A new 56 acre nature preserve near Charlevoix is set to open this fall.
The preserve will feature trails throughout the forest and include access to a quarter mile of shoreline along the Little Traverse Bay.
The new preserve will be the Little Traverse Conservancy’s first universally accessible trail, allowing visitors who use walkers, strollers and wheelchairs to easily navigate the paths by limiting how steep the trails are in any section.
Emily Hughes, the director of development for the Little Traverse Conservancy, said the preserve will incorporate the native language of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians throughout the trail system.
“When the anonymous lead donor said that they wanted to name this place, the person was very clear that they wanted the name to be translated in Anishinaabemowin,” Hughes said. “And so when we went to the tribe for that translation, they translated it to Enji-minozhiiyaamigak and they said this is the place of peacefulness.”
All signage throughout the trails will be in Anishinaabemowiin first followed by an English translation.
