How a dusty, unpaved roadway problem turned into an admired nature preserve

BlueTriton Brands' Natural Resource Manager for the Midwest, Arlene Vincent-Anderson (center), accepts the Wildlife Habitat Council's 2024 Green Infrastructure Project Award alongside Anna Willingshofer (left), Chief Science & Innovation Officer with WHC, and William Cobb (right), Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer with Freeport McMoRan.

BlueTriton Brands and Ice Mountain® Natural Spring Water proudly announce that the Twin Creek Nature Area in Evart, Michigan has received Gold Certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), the top honor for conservation certification initiatives. Additionally, the Twin Creek Nature Area took WHC 's 2024 Green Infrastructure Project of the Year Award, announced during the organization's annual Conservation Conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana this year.

The Twin Creek Nature Area has received Gold Certification since 2023 from the Wildlife Habitat Council.

The Ice Mountain® Brand began developing the 27-acre Twin Creek Nature Area in the heart of Evart, a small rural community located in central Michigan, in 2019. The company that produces and manufactures Ice Mountain®, BlueTriton Brands, owns the land the nature area occupies situated just north of the Osceola County 4-H Fairgrounds.

Map of the Twin Creek Nature Area showing points of interest including trails, a bioswale, and pollinator and rains gardens.

The idea for the nature area unfolded as community leaders, including Ice Mountain, came together to address a need to pave a dusty and heavily traveled dirt road around the town’s popular fairgrounds. Part of the solution was to design and construct a bioswale – a vegetated ditch specially designed to naturally filter stormwater runoff from the newly paved road. The natural area surrounding the bioswale inspired the idea for an educational nature area.

“We made sure to build time in the planning process to hear from the community about their ideas for the site, how they would use it, and features of the site that could be developed on an ongoing basis to keep the experience fresh,” said Arlene Anderson-Vincent, Senior Natural Resources Manager for Ice Mountain® Natural Spring Water. “We learned a lot through that process, and the ideas have contributed to a much better project than we could have imagined. The Twin Creek Nature Area remains one of my favorite projects and one in which I take great pride.”

The road improvement project included creating a stormwater retention system to help handle water runoff. Catch basins were installed in the roadway to collect water runoff and direct it into the bioswale. Four rain gardens were included in the bioswale design to naturally filter stormwater. The bioswale and rain gardens were designed to help protect the nearby cold-water stream and groundwater, provide a wetland habitat for wildlife, and diversify plant life by way of Michigan native vegetation.

Over time, partners in developing the nature area have included the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, Mecosta-Osceola Conservation District, Evart Public Schools, and the Evart Garden Club, all of which have contributed to the nature area or its use.

“The power of collaboration and community is the magic behind the success of Twin Creek Nature Area,” Anderson-Vincent added. “We are extremely grateful to our partners who brought their ideas, expertise, and volunteers to the effort. Today, we continue to seek creative ideas from groups that want to get involved and play a part in the site’s ongoing presence and performance as an environmental and ecological demonstration area.”

Anderson-Vincent says she’s excited with how the site has taken shape over the years as the volunteer-based learning environment she envisioned.

The site has benefited environmental science field study projects in partnership with nearby Central Michigan University and Ferris State University, as well as with EcoSeeds Marion Chapter, which offers young students environmental science lessons, Evart Elementary and Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps).

A recently developed partnership with the North Country Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (NCCISMA) “Strike Force” team will help eradicate and manage invasive vegetation species.

Today, the Twin Creek Nature Area helps protect water quality, preserves and enhances native habitats and ecosystems, and provides wonderful outdoor learning experiences for visitors and student groups.

You’ll also see native pollinator gardens to support wildlife and walking trails with educational interpretive signs that guide visitors on the property. The long-term vision of the area is to work with community and education groups to restore the area to a more native Michigan landscape.

As the area is constantly being maintained, in the summer of 2022, Ice Mountain, the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources, Michigan Dept. of Environment Great Lakes and Energy, and City of Evart, worked together to remove a historic rock dam and other debris to restore the creek’s natural flow to Twin Creek, which runs along the north edge of the nature area. Twin Creek is a cold-water tributary of Michigan’s Muskegon River, the second longest river in the state. Stream bank restoration and sinking logs to create natural fish habitats round out work that was completed.

Local clubs involved in partnering with the Twin Creek Nature Area are hosting educational events. An educational workshop called Wildcrafting with White Pine was held under the pavilion in the summer of 2024. It featured the history of the White Pine, Michigan’s state tree.

Participants learned how to identify various evergreens and beneficial uses of all parts of the tree including the needles and bark. At the end of the session, the group made White Pine Soda.

“At Ice Mountain and BlueTriton Brands, stewardship starts with protecting and conserving natural resources while working with others to expand the impact,” said Anderson-Vincent. “Twin Creek Nature Area continues to demonstrate the impact that partnerships can make in creating an environment that engages citizens of all ages in the beauty, workings, and wonder of our natural environment. As each season and year unfolds, the nature area evolves and offers visitors new experiences. One of our primary objectives is to provide opportunities for students to learn and drive ideas for improving how we care for our environment.”

The Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Certification program recognizes companies’ efforts to enhance and support biodiversity. The Twin Creek Nature Area’s Gold Certification is the highest-level recognition available in the program.

In 2021, Twin Creek Nature Area received a Silver Certification in the program and proudly received the Green Infrastructure of the Year Award.