Guide for the Saturday, Oct. 6, walk will be April Scholtz, Land Protection director for the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. Scholtz, who has a Masters of Biological Sciences from the University of Michigan, worked with landowners and Muskegon County officials to help secure permanent conservation of the 95-acre property through a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant. She has been protecting natural land in West Michigan with the Conservancy for 19 years.

According to Scholtz, the new addition to Meinert County Park “receives very little visitation and is an excellent example of a forested dune system.” Scholtz will guide participants on a walk that will first take them across the open sand “blow-out,” then into wooded dunes, over to a grassy wetland, and then to a small pond where duck, heron, and kingfisher regularly are seen. Schultz says that participants should be prepared for a strenuous hike on uneven ground. She recommends wearing sturdy shoes for hiking up and down the dune slopes.

The walk will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will end at approximately noon. Meet at the upper level parking area in Meinert County Park, 8390 Meinert Road in Montague. County park fees do not apply at this time. For those who need directions or for carpooling, the meeting place will be the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, 124 W. Hanson Street in Whitehall at 10 a.m. Parking is available.

The event is free. Registration for walks is suggested, but not required.

Alcoa Howmet sponsors the nature walks. Coordinators are Great Lakes Consulting and the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.

For more information or to register for a walk, call the White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce at (231) 893-4585 or contact Great Lakes Consulting at (231) 981-0016.