If you ask 11-year-old Tanna Windham what she likes most about having moved to her grandparents’ land near Suttons Bay last year, the first thing out of her mouth might surprise you. Is it the beaches? The Dune Climb? Playing in the woods on the beautiful 80 acres that comprises her new back yard? No. “When I go to sleep,” says Tanna, “I don’t hear all the cars like I did in Grand Blanc. It’s more quiet.”

Tanna’s mom, Nona, says she and her kids could not be more delighted with life in Leelanau. “We’re just loving it,” says Nona. “People are so friendly. We absolutely love Suttons Bay Schools, and we’ve met and made friends with more people in one year than we did in seven years in Grand Blanc. Our friends come up to visit and can’t believe how beautiful it is.”

Her husband, Jay, is hoping to relocate permanently too, but first must transition out of his property management business downstate. For now, it’s weekends only for Jay.

An avid hunter and fisherman, Jay and his sister, Julie Windham, inherited the land and a cozy log home when their mom, Barbara, passed away in 2007. Julie had moved into the log home in 2001 to keep her mom company after her father died. She works as a speech therapist in Traverse City.

Now, Julie shares the home with her brother and his family. They may put an addition soon for kids’ bedrooms, but for now, it’s all good. “We call it the Windham Experiment,” laughs Julie.

The 40-something siblings and Nona met at Albion College. “I was the RA on Nona’s floor,” says Julie. Nona recalls driving north with Jay practically every other weekend to spend time on the land, camping out and making bonfires.

Over the years, a common love for Leelanau and their desire protect the land that their parents dearly loved has brought the trio even closer. This fall, the Conservancy purchased a conservation easement that removes the possibility of development on 60 acres. In doing so, Julie says they have honored her mother’s dying wish, and their own as well. “None of us would ever want to see this land changed in any way,” says Julie.

In addition to the spectacular views of a sweeping Bingham Township valley, a focal point of the log home is a full-sized grand piano. Barbara was a professional classical vocalist who sang regularly across the mid-west region as a soloist for symphonies including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Barbara taught other professional vocalists for 40 years downstate and in Leelanau, where, says Julie, “she made some of the most important friendships of her life.” A nature enthusiast who maintained several birdfeeders on the property, Barbara also enjoyed nature photography. Her photos line the walls of the home.

Before he died in 1996, Barbara’s husband, Frank, loved to hunt, fish and create trails on the property—and name them too. Among them: Daisy Lane, Lone Pine and a “dark and spooky” one called Halloween Trail. “These are old woods,” says Nona. “There are trees so big down there that you can’t get your arms around them.”

A few years ago, Barbara approached the Conservancy about preserving the land. Julie says she and her mom were sure that the Conservancy was the right way to go, but her brother had reservations that needed to be put to rest. “As a family, we weren’t ready,” says Julie.

As time went by, they started seeing articles about other people who were conserving their land. “We came back to the Conservancy to learn more about our options,” explains Julie. “It was nice that we were dealing with the same person again. (Matt Heiman, Director of Land Protection.) We had so many questions.”

“We just didn’t know what we could and could not do on the land,” says Nona. “The very term, ‘conservation easement.’ is so confusing. You picture all these people tramping through your land until you learn that that the word ‘easement’ is just a legal term. It doesn’t mean it’s open to the public.”

When they decided to move forward, Julie says “Matt walked us through the whole thing, and was so forthright. He was a huge part of making this happen. I trust him emphatically.”

Much of 60 protected acres is high quality wetland that is part of the Lake Leelanau Watershed. “It has a feeling of a pristine wetland with very little evidence of any human activity,” says Matt. “There are impressive, towering white pines and Eastern hemlock that are larger than you typically find.” A lush diversity of ferns and orchids are also present. “Protecting this land protects the quality of Lake Leelanau, because of the massive wetland complex here,” adds Matt. “It’s a critical piece of the Lake Leelanau Watershed and also shelters an abundance of wildlife.” Bobcat, deer, coyote, grouse, wild turkey and hundreds of songbirds make their home here.

In a bargain sale, the Conservancy purchased development rights over 60 of the family’s 80 acres with the help of a Clean Michigan Initiative Grant and a generous donation of a portion of the land value by the Windhams. The other 20 acres remains unrestricted and are located on higher ground. As with all land that remains in private hands through conservation easement, the Windhams will still pay property taxes on the conserved 60 acres, but the assessed value may decline, reflecting the development rights given up in the conservation easement.

“Jay and I have always dreamed of being out on a boat on the bay on a Sunday night, waving goodbye to everyone who has to go home and spend four or five hours in the car,” says Nona. “For so many years, that has been us.” She’s hoping that within the next six months, Jay will drive north for good.

As for Julie, she says “our hearts have always been in Leelanau, on this property. My mom wanted two things to happen before she died.  I know one was to be able to sing again (her health impacted her voice in her last years).  The other was to have an easement with the Conservancy with this property. Jay and I as owners of this wonderful home and land now are so fortunate to have worked with the Conservancy and Matt to make this happen.”