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March 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 MoreUltimate Sportshow Grand Rapids March 7-10
With hints of spring in the air, cabin fever can really have a hold on you. However, there is something to do on the west side of the state next weekend that will get you off the couch. The Ultimate Sports Show Grand Rapids is a four-day event held at Devos Place in Downtown Grand…
Read MoreFree Fishing Weekend!
Dust off your poles; Michigan’s Free Fishing Weekend begins this Saturday, February 17. Twice a year, all fishing license fees are waived for two days. Fish the open waters of the Great Lakes or enjoy a few of Michigan’s tens of thousands of inland lakes, rivers and streams. While all fishing regulations still apply, any…
Read MoreUSDA Emergency Forest Restoration Assistance for Private Landowners
Were you or someone you know impacted by tornado damage to private forestland in Livingston or Ingham County? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides programs that provide financial assistance to private landowners to help restore forests. The Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) was recently implemented by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Ingham…
Read MoreOn the Ground: Volunteers Restore a Prairie Ecosystem at Fort Custer Recreation Area
On Saturday, January 27, 2024, 18 On the Ground (OTG) volunteers gathered at Fort Custer State Recreation Area in Kalamazoo County to remove woody vegetation from a prairie management area. In total, about 56 acres of public land were improved by the removal of woody vegetation like Siberian elm and Eastern cottonwoods. Although Eastern cottonwoods…
Read MoreMeet the new AmeriCorps Member at MUCC
Hello everyone! My name is Katelyn Helsel, and I am the new Huron Pines AmeriCorps member serving at MUCC this year. This is my first time serving with AmeriCorps, and I am very excited to help foster MUCC’s On the Ground program and to form new connections with natural resource professionals and the public alike.…
Read MoreBipartisan bill introduced to provide hunter’s safety in schools
Bipartisan legislation was introduced in both chambers of the legislature this week that would create an elective program for Michigan school districts to host hunter and firearms safety programs within their schools. Senate Bill 664, sponsored by Sen. Jon Bumstead (R-North Muskegon), and House Bill 5334, sponsored by Rep. Curt Vanderwall (R-Ludington)are both supported by …
Read MoreVolunteers plant hundreds of native wildflower and grass plugs in an effort to restore one of Michigan’s most imperiled habitats
On Saturday, October 7, 2023, volunteers joined MUCC’s On the Ground program in partnership with Kent Conservation District at Cannonsburg State Game Area in Kent County to help plant native plugs in an active oak savanna restoration site. Historically, oak savannas were a dominant habitat type in the Midwestern region. Michigan has lost the majority…
Read MoreOctober NRC Preview
A wolf management decision tree requested by commissioners will be unveiled at the October Natural Resources Meeting in Escanaba. The Oct. 12 meeting is scheduled to begin with Coffee with Commissioners from 8 to 9 a.m. The agenda for the meeting can be found here. While in the UP, commissioners will have pike, warm water…
Read MoreConservationists highlight need for better habitat, wildlife protections from changing climate
Michigan United Conservation Clubs, as part of the Changing Seasons workgroup, presented an updated briefing book to legislators highlighting critical actions to be taken to protect wildlife and habitat from a changing climate on Tuesday. View the updated briefing book here. Conservation leaders, emphasizing the importance of informed legislative action, presented their findings to the…
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