Michigan is blessed with an abundance of breathtaking natural landscapes, encompassing vast deciduous and coniferous forests, serene wetlands, freshwater beaches and sandy dunes, and lush grasslands that all contribute to the state's unique beauty. It is impossible to overstate the importance of Michigan's wild places: our forests clean the air we breathe while our wetlands filter our water–both for habitat and for drinking water. It is our collective responsibility to safeguard these precious wild places, recognizing their intrinsic value to both the environment and our well-being.
The Sierra Club is Committed to:
- Protecting and restoring the biodiversity and majesty of Michigan's wildlands
- Enhancing public trust and giving Michigan citizens input into the management of the lands they own
- Restoring and maintaining threatened native wildlife
Staff:
- Marvin Roberson, Michigan Forest Policy Specialist, has been a major player in Michigan forest issues since 1989. He integrates his expertise in forest policy with his training as a Forest Ecologist, to promote ecologically sound management of Michigan's forests.
Campaigns:
The 30x30 policy agenda is simple, but not easy - we must protect 30% of our land and waters by 2030 in order to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change and maintain the basic functioning of the ecological systems that make life on earth possible. Although we are saying we must act to protect land and water - it’s more accurate to say that we must act to protect people.
Sierra Club's Political and Legislative Director, Christy McGillivray, provided testimony in support of 30x30 in Michigan on May 23, 2023. Read the full testimony here and view the slides outlining why we must support the 30x30 agenda.
Michigan Wilderness Act
The Michigan Wilderness Act is an historic piece of legislation that protected 90,000 acres of old growth forests, spectacular dunes and remote lakes in Michigan in 1987. The law created 10 now-familiar wilderness areas: Big Island Lake, Delirium, Horseshoe Bay, Mackinac, McCormick, Nordhouse Dunes, Rock River Canyon, Round Island, Sturgeon River Gorge, and Sylvania (click here for larger map). The remarkable victory came only after a suspense-filled, 10-year political battle.
State Forests, Public Lands, and Biodiversity Stewardship Areas
Michigan has the largest state forest system in the country: four million acres of publicly owned land throughout the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula.