What do you think?
Rate this book
Saving Arcadia: A Story of Conservation and Community in the Great Lakes
Saving Arcadia: A Story of Conservation and Community in the Great Lakes is a suspenseful and intimate land conservation adventure story set in the Great Lakes heartland. The story spans more than forty years, following the fate of a magnificent sand dune on Lake Michigan and the people who care about it. Author and narrator Heather Shumaker shares the remarkable untold stories behind protecting land and creating new nature preserves. Written in a compelling narrative style, the book is intended in part as a case study for landscape-level conservation and documents the challenges of integrating economic livelihoods into conservation and what it really means to “preserve” land over time.
This is the story of a small band of determined townspeople and how far they went to save beloved land and endangered species from the grip of a powerful corporation. Saving Arcadia is a narrative with roots as deep as the trees the community is trying to save; something set in motion before the author was even born. And yet, Shumaker gives a human face to the changing nature of land conservation in the twenty-first century. Throughout this chronicle we meet people like Elaine, a nineteen-year-old farm wife; Dori, a lakeside innkeeper; and Glen, the director of the local land trust. Together with hundreds of others they cross cultural barriers and learn to help one another in an effort to win back the six-thousand-acre landscape taken over by Consumers Power that is now facing grave devastation. The result is a triumph of community that includes working farms, local businesses, summer visitors, year-round residents, and a network of land stewards.
A work of creative nonfiction, Saving Arcadia is the adventurous tale of everyday people fighting to reclaim the land that has been in their family for generations. It explores ideas about nature and community, and anyone from scholars of ecology and conservation biology to readers of naturalist writing can gain from Arcadia’s story.
This is the story of a small band of determined townspeople and how far they went to save beloved land and endangered species from the grip of a powerful corporation. Saving Arcadia is a narrative with roots as deep as the trees the community is trying to save; something set in motion before the author was even born. And yet, Shumaker gives a human face to the changing nature of land conservation in the twenty-first century. Throughout this chronicle we meet people like Elaine, a nineteen-year-old farm wife; Dori, a lakeside innkeeper; and Glen, the director of the local land trust. Together with hundreds of others they cross cultural barriers and learn to help one another in an effort to win back the six-thousand-acre landscape taken over by Consumers Power that is now facing grave devastation. The result is a triumph of community that includes working farms, local businesses, summer visitors, year-round residents, and a network of land stewards.
A work of creative nonfiction, Saving Arcadia is the adventurous tale of everyday people fighting to reclaim the land that has been in their family for generations. It explores ideas about nature and community, and anyone from scholars of ecology and conservation biology to readers of naturalist writing can gain from Arcadia’s story.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 4, 2017
23 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Heather Shumaker
9 books39 followersHeather Shumaker writes books for children and adults. She began writing books in elementary school and is now an award-winning author of several books for adults. The Griffins of Castle Cary is her first book for children.
Before she became an author, Heather tried many jobs, including: milk maid, sailor, llama trek guide and fire crew. She also lived at the South Pole and sorted garbage and recycling in Antarctica. Heather now lives in northern Michigan with her husband and two children.
Before she became an author, Heather tried many jobs, including: milk maid, sailor, llama trek guide and fire crew. She also lived at the South Pole and sorted garbage and recycling in Antarctica. Heather now lives in northern Michigan with her husband and two children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
July 1, 2022
Great story of conservation in the Great Lakes.
Truly an inspiring story of community supporting a cherished landscape and all the complicated, near-misses of the logger, developer, the utility company or the bank along the way.
Makes me want to hike these special dunes in northern Michigan, smell the wild leaks and admire the early spring ephemerals that are now protected thanks to the conservancy’s hard work!
Truly an inspiring story of community supporting a cherished landscape and all the complicated, near-misses of the logger, developer, the utility company or the bank along the way.
Makes me want to hike these special dunes in northern Michigan, smell the wild leaks and admire the early spring ephemerals that are now protected thanks to the conservancy’s hard work!
June 3, 2022
Wow!! I would never have expected that a book about conservation would captivate me so thoroughly. This was a fantastic read. Thank you for documenting this epic tale beautifully, Heather Shumaker!
May 11, 2019
This book was so inspiring. I absolutely loved it. We need more Loraxes and I strive to be one and make more.
October 9, 2017
A true account that reads like a tension-filled novel. This is a David vs. Goliath story about how a diverse but determined group of citizens can band together to reach a noble goal--protecting one of Michigan's most special wild areas from becoming just another large-scale housing development and other "improvements."
Having visited the Western Michigan dunes area, I know first-hand how special that area is. It's a unique place in America, perhaps the world, and deserves to be maintained in as natural a state as possible.
The chronicles of how the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy worked for years to create a coalition of local residents, non-profits, charitable foundations, and a key boost from the state government, is as amazing as it is confusing. So many players, each one vital in some small way. The project might have easily fallen apart if even one or two players decided to withdraw permission or support.
