West Michigan Land Consolidation Strategy Meetings

The Department of Natural Resources will host its final series of meetings in February on Phase II of the department's Land Consolidation Strategy to give citizens an opportunity to discuss public land consolidation strategies for 11 counties across the state. This is part of a multi-phase, ongoing process to consolidate the state's land holdings, retain and manage parcels that present the best opportunity for high quality public recreation and natural resource protection and dispose of parcels that do not benefit the state from a recreational, cultural or natural resources standpoint.

Every seven months, the DNR reviews a group of counties to determine which parcels will be disposed of and which will be retained. These parcels are outside of the new dedicated project boundaries for all state parks, recreation areas, state game and wildlife areas, and state forests adopted by the DNR in 2004. Once the reviews are completed by the DNR field staff, the parcels are classified one of three ways: retention under state ownership and DNR management, offer to another unit of government or an alternative conservation organization or disposal because the parcel has limited natural resource, recreational or cultural value.

The meetings in February will allow the public to review parcels for retention and disposal in 11 counties, 5 of which are in west Michigan: Benzie, Manistee, Ionia, Newaygo, and Mecosta.

The meetings are scheduled for:

• Benzie and Manistee counties: From 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, at the Manistee County Road Commission Administration Building, 8946 Chippewa Hwy. (US-31) in Bear Lake
• Ionia, Clinton and Shiawassee counties: From 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6, at the Clinton County Courthouse in the Board of Commissioners Room, located at 100 E. State St. in St. Johns;
• Newaygo and Mecosta counties: From 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Brooks Township Hall, located at 490 Quarterline SE in Newaygo

For more information on the DNR's land consolidation process, visit the DNR Web site and click on Land Consolidation Strategy on the site's front page. Maps and parcel information will be posted on the DNR's Web site two weeks prior to each meeting.

a news release of the Michigan DNR
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