Our Path Forward: WLAC’s Revised 2023–2027 Strategic Plan
Protecting Walloon Lake today. Preparing it for generations to come.
Walloon Lake is more than a beautiful place. It is a living watershed, a treasured community, and a resource that connects generations of people to the land and water.
The Walloon Lake Association and Conservancy (WLAC) exists to help ensure that Walloon Lake and its watershed remain places where people and nature thrive for generations to come. Our revised 2023–2027 Strategic Plan, adopted by the WLAC Board of Trustees in 2022 and recently revised in April 2026, provides a roadmap for advancing that mission.
The plan organizes our work around five strategic focus areas, with 19 goals and 72 specific, measurable objectives.
Water Stewardship
Protecting the health of Walloon Lake and its watershed.
Clean, healthy water is at the heart of everything we do. Through responsible water stewardship, WLAC will continue advancing initiatives that protect water quality and maintain healthy, resilient aquatic ecosystems.
Our work includes expanding public understanding of water quality monitoring, continuing lake and stream monitoring, analyzing and communicating changes in water quality, and promoting responsible shoreline practices.
We will also address ongoing and emerging environmental challenges, including developing recommendations for wake sport activities, conducting a comprehensive shoreline survey, supporting aquatic invasive species management, and working with partners such as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on fisheries information and management.
Land Conservation and Access
Protecting the places that make Walloon special.
The health of Walloon Lake depends on the health of the land surrounding it. WLAC will actively pursue land protection opportunities with high conservation value while managing conserved lands to the highest standards.
This includes pursuing significant conservation properties, strengthening land protection planning, improving trails and facilities on WLAC preserves, restoring ecosystems, and expanding opportunities for community members to participate in stewardship.
On our existing preserves, we will continue improving trail systems, establishing consistent signage and maintenance standards, addressing invasive species, supporting native pollinator gardens, and investing in preserve and trail improvements. We will also expand volunteer stewardship through Walloon Warrior Workdays and preserve monitoring.
Community Engagement and Education
Building a community that understands and participates in conservation.
Conservation succeeds when people are informed, connected, and inspired to act. WLAC will foster a culture of conservation by engaging the diverse community of people who live, work, and play throughout the Walloon Lake watershed.
That means strengthening our membership, modernizing the Lake Ambassador program, expanding relationships throughout the conservation community, and creating more opportunities for people to learn about Walloon.
The plan calls for annual Summer Speaker Series events, partnerships with organizations and educational institutions, presentations to community groups, outreach to realtors, marinas, businesses and local governments, and a robust schedule of educational workshops, guided hikes, volunteer opportunities, and other community events.
Policy, Partnerships, and Advocacy
Working together to protect the watershed.
Many of the challenges facing Walloon Lake extend beyond the boundaries of any one property or organization. Effective conservation requires collaboration.
WLAC will coordinate with government agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations to support responsible policies, partnerships, and practices that protect Walloon Lake and its watershed.
A major component of this work will be strengthening the Walloon Lake Watershed Collaborative, including developing annual work plans and coordinating participation among partners.
WLAC will also monitor actions by local governments, counties, and the State of Michigan that may affect the watershed and take action when conservation values are threatened. The plan calls for expanded environmental advocacy campaigns focused on issues including aquatic invasive species, septic systems, and swimmer’s itch.
Organizational Sustainability and Philanthropy
Building the capacity to protect Walloon for the long term.
The work of conservation requires a strong organization behind it.
WLAC will strengthen fundraising and philanthropy, build lasting relationships with members and donors, develop consistent and innovative revenue sources, and ensure the organization has the capacity necessary to carry out its mission.
The plan includes expanding planned giving, growing Guardian Circle participation, strengthening grant and business sponsorship revenue, and developing long-term financial strategies. It also emphasizes organizational excellence through annual work planning, board and staff development, strong governance, employee benefits and professional development, and maintaining WLAC’s accreditation through the Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Commission.
Looking Ahead
The revised Strategic Plan reflects a simple idea: the future of Walloon Lake is in our hands.
Our core values of Now and Forever, Preservation, Family, Education, Community, and Thought and Action Leadership shape how we approach our work and have not changed recently.
Together, these five strategic focus areas provide a roadmap for protecting Walloon Lake, caring for its watershed, strengthening our community, and ensuring WLAC is prepared to meet the conservation challenges of the future.