Just as many people plan for the important things in life, such as choosing a career, buying a house, taking a trip, or retiring, public and private landowners can achieve their goals by developing a plan that will lead most effectively to these goals.

A management plan for a forest landowner organizes objectives into a comprehensive strategy, which the Michigan Department of Natural Resources calls a Forest Stewardship Plan.

Forest Stewardship is the wise management and use of forest resources to ensure their health and productivity for years to come. Stewardship is an ethic that challenges us to look beyond our immediate personal needs, to leave a living legacy for generations to come.

The steps in developing a Forest Stewardship Plan are:

1. Seek the assistance of a professional Forest Stewardship Plan Writer. Information about the state’s cost-share program for private landowners, and a list of certified plan writers, are available from the DNR at http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-30301_30505_34240-62882--,00.html

2. Determine your objectives and goals. The plan may incorporate land that is not forested but is an integrated part of a forest property.

3. Inventory and evaluate the present resources on the land.

4. Formulate a ten-year (or longer) schedule of activities.

5. Submit the plan for DNR approval and reimbursement, as described in the DNR’s “Forest Stewardship Information for Landowners” at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/IC4065-7_28491_7.pdf

Forest Stewardship Plans for Lillie Park and the Pittsfield Preserve were developed with the assistance of Outreach and Education grants from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Forest Stewardship Program, funded by the USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry section.