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Public Land Strategy

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Public Land Strategy

The Power of Public Lands: Your resources. Our Commitment. Michigan's legacy.

The DNR is responsible for taking care of 4.6 million acres of public lands and 6.4 million acres of mineral rights. The updated land strategy, to be implemented between 2021 and 2027 (following consideration and approval by the Michigan Legislature), seeks to align and leverage divisional and departmentwide strategies and priorities to set a comprehensive, coherent direction for the DNR to effectively manage the public lands that set Michigan apart today and years into the future.

Use the table of contents below to see specific sections. You can also download the full strategy, full strategy plain text,  strategy highlights or appendix as a PDF.

If you have questions or comments, please contact us via email at DNR-LandStrategy@Michigan.gov.

Section 1 - Overview

  • Why public lands matter
  • Overarching principles
  • Why a land strategy?
  • History of DNR-managed public lands in Michigan

Section 2 - Public lands toolkit

  • Dedicated project boundaries
  • State Land Review
  • Land exchanges and disposals
  • Ownership rights
  • Acquiring land
  • Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)

Section 3 - Taking action

  • Strategic approach to DNR land acquisitions
  • Land strategy goals
    • Goal 1: Protect natural and cultural resources
    • Goal 2: Provide access to outdoor public recreation opportunities
    • Goal 3: Perform responsible natural resource management
  • DNR strategic initiatives

Section 4 - Conclusion

  • Outcomes
  • What's next