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June 25, 2020
Dear Stakeholder,
Many of the things we all value – clean air and water, places to recreate, healthy forests and high-quality wildlife habitat – are driven by how well we take care of the 4.6 million acres of DNR-managed public lands owned by Michigan’s residents.
Public Act 240 of 2012 required the creation of a strategic plan to guide the acquisition and disposition of those lands – state forests, parks, trails, game and wildlife areas, and other DNR-managed areas – as well as the 6.4 million acres of state-managed mineral rights. The resulting land strategy provides a framework for the conservation, use and management of public lands to ensure their best use for the benefit of Michigan residents, visitors and our natural resources.
We must submit a revised land strategy to the Michigan Legislature for consideration and approval by July 1, 2021. That strategy will explain why a public land base is so important and provide goals, strategies and measurable objectives to guide the DNR in protecting and preserving Michigan’s natural and cultural resources, providing spaces for quality outdoor recreation opportunities, and promoting natural resources management.
It's important that our partners see themselves and their interests reflected in the new strategy. To ensure that we gather as much critical input as possible, we will use a variety of methods to engage you, including a website at Michigan.gov/PublicLands, email notifications, press releases and regional meetings.
The DNR is privileged to manage our natural and cultural resources on behalf of Michigan’s residents, including you. We look forward to working with you in the coming months as the development of the revised strategy gets underway.
Please look for future communications from us and visit Michigan.gov/PublicLands for information and updates throughout the process. Thanks for playing a part in helping the DNR better leverage the power of public lands.
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