Could a single greenhouse hold the key to protecting northern Michigan’s natural lands against the threats of climate change and invasive species? It’s a question the team at Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC) is testing out this year as part of its new headquarters at Mitchell Creek Meadows, off Three Mile Road. With the 2023 growing season in the rearview – and with every plant grown so far at the greenhouse now in the ground – The Ticker touched base with GTRLC for a by-the-numbers breakdown of the organization’s inaugural greenhouse season.
First, a refresher: Back in 2019, GTRLC purchased 200 acres of land off Three Mile with plans of building a new headquarters there as well as establishing a new nature preserve. The purchase of the land was made possible thanks to a $1.1 million gift from Don and Jerry Oleson, and the nature preserve at the site now bears their names. GTRLC has also since built its new $13 million “Conservation Center” on the campus, which officially opened earlier this year. In addition to serving as the hub of operations for the nonprofit, the Conservation Center is home to several new projects, including a greenhouse that grows native plants for restoration and stewardship efforts throughout GTRLC’s five-county service area.
Operations at the greenhouse got underway this past spring, with a team of volunteers cultivating a variety of wildflowers, grasses, and other native plants that have since been put in the ground throughout northern Michigan. GTRLC shared the following key statistics with The Ticker to break down the first year of the greenhouse.
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