The Petobego Natural Area is located in the northwest corner of Whitewater Township, straddling Angell Road and encompassing a total of 250 acres.
The dominant natural feature of the property is the approximately 7,500 linear feet of Tobeco Creek that flows through the middle of the Natural Area and its associated riparian wetlands.
The remainder of the Natural Area is primarily a mix of active agricultural land and fallow fields being colonized by weeds and early successional shrub and tree species.

Acquisition of the Petobego Natural Area occurred in a two-step process initiated by the listing for sale of a 343-acre farm owned by John H. Morrison in the summer of 2000. The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC) purchased the entire farm with financial assistance from the Michigan Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. In addition, Ben and Bonnie Weyhing, owners of an adjoining 31-acre parcel, signed an option to sell their land to the GTRLC. In August of 2000, Whitewater Township, with the assistance of the GTRLC, submitted a grant application to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) requesting funding to purchase that part of the Morrison property within Whitewater Township and the Weyhing property. The remaining part of the Morrison farm purchased by the GTRLC is located in Acme Township. All of the acreage within Acme Township was restricted with conservation easements and re-sold to private buyers. The MNRTF approved the grant for the purchase of the Petobego Natural Area in December of 2000. On November 25, 2002, Whitewater Township successfully closed on the property and ownership has been transferred accordingly.

The Petobego Natural Area is a portion of a much larger wetland complex within the Tobeco Creek watershed that includes Petobego Pond and Petobego Marsh, both of which are recognized by the Michigan Natural Features Inventory as natural areas of statewide significance. The entire marsh and a portion of the pond are owned by the State of Michigan as part of the Petobego State Game Area. Significant portions of the Petobego Natural Area occur within the State Game Area boundary and are considered critical to the health of the Game Area.

Habitat types within the Natural Area include the open water of the creek, emergent marsh, northern shrub thicket, and rich conifer swamp. Early successional grasslands and agricultural fields make up the remaining acreage. The only man-made improvements on the property are the remnants of barbed-wire fencing, an old building foundation and several deer hunting blinds left by the Morrison family.

Rules for Public Use
Rules for the use of this township property should be set by the Whitewater Township Board to maintain the natural resources of the Natural Area. These rules should include the following:
• Leashed dogs, under the control of their owner, shall be permitted. Unleashed dogs shall be prohibited, except for dogs used in conjunction with legal hunting practices, during legal hunting seasons, and in compliance with the Grand Traverse County Leash Law. Pre-season training of dogs shall be prohibited. Specific exceptions to this restriction may be granted by the Whitewater Township Board for situations when use of dogs is necessary for wildlife counts or other stewardship practices.
• Motorized vehicles shall be prohibited.
• Camping and camp fires shall be prohibited.

Hunting Access and Seasons
Hunting opportunities at the Petobego Natural Area will be determined by the Whitewater Township Board, with the purpose of providing a diversity of high quality hunting experiences, while limiting the impacts on non-game wildlife and their habitat.

Responsible hunting practices and stewardship should be encouraged through suggestions and educational information at access points. Educational information should explain the risks associated with baiting (i.e. spread of disease) and overuse of the property (i.e. reduced deer population).

All legal hunting seasons as determined by the State of Michigan shall be allowed. Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) hunter safety rules shall be observed during legal hunting seasons.

Use of firearms shall be permitted during legal hunting seasons. Target shooting or use of firearms shall be prohibited during all other times of the year.

Use of the barrier-free hunting blind shall be limited to disabled hunters during legal hunting seasons.

Trapping within the property is allowed, however, not encouraged unless the animal poses a threat to the property. In such cases, the Michigan Trappers Association, or other free trapping service, should be used to remove harmful animals from the site.

Hunting Regulations
Hunting regulations at the Petobego Natural Area shall generally follow those set forth by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for state land, with the following specific restrictions:
• Baiting shall be prohibited.
• Cutting or removal of live vegetation is prohibited.
• Construction of permanent blinds or other structures is prohibited.

Regulations shall be evaluated occasionally, especially if problems occur due to overuse of the property.