Earlier this spring, the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy purchased the 200-acre former Boys and Girls Club of Kalamazoo Camp in Hastings, Michigan, donating it to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to become part of Barry State Game Area. This significant addition enhances habitat connectivity and biodiversity in the region, a key priority for both the conservancy and the DNR.

The DNR and the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy will celebrate the conservation of this special property 2-4 p.m. Monday, July 15, at the former Boys and Girls Club Camp. Brief remarks will be followed by guided walks on the property at 2451 Erway Road in Hastings. Learn more and register for the event.

"We are thrilled to welcome this property into Barry State Game Area," said Mark Mills, regional supervisor for the DNR Wildlife Division. "Conserving this land is an important step in our ongoing efforts to enhance wildlife habitat, biodiversity and hunting opportunities in the region.”

The Boys and Girls Club Camp property is strategically situated between the Audubon Warner Sanctuary to the north and Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy’s limited-access Freese Preserve to the south. It also shares a boundary with the nearly 17,000-acre Barry State Game Area to the west.

"This is a key property that SWMLC has been interested in conserving for many years," said the conservancy’s Land Protection Director Kaleigh Winkler.

The property has long been recognized as one of the most important parcels to protect in the Glass Creek Watershed due to its extensive wetland complex and significant frontage on Podunk Creek and Glass Creek.

"Conserving this property fills in a critical puzzle piece for biodiversity within Barry County,” Winkler added.

This collaboration represents a successful partnership between the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy and the DNR.

“The addition of the property not only protects vital wetland ecosystems but also strengthens our commitment to conserving Michigan's natural resources for future generations,” said Mills. “We’re grateful to have worked closely with the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy and other partners to ensure this area's ecological integrity is maintained and hunting and outdoor recreational opportunities can be enjoyed by all."