The DNR is developing a new general management plan for Keweenaw Point State Lands, a recently acquired 10,000-acre property featuring forests, wetlands and culturally significant landscapes. Located directly south of Fort Wilkins Historic State Park, the property will be managed as part of the state park. View map.
A property’s general management plan defines a long-range (10- to 20-year) planning and management strategy to protect and preserve the site’s natural and cultural resources and provide access to land- and water-based public recreation and educational opportunities.
The planning process is being facilitated by Beckett & Raeder Inc. of Ann Arbor and will rely heavily on public and stakeholder input to help shape the property's future management and recreational opportunities.
About the 10,000 acres
Efforts to protect Keweenaw Point State Lands as public lands began in 2021, when more than 32,000 acres of forest, wetlands and culturally and historically significant landscapes – also known as Keweenaw Heartlands – were formally placed on the market. The Nature Conservancy purchased the property in 2022 as a temporary owner and immediately began working with the community and the DNR to secure the funding that would make public ownership possible. On Nov. 5, 2026, the DNR acquired 10,000 acres of this property from TNC using approximately $11.2 million in grant funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and Land Exchange Facilitation Fund.
Public input opportunities
In 2024, the public was invited to learn about and provide feedback on the draft general management plan through an online survey and public meetings. That feedback is being used to help inform the next draft of the plan, which will be released for public review and feedback. Details about the public review process will be announced at a later date.
Resources
- Keweenaw Point State Lands map
- Keweenaw Point State Lands public input survey summary
- Keweenaw public meeting presentation
- Virtual public meeting recording
- Keweenaw Point existing conditions map
Contact
For more information, contact Debbie Jensen, park management plan administrator for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division, at JensenD1@Michigan.gov.