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The dome of Michigan's statehouse framed by tree branches and a bright blue sky in downtown Lansing.
Policy Priorities The decisions of Michigan’s leaders have an incredible impact on our shared progress toward a thriving future for Michigan. As a science-based, pragmatic and nonpartisan organization, TNC seeks to help policymakers make informed choices that sustain and protect the natural systems that are the foundation for Michigan’s economy, security and way of life. © Michael D-L Jordan/dlp
Stories in Michigan

Policy Priorities in Michigan

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is working with state leaders to find meaningful solutions to issues impacting Michigan’s lands and waters.

Explore our latest policy objectives in the Great Lakes State.

Headshot of Helen Taylor, state director in Michigan.
Helen Taylor Helen Taylor is TNC's state director in Michigan. © Matthew Mitchell

From our state director

Our Priorities

We have years, not decades to take on the interconnected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. At The Nature Conservancy (TNC), we have set ambitious 2030 Goals that research tells us can slow the interconnected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. And thanks to our science-based, pragmatic approach and a long history of fostering relationships, we know how to bring on the people, partnerships and tools needed to be successful.

From the timber, farmlands and fisheries that help power the Great Lakes economy; to the forests that keep our air and water clean; to the wetlands that protect our coasts from floods and erosion—nature offers critical solutions to help Michigan find resilience in a time of change.

That’s why TNC works with leaders across Michigan and the Midwest to advance nature-based solutions that benefit Great Lakes communities, lands, waters and wildlife. We also demonstrate the impact and scalability of investment in nature-based solutions through active conservation projects—for example, supporting sustainable timber in the Upper Peninsula and helping to transform agricultural supply chains in the Saginaw Bay watershed.

From our advocacy efforts to our projects in the field, TNC’s work is defined by a collaborative approach that has been shaped by decades of learning. Our local expertise and global resources enable us to play a special role working side-by-side with partners, communities and decision-makers across Michigan—and we hope to continue that collaborative tradition with you.

In short, nature offers us a powerful set of tools—tools we can all get behind to support Michigan communities for many years to come. When we work together with nature, everyone wins. Together we find a way.

 

Helen Taylor
State Director, Michigan 

Protect Michigan’s Lands & Biodiversity

In a changing world, the concerns of nature are inseparable from the concerns of people. Growing threats to biodiversity, water quality and food supplies, a changing climate and other challenges make it increasingly clear that healthy natural systems are vital to our future, and the future of Michigan. 

Tackle Carbon Emissions

Science tells us we must reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 to combat the worst impacts of climate change. This will require a rapid transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable sources such as wind and solar energy. It will also require tapping into nature’s solutions to climate change.

To help achieve that, TNC is providing innovative strategies and tools grounded in leading science, partnerships, public policy and market-based approaches to accelerate the Midwest’s contribution to a net-zero emissions future, while avoiding land-use conflicts and potential harm to communities and wildlife.

What we're doing: TNC’s conservation-informed tools, including Site Renewables Right and Power of Place, help renewable energy developers select sites for utility-scale wind and solar installations that avoid detrimental impacts to nature and communities. 

A Common Loon shakes the water free after diving deep in a Northern Michigan lake.
Common Loon Loons migrating to Michigan tend to find their ideal habitat in the thick forests of the northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula where quiet waters provide them with the resources they need. © Scott Suriano/TNC Photo Contest 2019

Build Climate Resilience

Nature is our ally in abating the negative impacts of greenhouse gas emissions. However, changing climatic conditions and habitat loss threaten to undermine the many benefits that healthy, resilient lands and waters provide, including carbon sequestration and sustainable economies.

Through conservation, restoration and improved land management, TNC strives to help Michigan build environmental resilience and protect biodiversity, so that nature can help our communities thrive in a changing climate.

What we're doing: TNC’s “Resilient and Connected Lands” tool provides a roadmap of U.S. lands with the unique topographies, geologies and other characteristics that can help plants and animals adapt to climate impacts.

Practical Climate Sustainability

TNC and the Michigan Manufacturers Association are following up on the success of our first series of practical climate sustainability seminars for Michigan businesses, with a second series planned in 2023. 

