Paw Paw Prairie Fen Preserve

Paw Paw River © Richard Baumer

Why You Should Visit
It's no coincidence that the Paw Paw River watershed is also known as Michigan's 'Wine Country.' The temperate climate, fertile soil, and nearby river not only create idyllic conditions for vineyards, but also for land rich in biodiversity.

Wetlands, prairie fens, barrens and floodplain forests create the jewels of the Paw Paw necklace - the natural communities that feed into and rely on the waterway. Visitors to the area might spot species such as the eastern box turtle or an eastern massasauga rattlesnake. The floodplain forests along the river provide an important corridor for thousands of migratory songbirds. Anglers have been attracted to the river for years after hearing stories of trout as big as 27 inches.
 

Location
Van Buren and Kalamazoo County border in the Lower Peninsula

Hours
Access to this preserve is limited to field trips and volunteer workdays. Please contact Lara at our Grand Rapids office if you are interested in participating or visit our volunteer webpage.

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.

Fall migration of songbirds 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. Because of the wet and uneven ground conditions, wear waterproof boots with ankle support.

Volunteer stewardship workdays held throughout the entire year provide a great opportunity for you to experience the wonder of this place while contributing to the efforts to maintain its special habitat.

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

What to See: Natural Communities

• Prairie fens: Geologically and biologically unique wetlands found only in the glaciated Midwest, they are distinguished from other ‘chalky’ fens by a tall grass prairie flora and fauna component. Sapric peat is typical prairie fen substrate, which is saturated with a constant supply of groundwater. Groundwater is calcareous, or rich in both calcium and magnesium bicarbonates; resulting from flow through limestone bedrock and/or coarse textured calcareous glacial deposits.
• 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.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Given the River’s close proximity to a cluster of growing communities from Benton Harbor to Kalamazoo, it’s only natural that incompatible development and land use changes threaten the variety of habitats here. While progress should never come to a halt, there are some places it should never come at all like headwater streams, wetland complexes, and rare Great Lakes marshes along the River.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The Nature Conservancy’s recent purchase of 150 acres along the east branch near Mattawan anchors the project that will ultimately protect species like the federally endangered Mitchell’s satyr butterfly. Learn more about restoration monitoring of fens.

Sources of information include MNFI and MDNR.