The Land at a Crossroads
- Jason Meekhof
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
A Walk in the Woods. Photo By John Meyland
The Next 20 Years Will Decide the Fate of Our Land
Walk through woodlots along the Clinton River in Oakland County or the rolling farmland of Livingston County, and it’s easy to imagine they will always be there—quiet places that anchor our sense of community. But the reality is far more fragile. Over the next two decades, our community faces an unprecedented wave of land transfer as the baby boomer generation ages. What happens during this period will define the very character of our region for generations to come.
In the coming years more than 100,000 acres of farmland and private forest in Oakland, Lapeer, Genesee, and Livingston counties are projected to change hands by 2045. Some of that land will remain in families. But tens of thousands of acres—much of it in the path of development pressure—will likely be sold or subdivided. Once lost to subdivisions or pavement, farmland and forests never return.
This moment is nothing short of existential for our region.
More Than Just Open Space
The land at stake is more than scenery. It is the living infrastructure that supports us all. Forests filter our drinking water and hold floodwaters after heavy rains. Wetlands provide habitat for migratory birds and recharge our aquifers. Farmland produces local food and maintains rural economies. Together, these lands shape the character of our communities, offering trails, rivers, and quiet woods where families walk, paddle, and reconnect with nature.
Fall View, Photo by Staff | Wooded Trail. Photo By John Meyland | Wetland Sunset. Photo by Slate Campbell
As climate stresses increase in other regions, Michigan’s natural resources are becoming even more important. Our clean water and forested landscapes make this one of the most livable places in the country. If we allow short-term development pressure to erase them, we squander not just beauty, but resilience.
Development Pressure Is Rising
Anyone who has driven through our communities has seen it: cornfields replaced by cul-de-sacs, woodlots cut into lots for sprawling subdivisions. Population growth, paired with rising land values, is accelerating conversion. Parcelization—breaking large farms or forests into smaller tracts—undermines the ecological value of those lands, making it harder for wildlife to thrive and for water systems to function naturally.
Left unchecked, this trend will continue to erode the very qualities that make our region unique.
Conservation Offers a Path Forward
The good news is that there is a solution—one rooted in partnership, community, and foresight. Local land conservancies like Blue Heron Headwaters Conservancy are working every day to ensure that critical lands are not lost.
This organization relies on voluntary conservation: landowners who choose to donate conservation easements, or in some cases donate or sell, their property to BHHC. We then protect the land permanently, safeguarding it from future development while keeping it in private ownership in the case of easements or making our owned properties available for public recreation when possible.
The results are powerful: cleaner water, healthier ecosystems, and trails and natural preserves that all residents can enjoy. Conservation also supports local economies by sustaining farmland and enhancing the outdoor recreation economy.
A Narrow Window
The coming 20 years represent a narrow window of opportunity. With so much land poised to change hands, our community must act quickly. The decisions made now will reverberate for generations. Once land is subdivided and paved, it does not return. But if we seize this moment, we can preserve the natural heritage of Southeast Michigan while still allowing for thoughtful, sustainable growth.
This is not simply a question of land use. It is a question of identity: what kind of communities do we want to leave to our children and grandchildren?
We stand at a fork in the road. One path leads to fragmented landscapes and lost natural resources. The other leads to protected headwaters, vibrant wildlife, and communities strengthened by open space and clean water.
The land will be sold. The only question is whether we will act boldly enough to preserve it.
Preserve Photos By Silent Light Photography & Sandhill Cranes By Theresa Ray
The choices we make now will shape our region for generations. With so much land on the brink of change, your support is vital.
🌿 Please consider a gift to our Fall Appeal to help protect clean water, healthy wildlife habitat, and the open spaces that make our communities strong.
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