| Here are a few of this week’s stories from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources:
See other news releases, Showcasing the DNR stories, photos and other resources at Michigan.gov/DNRPressRoom.
Larger, high-res versions of some of the photos used in this email – wild turkey and tree buds – and others (steelhead fishing) are available in the DNR’s online image gallery. Additional pictures (park volunteer, lumberjack runner and least bittern) are available in this photo folder.
 If you’re planning a spring break trip to a warmer destination and intend to rent a personal watercraft (such as a Jet Ski) while there, don’t forget to take a copy of your Michigan boater safety certificate.
Safety certificates are proof that you’ve completed a program meant to teach the fundamentals of safety for your chosen activity. Many states require this documentation before allowing you to rent and/or operate a boat or personal watercraft. Misplaced your certificate? No worries, you can request a duplicate.
In Michigan, people born before July 1, 1996, may legally operate a boat without restrictions. Those born on or after that date may legally operate a motorized boat over 6 horsepower only if they have been issued a boating safety certificate and have it in their possession. Anyone born on or after Dec. 31, 1978, must have a boater safety certificate to legally operate a personal watercraft.
If you need a safety certificate, you can take recreational safety education courses online from the comfort of your home and at your own pace.
Learn more at Michigan.gov/RecreationalSafety.
Questions? Email [email protected]. |
The DNR offers a variety of ways for everyone to learn about and enjoy Michigan’s outdoors. Following are a few March highlights; for all of the latest events, visit Michigan.gov/DNRCalendar.
Learn turkey hunting, steelhead fishing skills
 If you’re interested in trying something new outdoors or brushing up on a pastime you already enjoy, check out the DNR Outdoor Skills Academy’s classes. They offer expert instruction, gear and hands-on learning for a range of activities.
Coming up this month at Mitchell State Park’s Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Cadillac, you can learn about turkey hunting and steelhead fishing.
The March 15 Turkey Hunting Clinic will review spring turkey hunting rules and regulations, preferred habitat, hunting gear, calling techniques and more.
The two-day Steelhead Fishing Clinic, March 29-30, will include an indoor lesson on salmon identification, the history of steelhead in Michigan, equipment, how to cure spawn, casting techniques and various strategies for catching steelhead, including rig setup. The following morning will feature fishing on the Manistee River at the Tippy Dam, where instructors will teach anglers how to read the water, where to cast and, hopefully, how to land a steelhead!
An additional session of the steelhead fishing class is scheduled in April, along with walleye fishing and beekeeping clinics. The rest of the year brings opportunities to learn about wild mushrooms, fly fishing, bear and deer hunting, and more. See a full schedule of classes – with more being added throughout the year – at Michigan.gov/OutdoorSkills. |
Lumberjack Days and more at the OAC
 If you live in, or your travels take you to, southeast Michigan, you can find fun, educational programs for all ages at the Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit. The March OAC event calendar features programs especially for seniors, kids and families, archery, yoga, birding and more.
Don’t miss the OAC’s annual Lumberjack Days celebration, March 21-23, which includes:
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 Join MI Birds, an outreach program from Audubon Great Lakes and the DNR, later this month for a lunchtime webinar that explores the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area – one of southeast Michigan’s premier birding destinations!
From black-bellied plovers to glossy ibises, learn about the unique birds that inhabit this Wetland Wonder and Audubon Important Bird Area, as well as the conservation efforts to support them. Discover tips to enhance your visit to Pointe Mouillee and upcoming opportunities to tour the area.
Presenters for the “Demystifying Pointe Mouillee State Game Area” webinar include:
- Zach Cooley, DNR wildlife biologist.
- Ava Landgraf, conservation and research coordinator, Detroit Bird Alliance.
- Adam Shook, DNR wildlife technician.
The webinar starts at noon ET Friday, March 21. RSVP today and save your spot! Looking ahead, mark your calendar for two more webinars in the series: “Demystifying Portage Marsh State Wildlife Area” (May 9) and “Demystifying Paw Paw River State Game Area and the West Michigan Coastal Corridor” (July 17).
Questions? Contact Erin Ford at 313-820-0809. |
Each month, the DNR offers a variety of opportunities to help take care of Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. Here are a few ways to get involved this March.
For more opportunities to lend a hand, contribute and provide input, visit Michigan.gov/DNRVolunteers.
Volunteer workdays at state parks
 Several state parks in southern Michigan will host stewardship workdays, where volunteers are needed to help remove invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems.
Workdays will take place at:
- Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 8.
- Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 9.
- Saugatuck Dunes State Park (Allegan County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 23.
- Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 29.
More details about each workday and how to register can be found on the DNR volunteer events calendar. |
State parks/trails advisory vacancies
If you’re a fan of Michigan state parks and trails and have always wanted to add your voice to the discussion that shapes them, consider applying by mid-March for vacancies on three key advisory bodies that work with the DNR. The Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee and two trails advisory workgroups, the Nonmotorized Advisory Workgroup the Off-Road Vehicle Advisory Workgroup, are now accepting applications for open positions.
The deadline to apply is March 10 for the Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee and March 15 for the trails advisory workgroups.
Learn more about the vacancies and how to apply.
Happy Little (Virtual) 5K: Run for the Trees
 Run, walk or roll to support tree planting and forest protection efforts in state parks. Registration is open for this spring’s Run for the Trees: Happy Little (Virtual) 5k. For this virtual event, you pick the pace and place – do your 5K anytime April 19-27 (the week of Earth Day and Arbor Day). Registration is $36 and includes your keepsake Happy Little T-shirt, finisher’s medal, commemorative bib number and shipping.
Don’t wait to sign up – registration is recommended by April 1, and race packets have started shipping. Get more race information and register.
 See more pictures by Michigan state parks photo ambassadors at Instagram.com/MiStateParks. For more on the program, call Stephanie Yancer at 989-274-6182. This photo is by Samantha Bohon, for the Michigan DNR, at McLain State Park in Houghton County.
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