Chikaming Open Lands has acquired 31 acres of property in Royalton Township that will now be turned into a nature preserve.
Director Ryan Postema tells us the new Chapman Family Preserve is located off Bacon School Road, not far from M-139 and directly adjacent to the Royalton Township Nature Trail.
“So there’s an existing park there,” Postema said. “This will essentially double the acreage that will be open to the public for recreation. It also protects nice forest, a mature forest area along a couple of ravines. It has some old agricultural fields, old fields that we’ll plan to do some restoration work in.”
Postema says Chikaming Open Lands was contacted by the Chapman Family, owners of the site who wanted to ensure the land isn’t spoiled by development. They sold it to COL at a deeply discounted price.
This brings the area protected by Chikaming Open Lands up to 2,300 acres. Postema says the organization is looking to branch out more into northern Berrien County.
“Our primary service area is essentially the south half of the county, as we’ve identified it now. But we have long-term plans to continue to grow.”
The plan for this new acquisition is to construct some trails there that will connect to the Royalton Township Nature Trail, about doubling its current length of three quarters of a mile. That should be finished by next spring so the public can start using the preserve.
Postema notes the next Chikaming Open Lands stewardship day, when anyone can come and help remove invasive plants at its preserves, will be held at the new Chapman Family Preserve on August 16. Anyone who wants to help can learn more at the Chikaming Open Lands website.
