Mill Pond Protection Project By Connor Dennis

MILL POND

PROTECTION PROJECT

By Connor Dennis, Director of Conservation Programs

This past March, the Walloon Lake Association and Conservancy realized a decades’ long dream to protect eight contiguous parcels of land, 38.675 acres in total, that contain 2,139 feet of the last undeveloped shoreline on Walloon Lake. The eight parcels are located in the most ecologically important area of the Walloon Lake watershed: Mill Pond.

This area of the West Arm, historically known as Mud Lake, is comprised mainly of wetlands that recharge and filter much of Walloon Lake’s water. Protecting it is integral to protecting our pristine, clear water.

While Mill Pond is situated only one mile away from Lake Michigan, its elevation at 694 feet above sea level requires that the recharged water from this wetland flows a nearly 21-mile journey through the main body of Walloon Lake through the Bear River and eventually into Little Traverse Bay. Walloon Lake, the Bear River, and its tributaries are exceptionally important water resources in relation to the general ecological health of the Little Traverse Bay region. This makes the Mill Pond acquisition an important asset not only for the protection of Walloon’s water quality but for the entire surrounding community’s as well.

In addition to water quality, what made this acquisition even more crucial is that the beautiful, wild area of Mill Pond is currently zoned for planned development. If this natural area were to be developed, habitat and water quality would be lost forever due to the effects of accelerated human activity.

Last year’s shoreline study completed with Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council (page 8) calculated that only 11% of Walloon Lake’s shoreline remains undeveloped. The Mill Pond property we purchased from the Maus family represents 13.4% of the total 15,972 feet of remaining undeveloped shoreline. This is why this project was so critical.

The WLAC took extraordinary measures to secure the property, including taking out a 12-month loan with our local partners at Citizens National Bank, drawing down spendable funds from our endowment, and using the capital from the Ternes property sale in order to close the deal.

The acquisition of these parcels also has the potential to be used as a location for climate change studies and is a first step in creating a larger protected wildlife area in the Mill Pond-US 31 corridor along Lake Michigan. Long term, we are exploring the feasibility of creating a nature sanctuary at the site.

Currently, we have other critical undeveloped shoreline lands and upland projects in the pipeline that will require significant funds to protect in this increasingly competitive real estate market. We are at a crossroad fighting the convergence of generational turnover and real estate market pressure. Properties are up for sale one day and gone the next. And while we are doing our best to secure high conservation lands through relationships, ultimately, we will need the support of everyone to ensure that critical lands don’t get lost to development in the land grab. Now or never, Walloon Forever!

Learn more about how you can support critical land acquisition by calling the WLAC office at 231-535-6112.

DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE SURROUNDING MILL POND