Our Guardian of Ox-Bow 

Protect us from Realtors,
Developers,
Right-Wing Politicians,

And the Self-Appointed Guardians of Good Taste!
Let the Landscape hypnotize those who wish to exploit it so they forget their evil intent as they exit its sacred grounds. 
Bless those who visit and are touched by its beauty. 
Protect its beautiful forest, let the trees and the Meadow, and sing praise to all of creation.

Let the spirit of the trees branch out into the sky and circle the grounds with its Magic.
Protect the Inn from fire, tornadoes, lightning, plumbing disasters, and water damage.

Wind of the North! Rushing and mighty!
Aid us in our Magical work!
Wind of the East! Dazzling and bright! 
Aid us in our Magical work! 
Winds of the West! Gentle and buoyant! 
Aid us in our Magical work!

Let it be restored! Let the Magic continue!

Let the frogs leap; let the turtles swim in the lagoon. Let the toads’ croaking resound in the midnight air! 
Let the cicadas scream into the midday heat! Let the wild grass grow and fill in the barren spots.

And above all
Let the blacksmith’s anvil sing with the night wind! 
Let the potter’s wheel spin with the rotation of the Earth!
Let the canvas bleed with color to capture the radiance and clarity of the Sun! 
Let the printmaker catch the moment in time! 
Let the papermaker spin a web of protection and entice a captive audience!

In perfect timing, and in perfect harmony.
In rhythm with the Earth, the Sky, the Sun, the Oceans and Rivers, the Moon
and all of the elements . . . Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
For the good of all! 
And so it shall be!

—John Rossi

Ox-Bow Land Conservation Easement

Ox-Bow’s property is an ecologically significant parcel of undeveloped land that includes forested dunes dominated by beech, hemlock, oak, and maple; a portion of an oxbow lake; a large estuary and marsh; frontage on the Kalamazoo River; and open dunes. The property’s size; diverse upland, aquatic, and wetland natural habitats; relative lack of human disturbance; and proximity to other undeveloped dune ecosystems make it a high-quality natural area that supports a diversity of species. 

 Rare species known to the property include the pileated woodpecker, eastern box turtle, and Blanchard’s cricket frog. The marsh adjacent to the Kalamazoo River is considered by state fisheries biologists to be important for spawning lake sturgeon, creek chubsucker, and black buffalo. Spotted turtle have also been found in the marsh and the oxbow lagoon.

The property is home to steep parabolic dune ridges and valleys with mature forest. It contains valued native forestland, which includes diverse native species, trees of many age classes, and structural diversity, encompassing a multi-story canopy, standing dead trees, and downed logs.

Ox-Bow Indigenous LandS Acknowledgement

Ox-Bow is situated on 110 acres referred to as the Tallmadge Woods. This is the unceded land of the Potawatomi, who called themselves Neshnabek, meaning “original people” or “true people.” The Potawatomi were forcibly removed by the US government, made to march westward in a two-month journey[KK1]  referred to as the Potawatomi Trail of Death. We acknowledge the Potawatomi community, their elders both past and present, and their future generations as the original inhabitants of this land. We also acknowledge that Ox-Bow was founded upon exclusions and erasures of many Indigenous peoples, including those on whose land this institution is located. This acknowledgment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to working to dismantle the legacies of settler colonialism.