We have an outstanding opportunity to protect a roughly 80-acre property that plays a critical role in sustaining water quality, biodiversity and habitat connectivity in the Elk River Chain of Lakes watershed.
Located just outside Bellaire, the property comprises diverse wetlands, native forest communities and a high-quality river corridor. The Cedar River—prized for its excellent coldwater fish habitat—winds through the southwestern portion of the property, with approximately 1,300 feet of frontage on both banks. Numerous groundwater seeps originate here, releasing cold, clean water into the river and preserving water quality downstream.
The surrounding landscape is a patchwork of wetland communities that function as a natural filtration and flood-mitigation system. It contains rich conifer swamp habitat and a mix of wet meadow, shrub thicket and poor conifer swamp, as well as remnant red maple and conifer species. Much of this landscape comprises undisturbed floodplain, which absorbs runoff, settles out sediment and slows and stores water during heavy rain and snowmelt events, naturally buffering the Cedar River against downstream flood peaks.
Small pockets of mesic northern forest are scattered throughout, while the northwest corner supports early successional forest. Aerial photographs dating to 1938 show that much of the property was unlogged at that time, indicating the eastern and southern portions support mature forests that are at least 100 years old and provide essential nesting habitat, food sources and refuge for a range of species.
The property’s entire southern boundary adjoins the Cedar River Natural Area, which protects a mile of Cedar River frontage with prime riparian habitat and extensive trout spawning grounds. To the northeast, it borders approximately 194 acres of protected private land and sits at the northeast corner of Craven Park. Safeguarding this parcel creates a continuous, roughly 530-acre corridor of protected habitat from the Cedar River wetland complex into forested uplands, preserving an unfragmented landscape where native wildlife and plant life can thrive.
GTRLC is using a Buy-Restrict-Resell model to quickly protect this high-priority property: purchasing the land, placing a conservation easement on it, and then selling it at a lower price, reflective of the permanent restrictions on the land. The easement will stay with the property, regardless of future ownership, ensuring it remains protected for generations to come.