Posts Tagged ‘Wildlife’
Fisheries Orders Reviewed at August NRC Meeting; Debate About Deer
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) gathered input from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other stakeholders regarding fishing regulation changes this week. The NRC met virtually on Thursday to consider a number of agenda items. The Michigan DNR hosted the meeting, and a recording can be viewed using this link. NRC members had…
Read MoreGreat American Outdoors Act Becomes Law
The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) became law today when the president signed this historic conservation legislation. This landmark bill will protect public lands and expand recreational opportunities for decades to come. GAOA will permanently dedicate full funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and establish the National Parks and Public Land Legacy…
Read MoreGreat American Outdoors Act Passes Congress!
The Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422/H.R.7092 & H.R.1957) passed out of the House of Representatives by a margin of 310-107 on Wednesday. We are now one important step closer to full, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addressing the deferred maintenance backlog on federal public lands. The LWCF has only…
Read MoreNew Deer Regulations Passed at July NRC Meeting
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) took action on deer regulations at their July meeting, just in time for rules to be printed in the Michigan Hunting Digest for the fall 2020 hunting seasons. The new rules include an extended firearm season in the southern Lower Peninsula and added flexibility for harvesting an antlerless deer. …
Read MoreAdaptive Cormorant Management up for Comment
Double-crested cormorant (cormorant) management is once again at the center of agency rule-making with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and MUCC is weighing in. Cormorants are a native species, but wreak havoc on fisheries populations across the Great Lakes region. To facilitate adaptive, localized management the USFWS submitted a proposed rule to the…
Read MoreDeer Regulations Up For Action At July NRC Meeting, Transparency May Be Lacking
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) must take action on 2020 deer regulations at their July meeting if these changes are to be implemented in time for the fall hunting seasons. The NRC will meet virtually on Thursday, July 16 to consider a relatively short agenda. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host…
Read MoreProposed Regulations Reveal NRC Transparency Issues
A slough of amendments were proposed to deer regulations at the June Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting and could pass without a thorough vetting. With three new commissioners joining the NRC in July and regulations impacting 600,000 Michigan hunters on the table, we deserve greater transparency. As of right now, amendments could be made to…
Read MoreNational Wildlife Federation Affiliates Vote to Address PFAS Concerns
Recently, delegates to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Annual Meeting voted to work to address the impacts of PFAS chemicals on fish, wildlife and human health. PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are used in products ranging from firefighting foam and household cleaning products, to consumer goods like non-stick cookware, apparel waterproofing and…
Read MoreNational Pollinator Week: Pollinators and the OTG Program
The week of June 22-28, 2020 has been designated as National Pollinator Week. Thirteen years ago, the United States Senate unanimously approved that one week in the month of June be used to both celebrate pollinators and bring attention to their rapidly declining populations. Since the inception of National Pollinator Week, the initiative has grown…
Read MoreCitizen Science Opportunity: The Tick App
As tick-borne diseases continue to increase annually, researchers from Michigan State University, University of Wisconsin and Columbia University teamed up to create an app that allows individuals in regions of high-risk for tick exposure to track their tick encounters. The Tick App also provides an abundance of resources about tick prevention for humans and pets,…
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