The Keweenaw Land Trust is a community partner protecting land, water, and quality of life through conservation, stewardship and nature connections.

Our Vision

The Keweenaw Land Trust is a dynamic and effective organization empowering landowners and citizens to create a landscape that is forever beautiful, healthy and diverse. Our wealth of clean waters and natural and cultural resources sustain native wildlife, strengthen our local economy, and provide abundant recreational opportunities that together enrich our experience of the world. As a respected local conservation leader, we apply effective strategies to protect and restore natural areas, watersheds, heritage lands, traditional farms, forests and family lands that enhance our quality of life and foster personal connections to the Keweenaw for generations to come.

Our Values

  • Quality of life depends on the quality of the landscape. The landscape of the Keweenaw should inspire our local culture and provide opportunities for enjoyment and lifelong learning. We value the integrity of intact watersheds and ecosystems, new opportunities for public access to lake shores and natural areas, and the diversity of wildlife and natural habitats vital to our region's quality of life and economy.

  • We encourage a land ethic in our community that respects the link between quality of life and the land itself, with our role as caretakers to leave the land better for future generations. We want our community to be engaged in land use planning, conservation and stewardship of our shared natural and cultural resources.

  • We recognize that strengthening connections to the land fosters an appreciation and desire to steward our natural resources. People today face distractions, a diminished connection to nature and many may even fear being in the woods. All generations should be engaged in ensuring that children learn about natural history and find joy and comfort in natural surroundings as a gift to carry with them throughout their lives.

  • We value the choice to protect cherished land and invest in future generations. Your motivation might be rooted in a livelihood on a working landscape of farm or forest, a connection to family lands, or visits to the Copper Country. We provide options to protect family lands or leave a financial legacy to support our work.

  • We recognize the value of traditional outings at the hunting camp or to a secret stream or berry patch. Opportunities for hunting, fishing, camping, berry picking and all healthy connections to the landscape are important parts of our quality of life and should be valued and promoted in our community. 

  • We value the capacity of carefully managed forests to protect water quality, provide wildlife habitat, sustain traditional hunting and fishing opportunities, and support our forest products economy. We believe land conservation and resource stewardship are entirely compatible with sustainable forest management and that creative approaches can enhance recreation, natural resource, and economic benefits.

Keweenaw Land Trust primarily serves the counties of Keweenaw, Houghton, and Baraga in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but we also work with landowners in Iron, Ontonagon, and Gogebic counties.