Stretching 18 miles into Grand Traverse Bay and shaped by generations of farming and stunning natural scenery, the Old Mission Peninsula is unlike anywhere else. For decades, the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy has worked alongside private landowners to ensure its preservation, protecting its most significant natural, scenic and agricultural lands. Today, we have an opportunity to build on these efforts with the protection of roughly 58 acres near the Peninsula’s northwestern corner.
This parcel sits adjacent to over 100 acres of protected farmland at a neighboring apple orchard, extending an already significant corridor of conservation. The property’s mesic northern forest and northern hardwood swamp provide important ecosystem services that benefit both people and wildlife. Its mature forest provides habitat, sequesters carbon and supports the movement of wildlife across this protected corridor. At least one seep flows from the property eventually reaching Grand Traverse Bay, while its wetland areas filter runoff and absorb excess nutrients, providing a critical safeguard for the bay’s water quality.
The proposed conservation easement not only protects the land’s natural features, but also its agricultural use in perpetuity. Much of the site was an active fruit orchard until recently, leaving productive soils well-suited to farming again. Without protection, the current zoning allows for up to 11 home sites—a likely outcome, as parcels this size on the Old Mission Peninsula are prime targets for residential development.
With frontage on both Swaney Road and Whispering Trail, this property’s protection also preserves the open farmland and forested views that are central to the Peninsula’s scenic character and agricultural history, ensuring this area remains as beautiful as it is today for future generations.