A group of Chikaming Township residents has come together to try to preserve 16 acres pristine property that had been slated for development.

Donna DePaolo with Save Lakeside Woods tells us they’re talking about property off Lakeside Road between Red Arrow Highway and Warren Woods Road.

“It was purchased by a developer who began developing, but the community got involved and said, ‘It’s not that we don’t like development, this development doesn’t fit into the community,” DePaolo said.

The developer was planning to put in vacation cabins on the site. However, the plans hit a snag when EGLE reviewed them and said wetlands in Lakeside Woods were undevelopable. Save Lakeside Woods has since reached a land contract with the owner to acquire the property so it can be preserved.

“It’s already been arranged to donate the land to a local land conservancy, Chikaming Open Lands, and they will protect the land. They’ll be the guardian of the land. Actually, they’ll own the land.”

DePaulo says the group is raising $1.3 million to buy the land to make this happen. So far, it’s raised more than $300,000, and the fundraising push will continue until the goal is reached.

You can learn more about the preservation effort at SaveLakesideWoods.com.