Protect Land and Water For All

Our mission is to protect one of the last remaining Prairie Fen Wetlands the endangered Poweshiek Skipperling butterfly calls home. This wetland is also home to the headwaters of the Shiawassee River. By saving this habitat, we protect the homes of many animal and plant species as well as the quality of water for our communities.

Thanks to you, we're well on our way to raising our $275,000 goal. We kicked off our multi-year campaign and successfully raised $200,000 with generous support from private donors, The Carls Foundation, and Consumers Energy. These contributions funded the purchase of initial acreage and land stewardship. We are now entering the final year of the campaign with only $75,000 left to raise. We will use your donations to purchase more acreage and support the stewardship work needed to preserve the land for future generations.

Help us protect this vital habitat for the benefit of humans and nature alike. Let's work together to ensure future generations have the opportunity to experience the wonder of this unique slice of the world.

Poweshiek Skipperling

Once the most common prairie skipper (butterfly), the Poweshiek Skipperling is now listed by the international database, IUCN, as critically endangered. These skippers are found in pristine Prairie Fen wetland habitats, which, too, are endangered. Increased development with a lack of concern for natural ecosystems leads to the decline of this abundant habitat and this species. The nature of ecosystems is, as its name indicates, a system. Once one species starts to disappear, others follow, dependent on each other for food and other needs.

BHHC and partners, both regionally and internationally, recognize the urgency to promote compatible development. To do this, we collaborate to preserve parcels of land to create greenway corridors and provide space for scientists to study and monitor the health of many species dependent on the fen. Protecting Prairie Fen habitats not only safeguards species like the Poweshiek but also saves our drinking water. Prairie Fens are often home to the headwaters of major rivers and, if contaminated, result in the pollution of water downstream and connected underground aquifers.