Keweenaw Land Trust

CONSERVATION: Keweenaw Land Trust (KLT) acquired 210 acres in the globally significant Pequaming Marsh and added 17 acres to Koski Shores, both on the Abbaye Peninsula, in a trade of Six Mile Creek land (200 acres) with the State of Michigan, consolidating ownerships and securing wetland acres needed by the KLT for its current National Coastal Wetlands Conservation grant work on the Abbaye. KLT accepted the donation of 40 acres to establish the Boston Woods nature area near Paavola Wetlands and Boston Pond nature areas. This land has excellent wildlife habitat and will provide opportunities for hiking, nature observation and deer hunting. Several potential conservation projects are under evaluation or in development from partner referrals, landowner inquiries, and organizational program initiatives, including shoreline tracts, old growth forest and an island in Lake Superior. In accordance with Land Trust Alliance (LTA) Standards, the organization continues improving its land conservation practices and record keeping. KLT staff are working with legal counsel to update the template used for drafting conservation easements to better align with current best practices.

OUTREACH -NATURE CONNECTIONS: KLT conducts educational outreach and offers programming with the aim of strengthening connections to our protected lands and the broader natural world. Better understanding can translate to care and support for the conservation and stewardship efforts of the organization. Story Trail programs post pages of a relevant book along a trail enticing visitors to hike and learn. Guided outdoor explorations often engage community partners or volunteers and mix learning, art and camaraderie in events on our protected lands. These include Tyke Hikes targeting families with youngsters and activities combined with stewarding or managing our nature areas. KLT programs teach about threats from invasive species and the benefits and logistics of native plantings to benefit wildlife habitats. KLT is a Leave No Trace partner encouraging responsible and ethical use of all lands open for public use. KLT adopted the Keweenaw Water Trail and offers some information to paddlers. KLT engages with local schools (K-university) utilizing our protected lands as outdoor classrooms as well as sharing indoor learning about our conservation and stewardship work. KLT regularly conducts educational outreach through its website (www.KeweenawLandTrust.org), social media and email notices, and through print publication of newsletters, reports, and brochures.

STEWARDSHIP: KLT continued work to enhance habitats and facilitate public access opportunities in keeping with conservation goals for our protected lands. KLT initiated a summer intern program to bolster stewardship efforts, including trail work, invasive species monitoring and management, and habitat enhancement work with native plantings. KLT is increasingly engaging volunteers and partners in our stewardship efforts, including transfer of knowledge that can facilitate better stewardship on other private lands. KLT supported a project to inventory and update signage at Churning Rapids, a large tract of recreational working forest under conservation easement held by KLT, that comprises an extensive year-round non-motorized trail system. A component of our stewardship program is maintaining several rustic cabins available for scheduled use by donation. In accordance with LTA Standards, KLT conducted annual monitoring of its nature areas and private lands protected by conservation easements to ensure that conservation values are being protected. KLT continues to work on technological improvements to facilitate better networking, backup systems, security and organization of digital records for KLT's land conservation and stewardship programs.

OTHER: KLT is an active member of the Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area (KISMA) partnership, that engages interns and community partners in monitoring, management and educational outreach to raise awareness of invasive species. KLT supported ongoing partnerships with Keweenaw Geoheritage, and the Copper Country Recycling Initiative and served on an advisory committee to help frame a "Blueprint for the Heartlands" to help guide future ownership and uses of about 32,000 acres of land in Keweenaw County currently under transitory ownership of The Nature Conservancy. KLT supported the Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition (KORC) that focuses on stewardship and conservation of recreational land and resources in Keweenaw County.