Category: Wildlife

Goldfinch

21 communities to share $14.2 million in Michigan Spark Grants

The DNR received more than 460 applications for the dedicated American Rescue Plan Act funding

Nearly three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost two dozen of the hardest-hit Michigan communities are benefiting from $14,178,900 in Michigan Spark Grants funding – a big boost toward creating, renovating or redeveloping public recreation opportunities for residents and visitors.

“Every Michigander in every community deserves access to the great outdoors to connect with nature, exercise, and spend time with friends and family,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “These Spark Grants will fund a variety of public recreation projects across our state, including accessible trails at a Flint park, a rebuilt splash pad in Muskegon, and new bike racks, picnic tables and benches at a park in Sault Ste. Marie.

“Under the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan that I signed last year, we made the largest one-time investment ever in our state and local parks,” Whitmer said. “Now, we’re delivering those resources to move dirt and make a real difference in people’s lives while supporting good-paying jobs along the way.”

Open grant awards list 

Michigan Spark Grants, administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, offer the DNR a chance to reach people in communities whose economic opportunities and public health were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This reimagined approach activates historic support for projects that provide safe, accessible public recreation facilities and spaces to improve people’s health, introduce new recreation experiences, build on existing park infrastructure and make it easier for people to enjoy the outdoors.

Two key ways these grants differ from the department’s existing recreation grant programs are that applicants can seek up to $1 million for a single project and there is no 25% match requirement.

In total, the DNR considered 462 applications requesting more than $280 million – figures that far eclipsed what the department is used to. In comparison, the DNR’s top three recreation grant programs – the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Recreation Passport and the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund – usually field a collective ask of around 150 applications seeking between $50 million and $60 million annually.

“The response was more than we could have imagined,” said acting DNR Director Shannon Lott. “Clearly, the Michigan Spark Grants opportunity and outreach have tapped into a critical need in many areas of the state, and we are proud to deliver support that will help create and restore the quality public recreation resources that we know can improve public health, anchor communities and strengthen a sense of place.”

Some of the funded projects in this round include:

  • $1 million to rehabilitate the St. John Street Neighborhood Memorial Park along the Flint River, in Genesee County, through improved and accessible trails, parking and a kayak/canoe launch, plus a new playground.
  • $716,600 to revitalize Alford Park in Sault Ste. Marie, in Chippewa County, with the addition of accessible pedestrian paths and amenities such as bike racks, picnic tables and benches.
  • $475,000 for replacement of the aging boardwalk at the Covert Park Beach and Campground, located along the Lake Michigan shore in Van Buren County.
  • $393,000 to renovate the Marlette Community Park, in Sanilac County, with an accessible walking trail and playground equipment and updated pavilions.
  • $250,000 to rebuild the city of Muskegon’s existing community splash pad, in Muskegon County. Read more
Wildlife

Rare Michigan Ecosystem Restoration Underway

Hunter-driven grant provides critical funding for pine-barren restoration in NWTF’s Huron-Manistee Focal Landscape.

Pine barrens and pine-oak barrens occur throughout the East and Midwest and are what they sound like, landscapes filled with pine and oak species that are barren for agricultural production. They are characterized by their sandy, acidic soils that hardly retain moisture – terrible for growing most food crops but a haven for wildlife, including wild turkeys, and are one of the rarest ecosystems in Michigan’s Great Lakes Regions.

With their low-growing grassy species, interspersed with mature mast-producing species such as oak, barren ecosystems provide a diversity of habitat for wild turkeys, white-tailed deer and even non-game species like Kirtlands’s warbler, a recently delisted endangered species that relies heavily upon pine barren ecosystems. However, the presence of these rare communities on the landscape is not what it used to be.

“Due to increases in human development, suppression of naturally occurring wildfire and fragmentation of the landscape, we have seen a decline in the abundance and quality of these habitats,” said Ryan Boyer, NWTF district biologist for Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. “We are also losing many of the forested wildlife openings once found within Michigan’s northern forests due to changes with succession tied to a lack of disturbance, as well as an influx of invasive species which out-compete native plants.

