In 2001, the Berrien County Parks Commission acquired 86 acres in New Buffalo Township to establish the Galien River County Park Preserve. This undeveloped property includes a mix of upland and wetland habitats along the Galien River. The wetland area is particularly significant in that it is a part of the larger "New Buffalo Marsh," a Great Lakes marsh that formed along the Galien River just upstream from the river's mouth at Lake Michigan.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Pokagon Fund in 2008 a Master Plan for future park improvements was developed. Planned future developments include an Interpretive Center, observation platforms and boardwalk trails in the wetlands and to the river's edge. All facilities will be designed to provide universal access.

In 2010 The Berrien County Parks Commission developed a Phase 1 development proposal that includes several key features of the Master Plan, including a spectacular Marsh Overlook Tower. Generous grant funding has been pledged by the Pokagon Fund and the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) to assist Berrien County with these improvements and we hope to begin construction in spring of 2013, with completion by Labor Day, 2013. Check back for updates on this exciting project!