Cutting Down Michigan Forests For Solar Farms

The Environmental Costs of Deforestation for Renewable Energy Projects

The Michigan Propane Gas Association (MPGA) supports solar and wind energy and believes Michigan needs fuel diversity. The MPGA takes an “all of the above” approach to energy. Technological breakthroughs show that fossil and alternative energies, such as hydrogen, will be near net zero. Fuel diversity fuels innovation. 

The Case of Gaylord, Michigan

In early 2025, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposed leasing 420 acres of public forest land in Otsego County for a solar farm. The project was part of the state’s push for renewables, but it quickly drew criticism from the masses, including members of Michigan’s Congress. Clearing mature forests contradicts renewable energy’s goal of reducing carbon emissions, as trees naturally absorb CO2. The project also threatens the nearby Ausable River, one of America’s most famous inland waterways.

Facing public backlash, RWE Clean Energy distanced itself from plans to operate on state land, claiming it would focus on private land acquisitions. Still, the reality remains that substantial land is sacrificed for solar projects across the country every year.

A National Issue: Solar Farms and Deforestation

The situation in Gaylord is not unique. Researchers at Harvard University, reporters at the Associated Press, and others are sounding the alarm on solar projects destroying plants, wildlife, and forests: 

  • Massachusetts: Since 2010, roughly 60% of the 8,000 acres of land cleared for solar fields were forested, reducing the state’s capacity to reduce carbon emissions. 
  • North Carolina: Large solar farms have destroyed wetlands and forests throughout the state, disrupting its ecosystems and wildlife
  • California: In the Mojave Desert, solar installations have wiped out habitats for native species, including desert tortoises and birds, raising concerns about irreversible ecological damage due to the significant push for renewable energy.

While these projects claim to reduce carbon emissions, they ignore the immediate and lasting damage they cause to the environment. The destruction of forests and natural landscapes for solar panels highlights a grey area in the motive to push for renewables.

Destruction of Ecosystems and Wildlife

Despite claims of reducing carbon emissions, these projects often ignore the immediate environmental degradation they cause, leading to confusion around the push for renewable energy.

Deforestation Increases Emissions

Forests are crucial for reducing atmospheric carbon. When trees are cut down for solar farms, carbon stored in the soil and vegetation is released back into the air, negating any climate benefits from solar energy. Research shows that it can take decades for solar panels to offset the carbon loss caused by deforestation.

Deforestation Leads to Soil Erosion and Water Pollution

Deforestation disrupts soil and increases stream sediment levels, destroying aquatic ecosystems and degrading water quality. This threat in Gaylord has raised residents’ concerns about water pollution in nearby rivers and soil erosion. 

Final Thoughts

The case of Gaylord, Michigan, exemplifies a broader issue: the destructive impact of solar and other renewable energy initiatives. We must seek sustainable, long-term solutions that do not sacrifice the environment for energy production.