Kick off your New Year’s resolutions and join the national First Day Hikes program hosted by America’s State Parks.

It’s a virtual opportunity to hike, cross-county ski, ride (horse or bike) or snowshoe and add your miles to the DNR’s collective New Year’s Day goal of 2,022 miles.

Just RSVP for the virtual event and choose your (self-guided) route and distance on any nonmotorized trail! There are planned trail events taking place Jan. 1 too.

Outdoor recreationists, pilots, drone operators asked to avoid nesting areas

PHOENIX — Arizona’s bald eagles are back, and they will soon be preparing for the next generation of eagles at breeding sites statewide.

To assist with the state’s continued bald eagle population growth, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) encourages outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to do their part by not disturbing the state’s 93 eagle breeding areas.

To protect breeding attempts, some portions of public land and water areas will be temporarily closed to help these majestic animals and ensure even more young eagles take to the skies this spring. Read more

The Office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today announced that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has recommended 22 community and state parks, trails and sports facilities to share $7,790,400 in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants.

“The Land and Water Conservation Fund is critical to creating quality outdoor recreation resources that add value and improve the quality of life for communities throughout Michigan,” said Gov. Whitmer. “This fund is an excellent example of successful collaboration among federal, state and local government partners that yields health and social benefits for residents and visitors.”

Projects recommended for funding are in Bay, Berrien, Emmet, Ingham, Kent, Mason, Mecosta, Muskegon, Oakland, Oceana, Ontonagon, Otsego, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. That funding will support campground developments, park renovations and improvements, accessible playground development, accessibility improvements and more. Read more

Leaves are down and temperatures are cooling — that means it’s time for pruning oak trees. These trees can be infected by oak wilt fungus if pruned during the high-risk period April 15-July 15.

“Beetles that can carry the disease from tree to tree are not very active now, and the trees are not vulnerable to infection,” said Simeon Wright, forest health specialist with the DNR Forest Resources Division. “The beetles are attracted to fresh bark damage or wounds where tree limbs have been removed.”

Oak wilt, identified in the 1940s, is widespread across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and along the Wisconsin border in the Upper Peninsula. Red oaks are most susceptible and can die within weeks of infection. These trees have leaves with pointed tips and include black oak, northern red oak and northern pin oak. Trees in the white oak group (which have rounded leaf edges) are less susceptible. Affected trees will suddenly wilt from the top down, rapidly dropping leaves, which can be green, brown or a combination of both colors.

Oak wilt also spreads when firewood from infected trees is moved to new locations. If you cut wood from an oak tree that might have died from oak wilt, cover the wood with a plastic tarp and bury the tarp’s edges underground to prevent access by the beetles that spread the disease. Ensure the tarp remains intact for six to 12 months until the bark sloughs off. This will kill the fungus and prevent its spread to healthy trees. Read more

Since December 2017, Michigan’s wildlife habitat license plate has featured an elk to mark the 2018 celebration of 100 years of elk in our state.

Beginning in January, the next species to adorn the plate is the Kirtland’s warbler – to celebrate the recovery of this unique bird. Read more

Milner, GA (December 2, 2021) Ranew’s Outdoor Equipment offers a full line of implements for all your food plot needs. The Firminator G3 is by far the most versatile piece of equipment in the industry. It allows you to do all the necessary work of planting a food plot from start to finish with one implement.

A wide range of angle and pitch adjustments allows the Firminator’s heavy, 18-inch, notched 9-gauge steel disks to work the soil in a variety of situations. From the first cut into heavy sod, to lightly opening thatch and soil for over-seeding without disturbing existing forages, the Firminator is your best option.

The Accurate Seeding System handles seeds of all sizes, from the tiniest clovers up to beans, peas and sunflowers. The system is ground-driven so seed is metered out relative to your speed. The seed will stop falling when the Firminator stops rolling to eliminate seed waste. An optional seed hopper agitator is also available for keeping seed blends thoroughly mixed and preventing small seeds from sifting through too quickly.

Disk blades can be adjusted up and out of the way, allowing the cultipacker to roll on the soil with additional frame weight being transferred to enhance the seed-to-soil contact that is critical for good germination rates.

For those who use a larger implement for ground tillage, but still want the precision of the Accurate Seeding system combined with a cast-iron cultipacker, there’s the 4′, 5′, 6′ or 8′ Firmiseeder. Read more

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board recommended Wednesday to the Michigan Legislature that 117 recreation development projects and land acquisitions totaling $45,592,200 be funded in 2022. The board this year considered a total of 136 applications seeking over $59.1 million in funding. In a competitive process, all eligible applications were evaluated based on scoring criteria approved by the Trust Fund board.

“The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund continues to provide the significant investment that creates better, broader access to quality outdoor recreation opportunities for Michigan residents and visitors throughout our state,” said Whitmer. “Whether you’re camping, enjoying a park close to home, exploring forest trails or just taking in a scenic view, all of these Trust Fund-supported experiences contribute mightily to local economies and our mental and physical well-being.”

The Trust Fund board recommends funding to both state and local agencies for development projects and land acquisitions that will further access to public outdoor recreation.

Contact: Jon Mayes, 517-284-5954

CHEYENNE — Today the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission took the first step in the process to address the court’s concerns to delist grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The Commission approved a revised tri-state Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) regarding the management and allocation of discretionary mortality of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont’s loons are thriving with a record 109 nesting pairs recorded in 2021, the highest since loon monitoring began in 1978, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE).

“Across Vermont, 77 loon nests produced 125 chicks this year, and 84 of those chicks survived through August,” said VCE wildlife biologist Eric Hanson.

VCE leads the Vermont Loon Conservation Project in partnership with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

“We are very grateful to Eric Hanson and the many volunteers who help monitor Vermont’s nesting loons,” said Fish and Wildlife’s bird biologist Doug Morin. “The loon has been the flagship species of our nongame work ever since the nongame tax checkoff and conservation license plate programs have been helping to fund these efforts.” Read more