Not every conservation opportunity comes wrapped in a bow. Some arrive through a public land auction, willing buyers, and a phone call that sets everything in motion. That is exactly how this project began.

Lot 5404, aka the Ogemaw Parcel, is approximately 30 acres of wetland habitat located east of Rose City in Ogemaw County. It is a mosaic of forested wetland, emergent marsh, and scrub shrub habitat that provides some of the most valuable ecological services a piece of land can offer. Groundwater recharge, flood mitigation, water filtration, carbon  sequestration, and wildlife habitat for amphibians, waterfowl, and other wetland dependent species. This is exactly the kind of land our region cannot afford to lose.

The parcel came up in a state public land auction. Three conservation minded buyers stepped in, agreed to clean up the site including the removal of an old trailer and debris, and have committed to selling it to HeadWaters at cost, anticipated to be no more than $40,000. That kind of good faith from private individuals is not something we take for granted. It is the reason this opportunity exists at all.

This wetland also sits near other natural lands in the county, which means protecting it could contribute to something larger than 30 acres. A connected landscape. A corridor. Room for species to move and ecosystems to stay resilient as conditions change around them. Our Board Chair, Scot Egleston, knows the area well and is excited to see this protected.

“Who hasn’t looked over at this wetland when driving down Rose City Road to see if there is a trumpeter swan or wood duck out in the pond? I am thrilled that HeadWaters Land Conservancy

has the opportunity to protect this beautiful wetland property. Wetlands play such an import role

in filtering pollutants and fertilizers and providing habitat for a wide variety of waterfowl, amphibians, and turtles. The acquisition of this parcel will represent HeadWaters Land Conservancy’s first nature preserve in Ogemaw County and adds to the 2,180 acres of lands

already protected in the county through conservation easements. I encourage the residents and visitors to the Sixty Lakes Area and Ogemaw County to lend their support to this very exciting project.”

If you have ever shared one of our projects, made a gift, or simply told a neighbor why this work matters, this one is for you. We are asking our community to help us bring this wetland home, and we believe we can do it together.