The Future of the Keweenaw Heartlands—Planning for a Public Community Forest
Photo credit: Jason Whalen
While The Nature Conservancy (TNC) currently owns the 32,500 acres that make up the Keweenaw Heartlands, this project started locally and has been guided by local and regional community members working in partnership with TNC and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). A Community Advisory Committee (CAC) of nearly 30 members representing a multitude of regional and local perspectives and organizational affiliations—conservation, economic development, forestry, motorized and non-motorized recreation, business, culture and history, tribal community, and county residents— have met 3x/year to guide and develop the future of this forest. This diverse coalition of partners is building a shared vision of public ownership, governance, and management of the Keweenaw Heartlands. To date, they have volunteered over 1,000 hours toward this effort, not including the staff time of TNC, MDNR, and the Keweenaw Community Foundation.
The CAC’s members conduct much of this work via subcommittee, including the ongoing creation of a local, public governance model; planning for future resource and financial management; fundraising; and communication. For example, the Communications Subcommittee developed messaging around the Heartlands forest and project; created the Heart the Heartlands Event Series last summer and fall; and reaffirmed a commitment to transparent and regular communication via this monthly newsletter and the Keweenaw Heartlands webpage on the KCF website, where all Heartlands-related developments are announced.
The Keweenaw Heartlands Project is not about any one organization’s, initiative’s, or individual’s perspective or goals: a publicly owned, governed, and managed community forest is for the benefit of all. All involved are working hard to build a strong local, public governance structure with economic, cultural, and environmental benefits realized by local and regional people that is accessible to everyone, always. There have been and will continue to be many opportunities for the public to weigh in along the way, from regular project update meetings to public input into state legislation once introduced to the State of Michigan Legislature (expected soon), to public input on a local forest governance entity when introduced via local government(s).
Next Public Update Meeting Wednesday, April 30 at 6:30pm
We invite you to our next Keweenaw Heartlands Project Update on Wednesday, April 30, at the Allouez Township Community Center from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. The Nature Conservancy in Michigan (TNC) and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) are holding the event to brief the community on the latest with the Keweenaw Heartlands project and answer questions.
The Allouez Township Community Center is located at 388 Bumbletown Road in Allouez.
We hope to see you there!
Question of the month: Where do I go to get the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding the Keweenaw Heartlands Project and the future of the Keweenaw Heartlands forest?
For the latest information on the Keweenaw Heartlands, visit the Keweenaw Heartlands webpage on the Keweenaw Community Foundation’s website. This page is a joint effort of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Keweenaw Community Foundation (KCF), with additional information provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, as appropriate. We update the webpage monthly unless there is time-sensitive information to share, in which case we put out an official press release.
Stay updated on the Heartlands Project by subscribing to the email list at www.keweenawcommunityfoundation.org/keweenaw-heartlands-project. Just scroll down, enter your email, and click “subscribe.” You’ll only receive updates related to the Heartlands Project—no unrelated emails from KCF or TNC. It’s the easiest way to stay informed about the future of this community forest!
Inaccurate information about the Keweenaw Heartlands Project surfaces from time to time. If you have specific questions or concerns regarding the Keweenaw Heartlands Project, you can always contact Julia Petersen, TNC’s Project Manager for the Keweenaw Peninsula, at julia.petersen@tnc.org.