Shumaker retells the story amazingly well since she had to rely on personal accounts, diaries, old records, and various other sources to blend all that data into a fascinating, cohesive tale about the great things a small group can achieve against daunting odds.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in how difficult it is to preserve and maintain wilderness in this country in the 21st Century.
Having visited the Western Michigan dunes area, I know first-hand how special that area is. It's a unique place in America, perhaps the world, and deserves to be maintained in as natural a state as possible.
The chronicles of how the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy worked for years to create a coalition of local residents, non-profits, charitable foundations, and a key boost from the state government, is as amazing as it is confusing. So many players, each one vital in some small way. The project might have easily fallen apart if even one or two players decided to withdraw permission or support.
Shumaker retells the story amazingly well since she had to rely on personal accounts, diaries, old records, and various other sources to blend all that data into a fascinating, cohesive tale about the great things a small group can achieve against daunting odds.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in how difficult it is to preserve and maintain wilderness in this country in the 21st Century.
Read
May 16, 2018Pretty darn gripping for a story that centers on capital campaign fundraising.
November 3, 2021
It is always a pleasure to read about a place with which I am familiar. I literally lived this book- spending summers at Camp Arcadia from age 6 on, hiking to the North Bluff, biking by the marsh- is is because of this very land that I became a plant ecologist with a focus on coastal dune ecosystems. I am so grateful that the Land conservancy succeeded at the remarkably impossible task of preserving this precious place.
Heather Shumaker transforms the painstaking process of conservation into a breathtaking and wildly exciting journey with a vast cast of characters who made it possible together. I cherish this book and this place and encourage anyone interested in conservation to read about how it happens behind the scenes.
Heather Shumaker transforms the painstaking process of conservation into a breathtaking and wildly exciting journey with a vast cast of characters who made it possible together. I cherish this book and this place and encourage anyone interested in conservation to read about how it happens behind the scenes.
March 13, 2018
Really 4 1/2.
This is really a well-written book. I was not expecting much, but was mistaken. It is a very detailed and interesting narrative about the saving of thousands of acres of farmland, grassland, forest, and dune from developers. This is our backyard, we hike, ski, and purchase fruit from these lands that were saved. The book also relates how the Grand Traverse Land Conservancy became a nationally recognized conservation organization. Thank you Glen Chown and Heather for your diligent and hard work. Thank you for not giving up. You saved Old Baldy, Abby's Woods, Green Point, and so much more. Keep up the great work!
This is really a well-written book. I was not expecting much, but was mistaken. It is a very detailed and interesting narrative about the saving of thousands of acres of farmland, grassland, forest, and dune from developers. This is our backyard, we hike, ski, and purchase fruit from these lands that were saved. The book also relates how the Grand Traverse Land Conservancy became a nationally recognized conservation organization. Thank you Glen Chown and Heather for your diligent and hard work. Thank you for not giving up. You saved Old Baldy, Abby's Woods, Green Point, and so much more. Keep up the great work!
August 11, 2017
Until I read Saving Arcadia, it had been more than a decade since I'd visited Old Baldy, the crowning glory dune. Within a week of finishing it, I had made a trip back. I have wonderful memories of summers spent at this Michigan coastline gem, and each chapter was like a round of polishing, ultimately inspiring me to make modern memories with a new generation of family. If you do not know Arcadia personally, the vivid writing and full-color photo selection are the next best thing to being there. I'll be buying this book for gifts, too.
July 22, 2018
Heather Shumaker tells a vibrant and interesting story about the saving of Arcadia Dunes in Northern Michigan. I am a Michigan native, but live downstate, and was never aware of this land conservation effort. I now better appreciate all of the people who daily take an interest in conservation, whether it be their job, their livelihood, or whether they are a devoted volunteer. It's important to take care of our great landscapes so that they are able to be enjoyed for generations to come. I commend Heather for writing this very detailed and interesting story.
February 27, 2025
I got this in the Sleeping Bear Dunes visitor center and am glad I picked it up. Shumaker writes with a mostly direct description which helps readers keep track of the dozens of people and many intersecting details, but interjects with these beautiful descriptions of nature time and again that occasionally made me misty-eyed. I appreciated conservation work already, but I didn't understand the scope and energy it could take to pull it off before reading this, and come out of this with a newfound respect for the important role these people play in the world.
May 13, 2017
The threat was none too subtle and all too real:
“You can hole up all you want, but it’s going to happen. As a utility, we can use eminent domain to condemn your property. We will have this land.”
SAVING ARCADIA is a gripping true story of a small but mighty band of people who saved their land and its inhabitants from corporate greed and destruction.
Five stars, must-read, we would all do well to take a page from the environmental vision in this incredible book.
“You can hole up all you want, but it’s going to happen. As a utility, we can use eminent domain to condemn your property. We will have this land.”
SAVING ARCADIA is a gripping true story of a small but mighty band of people who saved their land and its inhabitants from corporate greed and destruction.
