Building the Huron-Manistee National Forests

This story more properly begins previous to Michigan Statehood (1837) when the lands all belonged to the United States of America. The "Cash Sale Act of 1820" allowed the lumber companies to purchase large tracts of timber land. By the time the "Homestead Act of 1862" was passed, nothing but the poorer sites were left for homesteaders to claim (160-acre tracts). Before the turn of the century these lands had been cutover and burned over. The company owners offered these lands as "farms" and "resort" areas or let the lands return to the State for non-payment of taxes.

When the Huron and Manistee National Forest boundaries were established in the first half of the century, any land for sale on a willing seller basis was considered. It was also a time when the State Forest System was originating and lands were coming back to the State for non-payment of taxes. The Forest Service and the then Michigan Department of Conservation entered into a land exchange agreement in order to facilitate building the State Forest and National Forest Systems. To date, on the four National Forests in Michigan over 121 separate land exchanges have been completed under this agreement.

The Huron and Manistee National Forests started with boundaries established around private lands "suitable for timber production and watershed protection". There also were scattered unpatented lands that had never been privately owned that became part of the National Forest System. Land acquisition began in earnest in the early 1930's. By the mid-1960's the Huron-Manistee National Forests totaled nearly 800,000 acres. Today, the National Forest ownership is over 976,400 acres. Since the early 1970’s large company holdings have become available for purchase. Most of the lands available were along the major rivers.

It is important to remember that these National Forests were not just "proclaimed" into being but were put together by the acquisition of privately-owned parcels on a willing seller basis. This "building program" is still going on today.

Over time, land acquisition programs on the National Forest have dwindled, while private ownerships continue to decrease in average size and homes and seasonal cabins become more numerous. These events have resulted in areas of scattered National Forest ownerships. Access roads used by the public in the past are being closed by private owners and homes and vacation cabins are becoming numerous. Opportunities for National Forest land consolidation are becoming more and more limited. In addition there have been limited public funds for land purchase over the last ten years.

The goal set in the Forests’ Land and Resources Management Plan is to acquire lands needed to protect endangered, threatened and sensitive species, increase the amount of wetlands, water frontage, and areas possessing unique natural environments or cultural resources.

What Are the Main Steps in a Land Exchange?