• Forest Products Industry
• Hunters and Trappers
• Outdoor Recreationists
• Private Property Owners
• Land Conservancies and Other Conservation Organizations
• National Forests, National Parks and Other Public Landowners
• DNR Land Managers

Forest Products Industry

• The Living Legacies initiative will help to ensure that timber products from DNR-managed lands can be sold in markets that require wood products to be from certified sources. Implementation of this initiative will help the DNR meet the Forest Stewardship Certification standards.

• The Living Legacies initiative will improve the overall quality and sustainability of forest lands managed by the DNR. At the same time, the DNR will ensure that the designation of BSAs does not have a negative affect on the amount of timber products coming from DNR-managed lands.

• BSA designation may result in increased harvest in some areas. The goal of the initiative is to conserve biodiversity by conserving examples of all different types of ecosystems that occur in Michigan. Some of our biodiversity is dependant on types of ecosystems that traditionally had frequent natural disturbances. To conserve these communities, we need to mimic those natural disturbances, and in some areas this may include larger and more frequent timber harvests.

• BSAs may result in future new market opportunities for the timber industry that are not available under current State Forest management schemes. Changes in management may result in changes in the type and volume of timber produced from portions of Biodiversity Stewardship Areas on DNR-managed lands.

Hunters and Trappers

• The primary purpose of the Living Legacies initiative is to identify and designate areas state-wide (Biodiversity Stewardship Areas) that are important to long-term conservation of Michigan's biological heritage (biodiversity), and Michigan's biological heritage includes both game and non-game wildlife species.

• The goals of the Living Legacies initiative will be achieved through conservation of Michigan's many different types of ecosystems. These ecosystems provide habitat for both game and non-game species. For example, by improving the quality and condition of Mesic Northern Forests, we'll be improving habitat for marten, fisher and black bear. The same is true for Oak Barrens and habitat for deer and turkey, as well as Intermittent Wetlands and habitat for common snipe.

• The DNR will ensure that the designation of BSAs does not result in any net loss of recreational opportunities, including hunting and trapping. This coupled with improved wildlife habitat will provide overall benefits to hunters and trappers statewide.

Outdoor Recreationists

• Biodiversity Stewardship Areas will provide unique opportunities for outdoor recreationists to experience the different kinds of places that are part of Michigan's incredible biological heritage.

• As the quality and condition of ecosystems within BSAs are improved through management, the scenic value for individuals using the area will also improve.

Private Property Owners

• The BSA designation will inform landowners that have property within BSA boundaries of the importance of their land to conserving Michigan's biological heritage. However, it leaves it up to individual landowners to determine if and how they will use the information. The DNR hopes that this designation will lead to partnerships that help conserve Michigan's unique biological heritage.

• Conservation of ecosystems within Biodiversity Stewardship Areas may promote environments that increase the value of private lands that are within and adjacent to the area.

• The DNR will use the Biodiversity Stewardship Area designation to help prioritize the expenditure of limited resources and focus our biodiversity conservation activities. The Department will look for opportunities to assist and cooperate with interested landowners within Biodiversity Stewardship Areas, when the resources to do so are available. Although this initiative does not include any new dollars for landowner assistance, some opportunities to work with private landowners may be possible through current DNR programs.

• For landowners interested in managing for Michigan's biological heritage, the designation will inform their land use decisions, helping them identify activities they can implement that will benefit biodiversity conservation, or activities they can avoid that might otherwise have a negative effect. These landowners will have the satisfaction of knowing that they are participating in an initiative that has statewide implications. They will know that they are helping to move Michigan down the pathway toward long-term sustainable stewardship of our biological heritage.

Land Conservancies and Other Conservation Organizations

• The BSA designation will inform conservancies and other conservation organizations that have property within BSA boundaries of the importance of their lands and those of the private landowners with whom they are working to conserving Michigan's biological heritage. However, it leaves it up to individual landowners to determine if and how they will use the information. The DNR hopes that this designation will lead to partnerships that help conserve Michigan's unique biological heritage.

• Conservation Organizations may find the Biodiversity Stewardship Area designation useful for focusing and prioritizing their resources and areas of interest for their own biodiversity conservation activities (e.g., land owner assistance, acquisition of lands). Additional data resources that result from the initiative, such as the first round of recommendations developed by Core Design Teams, may also provide valuable information.

• Ecosystem restoration goals (desired future conditions) used by the DNR on the lands it manages within designated areas may provide additional information for planning efforts on conservation organizations' own lands or those of the private landowners with whom they are working.

• Applications for grants to complete conservation work with Biodiversity Stewardship Areas may benefit from the designation by allowing applicants to tie their work to a statewide initiative and with wider-reaching outcomes.

• The designation may help to energize partnership-building within designated Biodiversity Stewardship Areas.

• The DNR will use the Biodiversity Stewardship Area designation to help prioritize the expenditure of limited resources and focus our biodiversity conservation activities. The Department will look for opportunities to cooperate with interested landowners within Biodiversity Stewardship Areas, when the resources to do so are available. Although this initiative does not include any new dollars for landowner assistance, some opportunities to work with conservation organizations may be possible through current DNR programs.

National Forests, National Parks and Other Public Landowners

• The BSA designation will inform landowners that have property within BSA boundaries of the importance of their land to conserving Michigan's biological heritage. However, it leaves it up to individual landowners to determine if and how they will use the information. The DNR hopes that this designation will lead to partnerships that help conserve Michigan's unique biological heritage.

• Public agencies may find the Biodiversity Stewardship Area designation useful for focusing and prioritizing their resources and areas of interest for their own biodiversity conservation activities. Additional data resources that result from the initiative, such as the first round of recommendations developed by Core Design Teams, may also provide valuable information for conservation organizations.

• Ecosystem restoration goals (desired future conditions) used by the DNR on the lands it manages within designated areas may provide additional information for planning efforts on the lands managed by other public agencies.

• The Living Legacies initiative is consistent with the vision of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for an all-lands approach to sustaining and restoring the nation's forests, where USDA resources and authorities are committed to sustain federal, state, tribal, county, municipal, and private forests.

• The goals of the Living Legacies initiative are very compatible with the mission of the National Park system.

• The DNR will use the Biodiversity Stewardship Area designation to help prioritize the expenditure of limited resources and focus our biodiversity conservation activities. The Department will look for opportunities to cooperate with other public agencies within Biodiversity Stewardship Areas, when the resources to do so are available. Although this initiative does not include any new dollars for assistance to other landowners, some opportunities to work with other public agencies may be possible through current DNR programs

DNR Land Managers

• Using the Biodiversity Stewardship Area designation will help the DNR to prioritize our fiscal and personnel resources, provide synergy between programs, and provide direction in how this department plans and manages a portion of the lands that we administer for the citizens of Michigan.

• Management of the network of Biodiversity Stewardship Areas will complement (but not replace) other DNR programs and projects that also benefit biodiversity conservation.

• Implementation of this initiative will help to address statutory requirements in Part 525, Sustainable Forestry on State Forestlands, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended.

• This initiative will help to implement the Wildlife Division's strategic plan and will help to address several of the statewide priority conservation needs and issues identified in the Wildlife Action Plan.

• The objectives for the network of BSAs are very compatible with the mission of the State Park system. Biodiversity Stewardship Areas located in State Parks and Recreation Areas have been aligned with the zoning concept used in the State Parks planning process when possible, and will inform future planning efforts.

• The network of Biodiversity Stewardship Areas will help the DNR increase its effectiveness by ensuring that it is using its limited resources in a way that will provide the most benefit to biodiversity, with as little potential for negative effects on other values as possible.