Petite Wetland Plant Preserve

This forested wetland provides a fine example of the mixed hardwood swamps and floodplains that once covered much of Southeast Michigan. When the glaciers receded, poorly drained till plain helped create habitats such as this. It supports large silver maple and black ash, whose high canopy guards a verdant carpet of wildflowers and ferns. This area is also a vital habitat for a large variety of birds and for amphibians that dwell in the small vernal pools protected from harsh sunlight by the thick forest cover. This land also plays an important role in the local watershed, filtering water destined for nearby Cranberry Lake.