Waterloo Fund
Those of us in Southeast Michigan are astonishingly fortunate to have the Waterloo Recreation Area (WRA) open to the public to walk, run, hunt, fish, ride horseback and just plain enjoy. Over 20,000 acres open to us all, right here near home.
We’ve also learned that there’s a risk to taking our good fortune for granted. The Recreation Area with its globally rare fen habitats, wetlands to filter the waters that flow into our major rivers (Huron and Grand) and wildlife to observe and hunt, is so special because such a large proportion of this land is protected. In fact, the Waterloo Recreation Area has more endangered species than any other state park or recreation area in Michigan.
But it is not all protected. We have learned that much of Waterloo is useful for all these activities only because it is buffered by unprotected private properties that are not yet heavily developed. Because we know how fortunate we are to have Waterloo, we have an obligation to care for this resource.
Legacy Land Conservancy has established a dedicated Waterloo Fund to protect additional lands in Waterloo. Michigan Department of Natural Resources & Environment has been awarded a Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for Waterloo land acquisitions, but MDNR does not always have the operational dollars for required transaction costs. The Conservancy’s Waterloo Fund provides vital implementation money for the necessary appraisals. This partnership has resulted in around 350 additional acres of publicly accessible lands in the WRA in the past few years.
Please think about the ways the Recreation Area is important to you and to your life. Maybe you run; ride your bike or horse; walk; hunt for game, mushrooms or berries; or just drive through and enjoy the scenery — but this area matters to you.
Please contribute to the Conservancy’s Waterloo Fund. Every contribution is spent only in the Waterloo area to help secure additional protected land. We are counting on your help to make sure the Conservancy has adequate funds to continue protecting land in Waterloo.
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THANK YOU!
