Northern Michigan Conservation Network

As in the past, we will resist raising the issue of potential reasons for warming temperature trends only to say that regardless of cause, the current trends represent a mixed bag of results for the health of northern Michigan’s forests, waters and wildlife. In a recent article  appearing in the Petoskey News by Morgan Sherburne, […]

The 5-year strategic plan for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division has been released for review and public comment. Since this coincides with the public input periods for the State Forest Management Plan, Comprehensive State Trail Plan, and the completion of the “Blue Ribbon” Parks Plan, we have noticed a recurring theme. As […]

For those of you who had been wondering what would be required to turn Michigan into the “Trail State,” look no further than the 150+ page draft of the Michigan Comprehensive Trail Plan which has been released for comment.  Governor Snyder’s stated goal of making Michigan the “Trail State” was once again referenced in his […]

In what began as an educational/research effort at Lake Superior State University nearly 30 years ago, Atlantic salmon (salmo salar) have emerged in recent years to become a significant component of the northern Lake Huron salmon fishery.  This program now results in the annual planting of 25,000-30,000 fish in the St. Mary’s River which are […]

Following up on several of our posts relating to the proposed U.P. brook trout bag limit increase, DNR Director Keith Creagh responded to concerns at Thursday’s Natural Resources Commission meeting (11/8/12).  In case you have not seen it, what follows is the press release by Michigan Trout Unlimited in response to the revised proposal:  “Yesterday […]

This may be old news to many of you, but we’ve recently been hearing from others who have begun using and exploring an interactive mapping tool which has been integrated into the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website.  Although this feature, MI-Hunt, is described on their website as being primarily a tool for planning […]

As many of you likely know by now, the publication of  The North Woods Call has resumed after a 1 ½ year suspension, following the passing of conservation legend Glen Sheppard.  This news comes at an especially good time for those of us who have struggled in our attempt to at least partially fill this […]

Many natural resource management and conservation services are now being delivered in an entirely different manner than they were just a decade ago.  Since most of these changes and adaptations seemed to happen so incrementally, it went largely unnoticed. What we mean by a “New Conservation Model” is the shift away from agency-driven natural resource […]

The preliminary results of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation has been released.  Conducted at the request of the State fish and wildlife agencies, this survey is completed every five years to measure the importance of wildlife-based recreation to the American people. This is the 12th such study […]

After a multi-month process which included public meetings, a web-based survey and further internal discussion and review, the DNR Fisheries Division is recommending to the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) that no change be made to the current harvest limit of five brook trout per day for Michigan’s upper peninsula.  As most who have been following […]