Founders Preserve

The Property

In December 2025 Chikaming Open Lands (COL) acquired a 87-acre tract of high-quality forest, wetland and former agricultural land prominently located on Three Oaks Road in Chikaming Township. Some of the features that make this property special include:

• Ecologically-valuable forest, wetlands, and vernal pools.
• Former agricultural fields which COL plans to restore to native species.
• A prominent location of the property on Three Oaks Road creates an opportunity to provide public access for recreational and educational use.

The Founders

In the late 1990's, Peter Van Nice saw a potential problem brewing in this area: its growing popularity was leading to an increase in development, which was beginning to change the landscape. Always a champion of conservation, Peter decided to set up a land conservancy in southern Berrien County. He recruited his wife Jeanie and friends Jean and Steve Smith and forged ahead, incorporating Chikaming Open Lands in December of 1999.

In the years that followed, Peter, Jeanie, Steve and Jean worked tirelessly to cultivate Peter’s vision, growing COL into a fully operational land trust with full-time staff, offices, and a portfolio of protected natural areas. After Peter passed away in 2022, COL’s Board and staff wanted to pay tribute to Peter’s legacy, and to recognize all four of the organization’s founders by dedicating this new nature preserve in their honor: The Founders Preserve.

A Community Effort

The conservation of this property was made possible by the generosity of numerous donors, along with vital support from foundations, local partners, and the broader community. Together, they helped raise the $1.2 million needed to acquire and restore this ecologically significant property. A key driver of the campaign’s success was a $250,000 challenge grant from The Carls Foundation, which inspired additional giving and accelerated momentum toward the finish line.

Over the coming year, COL will focus on:

• Developing hiking trails
• Installing educational signage and trail markers
• Designating recreational use areas
• Restoring habitat, including former agricultural fields
• Constructing a parking area to support safe and sustainable public access

As restoration and planning efforts begin, COL looks forward to welcoming the community to Founders Preserve through guided hikes, volunteer stewardship days, and educational programs. 

Left to right: Steve Smith, Jean Smith, Jeanie Van Nice, and the late Peter Van Nice

"Peter’s father nurtured a love of nature in his two sons through gardening, planting trees, and caring for the land together. That early connection to the outdoors and Peter’s deep love for this area inspired him to become a conservationist and later to share that passion with others by founding Chikaming Open Lands." 

- Jeanie Van Nice, Founder