Leelanau Conservancy and River Studio launch open air yoga series

The Leelanau Conservancy tied its summer yoga calendar to land protection with an Open Air Yoga Series with River Studio that ran from July 19 through Aug. 9. The featured Saturday, Aug. 9 class at 9:00 a.m. put the partnership front and center, turning an outdoor practice into a benefit for the conservancy.

The Conservancy described the series as “a series of open air events in support of the Leelanau Conservancy,” a framing that made the collaboration the point, not just the setting. One River Studio Instagram snippet for the July 19, 2025 class said the ticket included a River Studio travel mat and that the suggested $40 ticket was matched dollar for dollar by River Studio, a structure that pushed attendee dollars directly toward conservation support.

The dates also show the series evolving. A separate Conservancy event page had listed an Open Air Yoga Series with River Studio for July 11 through Aug. 1, while the later Conservancy listing extended the run to Aug. 9. That kind of date shift suggests the summer program was adjusted as it took shape, with the conservancy keeping the collaboration visible across multiple event pages.

The partnership built on earlier yoga programming tied to the same land trust. The Conservancy’s “Conservancy Yoga at the Leland Village Green” page listed a June 29 class at 9:00 a.m. and said the summer yoga series was returning for a second year with instructor Katherine Palms. That class was donation-based, and the Conservancy said Palms donated all proceeds, giving the series a clear fundraising role long before the open-air River Studio dates were posted.

River Studio’s own description fit the location neatly. The business calls itself “Yoga & Pilates on the Leland River” in Leland, Michigan, and says it offers yoga, pilates, dance, reiki, qigong, sound baths, and more. A separate River Studio Facebook snippet also named Dr. Lisa Fernandez, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and comprehensively certified Pilates instructor, underscoring the studio’s mix of movement and wellness credentials.

The result was more than another seasonal yoga offering. In Leland, the classes linked a riverfront practice space, a local studio, and a conservation mission into one summer run, giving participants a concrete way to move, spend, and support the Leelanau Conservancy at the same time.