Forestry Assistance
Through the Forestry Assistance Program we are able to provide, as a public service, forest management consultation to private landowners of Oceana, Newaygo, and Muskegon Counties. Whether you use your forested property for hunting, fishing, bird watching, timber production, outdoor recreation, or to assure future generations can enjoy the land - we can help you better plan, understand, manage, protect and utilize your forest resources.
When you make an appointment for a free assessment, your conservation district forester will provide customized information about your property like aerial photographs and soil survey information. During the assessment they will ask questions about your goals, objectives, and previous management history while completing a quick inventory of your land. They will also provide you with information about state and federal assistance programs for private landowners, and help connect you to local professionals who can provide you with the services you need.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development partner to fund conservation districts across the state to support quality forestry assistance delivered at the local level. Private landowners with forested property in Oceana, Newaygo and Muskegon counties who are interested in the Forestry Assistance Program should contact our District Forester at (231) 861-5600 Ex. 3005.
For Landowners
Qualified Forest Program
The purpose of the Qualified Forest Program is to encourage private forestland owners to manage their land in an economically viable and environmentally sustainable manner. Landowners receive a tax exemption for developing and implementing a forest management plan. Private landowners with 20-640 acres of forested land are eligible. The annual deadline to apply is September 1st.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
The NRCS EQIP program is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and forest landowners. To see if your forested property is eligible for participation in the EQIP program, please visit the website below.
Forest Stewardship Program
The Forest Stewardship Program connects landowners with a forester or wildlife biologist to develop a Forest Stewardship Plan for their forest. Participation in the program is voluntary, and cost share is available throughout the year. Since 1991, almost 6,000 people in Michigan have used their Forest Stewardship Plan to help them to manage, protect and enjoy their forest.
Commercial Forest program
The Commercial Forest (CF) Program provides a significant property tax reduction to private forestland owners who allow hunting and fishing on their property. Check out the DNR web page below for more information, including where CFA land is located in your county:
For Professionals
The Forestry Assistance Program works to provide an initial professional contact with landowners who are interested in forest management on their property. Our role is to provide general guidance and information and facilitate referrals to other public and private resource professionals.
Qualified foresters interested in pursuing the project(s) described below should respond to the District Forester for Oceana, Newaygo and Muskegon counties within two weeks of the posting. You may include additional relevant information in your responses pertaining to the project. Our forester will then forward all responses to the landowner. Landowners are encouraged to contact all of the consultants who reply in a timely fashion, but the choice remains with the individual landowner. Our office will follow up with landowners to ensure they get the assistance they need.
Please contact us if you would like more information on any project. We may have other information such as notes, maps, or digital photographs.
SERVICE REQUESTS:
Request Number: 62-26-70
Date Posted: 7/7/2026
Respond By: 7/14/2026
Location: Denver Twp., Newaygo Co.
Acres: 40
Forest Types:
Northern dry-mesic oak forest. Mostly black oak, red oak, white oak, red maple and
bigtooth aspen. Previous defoliation by spongy moth, and the follow-up issue of “oak
decline” has impacted the property. Regeneration has been extensive. Parcel is a primary
residence.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
Owner would like to hire a forester to write a Forest Stewardship Plan to help advise a
strategy to recover from the decline.
Request Number: 64-26-71
Date Posted: 7/10/2026
Respond By: 7/17/2026
Location: Grant Twp., Oceana Co.
Acres: 80 parcel, approx. 45 acres of forest. 16 A of conifers, 29 A of bigtooth aspen
w/mixed hardwoods.
Forest Types:
Approx. 29 acres of bigtooth aspen, with some mixed hardwoods. 16 acres of old plantation
trees mostly of Norway spruce, blue spruce, concolor fir, scotch pine, some red pine.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
Would like to hire a forester to administer a timber harvest. Maybe thin conifers, and patch
clearcut areas of aspen to create a mosaic of different age classes to improve wildlife
habitat.
Request Number: 61-26-72
Date Posted: 7/10/2026
Respond By: 7/17/2026
Location: Muskegon Charter Twp., Muskegon Co.
Acres: 101 (7 parcels).
Forest Types:
Northern dry-mesic oak forest dominated by white pine, red oak, black oak, white oak, red
maple, bigtooth aspen, black cherry, American beech, and Eastern hemlock. Also, some
scattered small trees of sassafras and ironwood (hop-hornbeam) are present. Witch hazel a
native shrub is common.
