The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy has been preserving northern Michigan’s natural areas for over three decades. In response to growing development interest in the region, the Conservancy has played a vital role in protecting irreplaceable lands. Stone Hut had the opportunity to document a major milestone in their decades-long conservation effort: The Elberta Waterfront Community Conservation Project. The resulting film captures how the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy worked with the Elberta community to raise funds to purchase land and chart a new vision for the Village of Elberta that honored their small town values.
When an international development company proposed a massive 400,000 square foot luxury resort that threatened to transform the quaint village of Elberta, the community rallied together in an unprecedented show of unity. In under 6 months, nearly 750 individuals and families raised $19.5 million to purchase the 35-acre waterfront property, with contributions ranging from 75 cents up to $9 million. The Elberta Waterfront Community Conservation Project will transform this former industrial site into a balanced combination of conservation and development: 10 acres will be protected as a nature sanctuary, 16 acres will become public waterfront parkland, and 9 acres will be used for community-driven redevelopment. This innovative approach demonstrates how conservation can serve as the foundation for balancing development, land protection, and recreational goals.
