Posts by lschultz
Joan L. Wolfe (May 2, 1929 – January 23, 2021)
Joan L. Wolfe, trailblazing environmentalist and the first woman chair of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Commission, died peacefully in her sleep of end stage dementia at age 91. Joan’s activism began in the mid-1960s, as a foot soldier in the effort to ban DDT and similar pesticides. In 1968 she founded the West…
Read MoreDraft of DNR’s 2021-2026 Land Strategy Available for Public Review
Following a public comment period in 2020, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released a draft of the updated public land strategy. Originally created in 2013, the public land strategy is used by the DNR to outline management plans for Michigan’s public lands and natural resources to ensure that Michiganders and visitors alike…
Read MoreGreat Lakes Consent Decree: Implications, background, history
This is the first in a series of updates to let those interested in the sport and commercial fisheries of the Great Lakes know what is happening in the negotiation of a new agreement between the State of Michigan, the federal government and the five Michigan tribes holding a treaty right to fish within the…
Read MoreDeer Management Discussed, New Commissioners Seated at January NRC Meeting
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) met Thursday to discuss new rules for the 2021 deer hunting season, including changes to archery regulations and the creation of new antlerless deer tags. If passed in February, the proposed deer regulations would impact deer hunters statewide and could include a removal of the Upper Peninsula’s (U.P.) “hunter’s…
Read MoreDNR Parks and Recreation Division Hiring Seasonal Employees for 2021
Are you or someone you know interested in working at one of Michigan’s beautiful state parks or recreation areas this summer? The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks and Recreation Division is currently hiring for more than 1,000 seasonal positions at state parks across the state. If you love working outdoors, interacting with the…
Read MoreNRC Reviews Deer Management, New Commissioners Seated at Upcoming Meeting
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will meet Thursday to make decisions on new rules for the 2021 deer hunting season, including new antlerless deer tags and changes to a slate of regulations impacting the Upper Peninsula (U.P.). The proposed deer regulations would impact deer hunters statewide and could include the legalization of crossbows during…
Read MoreUSFWS Finalizes Cormorant Control Permits
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently finalized a rule that would facilitate the lethal take of nearly 120,000 double-crested cormorants annually nationwide. This rule comes as the latest action in a yearslong process to manage cormorants more comprehensively. While cormorants are a native species, these birds wreak havoc on fisheries populations across the…
Read MorePrescribed Fire as a Habitat Management Tool in Michigan
Note: Cover photo by Jonathan Schechter. A Brief History of Fire in Michigan Despite being best known for its abundant forest and water resources, Michigan’s natural history has also been molded by fire. Many fire-adapted ecosystems like jack pine forests, oak savannas and grasslands all rely on fire for optimal health and regeneration. Before the…
Read MoreHappy Holidays from OTG
Happy Holidays from the On the Ground (OTG) program! Although 2020 was filled with its fair share of challenges, we still had a very impactful season when it comes to wildlife habitat improvement in Michigan. Thank you to the dedicated volunteers that have helped shape OTG into the award-winning program that it is. We are…
Read MoreOn the Ground: How to Get Involved in 2021
The On the Ground (OTG) program is already adding wildlife habitat improvement events to the 2021 calendar, and we are looking forward to returning to the field with fellow conservationists in the new year. Despite limitations early last field season due to COVID-19, the OTG program was able to end the field season with seven…
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