Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Protection
Heart of the Lakes advocates for swift, yearly passage of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) appropriations bill in order to expedite the availability of important funding to support land acquisition and public recreation development projects throughout the state. Heart of the Lakes works with the MNRTF board to streamline the application process, refine scoring criteria and develop long-term spending strategies.
Heart of the Lakes advocates for swift, yearly passage of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) appropriations bill in order to expedite the availability of important funding to support land acquisition and public recreation development projects throughout the state. Heart of the Lakes works with the MNRTF board to streamline the application process, refine scoring criteria and develop long-term spending strategies.
Farming and Farmland Preservation
Heart of the Lakes supports the maintenance of current funding streams and the development of new and permanent funding streams for farmland protection. Further, we believe that a comprehensive farmland protection strategy for the State of Michigan is lacking.
Heart of the Lakes fully supports the Michigan Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program as it provides a vital suite of tools to protect productive agricultural lands, a significant natural resource and economic driver for Michigan. Overall the program has had great success in farmland protection, providing a powerful cash incentive to offset rising taxes in high growth areas and often leading to permanent conservation. Therefore, we support the identification of a sustainable funding source(s) to fully implement and staff the program, including the Agricultural Preservation Fund. Read our full position here.
Heart of the Lakes supports the maintenance of current funding streams and the development of new and permanent funding streams for farmland protection. Further, we believe that a comprehensive farmland protection strategy for the State of Michigan is lacking.
Heart of the Lakes fully supports the Michigan Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program as it provides a vital suite of tools to protect productive agricultural lands, a significant natural resource and economic driver for Michigan. Overall the program has had great success in farmland protection, providing a powerful cash incentive to offset rising taxes in high growth areas and often leading to permanent conservation. Therefore, we support the identification of a sustainable funding source(s) to fully implement and staff the program, including the Agricultural Preservation Fund. Read our full position here.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
Heart of the Lakes supports Land Trust Alliance and land conservancies in the Great Lakes Basin in shaping a unified strategy for needed changes to support a greater commitment for permanent land acquisition within the EPA-led Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Heart of the Lakes advocates for increased investment in land acquisition to leverage the land trust/private landowner constituency and greatly expand permanent protection and restoration results through the GLRI.
Heart of the Lakes supports Land Trust Alliance and land conservancies in the Great Lakes Basin in shaping a unified strategy for needed changes to support a greater commitment for permanent land acquisition within the EPA-led Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Heart of the Lakes advocates for increased investment in land acquisition to leverage the land trust/private landowner constituency and greatly expand permanent protection and restoration results through the GLRI.
Conservation Tax Incentives
Heart of the Lakes supports tax policies that help member land conservancies and landowners conserve important lands. As 501(c)(3) nonprofits, conservancies must be allowed to exempt properties they own from property taxes. Heart of the Lakes also supports policies that prevent property tax “pop-ups” when lands are donated to conservation by will.
Heart of the Lakes actively supports the work of the Land Trust Alliance, the national convener and policy advocate for land conservancies, to advance federal policy beneficial to the land conservancy community. Heart of the Lakes supports the renewal of the enhanced easement incentive, which helps landowners choose conservation by increasing the maximum tax deduction a donor can take for donating a conservation easement and increases the number of years over which a donor can take deductions, among other provisions. Heart of the Lakes also supports the federal conservation easement incentive, which allows modest-income landowners to receive significant tax deductions for donating conservation easements that permanently protect important natural or historic resources on their lands.
Heart of the Lakes supports tax policies that help member land conservancies and landowners conserve important lands. As 501(c)(3) nonprofits, conservancies must be allowed to exempt properties they own from property taxes. Heart of the Lakes also supports policies that prevent property tax “pop-ups” when lands are donated to conservation by will.
Heart of the Lakes actively supports the work of the Land Trust Alliance, the national convener and policy advocate for land conservancies, to advance federal policy beneficial to the land conservancy community. Heart of the Lakes supports the renewal of the enhanced easement incentive, which helps landowners choose conservation by increasing the maximum tax deduction a donor can take for donating a conservation easement and increases the number of years over which a donor can take deductions, among other provisions. Heart of the Lakes also supports the federal conservation easement incentive, which allows modest-income landowners to receive significant tax deductions for donating conservation easements that permanently protect important natural or historic resources on their lands.
Become a Friend
Your support allows us to continue to strengthen the efforts of Michigan's conservation community. Together, we can protect Michigan for the benefit of generations to come.
Your support allows us to continue to strengthen the efforts of Michigan's conservation community. Together, we can protect Michigan for the benefit of generations to come.
Questions?
If you would like more information about our programs, please email us at info@heartofthelakes.org
If you would like more information about our programs, please email us at info@heartofthelakes.org