(NWTF Staff Photo.)

Ultimately, these factors reduce the quality of these habitat types for many wildlife species.”

While these essential landscapes are increasingly rare, the NWTF is currently working to revitalize oak and pine barren ecosystems back to their former glory throughout Michigan, thanks to a generous $277,000 grant from the MDNR via its Wildlife Habitat Grant Program. Read more

Wildlife

Starting  March 1 , residents will pay $13 for Recreation Passport

Feb. 10, 2023

Passport gives year-round vehicle access to state parks and other outdoor recreation, and an easy way to help protect natural resources for generations

Packing up for a camping trip. Fishing from your favorite pier. Parking the car, ready to enjoy thousands of miles of motorized and nonmotorized trails or drop your boat in the water …

Those are just a few outdoor amenities and experiences that start with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ valued-packed Recreation Passport, which gives year-round vehicle access to 100-plus state parks and recreation areas, more than 1,000 state-managed boating access sites, 140-plus state forest campgrounds, and parking at thousands of miles of trails and other outdoor spaces.

Next month, people will see a slight increase in the cost of a Recreation Passport, but at just over a dollar per month it is still the best recreation deal around. Effective , the Recreation Passport resident vehicle fee increases from $12 to $13 (and from $6 to $7 for motorcycles) – the first such increase since 2020. Read more

Wildlife

National Parks React to Crowding

From Jim Shepherd

During “the great lockdown” an equally great number of us discovered -or re-discovered- the allure of our national parks. The desire to get outside and breathe some non-filtered fresh air was strong-to the point that infrastructures already rundown due to a lack of government funding, took quite a hit.

Since the National Park Service started recording visitation numbers in 1904, more than 15.4 billion visitors have come to the sites. The most recent year (2021) saw 330 million annual visitors. Those numbers were record-setting in many of the more popular parks. Yellowstone National Park and Arches National Park, for example set new monthly records for consecutive months. The summer of 2021, for lack of a better word, saw huge visitation numbers.

There were more travelers last year- especially after the borders reopened, allowing foreign visitors to see our natural wonders.

2021 made it obvious that there needed to be something done to help balance the wear-and-tear of visitors and the capacities of the 424 sites of the National Park Service.

George, Thomas, Theodore and Abraham aren’t requiring reservations to visit, but there are plenty of restrictions in place at other national parks. Jim Shepherd/OWDN photo.

The solution for crowd control wasn’t simple, but it has been effective: reservation systems. They went into place at many of the most popular national parks: Yosemite, Zion, Rocky Mountain NP, and Dinosaur National Monument.

Last year, more parks and park service properties added them.

No, everyone isn’t a fan, and the idea of having to apply for a time to visit public land has rankled plenty of tempers. Read more

Fishing, General, Hunting, Wildlife

Bad bugs and pesky plants: Michigan forest health report covers threats to trees

Munching through the canopy, choking out seedlings or wilting backyard trees – invasive insects and plants and tree diseases threaten the health of Michigan’s forests.

Forest health experts at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources work every day to protect our trees and forests. They survey Michigan’s woodlands and teach foresters and land managers to look out for signs of harm. Monitoring outbreaks, managing infestations and preparing for future challenges ensure we will continue to have places for recreation, homes for wildlife, healthier waters and renewable forest products.

The 2022 Forest Health Highlights report covers the status of key forest health issues including the first detections of beech leaf disease and spotted lanternfly in Michigan. The news isn’t all bad though – the report also showcases the latest university research revealing progress on some of our toughest battles, collaborative work between agencies to protect forests and techniques to guide landowners in caring for their trees. Read more

Wildlife

Michigan: planned improvement projects prompt temporary closures at state parks, campgrounds

A handful of locations throughout Michigan’s state parks and recreation system will temporarily close this summer and fall, but for good reason: road reconstruction, historic preservation, upgraded electrical and water distribution systems, visitor center enhancements, new toilet and shower buildings and other work aimed at making the visitor experience more enjoyable and comfortable.

