Niagara Woods
Nature Area
Niagara Woods would transform 14 acres of abused vacant land with over 1,500 feet of frontage on the Saginaw River into a showcase nature preserve with rustic trails and restored native habitat, executed and operated by a proven public-private partnership.
This project takes advantage of an opportunity to provide a high-quality natural area in a neighborhood cut off from the rest of the community by the Saginaw River. The City of Bay City recently acquired a 14-acre piece of land on the City’s west side adjoining a section of the Iron Belle Trail corridor in Bay City, near a recently-completed trailhead facility with parking and seasonal toilets. The east side of the property includes 1,500 feet of riverfront along the Saginaw River. In this area, the Saginaw is split into two distinct channels around Middlegrounds Island, where a collection of new outdoor recreation opportunities have been developed alongside traditional City parkland. This site looks across the Saginaw River’s west channel at those areas on the Middlegrounds, although no direct, convenient access is available.
The project site has long been used by residents for river access, well before it was owned by the City, but without formal authorization. This project would elevate this landscape into a fully restored natural area with deliberate outdoor “rooms,” excellent interpretation, passive recreation opportunities, and a tranquil, rustic woodland setting with carefully planned and designed trails throughout with the capability to provide access for all.
In addition to the full ecological restoration of the site, which includes the deliberate placement of appropriate native species to encourage and augment the outdoor “rooms” on which this concept is based, several additional elements will be included. The most notable is a nature-based imagination area that uses a carefully curated selection of natural materials and landscape elements to encourage imaginative play without a formal playground. An alternative experience for children (and adults!), this area is not a playground and should not be thought of as one. Rather, it’s that safe, 21st-century iteration of what many of us did as kids. We built forts out of sticks, dug holes, made rivers in the dirt, and collected bugs. We imagined ourselves as great explorers, noble warriors, and adventurous heroes. A nature-based play area is a curated collection of artifacts and natural materials and surfaces that allow just that...imagination in nature and the kind of dirt-under-the-fingernails that builds character.
The Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy has constructed several nature-forward imagination areas for outdoor play. The example intended for Niagara Woods would be the best in the region, with more space and experiences than any developed in our watershed before: site cleanup, vegetation management, shoreline stabilization, habitat restoration, trail development, and the construction of a nature play area.
The Saginaw River is a waterway compromised by industry and neglect with a complex history and a cherished position in our watershed. Our organization has been working on a series of projects over the last decade to reclaim and restore public lands for rustic outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, and the protection of water quality. Niagara Woods is our latest opportunity, designed in partnership with the City of Bay City and a broad coalition of supporters and volunteers. Niagara Woods would transform 14 acres of abused vacant land with over 1,500 feet of frontage on the Saginaw River in an economically challenged neighborhood into a showcase nature preserve with rustic trails and restored native habitat, executed and operated by a proven public-private partnership. Unique among projects along the Saginaw River, this site has significant potential to become a shining example of how careful restoration, native plants, and innovative stewardship can improve water quality while accomplishing complimentary goals including improved, equitable access and the provision of wildlife habitat.
Our Funders and Partners
City of Bay City
Consumers Energy Foundation
Land Trust Alliance
Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund