Boardman River Nature Center in Traverse City, Michigan, is operated by the Grand Traverse Conservation District and centers on teaching local residents about the region’s plants and animals, especially species native to the Boardman River valley. It also functions as the interpretive center and management headquarters for the 505-acre Grand Traverse Natural Education Reserve. The reserve includes Northern Michigan woodlands, wetlands, ponds, and other wet areas connected to the Boardman River above Boardman Lake. Its wildlife includes whitetail deer, red fox, mink, otter, and an active beaver pond, with about 7 miles of trails leading through these varied habitats.