The Leelanau Conservancy announced today that it has officially acquired the Palmer Woods Forest Reserve — 707 acres of contiguous hardwood forest that stretches over 2 miles north to south. Palmer Woods is located just over a mile from Big Glen Lake and just beyond the bluff that marks the western edge of Miller Hill.
2015 has been a good year for local literature. New books about Leelanau, books by Leelanau County authors and at least one old favorite await eager readers in area bookshops. Here’s a sampling:
The Leelanau Conservancy will hold its annual friends picnic and auction on Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Chippewa Run Natural Area in Empire. The picnic begins at 5 p.m. and features a silent auction, as well as pre-picnic field trips, a kids tent and a special program. A local foods-focused meal will be served, along with local wines. Tickets are $35 for adults until Aug. 3, when the price goes up to $40. Tickets for kids tent children under 12 are just $5.
Working with iconic Leelanau photographer Ken Scott, the Leelanau Conservancy has published a book of photos and essays about the lands that the Leelanau Conservancy has protected over the last 27 years. The 56-page book, titled Why We Preserve features 52 stunning color photographs and seven essays by a cache of writers including renowned chef Mario Batali, CBS Sunday Morning News correspondent Martha Teichner and Traverse Magazine publisher Deborah Wyatt Fellows.
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.
It’s common knowledge that the public can walk along the Lake Michigan shoreline. You can walk it anywhere on public property. That means public road ends, or the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The question is: how far from the water’s edge can a person legally walk along private property? This is an important issue, since about 70 percent of Michigan’s “third coast” is privately owned. The answer is unclear, because neither courts in Michigan nor in other Great Lakes states have offered a clear and consistent answer.
On her way to work one morning this past summer, Kama Ross noticed some sick-looking oak trees near a recently cleared right-of-way in Bingham County. Luckily, Ross knew what she was looking at: the first confirmed case of oak wilt disease in Leelanau County.
The Leelanau Conservancy is committed to playing a vital role in a strong and vibrant community. The Conservancy knows that preserving our natural landscapes, working farms and healthy watersheds is key to both our economic vitality as well as the incredible quality of life we enjoy here. While the Conservancy is a solid block in the foundation, what are the other elements, in your mind, that make for a strong community?
The Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College will present an exhibition by photographer Ken Scott, Sept. 21-Oct. 26. The exhibition is being presented in collaboration with the Leelanau Conservancy.
The Leelanau Conservancy will hold its annual Friends Picnic and Auction on Thursday, August 7 at the gorgeous “Top of the World” property owned by the Gregory Family. The picnic begins at 5 p.m. and features a silent auction, as well as pre-picnic field trips, a Kids Tent and a special program. A local foods-focused meal will be served, along with local wines. Tickets are $30 for adults until August 4, when the price goes up to $35. Tickets for Kids Tent children under 12 are just $5.