Many of these critical projects are possible through millions of dollars in federal relief COVID-19 funding – the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 – while other planned projects are funded through Recreation Passport dollars and various state and federal grants.

A total $250 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds was made available to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources last March to help address a long list of critical needs in state parks and trails and build a new state park in Flint. These federal ARPA relief funds are part of a $4.8 billion infrastructure package outlined in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Building Michigan Together Plan.

“It wasn’t more than a few years ago that we were trying to identify nearly $300 million in funds to assess a backlog of state park infrastructure needs,” said Ron Olson, DNR Parks and Recreation chief. “Today, we have the great fortune of administering a once-in-a-lifetime investment of $250 million over three years, allowing us to deliver tangible improvements at these outdoor spaces that people love and return to, season after season.”

Federal funding requirements stipulate that ARPA funds must be obligated (committed to a project) by Dec. 31, 2024, and spent on that project by Dec. 31, 2026.

Olson also said that approximately 97% of regular state parks funding is generated by user fees, which includes revenue from Recreation Passport entry fees, and royalty revenues. Only 3% comes from Michigan’s General Fund tax dollars, further illustrating the incredible value and importance of these one-time federal funds and their long-term impact on the system.

A few examples of ARPA-funded work are campground enhancements at Algonac, Cheboygan, Hoffmaster, Interlochen and Straits state parks and Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area; major renovations to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory in Belle Isle Park; visitor center improvements at Bay City State Park, and restoration work at the Tawas Point Lighthouse.

Beyond the ARPA-funded work, there are additional planned state park and trail enhancement projects that are using other funds or are due to weather-related conditions. All closures will be temporary, and staff is working hard to minimize the impact to visitors.

Find a full list of closures

Before you visit a state park, boating site or trail, it is always a good idea to check the latest closures due to planned improvement projects, repairs and weather-related events in DNR facilities around the state. A list of ongoing/updated alerts can be found at Michigan.gov/DNRClosures. Read more

Wildlife

Increase in Hunting Participation: Spike or Tradition?

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Media Association (POMA)

The National Deer Association (NDA) has published a compilation of whitetail deer-hunting statistics for hunting seasons through year 2021 across the nation; the most recent season’s data for year 2022 will be available next year.  With Michigan’s new mandatory reporting requirements, a more detailed assessment is anticipated next year of how our state stacks up to 37 states in the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast.

Nationally, the antlered buck (those 1½ years or older) harvest is at a record level, and Michigan’s buck harvest was 6 percent above the previous 5-year average.  The season was a record for hunters with the total buck harvest a whopping 3,041,544 which marked the first time it has surpassed 3 million adult bucks since 2009.

The top states for antlered buck harvest were Texas (449,933), Michigan (219,387), Pennsylvania (174,780), Wisconsin (158,236) and Missouri (40,855).  Michigan’s buck harvest is some 4 percent higher than each of the two previous seasons.

Comparing these totals to available hunting land, Michigan has one of the highest amount of bucks taken per square mile:  Interestingly, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Delaware all came in at 3.9 bucks per square mile – twice the national average.

The top states with the greatest antlered buck harvest per 100 hunters are Mississippi (74), South Carolina (65), Louisiana (58), Texas (58), and Georgia (55).  Michigan buck harvest totaled 39 bucks per 100 hunters.

One of the more noteworthy statistics relates to the age structure of bucks taken.  Again, Michigan has not reported these figures in several years but had been one of the states taking a large percentage of yearling bucks – those 1 ½ years of age.  Wisconsin hunters took 40 percent of its bucks as yearlings with Ohio, New York, Illinois, Maine, and New Hampshire close behind.  Nationally, it is encouraging that hunters are allowing bucks to mature much more than in past years.  Specifically, in year 1989 the tally of yearling bucks was 62 percent of the total kill, whereas in year 2020 the declining total has reached a scant 26 percent of all bucks taken.

On the other end of the scale are bucks of 3 ½ years of age or older taken.  Again, Michigan has not submitted these statistics but has never been among the leaders in this category.  Here are the nation’s top states in this regard shown as a percentage of total bucks taken:  Oklahoma (83), Louisiana (82), Mississippi (79), Arkansas (76), and Texas (71).

