Springfield, Mo. – Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium has been voted America’s Best Aquarium through a national public poll conducted byUSA TODAY ranking the top 20 prominent institutions across North America. The nationwide recognition is the second significant award the public has bestowed upon the conservation-based aquarium and museum since its grand opening last fall. Earlier this year Wonders of Wildlife was voted America’s Best New Attraction.

Wonders of Wildlife is a gift to the sportsmen and women of America from noted conservationist, angler and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris. Johnny endeavored to create a world-class not-for-profit conservation attraction located in his hometown, Springfield, Missouri, next to Bass Pro Shops’ flagship headquarters store – where half the nation’s population lives within a day’s drive.
Featuring an immersive design with surprises around every corner and more than 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds, the $300 million not-for-profit Wonders of Wildlife is unlike any other aquarium on earth. Fans cite the aquarium’s over-the-top multisensory habitats, engaging interactive exhibits and strong conservation ethic as defining features that set Wonders of Wildlife apart. Larger than the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, the not-for-profit attraction is the world’s grandest tribute to the conservation movement and the adventurers, explorers, outdoorsmen and conservationists who helped discover, develop and preserve the nation we love. Read more

For many birders and other wildlife watchers, the month of May is just like Christmastime.

The return of Michigan’s migratory birds from their southern wintering grounds is cause for celebration, and many celebrate by heading to the fields, forests and wetlands to view these colorful harbingers of spring.

Many of Michigan’s migratory birds spend the winter in the tropical areas of Central and South America, where food remains abundant all winter long.

Many birders considered these neo-tropical migrants, like warblers, tanagers, buntings and orioles, the jewels of the treetops. With their bright breeding colors, these are the dazzling birds that many wait all year to see. Read more

Nearly 600 people so far have attended a series of public engagement meetings on chronic wasting disease, a fatal neurological disease that has affected the deer population in a handful of Michigan counties. The final meetings will take place in Gaylord (May 1), Newberry (May 2) and Houghton (May 3).

While the face-to-face meetings have provided a great forum in which the DNR can both share information and hear feedback from hunters and other interested community members, there are online opportunities for those who’ve been unable to attend any of the meetings. A video of the DNR presentation on CWD, by DNR state wildlife veterinarian Dr. Kelly Straka and deer management specialist Chad Stewart, and an online survey are available on the DNR website michigan.gov/cwd.

All feedback is due by Friday, May 4, and will be shared with the Michigan Natural Resources Commission at its May meeting. Read more

Just in time for Arbor Day this Friday, the DTE Energy Foundation along with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and ReLeaf Michigan announce the availability of the annual community tree-planting grant program.

A total of $70,000 is available again this year in matching grants of up to $3,000 each to support tree planting on public property. Read more

Join the quest on May 5 to tally birds for science and conservation

Western Sandpiper. An estimated 6 million of these birds migrate along the Pacific Flyway between northwest Alaska breeding grounds to Mexico and coastal areas of Central and North America where they spend the winter. Photo by Ian Davies. Download larger image.

Ithaca, NY—Dedicated bird watchers worldwide have May 5 circled on their calendars, ready to do their part for Global Big Day in parks, forests, backyards, desert scrub, and every habitat imaginable. On that day, participants report their observations to the eBird website (ebird.org) run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. A “Big Day” is an attempt to see or hear as many bird species as possible in 24 hours. Read more

Release of birds to western part of the region postponed until spring

Prolonged wintry conditions in the Upper Peninsula have forced the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to postpone a release of sharp-tailed grouse in the western part of the region – a place where they have not been seen reliably since the mid-1990s.

DNR wildlife biologists had planned to capture about 20 birds from the eastern U.P. and re-introduce them to Ontonagon County this spring. However, late winter snowfall and a persistent groundcover of snow, as deep as 3 feet in some places, have delayed the effort until next spring. Read more

Contact: Jordan Kennedy (Governor’s Office), 517-335-6397 or Ed Golder (DNR), 517-284-5815

Campaign forms to raise additional $155 million to complete the iconic trail

ANN ARBOR, MI – Gov. Rick Snyder today announced private donations totaling $10.5 million to help build the Iron Belle Trail, a major development for Michigan’s 2,000-mile hiking and bicycling “showcase” trail that traverses the state.

“Our natural resources and outdoor recreation opportunities in Michigan are second to none, and an important and defining part of who we are as a state,” Snyder said. “These generous contributions toward completion of the Iron Belle Trail help solidify Michigan’s reputation as ‘The Trails State’. I sincerely thank all of the sponsors for their vision and support of the Iron Belle Trail.”

The governor was joined by David Egner of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and Ann Arbor-area entrepreneur Michael Levine at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor for the announcement. The Wilson Foundation has committed more than $5.5 million to date, including a recent $3.25 million grant for trail development in Washtenaw County and more than $2.3 million to support trail design and planning in Detroit. Levine previously pledged $5 million. The funding will be used for engineering, development, signage and other needs on the Iron Belle Trail and to leverage other donations in the ongoing campaign. Read more

MISSOULA, Mont.— The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s volunteer force of 11,000-strong donated more than $21 million in labor during 2017.

“We have a profound gratitude for our volunteers who give so much of their time, talents and energy on behalf of RMEF,” said Nancy Holland, RMEF president and CEO. “They constantly go above and beyond in helping to further our shared conservation mission of ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage.”

The Independent Sector used data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate the 2017 value of one volunteer hour as $24.14. RMEF volunteers average approximately 80 hours of service annually. If you do the math, that equates into $21,243,200 of total value for elk and elk country.

RMEF volunteers host fundraising banquets, membership drives and other events across more than 500 chapters from coast-to-coast. Those generated dollars are put back on the ground in their respective states and around the country to benefit elk, elk habitat, public access projects, hunting outreach events and scientific research. Read more