MUCC Joins Forces With Racing For Wildlife
Download a printable copy of this Policy Action Report
MUCC, Lt. Governor and Office of the Great Lakes Announce Michigan's Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes
Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) on June 4, 2008 joined Lt. Governor John Cherry and the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes (OGL)
to announce The Michigan Great Lakes Strategy Initiative (Michigan Strategy), a framework to restore and protect
the Great Lakes. MUCC also released Michigan's Role in Great Lakes Protection and Restoration:
Analysis and Recommendations, the organization's gap analysis report, which was instrumental in developing the Strategy.
MUCC's gap analysis report is an in-depth look at the recommendations of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration
compared with how Michigan is working to meet those recommendations. It also identifies where gaps exist between
the Collaboration's recommendations and ongoing restoration, remediation or protection work in Michigan and outlines
sixteen priority actions that will make the largest impact on further protecting and restoring our Great Lakes.
The Michigan Strategy will serve as a framework to ensure Michigan carries its water when it comes to restoring
and protecting the Great Lakes, and is designed to strengthen Michigan's case for governmental policy and funding
support. Watershed alliances, tribal entities and other non-governmental stakeholders will be invited to participate
in the planning process and will assist in identifying specific efforts to be included in the final Michigan Plan.
MUCC's role will be to provide information on Michigan's action to restore and protect the Great Lakes according to
the gap analysis.
MUCC will host statewide meetings at the regional watershed level to ensure that the Michigan Strategy focuses
on both the Great Lakes and the systems that keep them healthy.
MUCC's report, Michigan's Role in Great Lakes Protection and Restoration: Analysis and Recommendations may be
accessed by clicking here
The Office of the Great Lakes' 2007 State of the Great Lakes Report may be accessed by clicking here:
Michigan Keeper of the Great Lakes Award
A component of the Michigan Strategy will recognize Michigan's Great Lakes restoration heroes with an annual
Michigan Keeper of the Great Lakes Award.
The first award is presented to Dr. Charles M. Nelson for his leadership in collaborating with the North American
Waterfowl Management Plan, the Michigan DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and non-governmental organizations
like Ducks Unlimited, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, and the Shiawassee Flats Citizens and Hunters Association.
Together, the group procured over $13.8 million in North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant and
matching monies, leading to the conservation of 18,073 acres of wetlands and associated uplands in Great Lakes
coastal zones in Saginaw Bay, Lake St. Clair and western Lake Erie.
"The effort between Dr. Nelson and Ducks Unlimited is an excellent example of how one dedicated person and a
well-organized conservation organization can make a difference in protecting the habitats critical to the health
of the Great Lakes and its wildlife," said Stine. "There are many stories like Dr. Nelson's, and the Michigan Keeper
of the Great Lakes Award will serve to recognize and inspire future stewards of the Great Lakes."
Dr. Nelson was also recognized by the Michigan Legislature for his ongoing dedication to restore and protect the
Great Lakes.
“Hunter’s Choice” U.P Proposal Passes NRC
The NRC voted on June 5th to enact an amendment to the deer hunting regulations that gives hunters
in the Upper Peninsula (Zone 1) a choice of deer hunting license options: two bucks, both with antler point
restrictions (3 and 4 points on a side), or one buck with no point restrictions (minimum of 3 inch spike).
The new regulations pertain to hunters who purchase a deer license on or after June 12, 2008. Hunters
who purchased their license prior to June 12 will hunt under the same regulations as hunters in the Lower Peninsula.
Under the new regulations, which apply to the U.P. only, the regular buck tag of a combination deer license
purchased beginning June 12 must be used to tag a buck with at least three antler points (a minimum of one inch long)
on one side. The restricted tag must be used for a buck with a minimum of four points on one side. Hunters who choose
not to purchase the combination tag are restricted to one buck only in the U.P., all seasons combined, even if they
purchase both archery and firearms licenses.
Hunters in the Lower Peninsula may continue to harvest any legal buck with the combination deer license
regular buck tag. Sportsmen and sportswomen who hunt in both peninsulas are governed by the rules of the peninsula
in which they harvest their bucks. A hunter can take a buck in the U.P., for instance, and still take a buck in the
Lower Peninsula.
Non-Industrial Private Forest Lands Coalition Discusses Qualified Forest Program
Under a grant from the U.S. Forest Service, MUCC has been working to build a coalition designed to
increase and improve the management of non-industrial private forestlands (NIPF). The Coalition met for the second
time to discuss their objectives and form subcommittees to develop an action plan to implement each of their three
goals: 1) increase the management of NIPF; 2) increase awareness of the value of forest management to Michigan’s
economy and ecosystems; and 3) create an efficient and effective statewide network for the delivery of services and
education to NIPF landowners.
