The Keweenaw Land Trust of Hancock has received a large federal grant to establish a community forest in Houghton County.

The $286,000 grant comes from the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Forest and Open Space Conservation program.

The money will help establish the Pilgrim Community Forest in Portage Township.

The forest will be 320 acres.

It will conserve forested lands in the Pilgrim River watershed and provide permanent public access for recreational use.

The Keweenaw Land Trust says the grant money is a one–for–one match of funds that the group obtained on its own.

The Michigan DNR worked with the Land Trust to help it obtain the grant.

It’s among $3.5 million in grants that the U.S. Forest Service recently issued to community forest projects nationwide.