Ross Coastal Plain Marsh Preserve

Coastal Plain Marshes are normally found on the Atlantic Coast
Coastal Plain Marsh with Blue Joint reed grass
© TNC Archives
 

Why You Should Visit
Ancient sand dunes from the shores of postglacial Lake Nipissing create a mosaic of botanical communities on Ross Preserve, the most outstanding being three coastal plain marshes. These wet meadows, which flood in spring and virtually dry up in summer, harbor plants and animals that ordinarily occur in marshes along the Atlantic coast. The diverse flora includes eight species that are either endangered or rare, including globe-fruited seedbox, meadow beauty, appressed bog clubmoss and netted nut-rush. The preserve also contains wooded inland dunes, wetlands, small lakes and northern hardwood forests.
 

 

Location
Van Buren County in the Lower Peninsula

Hours
Open year-round, dawn to dusk

Conditions
The Nature Conservancy allows hunting for white-tail deer on this preserve to reduce an unnaturally high deer population in the area and reduce threats too many deer pose to our conservation targets. Hunting at this site is at full capacity, but if you would like to join the waiting list, contact the West Michigan office at westmichigan@tnc.org or (616) 785-7055.

Because this 1,449 acre preserve is one of the larger unfragmented woods in southern Michigan, fall migration of birds that prefer wooded areas is quite immense. You are most likely to catch them on their way south during August and September. Be sure to wear a hat and sunscreen as well as sturdy walking shoes or boots.

How to Prepare for Your Visit
Please see "Preserve Visitation Guidelines"

Directions
From Watervliet, Michigan:

  • At the intersections of I-94 and M-140 (Exit 41), take M-140 north 6.2 miles to CR-376 (a.k.a. 44th Avenue).
  • Turn left (west) on CR-376 and travel 3.3 miles to a dirt driveway opposite the “Dune Lake Campground” sign.  There is a locked vehicle gate on the driveway.  
  • Park along the road near the gate and enter the preserve via the walk-through entrance located on the left (west) side of the locked vehicle gate.

What to See: Plants

  • Coastal plain marsh: A grassland rush-dominated wetland community harboring numerous plant species disjunct from their primary ranges along the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains. In the upper Great Lakes Region this community occurs along the shores of soft water seepage lakes, ponds and depressions where water levels fluctuate both seasonally and yearly.
  • Meadow beauty: This relatively small herbaceous plant grows from often tuberous-thickened, fibrous roots and produces strikingly beautiful flowers with showy pink-purple petals (2-3 cm broad) and contrasting bright yellow stamens.
  • Appressed bog clubmoss: Unlike several other Michigan clubmosses, the aerial shoots of this species die back in the fall. The rootstalk overwinter and bear new shoots in the spring, with cone developing in late summer and persisting through November. The trailing stems usually spread to form extensive clones. 

What to See: Animals

  • Hooded warbler, Blackburnian warbler and other migratory birds

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
The generosity of H. Stewart Ross and his family made the first 1,254 acres of the preserve a reality in 1988. Part of the settlement of their family estate included this wonderful site. The family gave the Conservancy approximately half of the funds necessary to acquire the acreage and the Conservancy provided the rest.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
Four purchases from other landowners since then have resulted in the 1,449 acres protected here by the Conservancy. Sarett Nature Center makes frequent use of the preserve.

Sources for information include MNFI and MDNR.