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The Nature Conservancy urges Michigan to expand Rural Prosperity Office, reward conservation

A new report by The Nature Conservancy in Michigan analyzes how policy changes can address barriers for rural prosperity and healthy natural resources.

Director of Policy Richard Bowman tells Brownfield enhancing the state’s Office of Rural Prosperity could have a significant impact on rural challenges.

“We’re recommending that we take lessons from some of those other states and use those to modify the Office of Rural Development into an Office of Rural Prosperity and to increase its funding to support rural communities.”

During a call with reporters on Wednesday, Bowman said agriculture conservation efforts should also be rewarded with pay-for-performance-related programs.

“What we’re trying to think about here is how people who are doing something that benefits all of us, how we all share in the cost of that benefit,” he says.

The organization is recommending the creation of a commission to identify long-term funding solutions for rural prosperity, a new financial toolbox to deliver long-term, sustainable funding, and a state-level rural development strategy that integrates land use planning, economic development, and natural resource management.

More than a dozen states and their natural resource management efforts were profiled by Public Sector Consultants as part of the report.

Bowman says he hopes the results can be used to help guide state priorities when a new governor is elected later this year.