Management of state fish and game populations does not occur solely upon public lands, which comprise only about one-third of the area of the State of Michigan. Cooperative management with private ownerships is critical for the effective management of timber, terrestrial wildlife habitat and aquatic resources. To this end the DNR is a cooperative partner in a number of initiatives that focus upon the sustainable management of private land resources.

The DNR Forest Stewardship Program (FSP) assists landowners with the development of Forest Stewardship Management Plans for their private forestlands. The Michigan Forestland Enhancement Program (FLEP) is an important tool that augments the Forest Stewardship Program by providing financial assistance for encouraging the long-term sustainability of non-industrial private forestlands.

The Commercial Forest Program provides a property tax reduction to private landowners as an incentive to retain and manage forestland for long-term timber production. Landowners in this program agree to develop, maintain and manage the land as commercial forest through planting, natural reproduction, or other silvicultural practices.

The Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) The Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) provides advice, management plans, and funding to qualified private landowning individuals and organizations for habitat improvement. This program uses an ecosystem approach, which recognizes that whole suites of wildlife species are in decline because of the loss or degradation of essential habitat. Landowners receive assistance to restore habitat for at-risk species that use southern grasslands and wetlands, northern pine barrens and jack pine forests, and northern mesic conifer forests.