Plus, find April events near you.



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"News Digest - Week of April 3, 2023
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Daffodils emerge from the verdant ground, tall and vibrantly yellow in the spring afternoon.

Spring is on the way, and with it, new experiences, classes and events!



Here are just a few of this week's stories from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources:?


* Photo ambassador snapshot: Belle Isle blossoms [ #link_1 ]
* Your ?burning questions,? answered [ #link_16 ]
* 'An Ordinary Man': Discussion on President Gerald R. Ford [ #link_17 ]
* Springtime fun on the agenda with April events [ #link_3 ]
* Get involved in state park stewardship, wildlife habitat improvement and more [ #link_2 ]

See other news releases, Showcasing the DNR stories, photos and other resources at Michigan.gov/DNRPressRoom [ [link removed] ].

PHOTO FOLDER [ [link removed] ]: Larger, higher-res versions of the images used below, and others, are available in this folder.

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Photo ambassador snapshot: Belle Isle blossoms
Blooms of white flowers cover two trees, creating a botanical veil through which the Belle Isle fountain can be seen aglow with sunlight.

Want to see more pictures like this, taken by Michigan state parks photo ambassador Diane Wilks [ [link removed] ] at Belle Isle State Park in Wayne County? Visit?Instagram.com/MiStateParks [ [link removed] ]?to explore photos and learn more about the photo ambassadors! For more on the photo ambassador program [ [link removed] ], call?Stephanie Yancer <[email protected]>?at 989-274-6182.

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Your ?burning questions,? answered

A burning brush pile is supervised by an onlooker holding a shovel.

Warmer weather has arrived in some parts of the state and is coming soon to the rest! While setting out the lawn chairs, you might notice your yard has accumulated some unwanted scenery: fallen leaves, twigs and branches from seasonal pruning, and the remnants of last year?s foray into gardening are majorly harshing the BBQ vibes.?

While you?re dreaming of warm-season fun, keep in mind that as temperatures rise and the ground dries out, spring also paves the way for wildfire season. Most wildfires are started by humans, so be extra careful with how you plan to dispose of yard waste or other materials.

If you?re planning to open burn, let?s make sure all your questions are answered:?

*What is a burn permit and why do I need one?*

The State of Michigan?s burn permit is required for burning any unwanted material, such as yard waste or paper products. It?s not a physical permit you apply for. Instead, you can check online to see if weather conditions allow for you to safely open burn.

Burning trash, plastic, Styrofoam or other hazardous materials is never permitted and can have serious effects on your health. A burn permit is required anytime snow is not covering the ground.?

For the Upper Peninsula and the northern half of the Lower Peninsula, you can check online to see burn conditions for your county [ [link removed] ]. For the southern Lower Peninsula, contact your local fire department or governing body for a burn permit.?

Individuals can be held legally responsible for letting a fire escape, and additional city or township burn restrictions may be in effect.?Always double check before lighting anything.

?Nine out of 10 wildfires in Michigan are caused by people, but following a few simple fire safety tips can reduce the risk for everyone,? said Paul Rogers, DNR fire prevention specialist. ?When you?re burning, always have a water source and shovel nearby to thoroughly extinguish the embers, and never leave your fire unattended.?

*What other options do I have??*

Burning your yard waste isn?t the only way to dispose of it. Here are some other ideas for getting your yard in shape:?


* ? ? ? Composting [ [link removed] ] can retain soil nutrients for your yard, giving flowers, trees and other plants a boost.
* ? ? ? Leave the leaves [ [link removed] ] if you can ? they are a fantastic habitat for native pollinators!
* ? ? ? Chip up woody material for garden beds or pathways.?

To learn more and see if conditions are safe for burning, visit Michigan.gov/BurnPermit [ [link removed] ].

For fire safety tips, visit Michigan.gov/PreventWildfires [ [link removed] ].?

Questions? Contact DNR fire prevention specialist Paul Rogers <[email protected]>at 616-260-8406.


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'An Ordinary Man': Discussion on President Gerald R. Ford

An older man with a ginger and white beard, thick glasses and inviting expression.

What do you know about the 38th president of the United States, Gerald R. Ford? Maybe his brief presidency in the 1970s is ancient history to you, or perhaps you're old enough to recall Chevy Chase parodying President Ford on "Saturday Night Live." Whatever the case, there is so much to know about the life and legacy of the only U.S. president from Michigan.

Join the DNR's Michigan History Center Thursday, April 13 at 2 p.m. for ?An Ordinary Man [ [link removed] ],? in-depth conversation about President Ford, his family and his life between two men who knew him: author and nationally recognized historian Richard Norton Smith and Hank Meijer, vice-chairman and a trustee of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.

