DOWAGIAC — Thursday, members of the Dowagiac Rotary Club learned more about land conservation efforts in Cass County.

Peter Ter Louw, executive director of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, presented to the Dowagiac Rotary Club during the club’s regular meeting. The bulk of his presentation focused on the conservancy’s Jones Area Conservation Plan, which affects areas in Cass and St. Joseph counties. The project partners with several Cass County entities including Cass County Parks and Recreation, Cass County Conservation District and the Edward Lowe Foundation.

The project will link the Crane Pond State Game Area, located north of Jones at the intersection of M-40 and M-60, and the Three Rivers State Game Area, located two miles south of M-60 along the Cass/St. Joseph County Line, in order to create a continuous connection of protected natural area. Pieces of land in St. Joseph and Cass counties, such as Vandalia’s Dr. T. K. Lawless Park, will be used to connect the two game areas.

“Over time, the goal is to link these two areas and grow these game areas to conserve land,” Ter Louw said.

The purpose of the project is to provide a locally-informed vision for the present and future conservation of the greater Jones region based around identified conservation corridors and conservation values including water quality, wildlife habitat and recreational assets. Through the expansion of conserved land, site-specific restoration and protection of natural resources, Ter Louw said the project would seek to facilitate the creation of green space to sustain the greater Jones area for generations.

“We found this to be an opportunity for [the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy] to partner with the DNR and other local organizations to preserve more land,” he said. “The strong goal was to build on protected land and to improve wildlife habitat.”

Currently, the Jones Area Conservation Plan is in the outreach and information phase, Ter Louw said. Eventually, Ter Louw hopes to see the project improve water quality and animal habitats, increase public education and recreation, and even produce an intercounty trail system.

While Ter Louw does believe these things will be the result of the Jones Area Conservation Plan, he said they would be long-term projects.

“As I look at this, much of this will not happen in the next couple years,” he said. “This is a 25-, 50-, 100-year project. This is a long-term effort to protect this area.”

Ultimately, Ter Louw said he believes the project will be a success that will protect southwest Michigan lands. 

“If [the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy] can do our part to expand a sustainable habitat region to support wildlife, we will have reached our goal,” he said.