Legacy Land Conservancy closes on Iron Creek Nature Preserve
Closing at which Manchester Township residents Sybil Kolon and Maan Abdulbaki donated 79 acres of land, which has become the Legacy Land Conservancy’s Iron Creek Nature Preserve. Left to right: Susan LaCroix, Legacy protection director; Maan Abdulbaki; Sybil Kolon; Diana Kern, Legacy executive director; and Steve Palms, Legacy trustee. Kolon and Abdulbaki are not completely stepping away from the land. They live near the property and plan to be Eco Stewards, dedicated volunteers who help keep watch over the preserve as well as assist with critical projects as needed.
by Sara Swanson
Two months after reporting that the Manchester area would be getting a new nature preserve, we can report that Legacy Land Conservancy (Legacy) has closed with Sybil Kolon and Maan Abdulbaki and the Iron Creek Nature Preserve is official!
The preserve is not yet open to the public. Legacy is tentatively working toward an opening in spring 2025, but an official date depends on raising the remaining funds for a stewardship endowment. They are currently fundraising to cover ongoing management costs ensuring the preserve is responsibly managed forever. More than half has been raised by leveraging federal, state, and local funding sources, but over $400,000 is still needed.
“Legacy is excited to welcome the public to Iron Creek Preserve in the near future,” Legacy Land Conservancy Preserve Stewardship Manager Kyler Moran said. “However, we must first ensure it is welcoming and has clear guidelines in place so that we can protect the sensitive nature of the fen as well as the safety of the public while on the property.”
Some immediate tasks in addition to trail prep include hiring a bridge engineer to ensure the footbridge is safe for public use, delineating a parking lot, as well as installing an information kiosk, a detailed map, and a boot brush station.
In addition to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant, Legacy also received a grant from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, managed through Ducks Unlimited, to cover the acquisition transaction costs.
“We’re so grateful to our many partners who have come together to see this project come to life,” Executive Director Diana Kern said. “This work takes many hands, and we’re proud to have the trust and funding from our partner organizations to share this unique and beautiful preserve with our community.”
To donate to the Iron Creek Preserve Fund click here. You can also navigate to this page by going to https://legacylandconservancy.org/, clicking on “Support Us” at the top of the page, then clicking on “Active Projects,” then clicking on the link for the Iron Creek Preserve Project! If you would like to donate in another way or you have questions, you can contact development director Krista Jacob at (734) 780-6948 or kjacob@legacylandconservancy.org.
Want to get a sneak peek before the property is open to the broader public? Join Legacy on Thursday, May 23, from 3pm to 5pm for a workday. Volunteers will be hand pulling the invasive species garlic mustard. For more details and to RSVP, fill out the Google form (which you can reach by visiting https://legacylandconservancy.org/events/ and scrolling down and clicking on “5/23 Workday at Iron Creek Preserve,” then clicking on Google Form link). Questions? Call (734) 302-5263 or email volunteer@legacylandconservancy.org
The preserve is NOT open to the public yet! Legacy is tentatively working toward an opening in spring 2025
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