After the discussion, there will be time for audience questions and a book signing of Smith?s latest presidential biography "An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford."

The event is free of charge at the Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing.


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Springtime fun on the agenda with April events

An angler wades in knee-deep water, eyes focused on their bobber in the mildly agitated waves.

Spring is here, and the DNR?s April calendar is full of opportunities to enjoy and learn more about Michigan?s natural and cultural resources.?

Try a new outdoor activity, or get better at one, with the DNR Outdoor Skills Academy. Learn strategies and techniques for chasing Michigan?s ?chrome torpedoes? at the April 15-16 steelhead fishing clinic [ [link removed] ] or the A to Z of walleye fishing at the April 16 walleye clinic [ [link removed] ], both in Cadillac. And sign up now for the Saginaw Bay walleye clinic, coming up May 2-3 in Bay City. See a full schedule of classes at Michigan.gov/OutdoorSkills [ [link removed] ].?

The Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit offers a variety of fun for all ages this month. The April calendar features a variety of archery programs throughout the month, education programs for kids and seniors, opportunities to learn more about our avian friends with Birding Belle Isle [ [link removed] ] April 16 and the Detroit Pheasant Walk [ [link removed] ] April 30, and a boater safety class [ [link removed] ] April 22. Get up close to cows, pigs, chickens and more during Down on the Farm in Downtown Detroit [ [link removed] ] April 23, and learn how to make a wine bottle hummingbird feeder [ [link removed] ] April 28. Find more info about these and other programs on the Outdoor Adventure Center events calendar [ [link removed] ].

Also on the April agenda are Maple Syrup Day [ [link removed] ] at Hartwick Pines State Park in Grayling April 8, Easter egg hunts, a dark sky event [ [link removed] ] at Lake Hudson Recreation Area in Lenawee County April 22 and more. For a full list of DNR events, see Michigan.gov/DNRCalendar [ [link removed] ].


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Get involved in state park stewardship, wildlife habitat improvement and more

Volunteers pick uprooted invasives off a forest floor, placing them in large trashbags.

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 April.

* State park volunteer stewardship workdays*

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:


* Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 8 *and* April 29.
* Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland County), 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 15.
* Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, April 16 *and* April 30.
* Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County), 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 22.
* Waterloo Recreation Area (Washtenaw County), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, April 23.
* Island Lake Recreation Area (Livingston County), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 29.
* Brighton Recreation Area (Livingston County), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, April 30

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

*Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery volunteer open house*

Want to turn your passion into action? Learn about volunteering at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center [ [link removed] ] in Mattawan during an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 19. Find out how you can make a difference by getting involved in opportunities with kids? fishing, stewardship projects and more, and join a special, behind-the-scenes hatchery tour at 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be available.

*On the Ground habitat improvement projects*

Join in fish and wildlife habitat improvement efforts with On the Ground, Michigan United Conservation Clubs? volunteer program in partnership with the DNR. Projects coming up in April include:


* Clinton River watershed cleanup, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 15 in Pontiac (Oakland County). Volunteers will help the Clinton River Watershed Council and Metro-West Steelheaders clean up Dawsons Millpond at Beaudette Park and Upper Silver Lake at Hawthorne Park.
* Brush pile building in Kalkaska County, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 22. Part of the Mark Kenyon?s national Working for Wildlife Tour [ [link removed] ]. Volunteers will be working to maintain wildlife openings and build brush piles on public hunting land in the Traverse City Forest Management Unit.
* Brush pile building and edge-habitat enhancement, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 29 in St. Clair County. Work with the Robert J. Lytle Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society to remove invasive woody vegetation and create brush piles for wildlife habitat at Port Huron State Game Area.

Find more details and register for these events at MUCC.org/on-the-ground [ [link removed] ].

For more opportunities to volunteer, contribute and provide input, visit Michigan.gov/DNRVolunteers [ [link removed] ].


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THINGS TO DO [ [link removed] ]

Get a jump-start on caring for your local trees and start planning for hemlock woolly adelgid management [ [link removed] ].




BUY & APPLY [ [link removed] ]

Forest Legacy Program nominations [ [link removed] ] are due May 1; the program protects important forests in Michigan.




GET INVOLVED [ [link removed] ]

Michiganders love our loons ? and you can help protect this important species by joining the Loon Rangers [ [link removed] ].



Download the new Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app [ [link removed] ]
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This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Michigan Department of Natural Resources ? Constitution Hall, 525 W. Allegan St., PO Box 30028 Lansing MI 48909 ? 1-800-439-1420