Purchased in 1990-91, Blue Heron Environmental Area is one of the Township’s most unique parcels of land. This 139 acre park contains a rich mixture of of wetlands, high-quality lowland and upland forests, open farmlands, prairie plantings, and wetland restorations along Rochester Road between Gunn and Buell Roads. For many years the Great Blue Herons who give this park its name maintained a rookery here. While herons are still regularly seen feeding in the many wetlands at this park, they have not returned to nest at the park since about 2010. Farm fields are currently leased to local farmers.

No parking or trail access is available at this time. Oakland Township residents may contact the Parks and Recreation Commission office to arrange for access to the critical wildlife habitat at this park.

Proposed access improvements for this park include parking, a universally accessible trail loop, trailhead amenities, and interpretive signage. The design has been refined through two design workshops (February 26 – 27, 2025) and a public hearing (March 12, 2025), with input from local stakeholders, accessibility advocates, conservation partners, and regional agencies. The resulting site plans illustrate the Township’s commitment to minimizing disturbance to the park’s woodlands and avoid any impact on existing wetlands, as the Park Commission has been actively restoring prairies and wetlands in the former farm fields at Blue Heron Environmental Area along Rochester Road.

Other rookeries may be viewed at: West Bloomfield, Shelby Township, Holland Ponds