Great Lakes/Great Lands
(Upper Peninsula)
MICHIGAN
Location
Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula; within a day’s drive of
metropolitan areas (e.g. Chicago, Detroit,
Milwaukee).
Congressional District: 1
Member(s): Rep. Bart Stupak
Acquired to Date
Acres
Cost ($)
30,426.34
19,065,517
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
FY 2010 Enacted
Method
Acres
Cost ($)
Purchase
650
$1,500,000
President’s Budget FY2011
Method
Acres
Cost ($)
Purchase
620
$1,300,000
Pending Future Request
Method
Acres
Cost ($)
Purchase
2,910
$3,500,000
Method
Purchase
Exchange
Donation
Other
Partners
Purpose
Protect integrity and health of multiple watersheds,
support Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
objectives, augment critical ecosystem qualities and
species habitat through protection, conservation,
and restoration.
Purchase
Opportunities
Northern Land and Sales, LLC and Plum Creek are
offering to sell portions of their Upper Peninsula
holdings.
Partners
The Trust for Public Land
Cooperators
N/A
Project
Description
Great Lakes/Great Lands-Upper Peninsula tracts are within the boundaries of the Hiawatha and
Ottawa National Forests, situated within four major watersheds which influence Great Lakes
Huron, Michigan, and Superior and support the national Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Major watershed integrity and health protection through acquisition of supporting wetland and
riparian areas will benefit these watersheds and ultimately the Great Lakes Region. Plant and
wildlife species are abundant and habitat consolidation will provide travel connectivity for
endangered Eastern gray wolf and threatened Canadian lynx. Various sensitive species, state
threatened and endangered species, two forest management indicator species, and the
delisted bald eagle are known to occur on or adjacent to the tracts.
The properties available for acquisition consolidate unique land forms and minimally developed
landscapes of intact forests resilient to climate changes and ready to contribute to on-going
carbon-sequestration efforts. Ownership consolidation not only contributes to landscape-level
conservation efforts, but also provides improved public, recreation, resource, and heritage site
access. Enhanced safety and recreation values will occur along four existing trails and a Wild
and and Scenic River. Heritage resources are not inventoried, but several tracts are in areas
with cultural resource potential (e.g. historic logging/mining areas; Native American trails).
Properties available for acquisition include:

Prickett Lake, Phase II – Ottawa NF ($1,300,000 - 620 acres). The acquisition of the
Prickett Lake property, with associated wetland and riparian habitat, would provide
significant protection to the Sturgeon River watershed, which drains directly into Lake
Superior. A portion of the property is located within the designated corridor of the Sturgeon
Wild and Scenic River. Efforts to protect the Sturgeon River watershed contribute to the
conservation objectives of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and complement
conservation efforts by the State Department of National Resources in the area.

Trout Lake, Whitefish River and Stonington – Hiawatha NF ($ 1,000,000 - 2,500 acres).
Acquisition of the parcels would significantly consolidate federal ownership in various areas
of the Forest and help ensure the protection and conservation of three separate
watersheds (two watersheds drain into Lake Michigan and the remaining watershed drains
into Lake Huron). The parcels also contain significant wetland habitat (the National
Wetlands Inventory designates approximately 48 percent of the subject acreage as
wetlands). The conservation of these watersheds and associated wetland areas would
help support the objectives of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Great Lakes/Great Lands
(Upper Peninsula)

Victoria East – Ottawa NF ($ 2,500,000 - 410 acres). The subject Victoria East property is
located within the Ontonagon River watershed, which also drains into Lake Superior. The
property contains significant riparian habitat associated with Victoria East reservoir, the
Middle Branch of the Ontonagon, and various streams and tributaries. A portion of the
property is located within the designated corridor of the Middle Branch of the Ontonagon
Wild and Scenic River. Acquisition of this property would provide significant protection for
these riparian areas and, thereby, benefit the watershed and further the objectives of the
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
O&M Cost
Estimated “start up” costs: $0
USDA Goal
Restore, sustain, and enhance national watersheds and related wetland ecosystems within UP
Forests while conserving open space and improving public and resource access, without
disruption of existing outdoor recreational patterns
Estimated annual maintenance: $0