Dear Friends,
Overlooking the Arnold property
Nestled in the middle of a prairie fen in Jackson County is a spiraling spring that pushes through the earth to form two crystal clear open pools of water with hauntingly beautiful cavernous wonders. A unique range of plant species emerge and distinct habitats form to support an abundance of biodiverse vegetation, birds, amphibians, and terrestrial animals.
State threatened plants like the white lady-slipper orchid and southern wild rice grow; federally threatened massasauga rattlesnakes slither; and an abundant community of rare mussels like the state threatened slippershell reside.
For generations, one family has lovingly cared for this one-of-a-kind wetland, and the plants and animals that call it home. And when Mike and Diana Arnold called on Legacy in 2016 to help protect their fourth-generation family land and its exquisite fen—forever—we were honored! Despite numerous obstacles and delays, Legacy diligently pursued this project. Six years later, we’re proud to have the Arnolds and their property as part of the Legacy family.
And Mike and Diana aren’t the only ones dedicated to protecting their land. Our phones are ringing off the hook with people—like YOU—who love the land and want to protect it for future generations. In fact, our land acquisition pipeline has swelled to twice it’s normal size! Join Legacy in protecting these vital lands today with a gift of $50, $100, $200, $500, or whatever feels meaningful to you. [DONATE]
As we look toward 2023, our staff is working tirelessly to protect another 1,000 acres of land through 14 projects in the next 18 months. Some of which include exciting conservation easement projects like:
- The final 200-acres of farmland of a family-owned dairy farm already protected by Legacy.
- A cattle and popcorn breeding farm that’s flanked by land conserved with our partners at the Ann Arbor Greenbelt program and Webster Township and will create a massive block of protected land.
- A 45-acre farm that includes forested wetlands in the Mill Creek watershed and is blanketed with white and red trillium.
We’re also actively pursuing a potential 80-acre preserve project in Washtenaw County that features a prairie fen remnant. Before you know it, we’ll be protecting our 10,000th acre of land and closing on our 100th conservation easement!
Our boots are laced and our sleeves are rolled up. Join Legacy with a gift today of $50, $100, $200, $500 or whatever you can afford, as we work around the clock protecting and preserving the water, farms, and forests that make southern Michigan so precious. [DONATE]
We can’t do our work without YOU! In order to protect the lands—like the Arnold’s fen and those in our land acquisition pipeline—that benefit our community with cleaner water, fresher food, increased pollinator habitat, less carbon release, and more wildlife corridors, we need your support. By stepping up together, we can ensure that what is precious and unique in our community will be here for generations to come.
Yours in conservation,
Diana Kern
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