Land Conservancy of West Michigan

Securing the latest addition to the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area along Lake Michigan was a saga worthy of the big screen. It took five decades. It cost $19 million. The cast of characters included an Oklahoma landowner, a regional land trust (The Land Conservancy of West Michigan), a host of local donors, state and municipal government officials—and, at a critical moment, The Conservation Fund.

“Projects like this are about patching pieces together to create something really valuable,” says conservancy director Peter Homeyer. “They are very delicate. They’re built on a lot of trust among a lot of partners. The Conservation Fund staff like Peg Kohring [director of the Midwest office] helped us build and maintain that trust.”

In this case, the land trust turned to the Fund for a final bolster of funding late in the game, as the real estate clock ticked down. Moving quickly, the Fund provided a sizable loan that ultimately led to the conservation of 171 acres with a rare expanse of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline. This one-of-a-kind place is now protected for all to enjoy.

Photos: Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area along the Lake Michigan shore (above) / Kevin Hall, Flickr; Peter Homeyer, Executive Director / Land Conservancy of West Michigan (main page)