Environment

State works to help localities with significant public lands

By |

By CHAO YAN
Capital News Service
LANSING — Michigan ranks seventh in the nation in its percentage of land owned by the public, and state officials are working to make sure that property does not burden local governments. State- and federal-owned land offers opportunities for tourism, recreation and resource extraction such as mining. But in some counties, particularly in the North, the land also limits local tax revenue and development potential. “In a county that is 50 percent state-owned and we manage it, they have a hard time standing up fire, police and schools because they don’t get full tax off that, though they get great recreational outdoor activity,” Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Keith Creagh said. “For them it’s very difficult to drive some long-term economic sustainability or community sustainability.”
According to the DNR, the state manages nearly 3.9 million acres in northern Michigan and 700,000 million in the southern part of the state.

Environment

State works to help localities with significant public lands

By |

By CHAO YAN
Capital News Service
LANSING — Michigan ranks seventh in the nation in its percentage of land owned by the public, and state officials are working to make sure that property does not burden local governments. State- and federal-owned land offers opportunities for tourism, recreation and resource extraction such as mining. But in some counties, particularly in the North, the land also limits local tax revenue and development potential. “In a county that is 50 percent state-owned and we manage it, they have a hard time standing up fire, police and schools because they don’t get full tax off that, though they get great recreational outdoor activity,” Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Keith Creagh said. “For them it’s very difficult to drive some long-term economic sustainability or community sustainability.”
According to the DNR, the state manages nearly 3.9 million acres in northern Michigan and 700,000 million in the southern part of the state.

Environment

State works to help localities with significant public lands

By |

By CHAO YAN
Capital News Service
LANSING — Michigan ranks seventh in the nation in its percentage of land owned by the public, and state officials are working to make sure that property does not burden local governments. State- and federal-owned land offers opportunities for tourism, recreation and resource extraction such as mining. But in some counties, particularly in the North, the land also limits local tax revenue and development potential. “In a county that is 50 percent state-owned and we manage it, they have a hard time standing up fire, police and schools because they don’t get full tax off that, though they get great recreational outdoor activity,” Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Keith Creagh said. “For them it’s very difficult to drive some long-term economic sustainability or community sustainability.”
According to the DNR, the state manages nearly 3.9 million acres in northern Michigan and 700,000 million in the southern part of the state.

Environment

State works to help localities with significant public lands

By |

By CHAO YAN
Capital News Service
LANSING — Michigan ranks seventh in the nation in its percentage of land owned by the public, and state officials are working to make sure that property does not burden local governments. State- and federal-owned land offers opportunities for tourism, recreation and resource extraction such as mining. But in some counties, particularly in the North, the land also limits local tax revenue and development potential. “In a county that is 50 percent state-owned and we manage it, they have a hard time standing up fire, police and schools because they don’t get full tax off that, though they get great recreational outdoor activity,” Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Keith Creagh said. “For them it’s very difficult to drive some long-term economic sustainability or community sustainability.”
According to the DNR, the state manages nearly 3.9 million acres in northern Michigan and 700,000 million in the southern part of the state.

Environment

More trails, more water access recommended in public lands report

By |

By MATTHEW HALL
Capital News Service
LANSING – More public access to forests, lakes and trails are among the goals the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has in store for public lands. A department report details a strategy for increasing recreation, protection for natural resources and economic growth, said Donna Stine, the policy coordinator for the agency. One component is more trails for horse enthusiasts, especially in Southeast Michigan. “We have a large equestrian community and they do like to use our trails,” Stine said. “We have trails in Northern Michigan and some in Southern Michigan, primarily at state parks, but there is a lot of community interest in creating more of them.”
The report calls for connecting and extending 10 existing trails in Macomb, Oakland and Livingston counties.