Michigan was once covered with vast, unbroken forests of pine and hemlock mixed with birch and poplar, and oak savannas marched as far as the eye could see. But in the process of settling the state and exploiting its natural resources, we have drained wetlands, dammed rivers, and cut all but a few remnants of the virgin forests, leaving that untouched Michigan hard to imagine now.

Yet important steps are being taken to protect Michigan's natural beauty, and the fact that we are able to enjoy our state today depends on the work of The Nature Conservancy and the various land conservancies...