Great Signage, Wide, New Trails, Glacial Memories

Navigating construction headaches and detours, on SaturdayAugust 23, twenty-six people accompanied by two dogs easily found room in the newly built parking lot of the Myron Perman Nature Preserve in Buchanan, Michigan. The topic of the day, led by Pat Fisher, President of HCH, was the glacial Lake Madron, first of five glacial lakes in the Berrien County, Kalamazoo, and Valparaiso morainic systems. The parking lot was the first indication of how easily accessible this new preserve is. The trails are wide and well-cared for. The signage is abundant, and, given the diversity of environment in the 45-acre preserve, we were all in for a real treat. The lack of mosquitos and the cool weather only added to our pleasure.

The history of this place is no less interesting. In 1986 a group of friends purchased the land. Myron Perman, a professional carpenter, oversaw the construction of a small house and three families owned and enjoyed the property for over three decades. In 2022, it was donated to the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy in partnership with Chikaming Open Lands with the caveat that this beautiful place would always be enjoyed by the public. Notable is the quote on one of the historical markers: “We hope this forest will inspire others as it has inspired us and so many dear ones.”

As we walked, Pat explained another history: the glacial retreat that formed kettle lakes and drumlins throughout Michigan. The drumlin itself is an elongated hill composed of glacial deposits formed beneath an ice sheet and aligned in the direction of ice flow. Pat lovingly called the accumulating deposits “glacial poop,” and all of us got to climb the steep hills. (Pat had brought extra walking sticks for those who needed them.) Before the climb, we began the hike on flat land that was surrounded by farm fields. Inside the wetland forested area, we viewed sassafras, basswood, beech, maple, oak, wild cherry trees, and what appeared to be a vernal pool. An abundant supply of acorns had fallen. One member found the remains of a beautiful, large pale green Luna moth native to eastern North America.

While the trees around us were not immense as in Old Growth forests, some of the beech were substantial in size, and everything, minus the stinging nettle and poison ivy, dappled by sunlight and shadows, made us want to come back. A few noted that it would be hard to get lost with the signage and that you could see through the trees a good distance. As for the poison ivy, Pat also had great advice. He tightens up his pants legs by first rolling up his pant cuffs, tightening and holding them in place by using military blousing bands (rubber bands can also be used), then unrolling and tucking the cuffs into his boots. This keeps the pants tight against his boots and keeps things out such as ticks, snow or water. Since oils from poison ivy can transfer to boots, he reminded all to wash their hands after lacing an unlacing them.