Tools for Conservancies

As part of our commitment to strengthen conservancy effectiveness, Heart of the Lakes provides our members with resources and opportunities to increase their success in protecting Michigan land.

Advancing Conservancy Excellence (ACE) Program

ACE is a partnership project between Heart of the Lakes and the Land Trust Alliance. ACE provides technical training seminars and conservancy collaborations to all Michigan land conservancies.

Conservancy Clearinghouse

Search here for documents, sample policies, and other materials on land protection, organizational development, legal issues and more to help your conservancy protect land in Michigan.

Service Providers Directory

The Directory is a helpful tool to find professional services for your land conservancy.

From various programs and research initiatives Heart of the Lakes has compiled multiple documents to support the work of our member land conservancies, to help increase the pace and quality of Michigan land conservation.

Communications and Media Toolkit

Heart of the Lakes offers tools and references to support land conservancy communication efforts.

Partnership Opportunities

Conservancies work in partnership with a number of state and federal agencies, some are listed here with the programs they offer.

Click photo to visit the conservancy website

Welcome, Jonathan!

April 22, 2013 - Jonathan Jarosz, Heart of the Lakes’ new Executive Director, hit the ground running when he began his new position April 1. No stranger to Michigan’s land conservancies, Jarosz worked as a conservation planner and consultant to nonprofits throughout Michigan for the past fifteen years. Read More

Heart of the Lakes Center for Land Conservation Announces New Executive Director

March 27, 2013 - Heart of the Lakes Center for Land Conservation Policy, a statewide support organization serving Michigan’s nonprofit land conservancies since 2004, has announced the selection of Jonathan Jarosz as its new executive director. Jarosz will fill the vacancy created by Rachel Kuntzsch’s departure in September of 2012. Julie Stoneman, who has been serving as Interim Director will continue to play a key role in the Heart of the Lakes Advancing Conservancy Excellence (ACE) program. Jarosz’s appointment was made after a national search and selection process. Read More

USDA Seeking Applications from Farmland Protection Organizations

January 2, 2013 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture is encouraging established farmland protection organizations to apply for financial assistance through its Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP). Organizations must submit an application by March 8, 2013 to be considered for funding. Read More