We have an outstanding opportunity to protect 11 acres and 217 feet of undeveloped Long Lake frontage as an addition to the Embayment Lakes Nature Preserve, increasing the preserve’s total protected shoreline to more than 6,219 feet in the Platte River watershed.
This property sits along Long Lake, between Crystal and Platte Lakes, and mainly continues the preserve’s high-quality hardwood swamp habitat. The land also contains a small area of mesic northern forest and pockets of northern shrub thicket throughout. These habitats are essential for protecting water quality, sustaining biodiversity and supporting thriving ecosystems.
The proposed addition safeguards a Bald Eagle nest along with critical nesting and foraging habitat. Early observations have also noted a Merlin, a state species of special concern, hunting on the property, and a pair of Common Loons nesting on Long Lake. Additionally, many turtles use the lake’s shallow, mucky bottom for foraging, while its adjacent wetland and upland areas provide nesting habitat. Although not confirmed at this location, this type of habitat is known to support the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, a federally threatened species that has been documented elsewhere in the watershed.
Importantly, the property provides a buffer against residential development and protects high-quality wetlands, which naturally filter sediment and nutrients from reaching the lake. Long Lake, being warm and shallow, is particularly susceptible to the effects of development, which introduces inputs such as phosphorus from fertilizers, septic systems and stormwater runoff. At high concentrations, these inputs fuel excessive algae growth, which, when coupled with warm temperatures, can deplete oxygen in shallow lakes. The impacts can be severe, affecting diversity and abundance of plant and animal species. Once this cycle begins, it can perpetuate itself and be difficult to reverse, even after inputs are removed.
Within the larger landscape, the proposed addition prevents the fragmentation of contiguous wetland and forest habitats in an area prioritized for protection. The property is part of a vital wildlife corridor between Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Birch Point Nature Preserve, state land, private protected property along Rush Lake and the existing Embayment Lakes Nature Preserve. It is also near several parcels prioritized for protection, including the proposed Kirkland Woods Nature Sanctuary. As development pressure intensifies along this sensitive lake, this project represents a rare opportunity to preserve habitat connectivity and ecosystem function within this ecologically significant landscape.