Background

DNR forests, parks and wildlife lands contain many resources that possess special conservation values that are important to our society, including timber and mineral production, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat, recreation, biodiversity conservation, and many cultural uses. For planning purposes, areas with specific conservation values have been sorted into three primary categories: Special Conservation Areas (SCAs), High Conservation Value Areas (HCVAs), and Ecological Reference Areas (ERAs). These categories have varying degrees of administrative recognition and qualitative condition, ranging from the working forest to dedicated natural areas. Some conservation designations may overlap one another. Additional information about these areas can be viewed by clicking on the below links.

1. SCAs are areas of DNR-owned lands that have one or more identified special conservation objectives, such as wildlife habitat or recreation.
2. HCVAs are areas of DNR-owned lands that have been recognized for their contribution to specific conservation objectives through a formal process such as legislation, administrative rule, or Director's or Natural Resource Commission Orders. They include dedicated areas such as natural areas.
3. ERAs are areas that serve as models of ecological reference within the State. They are high quality examples of natural communities that are primarily influenced by natural ecological processes, and they may be located upon any land ownership in the State.

Public Nomination Process

A flow chart describing the conservation area recommendation process can be viewed by clicking on the following link: Recommendation Process for Conservation Areas Flowchart

The public may submit recommendations for DNR lands as SCAs, the Biodiversity Stewardship Area category of HCVA, and ERAs using the DNR Conservation Area Recommendation Form.

Click here for a complete description of all other HCVA types and their associated public nomination processes.

NOTE: The Conservation Areas Recommendation Form is not intended for use in recommending properties for acquisition by the DNR. Persons interested in such recommendations are directed to the DNR Natural Resource Trust Fund website.

Persons should complete all sections of the Conservation Area Recommendation form to best of their ability. Completed forms should be submitted to the following address:

Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Forest, Mineral and Fire Management Division
Forest Resource Management Section
Stevens T. Mason Building
P.O. Box 30452
Lansing, MI 48909-7952

Upon receipt of the form the DNR will forward it to the local management unit of the appropriate DNR division for consideration in management. When pertinent, it will also be forwarded to ecoregional management teams for review.

Special Conservation Value Areas

The public may submit recommendations for the following types of DNR lands as SCAs using the DNR Conservation Area Recommendation Form.

Archaeological Site
An aquatic or terrestrial area of the State that contains physical remains of human occupation. These are sites of cultural and historical significance that may occur upon terrestrial areas and Great Lakes bottomlands. They include thousands of Native American settlements and burial sites, as well as French and British outposts, nineteenth century logging camps, mines and homesteads. Beneath the waters of the Great Lakes, there are shipwrecks and other remains documenting the maritime trade. Such sites may be identified by Natural heritage data from the State Historic Preservation Office. Click here for additional information about archaeological sites.

Cold Water Stream
A coldwater stream has temperature and dissolved oxygen conditions that allow naturally-reproduced or stocked trout populations and those of other coldwater fish species (e.g., slimy sculpin) to persist from year to year. Coldwater streams in Michigan typically provide these conditions due to substantial contributions of groundwater to their stream flows. Such streams are established by Director's action and designated as trout resources by Fisheries Order 210.

Cold Water Lake
A coldwater lake has temperature and dissolved oxygen conditions that allow naturally-reproduced or stocked trout populations and those of other coldwater fish species to persist from year to year. Suitable conditions for coldwater fishes may occur in Michigan lakes if they are relatively deep, have substantial groundwater inflows, or are located in colder (northern) areas of the state. Such lakes are established by Director's action and designated as trout resources by Fisheries Order 200.

Concentrated Recreation Area
Facilities that are designed and maintained for routine or heavy recreational use, including State Parks, State Forest campgrounds, motorized and non-motorized trails, trailheads, staging areas and public access sites. Click here for additional information about Concentrated Recreation Areas.

Contiguous Resource Area
These are DNR-owned lands that are directly contiguous to adjacent ownerships, where there is potential for coordination of landscape-level management for similar purposes. Such lands include distinct but contiguous DNR-owned lands, such as State Parks, State Forest and Wildlife Areas. Such lands also include DNR-owned lands that are adjacent to other ownerships such as Federal Parks, National Forest wilderness areas, National Wildlife Refuges, conservancy lands, and private lands such as the Huron Mountain Club.

Cultural and Customary Use Areas
An area that possesses and provides significant values and purposes for Native American tribes and other various ethnic or religious groups, or Customary Use Area a site that has been traditionally used by Native American tribes or the public for specific purposes, such as maple syrup, wild fruit and mushroom gathering habitats.

Non-Dedicated Natural Areas and National Natural Landmarks
This category is comprised of those Natural, Wilderness and Wild Areas that have been nominated or proposed for legal dedication, but for which legal dedication by legislature has not occurred. The nomination process is defined by Part 351, Wilderness and Natural Areas, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451. The program is administered by the DNR. Nominations require the submittal of a Natural Areas Nomination Packet to the DNR. Click here to access forms and additional information for nomination of Natural Areas. This is an active program, with proposed sites in various stages of review. Final dedication of nominated Natural, Wilderness and Wild Areas is accomplished through legislative action.

