Information Requests
Site Requests
Given that there has been no systematic survey for rare species across the state of Michigan, MNFI can only report on information that has been documented. Species found near a project location may also be present in appropriate habitat at a project site. Therefore, searches based on a single site (TRS – town-range section) are buffered out by four miles.
Corridor Requests
Spatial data of the corridor is usually supplied by the requester. A minimum of a mile wide search (half-mile buffer) of a line corridor is applied to all corridor requests unless a larger buffer is requested. The area of the buffer is used to determine the data compilation fee.
Information Provided in the Report
- Scientific Name
- Common Name
- Element type
- Federal and State Status
- Species Ranks
- Date Last Observed
- County Name
- Watershed Name
- Town-Range-Sections that each species intersects
Information Request Fees
The fee is based on the size of the project area. See the table to estimate your cost.
| Fee | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Base Fee* | $275 | 30 business day turnaround |
| Additional Fee for Large Areas | Varies | Data compilation fee for buffered request area greater than the standard buffered request area of 5 mi2. The fee is calculated at a rate of $1.36/mi2 including a 5 mile buffer. Contact us for an estimate or for more details. |
| Additional Fee for Corridors | Varies | Data compilation fee for corridors such as pipelines. The fee is calculated at a rate of $1.36/mi2 including a half-mile buffer on each side of the corridor. Contact us for an estimate or for more details. |
| Optional Rush Order | $100 | 15 business day turnaround |
*New fee effective October 9, 2023.
Procedure for Making a Request
- Send an e-mail to mnfi@msu.edu or a letter to our mailing address with the following information:
- Requestor name/address/organization and contact information
- Location and intention of the project
- Designate rush order, if desired
- You will receive an information services agreement, which must be signed and returned.
- Upon receipt of the agreement, the services will be performed and you will receive an invoice.
- Upon payment of the invoice, you will receive the report.
Credit Card Payment
You may pay for an Information Request with a credit card after receiving an invoice. Credit card payments are handled through Michigan State University's secure payment system, which can be accessed by following the link below. Enter the amount of the payment, your company or agency name, and the invoice number. Add the "Information Request" item to the shopping basket and click the "Continue Checkout" button to enter your billing information and complete the payment.