Turns out four key projects the Leelanau Conservancy took on this year will be a boon for mountain bikers, birdwatchers, barn lovers, hikers, and snowshoers in the county. The Leelanau Ticker finds out more, plus gets a sneak peek at what’s on deck for 2022:

Mountain bikers rejoiced when eight miles of new mountain bike trails were built at Palmer Woods Forest Reserve near Maple City in 2021, more than doubling the length of its trail system. Two beginner-level trails and one intermediate-level loop were added to the existing intermediate trails, for a total of 14 miles. With the acquisition of 350 acres added to Palmer Woods in 2020, the 1,070-acre forest reserve is the Conservancy’s largest property and the only one that allows mountain biking. The new trails also include a “fern garden” for hikers or bikers to make their way to, where they can identify all the ferns that grow in Michigan. Plan to get your bike out there come spring…and grab your xc skis and snowshoes for now – this trail is open year-round.

This year 22 acres were donated to the Chippewa Run Natural Area, expanding this bird lovers’ paradise just outside of Empire. This pocket of the peninsula is home to nearly 100 different species of birds – along with wildlife and the swamp-loving blue flag iris and cardinal flower. Previously, in 2000, the Conservancy protected 112 acres of Chippewa Run and built a 1.5-mile hiking trail on it. This year, a developer purchased a parcel of adjoining property and donated 22 acres (of mostly wetlands) to the conservancy, bringing the total to 134 acres. This is great place for a hike or snowshoe. Watch for the beaver dam along the creek that runs into South Bar Lake.

The Schettek family preserved 90 acres with a conservation easement this year. The Kasson Township farm, just south of Maple City, is a fourth-generation farm that raised livestock, potatoes, corn and hay. “The family has been great stewards of the land,” says Kim Hayes, the conservancy’s director of easement and farm programs, who worked with the Schetteks to preserve their land. “In addition to fertile farmland, two-thirds of the property also contains a large forested area. There is a fantastically beautiful ephemeral pond and wetland. The forestland is full of wildflowers in the spring.”

The Schettek farm is protected with a legal agreement that restricts development on the land and protects its natural features. Conservation easement is a confusing term because the word “easement” can sometimes denote access, which is not the case. All of the private lands that the conservancy has protected with conservation easements are not open to the public and remain in private hands. For passersby, watch for the Schetteks’ classic and well-cared-for barn visible from Maple City Road. It was built by John Schettek (known for having built other barns in Leelanau, including the recently restored Poor Farm barn.) “One thing we do is preserve the views that Leelanau County is famous for,” says Lindy Kellogg, events and volunteer manager at the conservancy.

Meanwhile, Niles Segerlind is a 16-year-old Suttons Bay High School junior who led the initiative on the newly completed trail at Stites Natural Area as part of his Eagle Scout Project. The one-mile loop winds through rolling hills right by the school and is a perfect family-sized outing.

The property was initially bought by a developer who placed a few roads on the property before his plans for a subdivision were permanently put to a halt due to zoning and permit restrictions. With no hope to build, the developer put the property up for sale. After watching the property change hands over the last decade, neighbors Ray and Jan Pezzi decided to purchased the 50 acres over the last few years as parcels became available, and began talking to the Leelanau Conservancy about the possibilities of permanent protection.

“One of my big motivations in protecting and offering our land to the Leelanau Conservancy is to honor the memory of my parents,” says Jan, whose parents, Phyllis (Merchant) and David Stites, were both raised near Acme. The trail is open for public use and dogs on leash are welcome. Signage will be posted soon, but for now, look for the well-worn path.

Tom Nelson, executive director of the conservancy also notes some significant ongoing conservancy projects in 2021, including planting over 700 trees at the Chippewa Run and DeYoung Natural Areas. “These tree-planting projects, in partnership with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, build climate resilience and trails for public access—especially children—to help them connect to nature,” says Nelson. Conservancy crews also continued the rehabilitation of the DeYoung farmhouse. 

Nelson sums up the year – and its challenges –  through a pandemic: “Trail access to nature, particularly this year at our Palmer Woods Forest Reserve and at our Stites Natural Area in Suttons Bay, creates a lot of buzz,” he says. “People have gained a greater appreciation for the outdoors during the pandemic, and we are so grateful and humbled to be able to provide these spaces for our community.”

What’s ahead for 2022? The conservancy is currently working on an unprecedented 13 land protection projects that would permanently protect rolling upland forests, sensitive wetland habitats, and 1,000 more acres of a total of seven family farms. They also plan to add a couple of new land stewardship positions in 2022, according to Nelson. And, as always, volunteers are welcomed and celebrated.

“We hope to have more work bees to maintain trails and manage invasive plant species during 2022,” he says, adding that their Wildflower Rescue Committee is always looking for springtime help, when the crew heads out to save native plants that are in the path of new driveways or home projects. (Read more here.)

Pictured: Barn at the Schettek family farm, by Mark Smith