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The Nature Conservancy in the Great Lakes Region Great Lakes Contact Us How We Work Places We Protect Press Releases Resources Volunteer Ways of Giving |
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Great Lakes Conservation
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Michigan - Ives Road Fen
Fens — wetlands that receive water from underground alkaline springs rather than precipitation — are well represented but increasingly rare in the Great Lakes region. Ives Road Fen, one of the largest fens in Michigan, is a unique spring-fed grassland that blends into floodplain forest to create a globally significant habitat. Its clear, cool waters feed the River Raisin, which supports rare hickory nut mussels. It provides ideal habitat for many unusual plants, including the carnivorous sundew and pitcher plant. The tap-tap-taps of rare Blanchard’s cricket frogs blend with the clear songs of migratory and breeding birds that depend on the health of the fen for survival. At Ives Road Fen, The Nature Conservancy works with local landowners and volunteers to remove invasive plants and preserve the area’s biodiversity.
