Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

Over 120 parcels of land will be sold via online auctions by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The agency will be selling 126 properties, including river frontage, lake frontage and forested acreage, in August and September. Proceeds from the sales will be deposited into the Land Exchange Facilitation Fund to “acquire replacement properties that are usable by the public, protect important natural resources and provide accessible, quality recreation opportunities..”

MDNR said some properties have limited public benefit for a number of reasons, including lack of legal public access, size limitations and development on adjacent privately owned land that can have an impact on public use. All parcels are extensively reviewed before it’s decided if they will be sold.

“More than half of the land the DNR manages came to the state due to owners’ nonpayment of taxes, so those parcels were not ones we purposefully sought out and purchased,” Scott Whitcomb, Director of the DNR’s Office of Public Lands, said. “Our land review process is effective in pointing out parcels that don’t fit the department mission to balance conservation, recreation and economic development.”

There are 11 online auctions scheduled. Land parcels will be sold by county, beginning Aug. 1 and ending Sept. 5:

- Friday, Aug. 1 – Kent and Oceana counties.

- Monday, Aug. 4 – Grand Traverse, Lake, Manistee and Wexford counties.

- Thursday, Aug. 7 – Lapeer County.

- Monday, Aug. 18 – Alger, Luce and Schoolcraft counties.

- Tuesday, Aug. 19 – Gogebic and Marquette counties.

- Thursday, Aug. 21 – Washtenaw County.

- Friday, Aug. 22 – Mecosta, Midland and Newaygo counties.

- Tuesday, Aug. 26 – Barry County.

- Wednesday, Aug. 27 – Allegan County.

- Thursday, Aug. 28 – Ogemaw, Missaukee and Montmorency counties.

- Friday, Sept. 5 – Genesee County.

Those interested in bidding should preregister at the link below, which also includes more information. Registration must be completed before the property’s auction date.

Absentee bids can be made up to 30 days before an auction.

“Interactive” bidding will open at 10 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Bidders will be able to see the current high bids for each property throughout the auction.

A list of properties, which range from one to 200 acres, can be found at the second link below.

(photo credit: MDNR)