11/16/23 | November Keweenaw Heartlands Updates

 

On Nov. 1, The Nature Conservancy in Michigan opened the Clark Mine Trail gates, and other seasonal gates, across the Keweenaw Heartlands. The gates will remain open throughout deer hunting and snowmobile seasons.

The Clark Mine trail from near Estivant Pines to its eastern terminus at the Mandan Loop Road has been closed to full size vehicles, campers, and heavy trucks during peak visitor season to reduce impact on the trail and increase user safety. According to data collected by TNC, in peak season, as many as 200 vehicles per day accessed nearby Manganese Road.

TNC asks residents who use the Heartland roads and trails throughout the fall and winter to follow “Leave No Trace” principles, which includes taking out whatever you bring into the Heartlands. Camping is not allowed on any TNC-owned land, and neither are fires. Hunters are also prohibited from setting up permanent deer blinds. Vehicles and snowmobiles should remain on designated trails.

Public meeting providing updates on the Keweenaw Heartlands scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 29

TNC and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will host a “Heartlands Update” public meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 6:30 p.m. at the Allouez Township Community Center, 388 Bumbletown Road in Allouez. During the meeting, we will share updates on land management, the Heartlands inventory project, and the next steps in establishment of a local governance model. We hope you will attend, ask questions, and provide feedback!

Public feedback period for Blueprint for the Keweenaw Heartlands now closed

We want to thank the Keweenaw community for their feedback on the six sections of the Blueprint for the Keweenaw Heartlands. Your comments were invaluable, and we appreciate your thoughtful responses as we collectively determine the future of this forest. Comments are incorporated into the final version of the Blueprint, which should be completed and available for download by the end of the year

TNC senior conservation scientist outlines Heartlands inventory process

Doug Pearsall, senior conservation scientist for The Nature Conservancy’s Midwest Division, recently penned an update to the Keweenaw Heartlands inventory, which will be finalized in 2024. The inventory is the most comprehensive effort in the history of TNC in Michigan, covering ecological and cultural features, infrastructure, and timber and carbon assets. We assigned TNC staff to lead each of these four complementary inventories, consulted with partners including the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and Keweenaw Bay Indian Communities (KBIC), and for components of the work, contracted with subject matter experts at Michigan Technological University (MTU), Green Timber Consulting Foresters, and the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI). You can read more about TNC’s efforts and Doug’s on-the-ground perspective here.

 
Keweenaw Community Foundation