Van Buren County Park Grows By 17 Acres

sanddune

A state park in Van Buren County is growing. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says 17 acres are being added to Van Buren State Park so it now includes the Northpoint Conservation Area located in South Haven Township. Van Buren County Administrator John Faul tells WSJM News the county owns it and has signed a 25 year lease with the state.

“The county does not have a parks and recreation department, and we’re very much interested in preserving this unique environment,” Faul said. “The critical dunes area and the hiking trails, we just didn’t have the manpower, if you will.”

Faul says the DNR will be able to manage the scenic land.

“It’s got hardwood trees in this rolling sand, and when you get to the top, the trees disappear and it’s all dune land. It’s just beautiful.”

Faul says the Northpoint Conservation Area isn’t really managed right now. Now that it’s part of Van Buren State Park, the professionals will be in charge, and jurisdiction confusion will end. Faul says a long stretch of pristine Lake Michigan shoreline is now preserved for the public’s use in Van Buren County.