Community Feature
Community Voice is Shaping the Future of the Keweenaw Heartlands
Located at the very tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, the northernmost point of Michigan’s mainland, the Keweenaw Heartlands covers more than 32,500 acres of community-driven impact. Supported by the Keweenaw Community Foundation (KCF) and steered by public input and partnerships, the Heartlands reflect an evolving story of forestland that flourishes when local voices help guide its future.
In 2021, the large parcel of land was listed for sale for the first time in more than 150 years, after being held in corporate ownership. Having previously operated as a commercial forest with public access, the announcement of the sale immediately raised concerns in the community.
Like most of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, residents of Keweenaw County take great pride in the land and care deeply about its protection. With fears of land division and parcellation, along with worry that a new owner might close land access altogether—barring entry to many recreational trails and more—the community convened to take action.
One of the first partners called upon was The Nature Conservancy’s Michigan chapter. As the organization conducted large public engagement planning and facilitation, it realized it needed support from someone the community knew and trusted. The Keweenaw Community Foundation stepped in to support connection to the community for the long road ahead.
“Up here, calling with a 906 area code is [going to] be a lot easier to get someone to answer the phone,” Robin Meneguzzo, CEO of KCF, said.
The Nature Conservancy surveyed the community in detail, connecting with local leaders, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and people locally, regionally, and beyond.
The research returned four major intents the public sought for the Heartlands’ future: protection of the natural and cultural resources, ability to remain a working forest, enduring public access and protection of trails, and continued maintenance of the community’s economic contributions. The ultimate goal, shift the land to public ownership, with both the DNR and local leaders making decisions together to build and safeguard a community forest.
“When you’re doing large-scale conservation, you really have to know and understand what the community wants and what their priorities are,” Julia Petersen, Keweenaw Peninsula Project Manager at The Nature Conservancy, said.
Petersen shared that it was ultimately the alignment between the community’s mission and values with its own that led The Nature Conservancy to officially purchase the land in late 2022 as the interim owner. The purchase ensured that the land could not be parceled out while removing it from the market and allowing time for the community to establish formal plans.
Meneguzzo said the project has been a true collaborative experience between residents and organizations. Petersen affirmed that both KCF and the DNR have been very involved partners since the early phases of the project, even prior to the purchase.
“They’ve been at every community advisory committee meeting, they’ve been at public meetings, and they are consistently committed to this project. And I think all three of our organizations recognize that this is something different and unique, and the outcome here will be something that we all can learn from, and that other communities can learn from as well,” Petersen added.
Petersen shared that other land projects across The Nature Conservancy have been reaching out to them to learn from the close community collaboration unfolding in Keweenaw, hoping to apply the Heartlands’ level of engagement to their own work.
“They want to make sure that they’re in relationship, with the community, versus doing something to the community or for the community,” Petersen said.
All the collaboration and connection do not come without shifts in practices and at times, challenges. Meneguzzo shared that ensuring authentic and comprehensive community engagement can be complex, but it’s important to gain various perspectives and unique expertise.
“There's a lot of talk of sharing power and centering community, but when it comes to action, and actually doing that, there can be a big difference there. The more voices you have at the table, the more confidence you're going to have in the outcome.” - Robin Meneguzzo, CEO of Keweenaw Community Foundation
She added that the role of a community foundation is service, and the community is its driver, helping to guide how it grows, moves and engages. Meneguzzo added that partnerships like the Heartlands project are essential, as they ensure that true listening and understanding are taking place.
Now, more than three years after the purchase, one-third of the land is nearing its final development target. Petersen anticipates that 10,000 acres will officially transition to the DNR’s ownership, management and governance later this year. The community foundation maintains a website for the Heartlands, providing monthly updates via blog posts and a newsletter to ensure the community has as much information as possible.
As for the other two-thirds, Meneguzzo noted that it’s a big year for the project, sharing that a new governmental entity is being established and that they are hopeful for the passage of a legislative amendment that would allow for the creation of the Authority Board. Petersen went on to add that the legislation is a key part of the process as it allows for local incorporation of the Heartlands’ authority.
“The community designed something that was unique, and the Michigan Recreational Authorities Act was a close fit but needed a couple of adjustments so that the community could stand up what they had designed,” Petersen said.
KCF is also holding a special project fund—the Keweenaw Heartlands Forest Fund—that assists the public to start a community forest which will be governed and managed by the new local, public Authority Board. The fund will support initial local governance and management planning and securing a future where the forest is always accessible.
Want More?
Learn more about the Keweenaw Heartlands, the Keweenaw Community Foundation and The Nature Conservancy’s work in Michigan.
