Saugatuck Dunes Named One of America's 11 Most Endangered Places; How You Can Help

The Saugatuck Dunes are in the national spotlight today, for an unfortunate reason. The 2,500-acre Michigan site has been named as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Lisa Wozniak, executive director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, was in Saugatuck for the announcement.

"The distinction of being one of America’s '11 Most Endangered Places' emphasizes and underscores the vital economic importance to our state of the historical, cultural, ecological, and educational resources found in the Saugatuck Dunes," Wozniak said.

"The economic importance of this intact landscape is something Michiganders and Chicagoans have known for one hundred years. The '11 Most' distinction now shines a spotlight on the actions of anyone who threatens this already endangered landscape."

The annual National Trust list highlights important examples of architectural, cultural and natural heritage sites that are at risk of destruction or irreparable damage. 

For the uninitiated, the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Area is located along the shores of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Kalamazoo River. It boasts a sparsely-developed landscape of beach, rare freshwater dunes, water, woods and wetlands. It's also home to several endangered species. The site is threatened by a proposed 400-acre residential development by Singapore Dunes LLC.

“Saugatuck Dunes is a remarkable, untouched, sustainable cultural landscape, one that has survived despite the aggressive development that has scarred other areas along Michigan’s coastline,” Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said in a statement. 

“If this development project proceeds, Saugatuck’s story will be sadly illustrative of many other resort communities that lost their heritage, their character and their distinctiveness in the face of deep-pocketed developers.” 

This is the second time Saugatuck has been named to a National Trust list. In 2009, the organization named Saugatuck and the nearby town of Douglas to an annual list of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations. 

Let's hope this latest designation brings some much-needed national awareness to the Saugatuck Dunes saga. To learn more about what you can do, see www.PreservationNation.org/11Most.  

--- Image Credit: National Trust via Flickr.