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 July 1, 1996, 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].

Maybe it includes a hammock, blue skies and a soft summer breeze rustling through the leaves of a shade tree. Perhaps you’re reading under a flowering tree in spring, or picking autumn apples right off the branches in your backyard.

We may be biased, but at the DNR we think the best days often involve trees! If you agree, take steps now to set the stage for perfect planting days this spring.

Get started today

The time to order your tree is now. Local conservation districts, nurseries and reputable online retailers are all good places to find the right tree for your space. Whether you’re looking for a tall, fast-growing shade tree or a small, flowering tree to attract bees and butterflies, it’s helpful to learn about the needs of the tree species you want to plant so you can help it grow.

If you want to plant many trees or need layout assistance, a landscaping or nursery professional can help with planning and logistics.

Tree tips and resources

Find how and where to plant a tree, suggestions for what kind of tree to plant and tips to care for your tree at Michigan.gov/MiTrees. You’ll also find a planting map where you can digitally “pin” your new tree and add it to a growing online forest that reflects the landscape. Each tree planted gets Michigan closer to our 1T.org pledge to plant 50 million trees by 2030.

With proper planting and care, your tree will grow strong and healthy. Questions about tree care? Contact DNR urban forester Lawrence Sobson at 313-316-4137.

Workdays will take place:

• 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 2, at Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County).
• 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 3, at Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County).
• 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 10, and Sunday, March 24, at Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County).
• 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at Ludington State Park (Mason County).
• 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday March 23, at Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County).

Workday details and registration information can be found on the DNR volunteer events calendar.

These virtual events – great opportunities to meet with DNR fisheries managers and biologists, discuss local issues and management activities, and get specific questions answered – are scheduled for:

• Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit: Tuesday, March 12, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
• Central Lake Michigan Management Unit: Wednesday, March 13, 5 to 7 p.m.
• Lake Superior Management Unit: Thursday, March 14, 6:30 to 8 p.m. EDT.
• Lake Erie Management Unit: Wednesday, April 3, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
• Lake Huron Management Unit: Wednesday, April 3, 6 to 7 p.m.
• Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit: Tuesday, April 9, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Meeting links will be available soon. For more details, see the Conversations and Coffee webpage.

For more opportunities to lend a hand or provide input on all DNR programs, visit Michigan.gov/DNRVolunteers.

Coming up at Mitchell State Park’s Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Cadillac, you can learn about maple syrup making and steelhead fishing. The March 9 Maple Syrup Clinic covers tools needed, sap processing, canning, making the final product and more. And in the one-day Steelhead Fishing Seminar March 16 and two-day Steelhead Fishing Clinic March 23-24, the Outdoor Skills Academy pro-staff will present strategies and techniques for chasing Michigan’s “chrome torpedoes.”

Additional sessions of the steelhead classes are scheduled in April, along with turkey hunting, walleye fishing, and whitetail food plot and habitat management clinics. The rest of the year brings opportunities to learn about wild mushrooms, fly fishing, wilderness survival, bear and waterfowl hunting, processing and cooking venison, trapping and more.

See the full, evolving OSA schedule at Michigan.gov/OutdoorSkills.

OAC staff will lead birding programs at Belle Isle Park in Detroit March 10 and at Proud Lake Recreation Area in Oakland County March 24. Join in a fun night of archery and trivia during Grown-Up Gatherings: Archery March 15, or explore this pastime with several other March archery events.

Don’t miss the annual Lumberjack Pancake Run March 23 – wear your finest flannel apparel and sport your best lumberjack beard (prizes awarded to the best dressed!) – and get race swag including a custom medal, a lumberjack buff, Outdoor Adventure Center entry and a pancake breakfast. And check out Lumberjack Day following the run, with special forest-themed programs and activities.

There are also programs especially for seniors, kids, teachers, home-schooled students and others on the March OAC event calendar.

Scott Eggeman, the Wildlife Division’s field operations manager for the northern Lower Peninsula, talks about habitat work such as a grassland management program and food plot planning. DNR wildlife biologist Pete Kailing stops in with an overview of hunting and trapping opportunities available this month.

