In partnership with HRWC, Legacy Land Conservancy has arranged for permanent protection of woodlands and wetlands on two properties that will help preserve the quality of two creeks; Arms Creek in Webster Township and Horseshoe Creek in Northfield Township.
HRWC’s Bioreserve field assessments on these properties helped Legacy identify the properties as ecologically important as well as provided data they needed to complete the preservation documentation.
The preservation of the Webster Township property in the Arms Creek watershed helps ensure the quality and quantity of water resources for the Ann Arbor area. In fact, Arms Creek is one of the healthiest creeks in the Huron River Watershed and is a designated Scenic River.
The woodlands and wetlands on this parcel house an unusually broad range of habitats and natural life for a property of its size. The 7.8 acres include wetlands, forb and grass communities, emergent marshes, and remnants of pre-settlement oak forests.
The 32-acre Northfield Township property is habitat for fish, wildlife and plants, including: Great Horned Owls, white-tailed deer, other common birds and mammals, and native flora such as mature oak, hickory, and pine trees and native grasses and forbs.
The property includes two headwater tributaries of Horseshoe Creek and Horseshoe Lake. Preservation of this property will allow these natural areas to perform important ecological services by holding rainwater, easing downstream seasonal flooding.
Want to help identify and assess natural areas to help protect more natural areas? Volunteer for our Bioreserve Field Assessments this summer!