Five stars, must-read, we would all do well to take a page from the environmental vision in this incredible book.
October 16, 2017
A Powerful story of overcoming impossible odds. Although it's implied by the title that the Arcadia Dunes will, in fact, be saved, the narrative storyline presents such overwhelming obstacles that one has to keep reading to see how this small group of passionate people are able to pull it off. Excellent conflict and tension throughout. Ms. Shumaker's specific details and vibrant prose adds such poignancy to this wonderful story. A very timely topic in these chaotic times.
February 13, 2018
Heather Schumaker's Saving Arcadia was one of those amazing books that you can't put down and was even more amazing because of its subject. Land conservancy is probably not high on the list of subjects most readers would choose, but this nonfiction book, written in novel form, explained very clearly how important land conservancy is and how it is possible to draw people into the need and the beauty of preserving nature's glorious gifts.
August 22, 2019
I love this book! You learn something on each page, challenging you to commit to action that cares for our ecology and communities. Review by: Paul Parsons
Saving Arcadia: A Story of Conservation and Community in the Great Lakes
Saving Arcadia: A Story of Conservation and Community in the Great Lakes
October 16, 2021
A non-fiction narrative page turning delight. This is the story of a local land conservancy group that saved a natural treasure from corporate goliaths. Saving Arcadia is not just about the land, it is about people and memories. The book provides hope for the future of land conservancy and stewardship. The writing is "wow" just like the view from the Arcadia Dunes: The C.S. Mott Nature Preserve. Each new chapter has a meaningful quote, thought provoking and spiritual.
October 23, 2017
The length of time over which this story spans, and the intricacies of legal maneuvering, could have rendered this story dull and uninteresting. To the contrary, Heather Shumaker's personal involvement in conservation and her passion for bringing a story -- and its characters -- to life, puts this book right up there at the top of environmental literature -- a classic to be sure.
February 26, 2018
Beautifully written, engaging, and encouraging. I thoroughly enjoyed every page and getting to see through the author's perspective and experiences. I learned a lot about land trusts, and about the process to preserve land. I found it to be full of optimism and passion. Glad to read about my home state.
December 4, 2018
A wonderful look at how tough it can be to preserve natural environments for future generations. Even better because of how this one was done and great to see people who live up to their promises. Made me want to go visit Arcadia and walk some of the trails, look out on Lake Michigan from the dunes and see the fruit orchards. Well done.
September 3, 2021
Excellent storytelling about the human action and collaboration required in land conservation. An uplifting story about the power of human action to save our natural spaces. A good read for anyone who wants to learn what it is to work at a mission driven nonprofit, the different pieces that are required, and the usefulness of a nonprofit to push, coordinate, and drive community action that many groups want, but don’t have the capacity to drive themselves with their other jobs etc. Also, how much people can add with volunteer or outside-of-work efforts, big and small.
January 28, 2018
“Dramatic, intelligent and uplifting, Heather Shumaker’s Saving Arcadia wonderfully portrays the cast of characters and complex dynamics that accomplished a monumental feat of land protection. It’s quite a remarkable book.”
July 16, 2018
This is a David vs Goliath story which took place in my home state of Michigan. A small band of environmentalists took on a giant public utility and were able to keep a big swath of precious lake shore and dunes free from development. I loved this story and so did my book club.
December 27, 2018
Well written with great insights into the complexities of a large, multi- faceted land conservation project. Having grown up in Benzie County, this book had special interest to me as I knew names and places.
January 20, 2019
A fascinating back story to the lakeshore and woods that I've loved from the moment I laid eyes on it. This book has taught me new respect for how incredibly special Arcadia is. In the spirit of Wendell Berry, it's a great tale of what the land demands and what we - who love it - give freely.
November 23, 2023
Excellent account of people who are dedicated to preserving the land for future generations. A very difficult task of going up against people with enormous wealth and succeeding. Well written filled with tension.
August 28, 2017
This is a well written and engaging book about all the work necessary to save a natural area. If you're familiar with the western shore of Lake Michigan, this is a worthwhile read.
September 7, 2018
I appreciated this book as a survey of the process it takes to put land conservation into place, and because its setting is personal and familiar. It's heavy on fundraising talk, which is interesting to me because it relates to my own work. I was expecting it to be a little heavier on "nature writing" (probably my misinterpretation). I recommend this as a Michigan story and an informational read, less so for being a super engaging book. I'm curious about what the author will write next!
August 5, 2019
I learned a great deal about land conservation and the success of the Land Conservancy. Thank you for saving Arcadia Dunes!
March 14, 2021
Surprising look at the inner workings of land management, development and the political systems that help support and derail the dreams and desires of many interests.
January 11, 2022
Enthralling read on the history of Arcadia Dunes. I’ve been there so many times but never knew the history and work that went into it.
January 24, 2023
I would give this book 100 starts for the fight over nature from kindest humans in West Michigan.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews