Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve, a unique partnership

Watkins Lake State Park is Michigan’s 103rd state park, and the first to be jointly managed between the state and county governments. Photo courtesy of Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation.

By Claire Pajka

Michigan’s newest state park, Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve (WLP), is comprised of Watkins Lake, open meadowland, and low wetland areas. Long a popular birding and wildlife observation area, Watkins Lake is designated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) as a waterfowl refuge. This serene park also holds historic value from its namesakes Royal and Sally Watkins, who were the first European settlers to farm in the area and later were involved in the Underground Railroad.

WLP is also trailblazing in its management techniques: it is one of the first parks to be managed collaboratively between MDNR and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission (WCPRC). Typically, the MDNR manages state wildlife areas, state park campgrounds, state forests, and the six fish hatcheries throughout the state, while the WCPRC manages natural area preservation, historic site preservation, and the Border-to-Border Trail connecting different cities throughout Washtenaw County.

WCPRC acquired 405 acres in 2015, while MDNR purchased 717 acres of the preserve the following year, and throughout 2017 the WLP Management Team brought together DNR and WCPARC staff, stakeholders, and the public to develop the General Management Plan (GMP).

The Watkins Lake GMP, created and adopted by both parties, outlines general action and management goals for the park including the control of invasive species, rules and regulations for the park, and the development of educational and interpretive programming. The decisions and goals of the GMP are based on the MDNR and WCPARC mission statements, both of which cite the protection of natural resources, and development of recreational and educational opportunities as important values. This plan also designates the management zones throughout the park: an ecologically sensitive zone, primitive zone, back-county zone, and natural resource recreation zone. Though these areas are technically divided, they are all are jointly managed between the two agencies.

Coy Vaughn, the Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission Director, explained that discrepancies in rules, policies, and park design standards between MDNR and WCPARC posed an initial challenge for WLP. Vaughn stated that these differences were overcome with the creation of the GMP and outlining of a common vision. Involved in the GMP since the beginning of the process, Park Manager James O’Brien from MDNR explained that with great open communication between the two agencies, as well as a shared interest in protecting the land and developing recreational opportunities for the public, all management problems that arose from the collaborative management have been easily resolved. O’Brien emphasized that regularly scheduled meetings between MDNR and WCPARC staff, and existing relationships between the agencies, have also proved helpful in the continued management of the area.

Joint management has worked for Watkins, but is it a feasible model for other natural preservation areas? Both O’Brien and Vaughn believe that it is, agreeing that the partnership has allowed them to accomplish more together than either organization could have done on its own. O’Brien went on to explain that because of the financial limitations that individual agencies face, partnering at the local, state, and federal level is a great method to ensure that areas are adequately funded and protected.

Though the lake and area around the lake close September 1 to protect important waterfowl migrations, the park is currently open for visitors through the summer months with an MDNR- required recreation passport, and is perfect for an afternoon of exploration!

8-2-20 correction: An earlier version of this article stated that the Watkins participated in the Underground Railroad during the Civil War when in fact it was in 1847. 

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.