Habitat Area
An area that provide some specific need for the life cycle of wildlife species, including State Wildlife Areas and Waterfowl Production Areas, deer wintering complexes in lowland conifer communities, grassland openings and savannas. Habitat areas are distinct from critical habitat designated for recovery of endangered or threatened species (such as Kirtland's warbler or piping plover areas) in that they are more general in nature, are not primarily associated with threatened or endangered species, and are not covered by species recovery plans that are developed in cooperation with Federal agencies.

Habitat Corridor
An area that provides connective cover habitats between different community types that are used by a wide variety of wildlife species whose life cycles require multiple habitat needs. They are increasingly important to maintain connectivity in highly fragmented forested landscapes. Click here for additional information on habitat management.

Mineral Resource Area
Areas that are primarily managed for mineral resource extraction, on a permanent or temporary basis. They include both metallic and non-metallic mineral mines as well as oil and natural gas sites. Click here for additional information on Mineral resource Areas.

Riparian Area
A transitional area between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in which the terrestrial ecosystem influences the aquatic ecosystem and vice-versa. Because of the unique conditions adjacent to lakes, streams and open water wetlands, riparian areas harbor a high diversity of plants and wildlife. Riparian communities are ecologically and socially significant in their effects on water quality and quantity, as well as aesthetics, habitat, bank stability, timber production, and their contribution to overall biodiversity. Click here for additional information about riparian areas.

Spring
An area where groundwater flows to the surface and where the volume of water can vary seasonally from a sheet-flow seep to a strong concentrated flow. Springs are often associated with wetlands and cold water stream resources.

Visual Management Area
An area of general social appreciation that is managed to recognize and preserve a particular visual value. Examples of these areas include scenic vistas, scenic or natural beauty roads, and lakeshore areas. Click here for additional information about Natural Beauty Roads.

Wetland
Wetlands are areas inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands are most common on floodplains along rivers and streams (riparian wetlands), in isolated depressions surrounded by dry land (for example, playas, basins, and "potholes"), along the margins of lakes and ponds, and in other low-lying areas where the groundwater intercepts the soil surface or where precipitation sufficiently saturates the soil (vernal pools and bogs). Inland wetlands include marshes and wet meadows dominated by herbaceous plants, swamps dominated by shrubs, and wooded swamps dominated by trees. Click here for additional information on wetlands.

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High Conservation Value Areas

Current categories of High Conservation Value Areas are: Legally Dedicated Natural, Wilderness and Wild Areas; Biodiversity Stewardship Areas (BSAs); Natural Rivers; Critical Dunes; Designated Critical Habitat; Dedicated Management Areas; and Coastal Environmental Areas.

Biodiversity Stewardship Areas
A network of representative and functional natural communities managed to support the protection of biodiversity on DNR lands. The network of BSAs is under development and guided by the Biodiversity Conservation Planning Process. When completed, it will contain multiple examples of native species and natural communities. The public may submit recommendations for DNR lands as BSAs using the DNR Conservation Area Recommendation Form.

Legally dedicated Natural Areas, Wilderness or Wild Areas
The nomination process is defined by Part 351, Wilderness and Natural Areas, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451. The program is administered by the DNR. Nominations require the submittal of a Natural Areas Nomination Packet to the DNR. Click here to access forms and additional information for nomination of Natural Areas. This is an active program, with proposed sites in various stages of review. Final dedication of nominated Natural, Wilderness and Wild Areas is accomplished through legislative action.

Natural Rivers
The public designation process is defined by Part 305, Natural Rivers, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451. The program is administered by the DNR. Click here to access additional information and procedures regarding Natural Rivers. There are currently no additional rivers under consideration for inclusion in this program.

Critical Dunes
Critical dune areas are established via the public legislative process, and governed by Part 353, Sand Dune Protection and Management, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451. The program is administered by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The current distribution of designated critical dunes is established by the DEQ 1989 Atlas of Critical Dune Areas. Click here to access additional information and procedures for critical dune areas.

Designated Critical Habitat
Critical habitat areas are established via a consultative and cooperative process between the DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service for the recovery of threatened and endangered species, as governed by Part 365, Endangered Species Protection, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, and the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973. This is an active program, with proposed species plans in various stages of review. Click here to access additional information and procedures.

Dedicated Management Areas
Such areas are dedicated by the DNR Director for specific management uses through the promulgation of rules, as governed by Part 5, Department of Natural Resources, of the NREPA (MCL 324.502(2) and 324.504). Section 38 of the Administrative Procedures Act (MCL 24.238) provides for public requests for the promulgation of rules. This is an active program, with one proposed site currently under review by the DNR. A web page for Dedicated Management Areas has not yet been developed.

Coastal Environmental Areas
The public designation process is defined by Part 323, Shorelands Protection and Management, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451. The program is administered by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). This is an inactive program with no new areas currently under consideration by the DEQ. Click here to access additional information and procedures.

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Ecological Reference Areas

Ecological Reference Areas (ERAs) are high quality examples of natural communities that have been identified as Element Occurrences (EOs) by the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) within the context of their natural community classification system. Element Occurrences with viability ranks of A (Excellent) or B (Good) and a Global (G) or State (S) element (rarity) ranking of endangered (1), threatened (2), or rare (3) serve as an initial base of ERAs. They may be located upon any ownership in the State. The system is comprised of individual or associations of natural community types that are managed for restoration and maintenance of natural ecological processes and values. The public may submit recommendations for lands as ERAs using the DNR Conservation Area Recommendation Form.

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