Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance Announces Co-Founder and Board President’s Retirement
David Swan Secures Place in Saugatuck’s Long Legacy of Conservation Stewardship
Coastal Alliance will Begin Search for an Executive Director in the Coming Weeks
SAUGATUCK, MI -- The Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance today announced the retirement of David Swan, its co-founder and board president, at the end of the 2025. Swan began advocating for wise land use and environmental preservation and stewardship in the early 2000s. With his wife, Alison Swan, he co-founded Concerned Citizens for the Saugatuck Dunes State Park in 2001 which merged with the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance in 2007.
In collaboration with other environmental advocacy groups, local and state regulators and lawmakers, and three bands of the Potawatomi – Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish, Nottawaseppi Huron Band, and Pokagon Band – significant protections for the Kalamazoo River Mouth have been achieved, including:
Successful blocking of two separate proposals to use Saugatuck Dunes State Park for a water treatment facility
Designation of the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area
Denial of state and federal permits to build an environmentally devastating private marina
Under Swan’s leadership, the Coastal Alliance attained a victory at the Michigan Supreme Court decision that clarified and broadened the criteria for citizen standing to challenge local zoning decisions
“David is a formidable advocate for the dunes, river, forest, and wetlands, and a well-respected environmental leader throughout Michigan,” said Coastal Alliance Board Chair Bobbie Gaunt. “His passion, determination, and ability to dig deep into policy and science have enabled the Alliance to effectively raise awareness of local environmental and land use issues and mobilize citizens to effect meaningful change.”
Legacy of Conservation Stewardship
Swan’s leadership earns him a place in Saugatuck’s 140-year history of conservation stewardship that originated with the City of Saugatuck’s purchase of Mt. Baldhead and Oval Beach, Thomas Eddy Tallmadge’s purchase of the forested dunes to protect the land surrounding Ox-Bow, and Patty Birkholz’s leadership to establish Saugatuck Dunes State Park in 1982.
“I’ve been working to protect the public spaces – the dunes, beaches, forests, wetlands at the Kalamazoo River Mouth – for 25 years and believe the time is right to pass the baton that Patty Birkholz handed to me in 2001,” said Swan. “I wanted to retire from this role at a time when the right board is in place to ensure this work continues. Given the challenges we face as we confront ecological degradation and habitat destruction, it is extremely important that we have the next generation of advocates in place to carry on the 140-year conservation effort, and I believe now is that time.”
In 2002, David Swan and Alison Swan received the Michigan Environmental Council’s Petoskey Prize for Grassroots Environmental Leadership. He was honored with the West Michigan Environmental Action Council CR Everson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 and received the distinguished Landslide Award from the Cultural Landscape Foundation in 2011. Under Swan’s leadership the Coastal Alliance was recognized with the Michigan Historic Preservation Network Leadership Award 2014, West Michigan Environmental Action Council Leadership Award 2012, Fresh Water Futures Leadership Award 2010, and Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society Leadership Award 2009.
Swan will continue to be a dedicated advocate for the well-being of the planet we all share.
Board Focused on Smooth Transition, Broadening Focus Beyond Litigation
The Coastal Alliance’s executive committee and board have been focused on succession planning since 2023. Swan has been active in that process and will work with Gaunt and the rest of the board to ensure a smooth transition.
“The Coastal Alliance will continue to focus on the Coastal region north and south of the Kalamazoo River mouth, while expanding our efforts beyond litigation,” said Gaunt. “This may include stewardship, education, restoration, and bringing together groups with a role in protecting these lands and waters for the future.”
The Alliance will continue to advocate and pursue the litigation underway with the goal of achieving the best outcome to protect the dunes, water, wildlife, and the cultural landscape.
The Coastal Alliance will begin a search in the coming weeks for its first full-time Executive Director. The position description will be posted to its website and relevant job search sites.
