Join us to preserve a special natural open space in honor of the people whose vision launched COL
Chikaming Open Lands is seeking to raise the $1.2 million necessary to acquire an 87-acre tract of high quality forest, wetland and former agricultural field prominently located on Three Oaks Road in Chikaming Township. Upon acquiring the property, COL will designate it as a nature preserve, permanently protecting this extremely desirable open space in its natural state. Some of the features that make this property special include:
- A beautiful forested landscape featuring towering beech, maple and oak trees
- A former agricultural field, which COL will restore to a native prairie, complete with abundant summer blooms
- The opportunity to open the property to the public, building a trail system, improving public accessibility, and providing an expansive space in a well-traveled location where the community can enjoy the restorative benefits of nature
The Founders:
In the late 1990's, Peter Van Nice saw a potential problem brewing in this area: its growing popularity was leading to an increase in development, which was beginning to change the landscape. Always a champion of conservation, Peter decided to set up a land conservancy in southern Berrien County. He recruited his wife Jeanie and friends Jean and Steve Smith and forged ahead, incorporating Chikaming Open Lands in December of 1999.
In the years that followed, Peter, Jeanie, Steve and Jean worked tirelessly to cultivate Peter’s vision, growing COL into a fully operational land trust with full-time staff, offices, and a portfolio of protected natural areas. After Peter passed away in 2022, COL’s Board and staff wanted to pay tribute to Peter’s legacy, and to recognize all four of the organization’s founders by dedicating this new nature preserve in their honor: The Founders Preserve.