Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday signed legislation creating more opportunities for quality outdoor recreation by authorizing $23.3 million in Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grants.

“From camping and kayaking to swimming and snowmobiling, Pure Michigan offers us world-class recreation right in our backyard,” said Gov. Whitmer. “Since 1976, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund has helped us protect our precious natural places and invested in accessible outdoor public recreation. Today’s grants will fund 45 projects across the state, anchoring communities, spurring local economies and making our state a better place to live.”

House Bill 4437 approves funding for the 45 recreation development projects and land purchases recommended by the board. It is now Public Act 119 of 2023. Read more

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) revised the state of Michigan’s interior hemlock woolly adelgid quarantine. The new quarantine is effective on August 1, 2023.

The updated quarantine now includes Benzie and Manistee counties as well as a portion of Washtenaw County in and around the Nichols Arboretum after the pest was identified in these areas. The previous interior hemlock woolly adelgid quarantine regulated movement of hemlock in Allegan, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa counties.

The quarantine regulates the movement of hemlock and tiger-tail spruce trees, forest products and nursery stock, with some exceptions, from the quarantine areas to other locations within the state. Read more

If you are looking for a good perennial to add to a garden space, Bee Balm comes in a variety of colors, but emphasize red flowering plants, which are most attractive to hummingbirds (red flowers produce nectar with a higher sugar content).

Red Hot Poker plants are among the variety of “hummingbird plants” that flower well under drier conditions.

It’s a great time to take a second look at your yard with birds in mind now that the summer growing season has provided what may be the peak of greenery in your trees, shrubs, garden, and lawn, and while many of your flowering plants are in bloom as part of a succession of plants in flower – with more on the way. Take it all in, and at the same time, remember your spring flowering trees and the birds that were attracted, and think about the flowers that have attracted the most hummingbirds. Remember the tall grasses and flowering plants that provided winter and early spring forage and cover for birds, and consider how you can improve and expand on your successes. Read more

Outdoor lovers, conservation-minded folks and anyone who wants to help wildlife thrive – the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is hiring for a variety of temporary wildlife positions that may be right for you! Based throughout the Lower Peninsula, these fall jobs could be especially attractive to college students, those looking to reenter the workforce, or seniors and retirees who want to get more involved in the outdoors.

Whether you’re looking to gain new skills or seeking an interesting job steeped in natural resources, the DNR Wildlife Division has several options. Temporary fall workers are crucial to maintaining the healthy wildlife populations that are central to quality hunting and wildlife watching experiences. People in these roles help deliver:

• • Surveillance for chronic wasting disease in deer.
  • Support for seamless managed waterfowl hunt drawings.
  • Answers and information to customers with wildlife-related questions.

Read more

Wyoming’s elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope and other wildlife populations are getting a helping hand thanks to an allocation of $10,764,859 from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its partners. The grant funding supports 33 projects across the Cowboy State.

“There continues to be a great need to restore aspen, fight noxious weeds, establish wildlife-friendly fencing and create public access for hunting and other recreational activities,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “This funding will help all those efforts while also bolstering scientific research and advancing Wyoming’s traditional hunting lifestyle.”

Twenty-three conservation projects will benefit 17,643 acres of habitat, including land protection and public access, while the other 10 are focused on outdoor and hunting heritage efforts. Read more

An example of an elevated wildlife highway crossing near the Arizona-Nevada state line.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The Kaibab and Coconino national forests are seeking public comments about a proposal to install up to three new wildlife highway crossings in northern Arizona, pending funding availability. The goal: keep motorists safe and allow wildlife to safely cross interstates.

The proposal, brought forward by the Arizona Game and Fish Department in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Transportation, is based on years of study.

The proposed crossings would be located on Interstate 17 south of Kachina Village, on I-17 north of the Willard Springs exit and on I-40 west of Parks. Read more

Whitetails Unlimited has completed its 2022-23 fiscal year where 2,099 grants were awarded, totaling $3,671,022 in mission-related projects. Through its Grassroots Program, and with the assistance of their dedicated volunteers and members, WTU has grown and developed its four pillar programs which include Staying on Target, H.O.P.E. for Wildlife, Preserving the Hunting Tradition, and the D.E.E.R. program.

Over the past 41 years Whitetails Unlimited has recruited thousands of conservation minded individuals to join its ranks as members. These WTU members share similar values with others concerned about the white-tailed deer, its habitat, and the future of deer hunting. Their continued dedication will remain a vital ingredient in the organization’s formula for success as they continue their journey through the 21st century. Read more