Conservation organization files suit against resources commission
On March 28, the nation’s largest statewide conservation organization filed suit against the Natural Resources Commission (NRC), challenging the three-month closure of the coyote hunting season. At the March NRC, the commission, in a 4-2 vote, voted to close the coyote hunting season from April 16 through July 14 through the adoption of Wildlife Conservation…
Read MoreHow Does a Solar Eclipse Affect the Environment?
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a rare total solar eclipse is set to cross the entire North American continent. The eclipse will begin over the South Pacific Ocean, passing through the United States, Mexico, and Canada. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the eclipse will pass over Mexico starting at 11:07 AM…
Read MoreHow to Become a Michigan Recreational Safety Instructor
Background and Problem Over the last several years, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been developing a new process to become a certified Michigan Recreational Safety Instructor. This process was rolled out at the beginning of 2024 and is only necessary for new instructors for all programs (Bow Hunter Education, Trapper Education, Snowmobile…
Read MoreMUCC Supported Commercial Fishing Legislation Introduced in Michigan House
On March 6, Rep. Amos O’Neal (D-Saginaw) introduced a stakeholder-backed modernization of Michigan’s commercial fishing statute. House Bill 5553, written over the past several months in partnership with MUCC, would modernize archaic regulations in the state’s commercial fishing statute, and keep gamefish out of commercial nets. Michigan’s commercial fishing statute is decades old and an…
Read MoreGarlic Mustard: The Edible Invasive
Have you ever heard of an invasive species that you can eat? Now you have! Garlic mustard, also called poor man’s mustard, hedge garlic, and garlic root, is an invasive species of plant found across the northern United States. It hails from Europe and Asia and was introduced to the United States in the 1800s…
Read MoreMarch NRC: Commission Votes to End Year-round Coyote Hunting
Commissioners voted to close Michigan’s coyote season from April 15 to July 15 at March’s Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting. Commissioners voted on Wildlife Conservation Order #1 of 2024, and based their decision on perceived social pressures, shirking their responsibility and legal charge to follow sound scientific management. MUCC Chief Executive Officer Amy Trotter said…
Read MoreOn the Ground: Long-Term Partnerships
MUCC’s On the Ground program has been going strong since its inception in 2013. Funded by an MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division, On the Ground has been able to complete a variety of habitat improvement projects statewide. The program celebrated 10 years in 2023 with a total…
Read MoreConservation organization votes to support year-round coyote hunting, establish moose season at annual convention
Michigan hunters, anglers and trappers converged on Sault Ste. Marie last weekend to pass their policy agenda for years ahead. More than a dozen grassroots policy positions were passed as part of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) Annual Convention, including affirmation of support for year-round coyote hunting and establishing a moose hunting season. Convention…
Read MoreVernal Pools: Learn More About These Important Wetlands
There’s an old saying here in Michigan, “You’re never more than a few minutes away from a body of water”. Whether it’s a stream, pond, inland lake, or one of the Great Lakes, the state of Michigan is home to a large amount of water. According to the Great Lakes Commission, the Great Lakes hold…
Read MoreRecreation Passport Opt-Out Proposal Highlighted in Budget Considerations
The recreation passport opt-out proposal was the focus of the budget considerations for the state’s natural resources department. Throughout the last two weeks, Scott Bowen, director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), presented the department’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2024-25 to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development and Natural…
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