This story first appeared in the Spring 2017 issue of The Understory, Legacy’s newsletter, which you can download as a PDF.
What can you see and do at Legacy’s nature preserves during spring? Read on to find out!
Trout lily (Erythronium americanum)
Enjoy a bountiful display of native wildflowers in late April and early May due to the high quality of this undisturbed preserve. An easy walk will take you past ground carpeted with spring beauty, trout lily, trillium, and other ephemeral blooms.
Look and listen for a variety of frogs. Photo by John Lloyd.
The vernal pools and seasonal flowing creeks are ideal environments for amphibians. Brush up on your frog calls before heading out in the spring and you’ll be able to identify several types of frogs seeking mates.
Stroll the boardwalk at Beckwith. Photo by Kateri Fahey.
This scenic preserve in Stockbridge is a quiet retreat for walking, picnicking, and bird-watching. Wide, flat trails wind through mature pine and spruce forests and along Portage Creek. On pleasant spring days, you’ll find the open meadow to be a lovely spot for a sunny picnic or gazing at clouds.
Lloyd and Mabel Johnson Preserve
EMU students seeding plots for the study of prairie restoration techniques.
In 2016 we embarked on three projects at Lloyd and Mabel Johnson Preserve to improve the land and serve our community. Visit Johnson Preserve this spring and summer to see these projects come to life!
Sandhill crane (Grus canadensis). Photo by John Lloyd.
Explore a wide variety of natural areas, including kettle wetlands, black walnut and aspen stands, and rolling grassy meadows. The swamps in the southeast corner of the preserve are popular resting areas for sandhill cranes. During the spring or early summer, you may hear their distinctive calls throughout the preserve.
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