Envision MI Lands

Envision MI Lands provides Michigan’s land conservancies with tools for strategic conservation planning and a proactive conservation policy platform to advocate and advance private lands conservation. These tools and resources help equip conservancies to make the case for the vital role they play in protecting our land and water resources.

Envision MI Lands Goals:

• Strengthen capacity of Michigan land conservancies in strategic land conservation planning to leverage increased funding opportunities
• Develop a proactive conservation policy agenda focused on protection of Michigan's coastal, farmland, natural, scenic, and recreational lands
• Map federal, state, and nonprofit similarities and differences in land protection priorities to identify collaboration opportunities
• Promote the value of Michigan's natural resource assets and encourage policies that showcase and support conservation of our land-based resources

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Envision MI Lands Resource Documents

The following resources support Michigan land conservancies in their strategic conservation planning efforts. They support Heart of the Lakes' 2011-2012 policy agenda, and address potential funding opportunities to advance protection of Michigan's land and water resources.

Heart of the Lakes 2011 - 2012 Policy Agenda (PDF 64 KB)

"Envision Michigan's Future: The Value of Protecting Michigan's Natural Resources" (PDF 3.5 MB) A case-making document supporting 2011-2012 policy agenda

"Envision Michigan's Future" Fact Sheets

• Michigan Land Conservancies (PDF 1.4 MB)
  
  
• Protecting Michigan's Water Resources (PDF 1.4 MB)
  
  
• Protecting Michigan's Farmland (PDF 1.2 MB)
  
  
• Protecting Our Natural Infrastructure (PDF 748 KB)
  
  

Conservation Plan Matrix: A (draft) compilation of regional and statewide strategic conservation planning documents

• Upper Peninsula
  
  
• Northwest Michigan
  
  
• Northeast Michigan
  
  
• Southwest Michigan
  
  
• Southeast Michigan
  
  

The Opportunity is Now

Immediate opportunities exist for Michigan land conservancies to leverage several funding sources needed to conserve critical lands. Heart of the Lakes is working to ensure these funds are accessible to conservancies doing work in these focus areas.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)
Heart of the Lakes is working with a consortium of land trusts and Land Trust Alliance to significantly expand the opportunities for funding permanent land protection that are currently limited through GLRI. Comments on FY 2010-2014 Action Plan for GLRI were submitted to EPA by Land Trust Alliance on behalf of Great Lakes Basin land trusts: Download the letter (PDF 940 KB)

Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)
Michigan land conservancies work closely with landowners, local government and the State to help preserve soils that support our agriculture production, wildlife habitat and the fundamental biological processes that sustain our water, air, plants and animals. Recent announcement of increased FRPP allocation to Michigan has left local governments and conservancies wondering how to secure local match required to utilize these needed funds. Learn more about recent FRPP announcement.

Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund (MNRTF)
The MNRTF is supported by annual revenues from the development of State-owned mineral resources, largely oil and gas. The recent sale of oil and gas leases in Michigan has prompted the conservation community to think about how the MNRTF will administer funds for protecting and enhancing Michigan’s most treasured places. .