Landscape Services
Natural Areas
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LANDSCAPE SERVICES
Natural Areas and Preserves
Mission Statement: WMU's Natural Areas Program partners with students and faculty, local ecological organizations, area schools, and volunteer groups in order to promote environmental stewardship, provide research and education opportunities, and create healthier natural areas on WMU properties.
While Western Michigan University has always strived to implement sustainable practices and promote environmental stewardship on campus, WMU Landscape Services has recently taken it a step further. In addition to the 132 acres of natural wooded areas on WMU's campus, the University owns two nature preserves (322 acres) and maintains natural stormwater detention/retention basins. In recent years, the University has made the conscious decision to not only maintain safety in these areas, but to begin managing for ecological health and education opportunities.
Since 2009, Cari DeLong, Natural Areas Manager, has been expanding the Natural Areas Program within Landscape Services. This program is unique in that very few universities currently dedicate resources to programs which actively manage natural areas for research, education, passive recreation and ecological health.
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Asylum Lake Preserve
Asylum Lake Preserve is a 274-acre nature preserve that is owned and managed by Western Michigan University. The lake and adjoining property lie in the West Fork of the Portage Creek Watershed. This property serves as a research area for professors and students of anthropology, biology, geography, hydrogeology, and environmental studies at WMU as well as other educational institutions.
In September of 2008, management plans were developed for each of the nine habitat types in the preserve. A natural features inventory of the property was completed recently, outlining vegetation types, avian inventories and management strategies.
Asylum Lake Preserve Management Plan
For more information, please visit the NEWLY RENOVATED Asylum Lake Preserve website:
Kleinstuck Preserve
Kleinstuck Preserve is a 48-acre nature preserve owned and managed by Western Michigan University. This property is open to the public for passive recreation and is used by WMU and other educational institutions for research and education purposes.
A community volunteer group called Stewards of Kleinstuck has been actively working with WMU to restore the ecosystem health of the property.
Kleinstuck Preserve Management Plan
For more information, please visit the Kleinstuck Preserve website:
Campus Woodlots
There are approximately 132 acres of woodlots on campus. These are areas of forest vegetation that are not landscaped and designated as natural areas. With the help of volunteers, we have begun removing the invasive vegetative understory in these areas in order to improve the health of the habitats and create a safer environment for the University community. We are currently developing a Campus Woodlot Management Plan which will be available on our website upon completion.
Stormwater Management
WMU has made it a priority to better manage storm water on campus. While the University has been implementing stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) since 1998, WMU has recently made a commitment to filter and/or treat all stormwater which falls on WMU's campus before the water enters surrounding watersheds. The process is underway with the addition of retention/detention basins and rain gardens to the campus landscape. A Stormwater Master Plan is currently being developed as well. Management plans have been created for some of the more established stormwater treatment areas on campus such as the area across from Gilmore Theatre near Parking Lot 23. View Lot 23 Management Plan.
Interested in dedicating a tree?
Have it planted in one of WMU's Natural Areas!
For more information, please read the documents below.