Michigan DNR acquires 10,000 acres at tip of Keweenaw Peninsula

What’s happening: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has acquired nearly 10,000 acres of forests, wetlands, and culturally significant land at the tip of the Upper Peninsula. Purchased from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) on Nov. 5 for approximately $11.2 million, the property—locally known as Keweenaw Point State Lands—borders Fort Wilkins Historic State Park to the south and will now be managed as part of the park.

About the purchase: The acquisition caps a multi-year effort that began in 2021 when more than 32,000 acres of historically corporate-owned land, known as the Keweenaw Heartlands, went up for sale. To prevent the property from being broken up and losing public trail access, TNC stepped in as a temporary buyer in 2022 while working with local leaders to secure public funding. The DNR completed the purchase using grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, and the Land Exchange Facilitation Fund.

What they’re saying: “This landscape, shared by both geological history and human heritage, will now forever be in public ownership and accessible to Michigan residents, tribal nations, visitors and future generations to appreciate and enjoy,” said DNR Director Scott Bowen. “This landscape, shared by both geological history and human heritage, will now forever be in public ownership and accessible to Michigan residents, tribal nations, visitors and future generations to appreciate and enjoy.”

What’s next: DNR will manage the new acreage for public recreation, habitat enhancement, and ecological stewardship, with selective forestry practices considered only when they support resource health. In the near future, the department will reinitiate a general management plan to guide long-term goals for the property, while continuing sustainable forestry and multiple-use recreation on the adjacent 9,376-acre Baraga Forest Management Unit.