Visit the “Wildtalk” webpage for the February episode and show notes and links to past episodes. Questions about the podcast? Email [email protected].

Despite these incredible adaptations, winter can still be a stressful time for birds. We can help support winter birds by feeding them when other food sources may be scarce. Here are a couple of tips on how to feed them safely and responsibly in your space:

• Keep your bird feeders and birdbaths fresh and clean throughout winter. Freshen the water every other day, if possible. Clean your feeders once every one to two weeks in a 9:1 solution that is nine parts water and one part bleach, scrubbing away any debris. Dry the feeder before refilling. Clean bird baths with a scrub brush in a 9:1 solution of water and vinegar.
• Don’t place seed directly on the ground or use platform feeders, which tend to attract larger numbers of birds, deer and other unwanted guests. Mess-free birdseed options can help keep the ground clean.

The day starts at 9:30 a.m. in Rooms M119-121 of Lansing Community College, West Campus, 5708 Cornerstone Drive. See the draft meeting agenda and remaining 2024 meeting dates at Michigan.gov/NRC.

For more information or to request time to speak at the meeting, email [email protected].

This week’s show packs in a lot, including a turkey hunt with the DNR’s acting director and highway patrols that turned up some illegally tagged deer. Check out this sneak-peek video.

To get the Outdoor Channel, ask your local TV service provider or go to outdoorchannel.com, myoutdoortv.com or Amazon Prime Video, or call 855-44-OUTDOOR. More than 78 episodes of “Wardens” have featured Michigan and tallied over 36 million viewers!

Episodes air on the Outdoor Channel every Friday at 9 p.m. Previous episodes air on FOX UP/WLUC-TV6 every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. The show also is available under the title “Wardens of the North” or “Michigan Wardens” on Animal Planet.

The team also has worked to identify and respond to detections of beech leaf disease in seven southeast Michigan counties.

But that’s just some of the work that the DNR’s forest health team did while striving to protect 20 million acres of forest land and urban trees from threats stemming from native and invasive plants, diseases and pests. The issues are compiled in the new “Forest Health Highlights” report, which looks at forest health trends in the state during 2023.

“The DNR’s forest health team works closely with local cooperative invasive species management area groups, or CISMAs, federal experts, researchers and many others to address issues that are new or ongoing,” said James Wieferich, forest health unit manager with the DNR’s Forest Resources Division. “Besides on-the-ground work, the Forest Health Program brings money into Michigan to help partners address forest health challenges and concerns across the state and in many cases, preventing rapid spread of new issues into the region.”

The goal: Keep Michigan’s forests healthy, productive and sustainable.

That threat means boots on the ground, first to find infestations, then to treat the trees. Over the past seven years, 12,468 acres and 231,429 trees have been treated as part of a strategy to keep the insect from spreading into northern forests. The good news: most of Michigan’s hemlock trees are many miles away from established HWA populations.

Over the past seven years, more than $6.5 million has been raised to respond to the insect, and efforts continue to be funded through the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program, Great Lake Restoration Initiative, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Recreation Passport (state park user fees), fundraising efforts supported by Bob Ross Inc. and other state funds.

The DNR’s forest health team also works with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to respond to recent detections of a similar insect, the balsam woolly adelgid, in Kent, Missaukee and Oceana counties.

So starts a new video from the DNR, capturing the words, wisdom and charm of a longtime Michigan hunter who hasn’t missed a firearm deer season opener in 80 years.

Kusey got his first buck at age 14 while hunting with his dad on opening day, a heart-pounding experience that he said has never faded.

“Even at my age,” he laughed, “my heart beats when I see a buck!”

Kusey’s recollections are part of the DNR’s Experiencing Michigan’s Outdoors video series, quick yet revealing looks at hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities through inspiring, personal stories.

If not for his brothers’ mentoring, Kusey said hunting might not be a part of his story. It was their encouragement that sparked a tradition that has grown to include deer and bear hunts – Kesey got his first bear in 1995, west of Copper Harbor, and followed that up with bear No. 2 in 2000, on the other side of Copper Harbor.

