Through partnerships and research, Heart of the Lakes has developed resources to both make the case for land conservation in Michigan as well as support the critical work begin done by our members and partners.

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Farmland Preservation
Heart of the Lakes’ Farmland Preservation Initiative synthesizes existing written reports and make the case for farmland preservation in Michigan and also assesses what still needs to be understood and recommend the most effective next steps in research and land conservation policy that will support Michigan farmland preservation.

Strategic Conservation
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 resources help equip conservancies to make the case for the vital role they play in protecting our land and water resources.

Water Quality (PDF)
The collective actions of conservation professionals around the state are helping to protect Michigan’s greatest natural assets – our land and our water. When properties are permanently protected through conservation easements and land donations, not only has a landowner helped to conserve their land in perpetuity, they has also helped to protect the health and function of the greater ecosystems and watersheds their land is a part of.

Economic Valuation of Natural Resource Amenities (PDF)
This study focuses on valuation of “green infrastructure” in Michigan. Green infrastructure provides numerous services to the public, including quality of life benefits, increasing the attractiveness of locations for growth, and influencing the value of properties and hence local tax collections.

Economic Impacts of Michigan State Parks (PDF)
This report is the second in a series published by the Hannah Professor Research Program of the Land Policy Institute (LPI) on Economic Impact and Valuation Studies in Natural Resources and Conservation. This particular report focuses on the economic impact of Rifle River Recreational Area (RRRA) in Ogemaw County, Michigan, as additional evidence of the economic importance of green assets.

Benchmarks for State funding (PDF)
This report by the Land Policy Institute provides preliminary results on the drivers of conservation spending in the United States, and compares Michigan to other states. The results suggest that, in general, conservation spending is not driven by the extent of resource endowment, as one might expect, but rather by socio-economic and political factors.

Key Findings from National Voter Survey on Conservation
Results of a bipartisan national survey of registered voters to assess public attitudes toward conservation, and to gauge support for increased investments in the protection of land, water and wildlife.

Language of Conservation (PDF)
Recommendations for communicating effectively to build support for conservation are based on extensive qualitative research and a representative national survey of American voters commissioned by The Nature Conservancy and conducted by a bi-partisan research team: Democratic polling firm Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates and Republican polling firm Public Opinion Strategies.