The antlerless harvest numbers are important in helping to balance each state’s buck-to-doe ratio.  Michigan’s antlerless take is a startling 25 percent higher than the previous two years at 191,252 or 3.4 per square mile; only Texas (402,515) and Pennsylvania (260,400) took more bald deer.

The sudden and significant increase in Michigan’s deer kill and that of other Midwestern states is no doubt a reflection of citizens’ new-found inclination to self-sufficiency courtesy of myriad governmental Covid-related dictates.  Empty store shelves inspired Americans to find a way out – way out in the wilderness, or any facsimile thereof.  Camping, fishing, hunting were all on the menu of first-time sportsmen and women.  Supply lines would become the direct responsibility of multitudes of outdoors people – many of whom were discovering or rediscovering their roots through hunting and fishing.  Some will have enjoyed the experience enough to carry on and only time will tell if the spike in participation morphs into tradition.

Hunting, Wildlife

NDA Launches All-New Edition of Online Deer Steward 1

February 2, 2023 – The National Deer Association (NDA) is excited to announce the launch of the 3rd edition of their Deer Steward 1 online course. Deer Steward is the world’s foremost personal training on deer biology and land management, and the Level 1 online course has been rebuilt from the ground up to feature an updated look, new learning platform, a broader variety of topics, and the absolute latest deer and habitat research from the nation’s top researchers. The state-of-the-art video course is administered through Today’s Hunter, the official provider of online hunter safety education for all state wildlife agencies and the NDA’s own Deer Hunting 101 course.

“The third edition of Deer Steward 1 is the best educational resource available for anyone interested in deer and habitat management,” said Ben Westfall, NDA Conservation Coordinator. “The complete overhaul of the program gives folks the opportunity to learn about the newest deer research from some of the most renowned researchers in the country, some of which are featured in Deer Steward for the first time. This is an extremely powerful tool that has shown to have a major impact on land management throughout the country, and it continues to improve.” Read more

Wildlife

Michigan: invasive hemlock woolly adelgid found at Benzie County country club

A new location of invasive hemlock woolly adelgid has been found in Benzie County, approximately 50 miles north of what was previously thought to be the northern edge of infestation in Mason County, Michigan. Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network staff members conducting a winter survey for the pest detected the insects on hemlock trees at Crystal Downs Country Club in Frankfort.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed a sample taken from the site as positive for hemlock woolly adelgid on Jan. 27.

In 2021, a single tree infested with hemlock woolly adelgid was found at a campsite at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Benzie County. The tree’s infested branches were removed, and no signs of the insect have been found in subsequent surveys of the area.

Why be concerned?

Hemlock woolly adelgid is a small insect that uses its long, siphoning mouthpart to extract sap from hemlock trees. This feeding weakens needles, shoots and branches. Over time, tree growth slows, and trees take on a grayish-green appearance. Without treatment, infested trees die within four to 10 years. Read more

Wildlife

Delta Waterfowl Expands Hen House Program into South Dakota to Produce More Ducks

The Duck Hunters Organization is adding more than 2,000 nest structures in key duck breeding areas this winter

BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA — Working amidst waist-deep snowdrifts, Jason Mix-Schneider made history for Delta Waterfowl on a frozen slough in South Dakota earlier this winter.

A cattle rancher by trade, Mix-Schneider is one of three newly hired Hen House delivery specialists installing nest structures in South Dakota as part of a major duck production expansion for Delta Waterfowl. By pounding in stakes, attaching cradles and positioning nest tunnels in early January, he erected Delta’s first program Hen Houses in the state.

Matt Chouinard, senior waterfowl programs manager for Delta, brought a trailer-load to Mix-Schneider’s Veblen, South Dakota ranch, then provided expert instruction and guidance for the first few structures.

“Looks good,” Chouinard said as Mix-Schneider fluffed the flax nesting material to complete the task. “Congratulations Jason. You just installed the first-ever Delta Hen House in South Dakota.” Read more

Wildlife
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