“To me, deer hunting was putting food on the table. I’ve hunted all my life, and I’ve really enjoyed every day of it,” he said. “There’s no better place in the world than to hunt in Michigan.”

Veteran hunters like Kusey are an important part of our state’s hunting heritage. Visit Michigan.gov/Hunting to learn about season/species opportunities, as well as simple ways – through mentoring and safety instruction – to share your knowledge and expertise with those just starting out.

If you’ve got ideas about other stories we can tell through video, email Brad Parsons at [email protected]. For questions about hunting opportunities and mentoring, email [email protected].

Hike and ski

Several state parks will host guided hikes – many with snowshoes, some by lantern light – and cross-country skiing events. See the DNR events calendar for dates, locations and other details.

Find some relaxation in Michigan’s northern woods with the Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoe Getaway at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center in Roscommon, taking place Feb. 2-4 and Feb. 9-11. Perfect for couples, friends or families, the all-inclusive weekend includes cabin-style lodging, meals, hot cocoa, snowshoe rentals and easy access to outdoor adventure and miles of evergreen-lined trails.

Ride and fish

We recognize that snow conditions may determine your ability to pull out the sleds, but when winter weather truly returns, a full weekend of free snowmobiling Feb. 9-11 is a great way to ignite (or reignite) your love of winter trail riding! Grab your friends and ride 6,000-plus miles of DNR-designated snowmobile trails, public roads and public lands (where authorized). You legally can ride all weekend long without the regular requirement of a snowmobile registration or trail permit!

During the winter Free Fishing Weekend, Feb. 17-18, enjoy fishing on inland and Great Lakes waters for free, with all license fees waived both days. All fishing regulations will still apply. It’s also a good time to visit state parks and boating access sites, as a Recreation Passport isn’t required for entry during Free Fishing Weekend. As always, consult Michigan.gov/IceSafety before any on-ice activities.

Learn to ice fish from the pros with Hard Water School at the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Cadillac, part of the DNR Outdoor Skills Academy. The Feb. 17-18 class will cover everything you need to know to get started, with a focus on techniques for panfish, walleye and pike. The advanced class Feb. 2-4 will dive deeper into specific ice-fishing topics. If the weather doesn’t cooperate to offer the on-ice portion of the class, things may move indoors for a fish fry (if there are enough students).

Birds and blooms

Celebrate winter Birds and Blooms Feb. 17 with activities for the whole family at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center in Mattawan. Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count bird walk, make pinecone bird feeders, find out how native plants benefit birds, and enjoy hot cocoa, cookies and more.

For a full list of DNR events, see Michigan.gov/DNRCalendar or find ideas to plan your own cold-weather adventure at Michigan.gov/WinterFun.

• 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 3, at Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County).
• 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at Waterloo Recreation Area (Jackson County).
• 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4, at Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County).
• 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4, at Pinckney Recreation Area (Washtenaw County).
• 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 10, at Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland County).
• 9 a.m. to noon Saturday Feb. 10, at Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County).
• 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, at Island Lake Recreation Area (Livingston County).
• 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, at Saugatuck Dunes State Park (Allegan County).
• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at Highland Recreation Area (Oakland County).
• 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 24, at Hoffmaster State Park (Muskegon County).
• 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, at Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County).

More details about each workday and how to register can be found on the DNR volunteer events calendar.

Campground and harbor hosts

If you love staying overnight in Michigan state parks and harbors, consider serving as a volunteer campground or harbor host – we’re currently accepting applications at many locations. Volunteer hosts help answer visitor questions, plan activities and help with light maintenance duties. In exchange, campsite and slip fees are waived. The total commitment is about 30 hours per week.

On the Ground habitat improvement

Help create habitat for small mammals and game birds 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Bellevue Conservation Club in Eaton County. Take part in efforts to clean out and maintain current wood duck nest boxes and install new nest boxes 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 at Maple River State Game Area in Gratiot County. Build brush piles for woodcock 1:30 to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at Port Huron State Game Area in St. Clair County.

Great Backyard Bird Count

You can help scientists better understand and protect birds around the world, while spending time birdwatching in your favorite places, by taking part in the global Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 16-19. Count birds in your backyard, a local park or wherever you spot them, and submit your observations online.