A 360-acre property, the second largest undeveloped parcel in Koehler Township, Cheboygan County, will now be placed in permanent protection thanks to a creative agreement reached by the property’s owner and the Little Traverse Conservancy.

In order to ensure that his beloved land escaped future development, Dr. Boyd Banwell was willing to sell the land to the Little Traverse Conservancy at a discount for the mutual benefit of the seller and the Conservancy. Dr. Banwell will retain a life lease, or “reserved life estate” on the property, and the Conservancy receives a substantially reduced price. The property includes 2.9 miles of Pigeon River frontage – the single longest stretch of privately-owned land along the entire river. The land is bordered by Mackinaw State Forest land to the northeast and also adjoins the Conservancy’s Agnes Andreae Preserve to the north. An ecologically-diverse mix of habitats are found within the large property.