Heart of the Lakes is pleased to announce that its member land conservancies are protecting 588,000 acres of natural, scenic and working farms and forest lands in Michigan.   Based on data collected from 27 organizations in its annual Protected Lands Survey, the total cumulative acreage reflects an increase slightly less than 10,000 acres since the last survey conducted at this time in 2013.

“These protected lands support a wide variety of critical conservation purposes, including improved water quality, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, local foods and healthy forests, “ said Jonathan Jarosz, Heart of the Lakes’ Executive Director.  “Moreover they contribute to the economic vitality of our communities and regions, creating exceptional places to live and work.”

Heart of the Lakes Center would like to congratulate the Michigan Nature Association and Chikaming Open Lands—both the nonprofit land conservancies achieved first time national accreditation and accreditation renewal, respectively.

“We applaud both these organizations on these significant accomplishments,” said Jonathan Jarosz, Executive Director of Heart of the Lakes Center for Land Conservation Policy, a statewide organization that strengthens the collective efforts of organizations dedicated to the conservation of Michigan’s environmentally and economically significant lands. “Accreditation means that these groups meet national standards of excellence and uphold the public trust with the organizational strength and ability needed to ensure the permanence of the important lands they work to protect.”