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KEWEENAW COUNTY -- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources contacted the Keweenaw County Board of Commissioners earlier this month regarding a proposed 5,476-acre land acquisition in Grant Township.
According to an Aug. 11 letter from the DNR Real Estate Services to the county board, the Phase II purchase is the final step in a two-part project negotiated in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC). It follows an initial 4,500-acre acquisition announced earlier this month. Together, the dual transactions will transition more than 10,000 acres of forestland in the eastern Keweenaw Heartlands from nonprofit custody into permanent, state-managed public property.
The dual purchase will consolidate DNR land holdings to support natural resource-based recreation. The combined acreage enables comprehensive management of state-designated snowmobile, ORV, and mountain bike trails. It also opens up local access for hunting, fishing, hiking, paddle sports, and winter recreation.
According to the letter, these tourism opportunities are vital to the local economy, which draws roughly 327,000 overnight visitors and at least 100,000 day-only visitors annually.
The letter says local Community Advisory Committee--composed of area residents, local officials, and interested parties--reached a consensus in favor of state management. The DNR is currently incorporating both parcels into its general management planning process.
Rich Bowman, director of external affairs for TNC Michigan, said this is actually the next step in the process.
“Last month, the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) approved the first acquisition,” Bowman said. “This Phase II purchase is for the balance of it.”
In July, Bowman confirmed that funding was secured through the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund.
For Phase II, Bowman said the NRC will review the acquisition documents next month for informational purposes.
“Just like last month, I expect they'll approve it, and then we will be moving toward a closing date,” Bowman said.
While the exact closing date remains unknown due to required review and sign-off by the Michigan Attorney General, Bowman said he expects the transaction to close before the end of the year.
“This is the next step in the process,” Bowman said, noting the project caps five years of community effort, adding he really likes discussing that aspect.
"There wasn't a lot of trust for The Nature Conservancy among folks when we started all of this five years ago," he said.
"For me, this is promises made, promises kept. We're getting this project done, and it will be a celebration sometime this fall. Over 10,000 acres that the community said they wanted to be publicly owned is going to be publicly owned.”