Lowland hardwoods in places of basswood, white pine, and red maple.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
Owner would like to hire a forester to write a Forest Stewardship Plan and help apply to the
Qualified Forest Program for the 2027 application period. The 7 parcels will need some
combinations to allow all of the acreage to be enrolled in QFP.
Request Number: 64-26-09
Date Posted: 11/6/2025
Respond By: 11/13/2025
Location: Grant Twp., Oceana Co.
Acres: 5 parcels, 268A.
Forest Types:
Northern dry-mesic oak forest: with red oak, black oak, white oak, beech, red maple, sugar
maple, black cherry, white pine, and sassafras.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
Owner would like to be a good steward of the property and would like to hire a forester to
write a Forest Stewardship Plan.
Request Number: 64-26-05
Date Posted: 11/3/2025
Respond By: 11/10/2025
Location: Grant Twp., Oceana Co.
Acres: 40
Forest Types:
Unknown – Quiet time for the property before deer hunting season.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
Property is in the Qualified Forest Program. Forestry activities not planned until 2028. But
landowner wants to find a forester to work with in the future.
Request Number: 64-26-03
Date Posted: 10/16/2025
Respond By: 10/23/2025
Location: Claybanks Twp., Oceana Co.
Acres: 77
Forest Types:
Northern hardwoods forest. The dominate trees include red maple, American beech, red
oak, Eastern hemlock, and sugar maple. Other less common associates include aspen, white
pine, and yellow birch. Beech bark disease and hemlock woolly adelgid are present.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
This family forest has been well managed in past with timber harvests by the current
landowner’s father. New landowner would like to continue the tradition and plan a new
timber harvest.
Request Number: 64-25-128
Date Posted: 9/30/2025
Respond By: 10/7/2025
Location: Newfield Twp., Oceana Co.
Acres: 37 acres total, forested area of approx. 30 acres.
Forest Types:
Beech/maple forest. The dominate trees include Sugar maple, red maple, American beech,
bitternut hickory, and black cherry. Other less common associates include Eastern hemlock,
and yellow birch.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
Landowner would like a timber harvest. Improving wildlife habitat and forest health is a
priority.
Request Number: 64-25-111
Date Posted: 9/2/2025
Respond By: 9/9/2025
Location: Grant Twp., Oceana Co.
Acres: 40
Forest Types:
Northern Dry-Mesic Oak Forest. Dominate trees include, red oak, black oak, white oak, and
white pine. Some black cherry, red maple, sassafras, and flowering dogwood.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
Landowner would like a Forest Stewardship Plan developed and apply to the Qualified
Forest Program.
Request Number: 64-25-105
Date Posted: 8/19/2025
Respond By: 8/26/2025
Location: Greenwood Twp., Oceana Co.
Acres: 20
Forest Types:
Mixed oak. The dominate trees include red oak and red maple. Other less common
associates include white pine, white oak, and American beech.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
Parcel is in the Qualified Forest Program (QFP). A forest management plan amendment is
needed to update the forestry practices date for two management units. QFP requires this
change by the end of 2025.
Request Number: 62-25-96
Date Posted: 7/31/2025
Respond By: 8/7/2025
Location: Wilcox Twp., Newaygo Co.
Acres: 10
Forest Types:
Northern Dry-Mesic Oak Forest. The dominate trees include red oak, white oak, and black
oak. Other common associates include bigtooth aspen, and red maple. Less common trees
in the lower canopy include American beech and black cherry. Pockets of oak decline with
dead and dying oak are present.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
Landowner would like to consider a timber stand improvement, salvage, single tree
selection harvest. The salvage will be mostly firewood. Overall goal is improving forest
health and future growth to maintain a healthy ecosystem.
Request Number: 61-25-81
Date Posted: 7/10/2025
Respond By: 7/17/2025
Location: Fruitport Twp., Muskegon Co.
Acres: 13 acres total, forested area of approx. 10 acres. This includes 3 separate parcels
belonging to 3 different family members.
Forest Types:
Northern hardwoods forest. The dominate trees include Red maple, American beech, and
red oak. Other less common associates include aspen, Eastern hemlock, sassafras, white
pine, and yellow birch.
Contact: Rod Denning, at (231) 861-5600 or (616) 920-9775 cell, or rod.denning@macd.org
Landowner Needs:
Landowner would like a timber harvest/timber stand improvement.
