History
Ann Arbor's city parks sit on the ancestral and traditional homelands of several indigenous Native peoples. Read a
land acknowledgement from the city and learn more about the early history of the land
here.
The Oakwoods Nature Area property was acquired in several stages from 1984 to 2016. These additions occurred as the surrounding areas were zoned for residential development, during which the land was dedicated to or purchased by the city.
The nature area has undergone restoration efforts by the staff and volunteers of Natural Area Preservation for many years. The first documented restoration work was the cutting down of buckthorn, a non-native invasive shrub species, in January 1996. The first controlled burn was conducted a couple of years later, in the spring of 1998. Controlled burns help to limit invasive plant growth, break down plant debris and stimulate the germination of native wildflowers. The staff and volunteers of Natural Area Preservation continue to work on restoration projects at Oakwoods Nature Area each year. Visit Natural Area Preservation for more details on the efforts to protect and restore Ann Arbor’s natural areas. You can find more information related to Oakwoods Nature Area in a 2014 Natural Area Preservation newsletter:
