Natural Areas Preservation Program
Total Land Protected: 1,030 acres
Administered by WCPARC since 2001

On May 1, 2007, Washtenaw County acquired another new natural area, the Squiers Property in Sylvan Township. This 50-acre parcel has quite a nice diversity of habitat types including dry-mesic southern forest, buttonbush swamp, hardwood swamp, sedge meadow and marsh. The most unique aspect of the property's hydrology is the presence of artesian springs which seep to the surface. Pressure from the upward seepage of one of the springs has created a peat dome along the eastern boundary of the property.

On the land management front, we got a late start due to the weather but did have a productive burn season this spring. Over 65 acres were burned at the Leonard Preserve, including 40 acres in the southern portion of the preserve that we burned last spring as well. Frequent prescribed burning is a good land management practice. The burn is likely to be cooler and patchier (less fuel), lessening the detrimental effects of fire on insect populations. Burning two years in a row can be a good strategy for reducing biennial weeds such as spotted knapweed and garlic mustard. A new burn unit, 25 acres of oak woods along the River Raisin, was also burned at the Leonard Preserve. We concluded the season in the 1-acre prairie remnant at the Burns-Stokes Preserve, also burned two years in a row.

Lynn Berni, Park Planner