Our Protected Land
Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy (GINLC) protects over 176 acres of land, through both direct ownership and conservation easements. As the only private organization in the Township of Grosse Ile with the legal authority to protect land in this way, we are committed to managing our properties using best land management practices while balancing public benefit.
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We are dedicated to fostering a sustainable and healthy environment for Grosse Ile by preserving natural areas, replacing invasive species with native plants, and enhancing public access to the waterfront. Each of our preserves has a tailored plan that maximizes our impact through habitat protection and educational opportunities. Projects will be undertaken depending on available resources and technology.
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Each preserve is assigned one or more of these Usage Concepts
(each preserve is assigned Protect unless otherwise noted).
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Protect,
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Maintain in natural state
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Protect against Encroachment
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Monitor on annual basis as possible.
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Make maintenance efforts to control invasive species and protect habitat.
Restore
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Same as "Protect "plus:
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Conduct projects to remove and control invasive species
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Conduct projects to restore natural habitat
Provide Public Access and/or Education
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Same as "Protect "plus:
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Install items like trails, observation platforms, interpretive signs, kiosks, parking, bike racks, and the like.
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Each preserve with this concept will need a unique implementation plan.
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Caldwell Preserve – 0.48-acre lot adjoining the Thorofare Canal. Gregory & Marlborough. Mixed vegetation habitat.
Cleaver Preserve – 0.25-acre lot of upland habitats bordering marshland near Blauvelt & Lafayette.
Coleman Preserve – two lots comprising 0.48 acres of wooded wetland habitat near Coleman and Brook Circle. (Donated by the Daly Family)
Crysler Easement – 1-acre parcel, under conservation easement with GINLC, containing wooded wetland habitat. Parke Lane & Horsemill. Mature Tree Specimens
D’Avanzo Preserve – four lots totalling 0.62 acres of mixed habitat bordering the waterway near Halley Crescent & Hickory Circle.
Davidson Easement. - 11.25 acres Sheeks and Huron River Drive - Flat Rock. Mixed Habitat Bordering the Huron River. This is the only GINLC-administered property that is not on Grosse Ile.
Emily's Way Preserve - 0.42-acre wooded wetland habitat with a seasonally wet swale. Borders Open Space property near Rucker and E. River Road. Numerous bird species are often present on the property. (Darany)
Finazzo Easement – privately owned 0.85-acre site. Parke Lane and Horsemill is under a conservation easement. Wooded wetland habitat.
Finazzo Preserve –1.4 acre wooded upland habitat at Meridian and Rucker. Adjacent to Open Space property. Finazzo Preserve is sometimes referred to as Meridian Trailhead as it facilitates access to the Open Space trails in the Meridian woods. There is an informational kiosk and two GINLC displays that were constructed as part of Eagle Scout service projects. (Provide Public Access and/or Education)
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GINLC John C. Jackson Resource Center. 8801 Macomb Street Grosse Ile MI.
The GINLC John C Jackson Resource Center, situated at 8801 Macomb St in Grosse Ile opened in April 2024.
Nestled within the heart of the Grosse Ile business district and adjacent to Open Space, this location perfectly aligns with the Conservancy's mission. The resource center has undergone extensive renovations to cater to the Conservancy's requirements, providing office spaces, meeting rooms, and training facilities, as well as storage areas for documents, supplies, and equipment repair. The RC serves to demonstrate sustainable practices we all can follow. Naturalistic gardens and landscaping have been installed to better manage stormwater. A native tree nursery and compositing facilitate have been added.
More information on the resource center can be found here. (Provide Public Access and/or Education)
Gray's Drive Easement – 2.9 acres Grays Drive and Cadillac Circle. The property is owned by GI Township, but GINLC holds a conservation easement which limits its future development in perpetuity. Wooded wetland habitat.
Grosse Ile Woods Preserves – 62 lots totaling 11.2 acres of excellent wildlife habitat purchased from or donated by several families and acquired through the Michigan Land Bank. The preserves are located near Horsemill and Thorofare. (Begun (Three Lots), Cunningham (Two Lots), Hurst(Six Lots), Hurst (Four Lots), King (Twelve Lots), Ondo (One Lot), Schneipp (Seven Lots), Tilk (Five Lots), York (Twelve Lots), MLBTA(Three Lots), MLBFTA (Seven Lots))
Hathorne Preserve – This property is a 0.16-acre parcel at the intersection of Marlborough and Chicory. This is a very heavily vegetated second-growth wooded parcel which provides valuable wildlife habitat for amphibians, birds, and mammals. The GINLC has several other property parcels (Ondo Preserves) in this area with some adjoining the Thorofare Canal.
The William Heinrich Preserve -1.18 acres. This property was purchased by the GINLC in early 2022. It has been named in honour of E. William Heinrich who was a founding member of the GINLC. It is located at the corner of Parke Lane and Wendell Court, a short distance north of Church Road. The preserve totals 1.18 acres and is situated directly east of a 12-acre Township-owned Open Space parcel. The property is a visually beautiful mature wooded parcel containing a large variety of mature native trees found on Grosse Ile including Pignut and Shagbark Hickories, White and Red Oak and Black Walnut. The parcel also provides valuable wildlife habitat for birds and mammals. It is likely that environmental education sessions will be held there in the future by the GINLC.
Hennepin Marsh North– 120 acres, Shallow Wetland Bordering Detroit River. It is often submerged. Can be viewed from Hennepin Marsh Gateway or by small watercraft like kayaks. Bridge & West River Road North of the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge.
Hennepin Marsh Gateway – 1.5-acre wooded wetland habitat on Meridian between Annette and Paulina. This preserve has a short hiking trail with a boardwalk over the wetland. You can continue along the trail to a wildlife observation platform overlooking the Hennepin Marsh. There are signs explaining the ecology. GINLC is working on a multi-year restoration project to remove invasive plants like phragmites, buckthorn, and honeysuckle, and replace them with native species. (Restore, Provide Public Access and/or Education).
The Dr. Bruce Jones Preserve - 15.8 acres. This property was purchased in early 2022 by the GINLC and has been named in honor of Dr. Bruce D. Jones who was a founding member and former President of the GINLC. The property is situated at the southwest corner of Meridian and Bridge Roads and consists of 5.9 upland acres and 9.9 acres of offshore property on the Detroit River. This property is highly valuable ecologically because of the many varied habitats that exist there including some offshore islands, marsh areas and vernal ponds. It provides valuable habitat for a variety of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles. There are also many large native tree specimens (some over 200 years old) on the property including Red Oak, White Oak, Swamp White Oak, Shagbark Hickory, Hackberry, Ironwood, and Eastern Cottonwood. GINLC has constructed trails that are accessible to the public. Limited parking is available at the Grosse Ile Township Pump house at 9331 Bridge Rd, Grosse Ile Township, MI 48138. We are now conducting a project to implement our usage plan. (Provide Public Access and/or Education)
Kobiljak Preserve - 0.73-acre upland property on Thorofare and Highland that adjoins the Thorofare Canal. GINLC continues to develop a more diverse habitat on the property with the planting of many native trees, shrubs, and pollinator plants. (Restore. Provide Public Access and/or Education)
Lalosh Preserve – 0.5-acre lot adjoining the Thorofare Canal. Gregory & Chicory. Dense mixed vegetation wetland habitat.
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Linville Preserve - 0.43 acres in three parcels near the intersection of Marlborough and Chicory. They are located very close to the Hathorne Preserve. The parcels were donated by the Linville family in honor of Gregory Linville. The property is very heavily vegetated with second-growth trees and a few large native tree species. This property provides excellent wildlife habitat for mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. The GINLC has a number of other property parcels in this area with some directly on the Thorofare Canal.
MLBFTA Preserve – 0.3-acre lot adjoining the Thorofare Canal. Mixed vegetation wetland habitat. Gregory & Marlborough is adjacent to Wittbold Preserve.
Morse Preserve – two lots (0.39 acre) adjoining the Thorofare Canal. Gregory & Marlborough. Contains notable Chinquapin Oak specimens. Small pond on the property.
Ondo Preserve– four lots comprising 0.523 acres. One lot adjoins Thorofare Canal. In the area of Gregory & Chicory and Marlborough & Chicory. Lots contain second-growth wooded and mixed vegetation habitat.
Parkway Preserve – 0.17-acre mature wooded parcel near Blauvelt & Lafayette. Nice White Oak and Black Walnut specimens on the property.
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Roberts Preserve - 0.29 acres in two parcels. Mature wooded parcel near Marlborough & Chicory.
Ryder Preserve – 0.24-acre site near Blauvelt and Lafayette with notable oak tree specimens.
Taylor Preserve – 0.53 acres. Contains rare sedge marsh. Halley Crescent & Hickory Circle adjacent to D’Avanzo Preserve. (Restore)
Wittbold Preserve – 0.73 acres adjoining the Thorofare Canal. Gregory & Marlborough. Mixed vegetation wetland habitat.
Wright Preserve – 0.45 acres adjoining the Thorofare Canal. Gregory & Marlborough. Mixed vegetation wetland habitat. Large Black Walnut and Shagbark Hickory specimens.
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Natural Areas of Note
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge - Gibraltar Bay Unit (GBU): 28820 East River Rd, Grosse Ile.
Because this is now federally owned, this is not a GINLC preserve. However, GINLC has a long history of preservation efforts on this property and the adjacent Airport Natural Area. This 40.5-acre marsh and upland area was previously a Navy seaplane base (1927) and also a NIKE missile base (1954 to 1963). In 1972 the Defense Department turned this site over to the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") for use as a wetlands research area. In April of 1990, at the center of the property, six acres of meadowland were still completely covered with pavement and huge steel doors were lying on the ground. Underground there were three large vaults each containing a NIKE missile. In 1990, the doors were removed, the cement was hauled away, and Nature, with a little help from man, could once again flourish. In 1993, the EPA granted stewardship of the area to the Grosse Ile Nature and Land Conservancy. In 2009 the Nature Area was made part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. GBU includes a pond and a variety of habitats including Gibraltar Bay and provides access to the Airport Natural Area.
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The Airport Natural Area (ANA) is adjacent to the GBU, is accessed via the GBU entrance at 28820 East River Rd, Grosse Ile, and is owned by Grosse Ile Township. However, GINLC has a long history of preservation efforts on this property, and the adjacent Gibraltar Bay Unit. After completing a project in 2023, with the Commerce Park Commission, the ANA is now accessible for pedestrian and bicycle traffic from dawn to dusk every day of the week. Our organization, the Grosse Ile Nature & Land Conservancy (GINLC), has a deep-rooted history with the ANA, dedicating ourselves to preserving this cherished natural space. We have diligently stewarded the trails, implemented numerous improvement projects, and ensured the protection of its abundant wildlife, diverse bird species, and precious natural habitats. The ANA is truly a gem within our island, offering a wealth of opportunities for observing nature in its unspoiled beauty, including the Sedge Marsh, Lagoon, Hiking Trails, and Lookout points.
