LANSING, MI — Michigan United Conservation Club’s (MUCC) Executive Director Erin McDonough was tapped to co-chair a Blue Ribbon Panel on State Parks and Outdoor Recreation created by Governor Rick Snyder in an Executive Order (E.O. 10 of 2011) announced Friday.
“I am excited for this opportunity to serve on such an important panel with such a distinguished group of members who are committed to Michigan’s future as a leader in outdoor recreation opportunities,” McDonough said. “Michigan’s state parks amass more than 25 million visitors annually and are a key component of our outdoor heritage and our economic turn-around.”
The Blue Ribbon Panel is charged with taking a comprehensive look at Michigan’s state park and outdoor recreation system with the goal of providing a vision for the future of Michigan’s 100 state parks, recommending strategies for expansion and allocation of resources, and further recommending strategies for creating more linkages between state, county, and local parks to maximize use and cost efficiencies.
“As we look to the future of outdoor recreation in Michigan, what a great opportunity to combine MUCC’s mission of conserving, protecting, and enhancing Michigan’s natural resources and outdoor heritage with the priorities of the state of Michigan,” said McDonough.
McDonough will co-chair with Jon Allan, the Executive Director of Environmental Policy and
Intergovernmental Affairs at Consumers Energy Co. The Blue Ribbon Panel will also consist of 14 other members chosen by the Governor and are directed to issue final recommendations in September of 2012.
