Michigan: DNR and Van Buren County expand state park by 17 acres
Michimich.com/10097584

Contact: Matt Metzger (DNR), 269-637-2788 or John Faul (Van Buren County), 269-657-8253 Agency: Natural Resources

Jan. 12, 2021

Van Buren County officials have approved a 25-year lease with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to expand Van Buren State Park's footprint to include the Northpoint Conservation Area located in South Haven Township. The 17-acre parcel of land borders the northern boundary of the park and boasts significant natural, scenic, ecological, biological and recreational assets. Existing hiking trails are popular for bird watching and lead visitors through rare, forested dunes to breathtaking views of Lake Michigan. The trails are open to hiking year-round. The new arrangement will place day-to-day management with the DNR. "We're excited to formally connect both parcels of public land through this unique partnership with the DNR," said Richard Godfrey, chair of the Van Buren County Board of Commissioners. "Because the DNR already manages the adjoining land, we determined that establishing common management would best ensure that the fragile, critical dune land is preserved and remains accessible to the public." More on Michimich.com Crunchbase Ranks Phinge Founder & CEO Robert DeMaio #1 Globally. Meet him in Las Vegas-Week of CES to Learn About Netverse, Patented App-less Platform Roofman USA Encourages Ann Arbor Homeowners to Plan Ahead for Roof Replacements in 2026 Wilderness Construction Highlights Design Details That Transform Bathrooms into Spa Sanctuaries Japanese Martial Arts Center Helps Students Find Strength and Balance Through Structured Training CMR Mechanical Shares Expert Tips to Prevent Furnace Breakdowns This Winter

Set along a 1-mile-long stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline, the state park is home to high dune formations, a modern campground, woodland trails and a day-use area. The park's most prominent natural features are its sandy beach, forested dunes, interdunal wetlands and diverse vegetation. Approximately 340 feet of additional lakeshore will join seamlessly with the already existing mile of state park beach. "This is a great opportunity to partner with Van Buren County," said Matt Metzger, supervisor for Van Buren State Park. "We look forward to playing an active role in management of such a unique piece of land and helping make it a special place for visitors to enjoy for years to come." While much will remain the same, visitors can expect to see new site signage, revised hours of operation, and more consistency among land use rules and the requirement for the Recreation Passport between both parcels. Parking along Ruggles Road will now require a Recreation Passport. For more information, contact Matt Metzger, park manager, at 269-637-2788 or MetzgerM1@Michigan.gov or John Faul, Van Buren County administrator, at 269-657-8253 or FaulJ@VBCO.org. More on Michimich.com Detroit Puzzle Competition Concludes Final In-Person Round for $11,239 Prize IODefi Introduces New Web3 Infrastructure Framework as XRP Ledger Development Gains Global Attention Terizza Forms Strategic Collaboration with UC San Diego to Pioneer Next-Generation Distributed AI Infrastructure EnergyStrat Launches Global LNG Risk Outlook 2025–2030 Strong Revenue Gains, Accelerating Growth, Strategic Hospital Expansion & Uplisting Advancements: Cardiff Lexington Corporation (Stock Symbol: CDIX)

/Note to editors: Accompanying photos of the new 17-acre parcel at Van Buren State Park are available for download./

• Van Buren shoreline
• Van Buren trail
• Van Buren dunes
• New Van Buren SP signage: Visitors to Van Buren State Park in southwest Michigan have 17 more acres to explore, courtesy of a lease agreement with Van Buren County. New signs mark the trailhead entrance and one of the boundaries of the land parcel.

---

Show All News | Report Violation