The 1,189-acre preserve contains a wonderful complex of lakes, wetlands, upland and lowland forests, oak savannas/woodlands, prairies and meadows. Unique geological features include: a) a glacial esker (a gravel ridge formed by sediments deposited in a glacial meltwater channel flowing under the historic glacier) on the west side of the property and; b) several glacial kames (landscape-scale piles of gravel that were deposited by glacial meltwater as it flowed down into holes in the historic glacier.  For more information on the ecosystems of Merry Lea use the links below.