Association plans public event at Asylum Lake Preserve

KALAMAZOO—The birds, plants and history of Kalamazoo's Asylum Lake Preserve will be showcased this month during an event dubbed A Day of Celebration that will also honor a local couple who played a key role in the preserve's development.

The event is open to the public and will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at the preserve's Parkview Avenue entrance. There will be two special tours of the preserve led by local naturalists: an Audubon Society tour for bird enthusiasts starting at 1:30 p.m. and a Michigan Botanical Club tour starting at 2 p.m. There also will be a tent where attendees can view exhibits and speak with representatives from area groups working to protect the Earth and preserve its natural resources.

A brief ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. at the Parkview parking lot to dedicate a memorial stone and plaque for Montford Piercey and Renay Piercey-Nesius. The couple was instrumental in organizing the Asylum Lake Preservation Association, or ALPA, which is hosting A Day of Celebration along with the Asylum Lake Management and Policy Council and the WMU Natural Areas Program.

Organizations may set up small booths in the exhibit tent between noon and 1 p.m. to display their work or promotional materials. To arrange to set up a display or to obtain more event information, contact Lauri Holmes, ALPA member, at lauriholmes@gmail.com or Steve Keto, WMU natural areas and preserves manager, at steve.keto@wmich.edu or (269) 760-9023.

About the Asylum Lake Preserve

The 274-acre Asylum Lake Preserve is owned by WMU and managed by the University in conjunction with the communitywide Asylum Lake Policy and Management Council. Located on the northeast corner of Parkview Avenue and Drake Road, it is part of the Arcadia Creek-Portage Creek Watershed and the broader Kalamazoo River Watershed.

The preserve encompasses Asylum Lake and Little Asylum Lake and is open to the public as a passive-use recreation area under an agreement between the University and city of Kalamazoo. In addition to supporting research and education at all school levels, the property is used by many area residents as a place for bird watching, running, walking, cross country skiing, swimming and fishing.