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MIMichigan rankings

Towns with the most conserved land in Michigan

Ranked by the share of the town's area that is permanently protected: town forests, state and federal land, land-trust preserves and conservation easements (USGS PAD-US). 66 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Michigan · Most conserved land

Where Fulton lands: #21 of 66

8.9% · Visit Fulton →

1 Big Creek Oscoda County 68.8% Conserved acres 62,604 Baraga 2 Baraga Baraga County 26.8% Conserved acres 31,972 Dexter 3 Dexter Washtenaw County 25.1% Conserved acres 5,293
#TownConserved landConserved acresTrails
1 Big CreekOscoda County · 2,679 people 68.8% 62,604 280.7 mi
2 Baraga BaragaBaraga County · 3,555 people 26.8% 31,972 254.7 mi
3 Dexter DexterWashtenaw County · 6,634 people 25.1% 5,293 62.4 mi
4 HaringWexford County · 3,587 people 25% 5,260 87.4 mi
5 Marquette MarquetteMarquette County · 4,173 people 18.7% 7,258 204.6 mi
6 OregonLapeer County · 5,699 people 17.6% 3,930 25.1 mi
7 GrantOceana County · 3,055 people 17.6% 3,989 24.2 mi
8 Peninsula PeninsulaGrand Traverse County · 6,097 people 16% 3,243 33.2 mi
9 MillsOgemaw County · 3,987 people 15.5% 3,510 33.3 mi
10 Frankenmuth Frankenmuth5,157 people 15% 304 1.9 mi
11 HuronWayne County · 16,695 people 14.9% 3,390 26.1 mi
12 Map of Roscommon RoscommonRoscommon County · 4,456 people 12.4% 8,541 246.4 mi
13 New Baltimore New Baltimore12,072 people 12.3% 528 8.2 mi
14 Ypsilanti YpsilantiWashtenaw County · 55,066 people 10.6% 2,138 35.5 mi
15 AdaKent County · 14,524 people 10.2% 2,410 31.2 mi
16 Map of Potterville Potterville3,087 people 10.2% 122 0.5 mi
17 ReynoldsMontcalm County · 5,571 people 10.1% 2,314 8.6 mi
18 Orion OrionOakland County · 38,546 people 9.2% 2,097 62.5 mi
19 ShelbyOceana County · 4,116 people 9% 2,061 14.5 mi
20 ShelbyMacomb County · 79,641 people 8.9% 1,992 38.1 mi
21 FultonGratiot County · 2,563 people 8.9% 2,033 1.2 mi
22 Kalamazoo Kalamazoo73,076 people 8.6% 1,370 21.6 mi
23 Meridian MeridianIngham County · 44,217 people 8.3% 1,678 51.1 mi
24 Menominee Menominee8,326 people 7.9% 275 1.6 mi
25 Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant21,236 people 7.5% 372 5.8 mi
26 Sterling Heights Sterling Heights133,573 people 7.4% 1,739 14.8 mi
27 Map of Harrison HarrisonMacomb County · 24,061 people 6.6% 1,003 11.3 mi
28 Map of Grand Ledge Grand Ledge7,804 people 6.5% 166 5.9 mi
29 Map of Detroit Detroit638,530 people 6.2% 5,611 107.1 mi
30 DeltaEaton County · 33,104 people 5.9% 1,245 24.8 mi
31 Map of Monroe MonroeMonroe County · 14,345 people 5.4% 623 5.1 mi
32 ChesterfieldMacomb County · 46,152 people 5.2% 1,003 2.5 mi
33 Garfield GarfieldGrand Traverse County · 19,913 people 5% 878 63.3 mi
34 Map of Ionia IoniaIonia County · 4,032 people 4.8% 1,034 4.6 mi
35 Williamston Williamston3,807 people 4.7% 76 2.4 mi
36 Map of Vassar VassarTuscola County · 3,867 people 4.6% 1,042 4.7 mi
37 SomersetHillsdale County · 4,584 people 4.5% 1,028 9.8 mi
38 Map of Swartz Creek Swartz Creek5,853 people 3.3% 88 0.0 mi
39 Pleasant Ridge Pleasant Ridge2,602 people 3.3% 12 0.5 mi
40 AlpineKent County · 14,040 people 3.2% 747 4.8 mi
41 Benton Harbor Benton Harbor8,953 people 3.2% 93 2.9 mi
42 FilerManistee County · 2,606 people 3.2% 327 7.8 mi
43 Map of Springfield Springfield5,269 people 3.1% 72 0.3 mi
44 Map of North Muskegon North Muskegon4,098 people 3.1% 80 2.6 mi
45 EmmettCalhoun County · 11,726 people 2.8% 577 13.3 mi
46 Map of Mount Morris Mount MorrisGenesee County · 19,752 people 2.6% 516 1.1 mi
47 Map of Dryden DrydenLapeer County · 4,797 people 2.6% 591 11.1 mi
48 Map of Richland RichlandSaginaw County · 3,921 people 2.5% 585 0.0 mi
49 Map of Tittabawassee TittabawasseeSaginaw County · 10,755 people 2.4% 538 5.4 mi
50 Map of Eastpointe Eastpointe33,982 people 2.3% 76 0.8 mi
51 Montrose MontroseGenesee County · 5,958 people 2.3% 510 1.9 mi
52 Warren Warren137,928 people 2% 438 13.8 mi
53 Highland Park Highland Park8,628 people 1.8% 34 0.9 mi
54 InlandBenzie County · 2,602 people 1.7% 398 60.8 mi
55 WilliamsBay County · 5,050 people 1.6% 348 7.7 mi
56 ConwayLivingston County · 3,607 people 1.5% 368 0.8 mi
57 Coldwater ColdwaterBranch County · 3,829 people 1% 178 2.1 mi
58 RileySt. Clair County · 3,191 people 0.9% 227 0.6 mi
59 Otsego LakeOtsego County · 2,910 people 0.8% 170 54.2 mi
60 Map of Dundee DundeeMonroe County · 8,527 people 0.7% 218 1.1 mi
61 OakfieldKent County · 6,122 people 0.7% 152 2.7 mi
62 Homer HomerCalhoun County · 2,903 people 0.7% 150 5.7 mi
63 LeroyIngham County · 3,836 people 0.5% 102 2.2 mi
64 Almont AlmontLapeer County · 7,009 people 0.3% 82 1.7 mi
65 Map of Quincy QuincyBranch County · 4,126 people 0.3% 59 1.5 mi
66 TexasKalamazoo County · 18,226 people 0.1% 18 28.0 mi

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the share of the town's area that is permanently protected: town forests, state and federal land, land-trust preserves and conservation easements (USGS PAD-US). Easements protect land from development but are often private, so not all of it is open to visitors. The town with the highest figure ranks #1.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Trails, streets and parks: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Conserved land: USGS PAD-US. Measured within each town's Census boundary. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

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