Members of the Coalition also discussed some concerns private land owners are having with the current
structure of the Qualified Forest Program (QFP), which forestland owners can enroll in to receive tax incentives
for managing their forests properly. The tax recapture provisions in the program, intended to penalize land owners
for leaving the QFP, may be too stringent and are deterring residents from enrolling at all. A senior policy advisor
from Senator Van Woerkom’s office was in attendance to listen to the concerns and will be bringing them back to the
legislators to see how the program could be amended.
United State Senate Begins Debate on Climate Change Legislation
Last week, the Senate began debate on a sweeping global warming bill that would impact the nation’s
economy and change the way Americans buy and use energy. The bill would cap emissions of greenhouse gases and
redistribute trillions of dollars collected from polluters back to industries, states and electricity consumers
over the next four decades.
Viewed as a laying the groundwork for action next year, the bill received very little debate because Senator
Republicans started a filibuster on the bill and there were insufficient votes to close off the filibuster. President
Bush has consistently opposed mandatory limits on emissions. But with the three remaining major-party presidential
candidates all endorsing some form of a cap-and-trade system
The current legislation is sponsored by Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.
The bill would cap covered emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases at 19 percent below current levels
by 2020 and 71 percent lower by 2050. Sponsors estimate that the bill would reduce total domestic emissions
by as much as 66 percent. Utilites and other CO2 emiters could reduce their own emissions or buy allowances
on a market.
MUCC and Racing For Wildlife And Partners Launch Restoration Efforts At Mill Lake Youth Camp
Recently, representatives from the Racing for Wildlife program – The Conservation Fund and the Ryan Newman Foundation
– Michigan International Speedway, Michigan United Conservation Clubs and Michigan Department of Natural Resources
came together at Victory Lane at MIS to officially kick off the restoration efforts of Mill Lake Youth Camp.
Located about 30 miles northeast of MIS in the 20,000-acre Waterloo State Recreation Area, the historic Mill Lake
Youth Camp has a legacy of creating memorable outdoor experiences for Michigan’s children. Built in the early 1930s
by the Works Progress Administration, the camp represented a national social movement to provide urban and
underprivileged children opportunities to enjoy the natural world. The Mill Lake Youth Camp is situated on a
scenic 142-acre lake with excellent recreation and fishing opportunities and is convenient to a large number of
Michigan residents – it is only 16 miles west of Ann Arbor and within an hour of the Detroit metropolitan area.
Today the once bustling camp lies vacant. Many of the original structures remain on the property but have
degraded over time. Nevertheless, the camp’s fundamental infrastructure is strong and its location ideal.
Proposed restoration of this historic camp will reestablish its reputation as a premiere outdoor education
facility in southern Michigan. With a special focus on family engagement and urban youth, the revitalized camp
will reopen to families, kids and individuals for year-round outdoor adventures.
Racing for Wildlife, launched by the Conservation Fund and the Ryan Newman Foundation, has partnered with two
local organizations, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan United Conservation Clubs,
to bring back Mill Lake Youth Camp. The organizations are raising funds to rebuild Mill Lake and to coordinate
its use with another nearby camp, Cedar Lake, so that children and even entire families can enjoy outdoor education
programs during the day and in overnight camps all year long.
“This exciting partnership brings us one step closer to reconnecting Michigan’s youth and families to the outdoors,”
said Dennis Muchmore, executive director of Michigan United Conservation Clubs. “With the new facility and the
innovative conservation programming it will house, we will help Michigan’s citizens develop a sense of personal
responsibility and personal connection to our great outdoors.”
Racing for Wildlife and its partners are working to raise $1.5 million to fully restore the Mill Lake Youth Camp
and open it to the public. To help promote their efforts, Racing for Wildlife has sponsored the Racing for Wildlife
200 ARCA RE/MAX Series at MIS on Friday, June 13, and will have a presence at the track all weekend with a tent at
the Fan Plaza. For more information on Racing for Wildlife and Mill Lake Youth Camp, or to make a donation,
visit www.racingforwildlife.org.
Updating our list for 2008: If you would like to receive the policy report directly to your email address (or if you wish to be removed from this email list), please contact Amy Spray at aspray@mucc.org.
MUCC is committed to providing our members with up-to-date and accurate information on conservation policy issues from Lansing, Washington D.C., and around Michigan.
If you enjoy MUCC’s biweekly policy action report, please consider becoming a member and support our efforts to conserve Michigan's natural resources by remembering MUCC in your contributions and planned giving.
|
