In 2023, the Tribal Stream and Michigan Fruitbelt Collaborative—led by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (Grand Traverse Band), with partners Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Leelanau Conservancy, and the Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA)—was awarded over $20 million through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The five-year agreement, signed in March 2024, aimed to protect high-risk rural lands from development, restore stream systems vital to tribal fisheries, upgrade failing transportation infrastructure, and support the long-term health of the Great Lakes.
In June 2025, the agreement was unilaterally terminated before any funds were obligated. The funding, which was expected to run through 2029, has been rescinded and is unlikely to be restored.
This decision affects dozens of committed partners and funders across a 15-county region in Michigan’s northwest lower peninsula, projects that took years of planning and investment. To date, over $450,000 in early-stage implementation costs have already been incurred, with partners relying on USDA’s signed commitment and guidance to move projects forward.
As the rescission stands, the region will miss out on:
- $14.4 million in direct funding for rural farmers—supporting land conservation, generational farm transfer, and farm upgrades.
- 5.6 million for 29 bridges and other stream crossing improvements updating aging rural infrastructure, many of which were scheduled for construction this year—supporting jobs, road safety, and habitat restoration.
- An estimated $23.1 million in additional private and state investment that partners had secured as leverage.
These impacts extend beyond agriculture and infrastructure. The original agreement would have improved water quality, supported rural tourism and recreation economies, and advanced longstanding tribal stewardship goals. Since 2017, similar RCPP projects in the region have protected over 4,000 acres of farmland, removed 52 aquatic barriers, and opened 290 miles of coldwater streams—while leveraging $90 million in total conservation investment.
The Grand Traverse Band has formally appealed the USDA’s decision and requested the agency reconsider the termination. The Collaborative stands behind this effort, emphasizing that rural communities cannot afford to lose this critical investment—especially when so much momentum has already been built.
The partners remain committed to finding a path forward and continuing to work in good faith with federal agencies, local leaders, and landowners to achieve the shared goals of protecting our natural resources, supporting rural livelihoods, and preserving the economic and ecological health of Northern Michigan.
Read more about the RCPP Rescission: HERE
(https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/big-beautiful-bill-scraps-conservation-projects-northwest-michigan)