Michigan Nature Association is a nonprofit

conservation Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws. Conservation may also refer to: Environment and natural resources * Nature conservation, the protection and managem ...

organization established in 1952. It has 176 nature sanctuaries in 58 counties throughout

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

under its jurisdiction.

History

In 1951, a bird study group in the

Macomb County Macomb County ( ) is a county located in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Michigan, bordering Lake St. Clair, and is part of northern Metro Detroit. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 881,217, making it the third-most populous co ...

was formed to protect wildlife, hoping to keep Michigan in a natural state. Their first project was protesting the destruction of a tern colony at Metropolitan Beach. Calling themselves the St. Clair Metropolitan Beach Sanctuary Association, they started weekend nature exhibits, guided tours, and published a study course. In 1955, the Junior Nature Patrol (JNP) was formed. With this growth, the group began looking to expand and do further conservation work. The first purchase of a sanctuary was made in 1960 and named Red Wing Acres. Further properties were obtained through persuasion with landholders, and by 1965, the group renamed itself the Eastern Michigan Nature Association. Expansion into Northern Michigan led to the current name change of the Michigan Nature Association (MNA) in 1970. That same year MNA helped write and campaign for the Natural Beauty Roads Act in Michigan, now known as Michigan's Natural Beauty Roads Act of 1970. In 1974, founder Bertha Daubendiek was awarded the Outstanding Michigan Volunteer of the Year by Governor Milliken for her work with MNA. In 1979, MNA had secured its 50th sanctuary, with Daubendiek honored as Michigan resident of the Year by the Detroit News. The Michigan Women's Hall of Fame inducted Bertha Daubendiek in 1994 for her success launching her wild natural habitat projects. During the years of 1986-87, Twin Waterfalls Nature Sanctuary became the Association's 100th property. MNA relocated its office to Williamston, Michigan, a small town just outside the Lansing area in 2002, followed by another relocation move near the Michigan town of Okemos in 2014. The Land Trust Accreditation Commission gave national accreditation to the Michigan Nature Association in 2014.

Sanctuaries

Below are a few of MNA's sanctuaries listed by county: Image:Estivant_Pines.JPG, Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary in Keweenaw County Image:Dowagiac Woods.JPG, Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary in Cass County Image:from kayak.jpg, A Looking Glass Sanctuary in Clinton County Image:twin falls 2.jpg, Twin Waterfalls Memorial Nature Sanctuary in Alger County Image:wade memorial.jpg, Lawrence A. and Mary Bell Wade Memorial Nature Sanctuary in Allegan County

References

External links

{{commons category
Michigan Nature AssociationMichigan Nature Association Blog
Environmental organizations based in Michigan Organizations established in 1952 Nature conservation organizations based in the United States Protected areas of Michigan 1952 establishments in Michigan