May 15, 2026.
The Nature Conservancy in Michigan, the Keweenaw Heartlands Project, and Michigan First Nations Tribal Citizens are celebrating the passage of the Michigan Recreational and Natural Resources Authorities Act on May 14.
The new legislation gives local governments in counties with populations under 4,000 the ability to create Recreational and Natural Resources Authorities. These authorities would be governed by local residents and would oversee forests through community-based public management and decision-making.
For Keweenaw County, the legislation marks a major milestone in the effort to transition much of the Keweenaw Heartlands into a locally managed public community forest.
Near the tip of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, the 32,500-acre Keweenaw Heartlands property had remained under private corporate ownership for decades before being purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 2022. The acquisition was made possible with support from community leaders and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Since then, the property has remained open to the public while The Nature Conservancy has continued caring for the land, conducting forest inventory surveys, and preparing for a permanent transition to public ownership.
With the legislation now approved, county leaders can begin considering Articles of Incorporation for a future Keweenaw Heartlands Recreational & Natural Resources Authority. If established, the authority could oversee the transition of approximately 21,000 acres of the Keweenaw Heartlands into a public community forest.
Supporters say the project could become a model for other rural communities across Michigan, helping ensure forests remain publicly accessible and locally managed for generations to come.
