Keweenaw Heartlands Forest Fund

A Community-Led Forest

The Keweenaw Peninsula is home to one of the most ecologically intact landscapes remaining in the Great Lakes region. With over 30,000 acres of forests, rivers, wetlands, and trails, the Keweenaw Heartlands are central to our geographic, cultural, and emotional identity.

In 2022, this landscape was protected from immediate privatization and fragmentation. Today, through the Keweenaw Heartlands Forest Fund, we’re securing and shaping a future where the land is locally governed, sustainably managed, always accessible, and protected forever.

Why the Heartlands Matter

The Keweenaw Heartlands is more than just land. It’s part of our way of life. With 30,000 acres of forestland, 32+ miles of rivers and streams, and 4,000 acres of wetlands, the Heartlands cleans the region’s air and filters the water that flows into Lake Superior. With over 75 miles of motorized and non-motorized recreation trails, significant opportunities for hiking and fishing, and lots of space to explore, this landscape offers many opportunities to connect with nature, enjoy the outdoors, and celebrate community.

locally led. access for all.

Protecting the Heartlands is about protecting access for everyone, always. But a transition to public ownership is only the beginning. Local care, regular public engagement, and sustainable planning are essential to ensure this landscape remains beneficial to community members today and for generations to come.

The Keweenaw Heartlands will be cared for by the people who live here. Although residents have long contributed to land stewardship, this is the first time they will do so through a formal role in governing public forestland.

Keweenaw County voters will soon elect a five-person board to lead the new Keweenaw Heartlands Recreation and Natural Resources Authority, which will govern and manage approximately 20,000 acres of the Heartlands. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will own and manage the remaining 10,000 Heartlands acres.

This board will be:

• Elected by local residents and accountable to the public.

• Responsible for ensuring that environmental, economic, and social benefits flow directly back to the forest and the community.

• Guided by the Blueprint for the Keweenaw Heartlands, a community-developed forest blueprint rooted in shared values.

The board’s top priorities will be: (1) protecting ecological and cultural features, (2) restoring the health of the working forest, (3) maintaining public access to the forest, including physical, structural, and social access. The board will provide regular opportunities for public input ensuring accountability and transparency, two values highly prioritized by the community to guide the future of this land.

what your gift makes possible

Your donation to the Keweenaw Heartlands Forest Fund directly supports the long-term care and responsible management of the Keweenaw Heartlands.

Your gift supports:

• Monitoring, conserving, protecting, improving, and maintaining the forest

• Capital improvements such as trails, signage, and access infrastructure

• Operational and staffing needs for day-to-day and governance activities

• Administrative and out-of-pocket expenses necessary to manage the forest effectively

• Matching funds for grant opportunities

• Fundraising efforts to ensure continued support for this community-led project 

Your support ensures that this land remains publicly accessible, sustainably managed, and guided by the values of the people who live in and love the Keweenaw.

how we’ll fund this together

To support the launch of this community forest, we are raising $600,000 for startup operations for the Keweenaw Heartlands Recreation and Natural Resources Authority Board.

• $300,000 has already been committed

• We are now working to raise the remaining $300,000

This $600,000 will support at least the board’s first three years, covering planning and operations without placing a burden on Keweenaw County’s tax base. A strong start will ensure capable leadership and a thriving, self-sustaining community forest.

DONATE now to the keweenaw heartlands community forest

This is your chance to shape the future of the Keweenaw.

You can:

• Make a one-time or monthly gift

• Host a fundraiser or awareness event

• Make a matching or planned gift

• Share this opportunity with your friends, neighbors, and network

Every gift, large or small, makes a difference.

On the page below, please indicate your donation to the Keweenaw Heartlands Forest Fund. Include any additional notes, add the donation to your cart, and check out when you are finished making donation selections. 

To donate by check, please write “Keweenaw Heartlands Forest Fund” on the memo line and mail to:

Keweenaw Community Foundation
PO Box 265
Hancock, MI 49930