Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA) announced this week that Leo Creek Preserve has been gifted to them to serve as an outdoor learning laboratory for educational programming.
This donation will allow ISEA to provide shoreside watershedfocused educational experiences while continuing to keep the property open to the public for all to enjoy.
Leo Creek Preserve is a nineacre outdoor learning laboratory, nature preserve, and botanical garden located south of Suttons Bay along the TART Trail. It features over 1,000 feet of waterfront along Leo Creek, a groundwater stream that feeds into Grand Traverse Bay. The stream itself serves as an important habitat for fish, aquatic insects, and amphibians, while the surrounding forest is an ideal habitat for deer, mink, otters, and turkeys. This piece of property has long been beloved by people of all ages as a place to escape everyday life and reconnect with the natural wonders of northern Michigan.
“We are honored to continue the stewardship of Leo Creek Preserve, ensuring that it remains a jewel of Suttons Bay for students and the public,” ISEA Executive Director Fred Sitkins said.
“As ISEA continues to expand our year-round educational programs, Leo Creek, just a mile from our Suttons Bay campus, will play a large role in making our Watershed Exploration programs come to life for the students we serve.”
Leo Creek Preserve has been stewarded by Kate Thornhill since its purchase in 2016. The land was placed under a conservation easement with the Leelanau Conservancy to preserve its natural beauty for generations. Over the years, Kate and her team of dedicated volunteers developed the gardens to include a wide variety of native flowers and created educational stations to teach visitors about the importance of native species and biodiversity.
For the many individuals who love Thornhill and the preserve she created, rest assured that she will be staying on to care for and maintain the gardens through the next few years of transition.
Since 2021, ISEA has utilized Leo Creek as a natural classroom to facilitate its Watershed Exploration programs and we are excited about the many exciting opportunities this beautiful preserve will provide to our students and the community of Suttons Bay.
