05/15/2026
MHSA has been proud to work closely with The Nature Conservancy in Michigan on this project from the beginning. To help pass three public acts and set a template for future counties in the state to transition private timberlands to community use has been hugely rewarding for our entire team!
On May 14, the Michigan Recreational and Natural Resources Authorities Act was passed. 🌲
This act allows local governments to create authorities with boards made up of residents who oversee forests through local, public decision-making and management in counties with a population of less than 4,000. In Keweenaw County, this act is a major step in the transition of much of the Keweenaw Heartlands into local, public community forest.
Located near the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Keweenaw County, the Keweenaw Heartlands property had been in private, corporate ownership for many decades until The Nature Conservancy purchased it in 2022 with the support of community leaders and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Since then, the 32,500-acre forest has remained open to the public, as TNC has maintained ongoing care of the property, conducted comprehensive inventory surveys for future public management, and worked toward shifting the Heartlands into public ownership forever.
Now that this legislation has passed, county leaders can consider local Articles of Incorporation for a new Keweenaw Heartlands Recreational & Natural Resources Authority. If those Articles are passed, this will make possible the transition of ~21,000 acres of Keweenaw Heartlands to a public community forest. In the future, other communities may be able to follow this blueprint, ensuring the benefits of Michigan's forests are accessible to locals and visitors for generations to come.
Read more about the Keweenaw Heartlands Project: https://www.keweenawcommunityfoundation.org/keweenaw-heartlands
