Strategic Action Plan
Strategic Action Plan
West Michigan’s natural land is an essential part of its regional identity. Our scenic sand dunes, rivers, forests, and meadows draw people to live and visit here for their beauty alone.
At the Land Conservancy of West Michigan (LCWM), we know that West Michigan’s natural land is more than just pretty scenery—it also supports an incredible array of life. Migrating birds and insects flock to rest along the Lake Michigan shoreline, wild black bears, bobcats, and foxes roam our big forests, and thousands of unique plants and insect species thrive in the glacially tilled soils of our prairies, savannas, fens, and bogs. What makes these natural communities strong is their diversity. Their continued survival depends on the preservation of the ecological relationships they have with the landscape and each other. As more people come to live, work, and play in West Michigan, the demands on its land increase. Development and sprawl threaten to extinguish the very beauty that draws people here—and damage the health, diversity, and integrity of our natural communities.
The Land Conservancy of West Michigan exists to ensure that the permanent protection and care of our region’s ecologically critical lands is a priority, so that life in all its diverse forms can continue to thrive in West Michigan. Since 1976, we have collaborated with our communities to identify, protect, and care for natural land in this region. The enclosed strategic action plan outlines how we will approach this work between 2025-2028.
The 2025-2028 Strategic Action Plan identifies the challenges, opportunities, and focus areas for the Land Conservancy’s work over the next three years. Staff annual work plans reflect the approaches and goals outlined in the plan.
The Strategic Action Plan is informed by LCWM’s 2020 Strategic Conservation Plan, the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion assessment and plan, and community input surveys. These documents are included in the appendices.
Strategic Initiatives
Our Strategic Initiatives advance us toward the future we envision for West Michigan. Accordingly, we have categorized them under headlines reflecting our vision statement. Our vision cannot come to fruition without a strong organization to see the work through, so a fourth initiative highlights approaches that will support long-term organizational sustainability.
Protected Land
The Land Conservancy of West Michigan acquires and conserves ecologically critical land in West Michigan using approaches grounded in data and guided by our Strategic Conservation Plan and Equity Commitment.
Healthy Habitats
The Land Conservancy of West Michigan is a visionary leader in science-based, climate-adaptive land management, with a long history of collaboratively protecting natural land, restoring habitat, and enhancing biodiversity across our service area.
Inspired People
The Land Conservancy of West Michigan is an organization that people are inspired to work for, collaborate with, and support. LCWM inspires communities by offering inclusive opportunities for people to connect with nature and each other.
Thriving Organization
The Land Conservancy of West Michigan specializes in protecting natural land in perpetuity. Accordingly, a focus on sustainability is infused into every fiber of our organization. From financial and program management to land protection and management, we are invested for the long-term.
