DeVries Nature Conservancy is a nonprofit nature center established in 2006 from the estate of veterinarian J.R. "Jack" DeVries and his wife Frances, who together spent 44 years serving the veterinary needs of Owosso residents. Their final wish was to give back to the community they loved with a gift of lasting benefit for future generations.

Our mission: 
To preserve natural, scenic, forested lands and foster learning about Michigan's natural history and rural past.
 
Our stated purpose: 
To protect and preserve the natural communities that inhabit the Conservancy's grounds in a manner consistent with the region's native flora and fauna; to help people understand  their local heritage by cultivating a "sense of place" through an appreciation of the region's human history and natural environment; all the elements that, together, make a place special and unique.