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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 ...

Researchers explore new ways to deter sea lamprey

Cold water rushes over gravel and stones as the river winds through forests and wetlands before joining the vast waters of the Great Lakes. Beneath the rippling surface, an ancient predator begins its yearly search for a mate in the spring. The sea lamprey, a leech-like parasite, slinks ...

Michigan estimates UP wolf population from remote camera images

For the first time, researchers from Michigan State University and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources have successfully estimated Michigan’s wolf population using remote cameras deployed throughout the Upper Peninsula. The camera survey method, which began with a pilot proiect in 2022 and has since expanded, produced monthly estimates that generally align with wolf biology – lower counts during winter when the wolf population is at its lowest due to mortality, then increasing in the spring after pups are born. A black gray wolf walks along a dirt road in 2024. In ...

Protect yourself: Why ticks are spreading in Michigan

ESCANABA -- A walk through the woods is no longer the only place Midwesterners should watch for ticks. Researchers say the tiny parasites are spreading to communities across the region and show no signs of slowing down. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency ...