Leelanau Conservancy Adds 80 Acres To Palmer Woods Forest Reserve

Leelanau County’s Palmer Woods Forest Reserve just got a little bit bigger.

In a newsletter sent out to subscribers on Friday morning, the Leelanau Conservancy announced that it had successfully raised the funds to add 80 acres to the popular hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing destination. That section – a “missing puzzle piece” at the middle of the reserve – has been acquired and is now “permanently protected” as a Conservancy asset.

The Leelanau Conservancy shared in October that it had an option to purchase the land in question. At that time, the organization had already raised nearly $1 million of the $1,090,800 total project cost and was calling on the public to help it close a funding gap of $96,900. The Conservancy’s option to buy the parcel was set to expire on New Year’s Eve.

Now, that ticking clock has stopped: Through the support of more than 100 donors, the Leelanau Conservancy has met its fundraising goal, moved forward with the purchase option, and bought the 80-acre parcel. Those 80 acres fill in a key gap at the middle of Palmer Woods, which already spanned 1,075 acres, bigger than any other natural area in the Conservancy’s portfolio.

Popular for its 20 miles of trails, Palmer Woods could add even more recreation opportunities thanks to the new acreage. Speaking to the Leelanau Ticker in October, Conservancy Communications Director Claire Wood said the organization would likely “take some extra time to really think through which types of recreation are appropriate on that piece,” but added that the parcel “will absolutely be accessible to the public, and we will be putting some trails through it.”