Northern Michigan Conservation Network

By Kay Charter – Four years ago, popular local TV personality Dave Barrons and I discussed ways to raise awareness about birds and bird conservation in Leelanau County.  Dave has also long been interested in increasing tourism in the county. I suggested we hold a county birding festival. Dave’s first reaction was understandably reluctance. “We […]

Okay, I’ll concede that Michigan Senate Bill 288 and House Bill 4552 would likely not be up for discussion were it not for the organized opposition to legislation resulting in wolves being added to the list of Michigan game species signed into law last December (Public Act 520 of 2012 – Senate Bill 1350).  Whether […]

As the DNR continues its process of regional meetings and public comment on its recently released Land Management Strategy (a.k.a. Land Plan), some surprising reactions have already been noted.  Most of us fully expected that the comments received from some northern Michigan residents and most locally-elected officials would be, “enough is enough,” and “we already have […]

by Drew YoungeDyke, Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) Grassroots Manager – So this is the line in the sand. This is where Michigan’s hunters, anglers and trappers will either stand up for their rights to hunt, fish and trap, for scientific wildlife management, and for the separation of conservation from politics, or where we will […]

My late uncle used to say that Kalkaska sand was only good for growing jack pine and trout. As a boy, I struggled to see a problem with such a characterization.  As I grew older, however, I came to realize that despite this significant over-simplification, my uncle’s intent was not to disparage these soils, but […]

In spite of our nation’s preoccupation with a handful of other more headline-grabbing issues (no need to list them here), there have been numerous pieces of natural resource/conservation-related legislation introduced in the current session of the U.S. Congress. Several of these bills have local and regional implications, including the reauthorization and funding for the National […]

by Frank Krist, NMCN Contributing Editor – The Atlantic salmon program in Lake Huron started in 1986 under an agreement between Lake Superior State University and the DNR.  Fish have been stocked in the St. Mary’s River since that time under the direction of Roger Greil, manager of the LSSU’s Aquatic Research Laboratory and Hatchery.  […]

The DNR’s Public Land Management Strategy Plan has been released for public comment and to that end, numerous public meetings have been scheduled.  In what may have originally begun as a legislative requirement made necessary to satisfy the terms of the Land Cap legislation, this plan now has the potential to become an implementation document […]