State Rep. Ken Borton this month secured $400,000 for the expansion of the Hartwick Pines Logging Museum in Grayling. The state funding comes from the Natural Resource Trust Fund (NRTF), which is earned through state land leases for oil and gas mineral exploration. The NRTF proposals for 2025, if signed into law and approved by the Senate, would provide $41.8 million for 17 land acquisition and 68 recreational development projects.

“Programs like the Natural Resource Trust Fund prove that we don’t take our natural resources for granted in Michigan,” said Borton, R-Gaylord. “Whenever we tap into our wealth of raw materials, we are simultaneously making key investments in preservation and conservation.”

The Hartwick Pines expansion project would renovate the museum and expand learning opportunities. The proposed exhibits would use the old-growth forest of Hartwick Pines to introduce visitors to Michigan’s trees and forests, including their historical significance, management, and wildlife value. Exhibits will be designed to change as forests face different challenges. They will include hands-on science, Indigenous perspectives, and art.

 “The farther north you get, the more beautiful the forest becomes, making it essential that we honor that beauty and the rich history behind it,” Borton said. “The historical work and conservation efforts at Hartwick Pines are critical to preserving the logging heritage that shaped Northern Michigan.”

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