traverse City was electrified (mid 1910s) and prior to Roosevelt’s Rural Electrification Act signed in 1935, the wheelhouse became a powerhouse, generating enough electrical current to power a low wattage light bulb in the farmhouse kitchen, a huge benefit for a rural family of the era.

While it is unclear whether it was Campbell or DeYoung who brought electricity to the farm, preservationist Steve Stier thinks the project was about something more than necessity, “My own opinion is that Campbell did not do it because he needed lights in the barn and house; I believe he wanted to prove it could be done. He was a tinkerer and inventor and wanted to see it work. I think that was his motivation.”

Recent work on the foundation of the structure led to a new discovery. While the wheelhouse currently supports a traditional water wheel, Stier said an older foundation indicates the original “wheel” was actually a Leffel-style turbine, developed in Ohio in the mid-19th century.

Sediment surrounding the water wheel has been cleared away and a new foundation is being constructed, made from concrete formed with aggregate supplied by one of the farm fields. Stier hopes to one day see the water wheel in operation, “Our future intent is to have it a working water wheel to exhibit the design.”

As farmers on the property, I can attest, as progress unfolds on the building, stories of people and place are revealed. We may never know exactly when the diversion was dug or the first turbine installed, but we know it took the kind of fortitude and commitment to place mirrored in the Leelanau Conservancy’s efforts to protect these special places.

Said Nelson, “Naturally, we appreciate everyone who cherishes what this place has to offer, whether they live here, work here, or summer here. We share a very real sense of kinship with those who love Leelanau. This shared love of what is special about Leelanau is at the very heart of everything we do and everything we stand for.”

To learn more about current or past preservation efforts, events, or to become a member, please visit www.leelanauconservancy.org or call 231-256-9665.