Along M-22 in northwestern Michigan, people with mobility challenges can access breathtaking views of Lake Michigan from a 300-foot-high platform, explore rare birds and plants in a restored marsh or lose themselves in coastal dunes and forests once off-limits.

The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy has created more than 3 miles of accessible trails since 2016 when the Overlook Trail at Arcadia Dunes opened. It’s all part of the conservancy’s work since 1991 under the leadership of Glen Chown, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan’s School of Environment and Sustainability.

The conservancy has protected more than 47,000 acres of land, 155 miles of shoreline and 130 miles of trails since then.

This work on universal access to the natural beauty of northern Michigan has given thousands of disabled people a chance to experience the awe-inspiring power of the outdoors.

Kim Russell, who has had a lifelong disability and is quadriplegic, treasures the times she was able to hike Arcadia Dunes before a recent illness. Once with her father, Kevin Russell, she was at the platform high above Lake Michigan when they saw a bald eagle at eye level as it soared out over the vast water.

“It’s really awesome. The view was amazing. As we turned to leave my dad pointed to the sky and said ‘Look, a bald eagle!’ and there it was flying over the lake right in front of us.”

Kevin Russell, a U-M Law School alumnus and a longtime supporter of the conservancy and immediate past chair of the board, has been a champion for universal access for years. He recalls a time when he and his wife tried to help Kim enjoy a trail on the East Bay. Mud and branches made it a tough go as they pushed her in a wheelchair, and they had to turn back to the car.

It’s an all too common scenario for the disabled without universal access.

The universal access trails and platforms were designed in a way that doesn’t harm the natural resources, like working the trails around mature trees and making sure rare plants were preserved. The conservancy also partnered with the Disability Network of Northern Michigan to make sure the trails were truly accessible.

“The fact that we collaborated with people who are advocates for people with disabilities I think it was one of the secret sauces that made that trail so special,” Chown said. “And we used materials that will last. I mean, the support structures, galvanized steel that’s guaranteed to last for 100 years. So, there was art and science involved. We’re good listeners and we sought a lot of input early on. So I’m really proud of that.”

The universal access trails created by the conservancy are in a variety of locations including:

• The Overlook Trail at Arcadia Dunes: The C.S. Mott Nature Preserve: Opened in 2016. The trail features a combination of crushed aggregate and boardwalk that stretches a half mile to Lake Michigan and back. The 300-foot overlook on the lake is just south of Old Baldy.
• Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve: Opened in 2019, this trail is mostly boardwalk and a 3/4 mile long. It features a series of benches, elevated observation decks and three small fishing piers.
• Pyatt Lake: The Bill Carls Nature Preserve: It’s the first universal access trail on the Old Mission Peninsula.
• Timbers Recreation Area UA Trail: The universal trail takes users down to Long Lake and Fern Lake. The half-mile crushed aggregate trail takes visitors from the parking lot to Long Lake and a 100-foot boardwalk takes them on to Fern Lake and a new fishing pier.
• Acme Bayside Park: Improvements completed in 2019 include a new parking area, restrooms and play equipment, enhanced beach access, an ADA-compliant walking loop and more.
• Mary Behrens Sorrell Trail at the St. Clair Lake-Six Mile Lake Nature Preserve: This new trail replaces outdated infrastructure and was majority funded by her husband Cliff.

A large part of the natural beauty comes from the wildlife and plant life along the trails. For example, Arcadia Marsh is one of just 16 remaining coastal marshes along the Lake Michigan coast of the lower peninsula. The marsh is home to 250 bird species, 28 fish species and 201 plant species.

Another accessible trail is near the entrance to Mitchell Creek Meadows: The Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve in Traverse City. It’s called the Looyenga Family Trail. The nearly .75-mile path, made possible by Roger and Ann Looyenga in honor of their children and grandchildren, includes sensitively designed boardwalk sections to protect fragile wetland habitats and offers several opportunities for viewing nature.

The universal access trails are utilized by thousands of people, Chown said. “We wanted to improve access to nature so that everyone—whether you’re in a stroller or you’ve had a hip or knee replacement or you’re a wounded warrior and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of your life—could get out and enjoy these beautiful places.”

The Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve was developed on what was once a 225-acre golf course and includes the conservancy’s headquarters on the East Grand Traverse Bay. The conservancy’s staff and volunteers continue work to remove invasive plants and plant native perennials, trees and shrubs on the former golf course land. Part of the staff, a herd of goats enjoy an all-they-can-eat buffet of invasive autumn olive plants in the summer and discarded Christmas trees in winter.

A collaborative watershed restoration effort is underway to improve water quality in the Mitchell Creek watershed. Another partnership plan would let children use trails on the property to get to and from school. The conservancy is within 1.5 miles of eight schools that serve more than 4,000 students.

But all of this almost didn’t happen. The former golf course was eyed for a development of hundreds of homes. Other ideas included a large-scale condominium development or a racetrack. Chown reached out to supporters Jerry and Don Oleson of Oleson’s Farm Fresh Markets and conveyed how these developments could compromise the watershed. The Oleson brothers donated $1.1 million to buy the land.

“The concern was that would create a lot of runoff in nonpoint source pollution, which would flow into East Grand Traverse Bay, which is the source of our drinking water in the Traverse City region. So this was really about protecting a watershed, protecting human health and our drinking water system, so this was a call to action,” Chown said.

Then earlier this year, the nearby 220-acre Ridge property adjacent to the Mitchell Creek Meadows Preserve was eyed by developers for a development of 1,700 homes. The conservancy had just 48 hours to react. Chown contacted the C.S. Mott Foundation, which provided a $5.1 million loan to the conservancy to give it time to raise those funds and protect the land.

The conservancy retrofitted buildings already there and built the conservation center as a better-than-net-zero facility relying on solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling, and rainwater to flush toilets and irrigate the greenhouse. And they are bringing back native plants.

“It’s really showcasing the future, what we need to do as a society to reduce our carbon footprint and have a thriving sustainable world,” Chown said.”And what I love about this is it connects us with the community. It connects us with all our partner organizations, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Conservation Resource Alliance, all these great organizations working to restore our watersheds, protect water quality and restore our landscapes.”

Making nature accessible to all is part of the maturation of the conservancy.

“In the early days, we were protecting land from developers, but we’re now protecting land for people. And the recognition of why it’s important for people’s health and wellness, that’s a big part of our value system as the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy,” Chown said. “And in this time of society where there’s a lot of strife and division, people are seeking nature, whether it be their mental health, their spiritual health or their physical health. And so our trail systems are really vital to the future of the region.”

Read more stories about U-M’s impact in Michigan.