10 Years of Bridging Community to Nature |
In 2026, the Ottawa County Parks Foundation proudly celebrates 10 years of Bridging Community to Nature.
Throughout the year, our e-newsletter will highlight milestones from the past decade, share reflections from members of the Foundation’s founding Board of Directors, and showcase the lasting impact your generosity has made across Ottawa County Parks. Here’s to 10 years and the many more to come. |
2019
With support from donors like you, the first segment of the Idema Explorers Trail was completed. The Robinson segment is over 3 miles long connecting Riverside Park with Connor Bayou. 2020 The Ottawa County Parks Foundation provided
funding for the Versluis GVSU segment of the Idema
Explorers Trail. The Foundation also supported
construction of the public observatory at Hemlock
Crossing County Park.
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Alice Hoban Congratulations on the Parks Foundation’s 10 years of collaboration, planning, and success! Let’s all increase our efforts to engage with our neighbors to enlist support for each succeeding initiative. Our Parks Foundation can continue to provide that extra assistance for next steps in creating and maintaining quality parks. Parks for all!
Alice Hoban served on the Foundation's Board from its' founding until 2023. Alice also served from the Foundation's founding until 2018 as the Foundation's Treasurer. She continues to serve on the Foundation's Donor Engagement Committee.
Read more about Alice here.
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Learn more about the 2026 Scavenger Hunt by clicking the picture below. |
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Featured Park: Rosy Mound Rosy Mound is a classic Great Lakes dune system including high wooded dunes, foredunes, beach and a dune blowout. A 0.7 mile hiking trail from the parking area to the Lake Michigan shoreline includes 1,000 feet of stairs up and down the dunes and scenic views. A unique shade canopy, dune boardwalk trail and rustic toilets are located near the beach.
Learn more
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Plant of the Month: Red Honeysuckle |
by Bobbi Jones Sabine
Red honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica) is a fragrant, twining, deciduous vine, native to eastern and central North America. It can be found in moist, well-drained soils in forests and thickets, old dunes, fencerows, cedar swamps, and a host of other habitats. It’s a native vine, unlike the other shrubby honeysuckles, many of which are non-native. Although it is not very common, it grows throughout our entire state and has been recorded in nearly every county.
The flowers, varying in color from yellow to orange to red, are an early source for hummingbirds, bumble bees, and other long-tongued pollinators. Its berries provide food for small mammals and birds, and the dense foliage offers cover for small wildlife. It has a perfoliate terminal leaf, meaning that the stem appears to pass right through the center of the top leaf.
Also called limber honeysuckle, these plants have a long history in traditional medicine, especially in European and Chinese cultures. Prepared as a tea from the flowers, leaves, and bark (avoid the berries!), it’s used for respiratory infections, viral or bacterial infections, and digestive disorders, as well as headaches and skin conditions.
For centuries, authors and poets have used honeysuckle as a richly symbolic metaphor to illustrate themes of love, longing, and memory. L.M. Gauthier’s poem “There’s Magic in the Air” says it well:
“The honeysuckle tree clothed
With clusters of pink chiffon
The sky of nomad blue
Powdered with celestial dust
A magic scent in the air
To make you want to dance” |
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Photo credit: Michigan Natural Features Inventory, R.W. Smith |
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Join us June 20, 2026 for the Grand Explorers' Trail Race! What can we say? This trail race is Grand: Grand River, Grand Ravines, Grand bridges, and Grand views!
The course starts at Grand River County Park, winding you through a natural surface trail until you hit the Idema Explorers Trail segment that leads you along the Grand River to Grand Ravines County Park. |
- 10K and 5K
- 1-mile fun run/walk for kids
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Dogs are welcome
- Walkers are welcome
- Virtual option for 10k and 5k
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To learn more and register, run over to the race website.
Proceeds will support the Ottawa County Parks Foundation's mission. |
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