Centrally located in northern michigan within the north american laurentian great lakes basin, the obtawaing biosphere region (OBR) lies at the convergence of two peninsulas, three great lakes, and…

The Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 3 awarded a $199,797.28 Cooperative Agreement to Huron Pines Resource Conservation And Development Council Inc. (Huron Pines) on October 1, 2023 under the Coastal CFDA 15.630 grant program. Through this award, Huron Pines will engage regional stakeholders and tribal leadership to develop coordinated coastal conservation and climate resilience plans for the Obtawaing Biosphere Region in Michigan. The project will compile and synthesize existing Great Lakes regional plans, decision-making tools, and data to integrate into sub-regional and local coastal planning efforts, resulting in a prioritized list of coastal projects for future funding. This aligns with the Coastal program's objective to provide technical and financial assistance for voluntary coastal habitat protection, restoration, and improvement projects that benefit federal trust species.

Centrally located in northern michigan within the north american laurentian great lakes basin, the obtawaing biosphere region (OBR) lies at the convergence of two peninsulas, three great lakes, and numerous cultures. In 2021, unesco recognized the OBR in its man and the biosphere programme as a region of global ecological and cultural significance. The existing partnership network has identified the need for coordinated regional planning for coastal systems. Through this regional stakeholder and tribal leadership will be engaged in conservation and climate resilience and adaptation planning. Great lakes regional plans, decision-making tools, and data will be compiled, synthesized and integrated into coordinated sub-regional to local plans and on-the-ground efforts resulting in a prioritized coastal project list for additional funding exploration.