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Outdoors

MDARD, DNR expand “Don’t Move Firewood” campaign ahead of Labor Day weekend

LANSING – The Michigan Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and Natural Resources (DNR) are reminding consumers to not move firewood long distances this holiday weekend to help prevent the spread of invasive insects and plant diseases. The agencies are also working to expand access to certified invasive-free firewood. Firewood movement is one of the most common pathways for the spread of invasive insects and diseases. The Michigan Invasive Species Program’s (MISP) longstanding “Don’t Move Firewood” campaign asks Michiganders to purchase firewood at or ...

Sayonara, my friend. It was so good to meet you

“My transistor radio comes from far away; and when it's night over here, over there, it's breakin' day,” – Bob Morris and Faye Morris It was evening, about an hour or so before dark would descend, when I set out on a walk to enjoy the natural experience around me. I was with our recent ...

Loon sightings: ancestral interpretations

In many Native American traditions, the sighting of a loon carries spiritual, symbolic, and sometimes prophetic significance. For several tribes, especially the Algonquian-speaking peoples like the Ojibwe and Anishinaabe, the loon is regarded as a divine messenger or a spirit animal. Its ...

Black River sturgeon hatchery offers free tours Sept. 5

Lake sturgeon are one of Michigan’s most unique and interesting fish, and you have the chance to see them up close and in person this Labor Day weekend. To learn more about what goes into rearing sturgeon, you’re invited to take a free tour at the Black River hatchery Saturday, Sept. 5. Tours will run 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the facility, located northwest of Onaway. "Visitors will see 3- to 4-month-old lake sturgeon currently in the hatchery and learn about their early life history, as well as how we can all play a role to keep this species healthy in our waters," said Tim ...

A much needed recharge

“Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong,” – John Denver I had just pulled out of the drive-through line and grabbed my container of French fries out of the paper bag. I hit the highway like a man possessed, and by that, I mean I felt like I was breaking down inside, ...

The Elm Apocalypse

The Lake States have three native elm tree species. The American elm is the most common and the standard-bearer for the genus Ulmus, in the family Ulmaceae. Then, there is red or slippery elm and, finally, rock elm. Elms have long been minor components in the eastern forests of the United States. In Michigan, as much as five percent of forest volume was elm. That percentage is now under one percent. The graceful, vase-shaped, elegance of the American elm (U. americana) rendered it popular among urban and residential plantings. Many streets and boulevards were once lined with ...