Restore Native Forests

Spanning over 60 million acres, the Northwoods are a dense blanket of green that covers the northern parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The diversity, climate resilience and pest resilience of these forests depend on their restoration and sustainable management, which also benefits state economies.

On our working forest reserves in Michigan, TNC demonstrates the sustainable management practices necessary to keep Michigan forests healthy. We also work to strengthen incentives and opportunities for others to implement these practices, and to help forests sequester and store more carbon.

What we're doing: In 2023, TNC expanded the Family Forest Carbon Program to cover 12 states and more Michigan counties. The program, a partnership with the American Forest Federation, makes carbon market incentives for sustainable forestry practices accessible for landowners with as few as 30 acres.

A person walks through an autumn forest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The trees are covered in an array of red, green and yellow leaves.
Sustainable Forestry The Family Forest Carbon Program makes carbon market incentives for sustainable forestry practices more accessible for forest owners with as few as 30 acres. © Dietrich Ludwig
A person holds the stem of a small tree.
Resilient Forests At TNC’s working forest reserves we demonstrate how Michigan’s forests can be managed for increased health and resilience. © Drew Kelly

Sustain Great Lakes Food & Fresh Water

Here in Michigan, we live at the heart of one of the world’s greatest freshwater regions. The thoughtful stewardship of waters ensures they can continue to support an abundance of wildlife and provide vital services to people, from nature-based economies, to clean water, to the food systems we depend on. 

Search for Lake Whitefish

Fisheries experts are taking to Michigan rivers in search of this important species.

Learn More

Safeguard Great Lakes Fisheries

Michigan boasts the longest shoreline of any Great Lakes state—the longest freshwater shoreline in the world. Our connection to the Great Lakes is strong, and our good stewardship is vital to this globally significant resource.

TNC works tirelessly to understand the threats facing Great Lakes ecosystems, and to pursue restoration solutions that protect native fish species and their roles in thriving coastal communities. We align our efforts with partners across the Great Lakes—preventing invasive species from taking hold, protecting coastal systems against degradation and more.

What we're doing: While iconic native species such as lake whitefish still swim in Great Lakes waters, their numbers are dwindling. TNC is working with state and Tribal partners to research the causes and develop solutions.

Two experts search for lake whitefish with nets on a Michigan river.
Partnership TNC joins partners in the field in search of lake whitefish including the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, DNR, and Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. © Matt Herbert/TNC

Sustainable Conservation Funding

Our conservation and climate work is not possible without consistent, robust funding from Congress. TNC continues to share our science and expertise on key topics, such as:

  • Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) and its long-term potential to benefit state economies and biodiversity.
  • U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act that would fund public-private partnerships to support international communityled conservation and its economic and security benefits.

What we're doing: When TNC acquired 32,000 acres in the Keweenaw Peninsula, we saw an opportunity to partner with the community and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to ensure long-term environmental and economic benefits. TNC is working to secure $30M in public funding for the sustainable management of the lands in perpetuity.

A group of farmers gather under a large tent in a field for a meeting on a sunny day in Michigan's Saginaw Valley.
Farmer-led Watershed Groups The primary focus of FLWGs is on collaboration and addressing specific needs of the local watershed, such as water quality, rural aesthetics and other local resource concerns. © TNC
A ground-level view of crops growing from the soil in Saginaw, Michigan.
Approach to Soil Health In Michigan’s agricultural watersheds we are working to support farmers—and make it easier—to shift to practices that restore and sustain long-term soil health. © Fauna Creative

Promote Regenerative Agricultural Practices

Farmers are stewards of the productive soils that provide food for the world. By protecting the health of these soils, Michigan farmers not only contribute to long-term farm productivity, but also protect rivers, streams and lakes from harmful nutrient runoff and erosion, and improve soil carbon retention.

For more than a decade, TNC has been partnering with Saginaw Bay watershed farmers to expand the use of soil health practices such as cover crops, no-till and precision nutrient application methods. This includes offering incentives programs, learning opportunities and more.

What we're doing: TNC supports several farmer-led watershed groups in the Saginaw Bay area. These self-governed groups highlight the growing leadership of regional farmers in addressing local water quality and soil health issues. 

Contact Us

Meet our policy and government relations team in Michigan.

2024 Policy Priorities

View or download a copy of our 2024 Policy Priorities.

View Our Priorities