The National Wildlife Federation is working to protect the Great Northwoods — millions of acres of forests and waters across Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin that provide vital wildlife habitat and connect nearby communities to nature.
Michigan’s Great Northwoods — the vast wild forests stretching across the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower — may feel like a world away from Detroit. But the two regions are deeply connected. The Northwoods filter the water we drink, clean the air we breathe, and buffer us from the worst of climate change. Now, federal rollbacks threaten to undo protections for these forests and waterways. In this series, Planet Detroit explores what the Northwoods mean for Metro Detroiters — from the ecosystem services that sustain our city, to the people building new connections between Detroit communities and Michigan’s wildest landscapes.
This series is sponsored by and co-produced with the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Regional Center.
Stories in this series
Join Us: Planet Detroit Live on the Great Northwoods and why it matters for Detroit
Michigan’s northern forests stretch across the Upper Peninsula and into the northern Lower Peninsula — millions of acres of wild land that most Detroiters rarely think about. But those forests filter the water that flows into the Great Lakes and eventually into Detroit’s taps.…
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Can Michigan’s forests hold back the tide of climate change?
Michiganders face more floods and extreme weather as climate change reshapes the state, impacting ecosystems, the economy, and public health. Wildfire risks rise, while key tree species and wildlife struggle to adapt.
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How a federal water pollution bill could jeopardize Detroit’s drinking water
The PERMIT Act, now under Senate review, threatens to weaken the Clean Water Act, risking higher pollution levels in Detroit’s drinking water and endangering the health and cultural practices of local communities.
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Is Detroit’s future tied to Michigan’s northwoods?
The Great Northwoods, vital for Detroit’s air and water quality, is more than a distant wilderness. Organizations like Detroit Outdoors and Black to the Land are bridging the gap, fostering connections and stewardship between urban communities and these crucial ecosystems.
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