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| Barry County Landowners Protect 202 Acres Along Cedar Creek Alfred and Jean Gemrich's 202-acre property along Cedar Creek in Hope Township, a SWMLC priority conservation area, has been protected with a conservation easement. The diversity of the land is striking, containing areas of dramatic topographic relief and unusual habitats. The property has several hundred feet of frontage on Big Cedar Lake, and is home to the State-threatened cisco, or lake herring. The ravines along the creek harbor many State-listed plants. A walk through the property may reveal sandhill cranes, Eastern box turtles, and wild turkey, while songbirds call throughout Al has been involved in many conservation-based initiatives over the years, and the donation of an easement to SWMLC is the culmination of his efforts. A long-time conservation district director, Al has been involved in numerous initiatives to promote forestry and protection of land in Barry County. "Al has always been an avid conservationist," said Joanne Barnard, executive director of the Barry Conservation District. "He and his wife Jean have planted thousands of trees on their Cedar Creek property, which recently became a certified tree farm through the American Tree Farm System." During the past decade, SWMLC has protected over 700 acres along Cedar Creek. The diversity and species richness of the Gemrich property is exceptional, and will provide a wonderful addition to protected land in the Cedar Creek watershed. Many thanks to the Gemrich's for their commitment to this beautiful place. |
the woodland. In addition to the woodland, the property hosts a variety of habitats, such as oak barrens, tamarck wetlands, and agricultural fields. The area around Cedar Creek is known to contain the southernmost population of northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), and in the shadows of the tamaracks, an impressive display of showy lady-slippers appears in early summer.
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