We have an outstanding opportunity to protect roughly 122 acres along the eastern shore of Upper Herring Lake and create a new nature preserve that safeguards water quality, wildlife habitat and the scenic, natural character that defines this corner of Benzie County.
The proposed nature preserve sits high atop a scenic ridge and is home to a tapestry of agricultural lands, beautiful maple-beech forests and wetlands that flow into Herring Creek. It has roughly a quarter mile of lake frontage and 3,500 feet on Herring Creek, for a collective total of approximately 4,600 feet of undeveloped waterfrontage. A mix of northern wet meadow, southern shrub-carr and rich conifer swamp wetlands gradually absorb and filter water as it flows toward the lake. The land provides a buffer from nutrient inputs and is critical for water quality in Herring Creek, which flows through both Upper Herring Lake and Lower Herring Lake before reaching Lake Michigan.
Rolling, inactive fruit orchards line upland areas, alongside northern mesic and boreal forests, with exceptionally large oaks and eastern hemlock rising along a ridge overlooking the lake. A preliminary botanical survey revealed several plants of high conservation value, including beechdrops, American brooklime and wood betony. On a late spring visit, jack-in-the-pulpit could be seen blooming across the forest floor, as a chorus of birds and amphibians provided a welcome sign of this land’s importance to diverse species. Additional sightings include a Bald Eagle, whitetailed deer, nesting Ovenbirds and American Redstart—a snapshot of the wildlife this land already supports.
Preliminary plans call for a sustainably built trail offering visitors access to the property’s forests and natural scenery. Additional stewardship efforts include managing invasive species present on the property, such as Siberian elm, autumn olive and garlic mustard, to prevent their further spread. The land’s protection also provides an opportunity for restoration work that promotes forest connectivity and the growth of native species, including goldenrods, milkweed, and joe-pye weed, which support pollinators and healthy ecosystems.
With significant waterfrontage, sweeping views and open fields atop a scenic ridge, this property is a prime target for residential development—one that could easily see multiple home sites fragment wildlife habitat, introduce septic systems and permanently alter this natural shoreline. Situated directly across the lake from the Upper Herring Lake Nature Preserve, this property’s protection preserves the scenic and natural integrity of both shorelines while expanding a network of protected lands in the Herring Lakes watershed.