Plus, sign up for a combined hunter education/bow hunter course this weekend.



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"News Digest - Week of Sept. 2, 2024
"

An orange mushroom blooms from a moss-covered log.

Don't miss out on upcoming classes like wild mushroom clinics and more this month!



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


* Register now for 2024 Michigan Inland Lakes Convention [ #link_16 ]
* Nature Awaits at new locations; fall registration open [ #link_17 ]
* September events: Wild mushrooms, Michigan history, camping and more [ #link_3 ]
* September opportunities to get involved in conserving Michigan’s natural resources [ #link_2 ]
* Photo ambassador snapshot: Golden hour glow [ #link_1 ]

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 some of the images used below, and others, are available in this folder.

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Register now for 2024 Michigan Inland Lakes Convention

A loon on water

Spark new ideas and learn the latest in lake stewardship at the Michigan Inland Lakes Convention [ [link removed] ], Oct. 2-4 in Grand Rapids.

Lakefront property owners, lake scientists, industry professionals, policy makers, conservationists and anyone with a passion for Michigan's inland lakes is encouraged to attend.

The theme of the 2024 convention is “Working Together for Healthy Lakes,” and it will include presentations and workshops dedicated to engaging, educating and empowering those who live and work on inland lakes. Join sessions on community stewardship, wake boating, riparian laws, watershed conservation, fisheries and more. Some of this year’s workshop topics include: 


* Ecology and ID of freshwater algae in Michigan. 

* Hands-on aquatic invasive plant training. 

* Amphibians and reptiles in inland lakes.

Registration for the convention is $250. Visit the convention website [ [link removed] ] to view the complete agenda, register to attend and reserve a hotel room. The deadline to register is Sept. 24, so sign up today to save your spot!

Questions? Contact Joe Nohner <[email protected]> at 517-599-6825 or Christina Baugher <[email protected]> at 517-582-3245. 



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Nature Awaits at new locations; fall registration open

Young students excited raised their hands in a forest education class

This past spring, thousands of fourth grade students explored Michigan’s state parks on a free field trip thanks to the DNR’s Nature Awaits [ [link removed] ] program.

With 30 locations throughout the state, Nature Awaits provided students with 90 minutes of interactive learning and a complimentary one-day Recreation Passport voucher to visit a state park with their family.

This fall, three new locations will host the program. Students can explore the new state park in Flint, located along a 3-mile stretch of the Flint River and a section of Swartz Creek. Fort Custer Recreation Area, located between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, offers three lakes and over 40 miles of trails. Oden State Fish Hatchery, near Petoskey, features an underwater viewing chamber. 

Of participating teachers, 100% recommend Nature Awaits, and interested teachers can register for a field trip online [ [link removed] ]. Interested in leading a trip? The DNR is hiring field trip leaders [ [link removed] ] for the fall program cycle.  

Questions? Email [email protected] <[email protected]>. 



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September events: Wild mushrooms, Michigan history, camping and more

People gathering morel mushrooms.

Fall is in the air, and there are a variety of ways to get out and enjoy it this month. Here are a few examples – see a full list at Michigan.gov/DNRCalendar [ [link removed] ]. 

*Wild mushroom finding, identifying
*

Space is still available in two of the DNR Outdoor Skills Academy’s upcoming wild mushroom clinics: Bay City Sept. 15 [ [link removed] ] and Ontonagon Sept. 21 [ [link removed] ]. Learn how to identify – and find – a variety of Michigan's edible wild mushrooms and how to properly handle them for transport, cleaning, consumption and home preservation. 

*Birding, family camping
*

While the Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit is closed in September for annual deep cleaning, maintenance and exhibit enhancements, the OAC still will offer some outdoor and off-site programs this month. Learn how to pitch a tent and roast marshmallows during the Harvest Family Campout [ [link removed] ], Sept. 13-14. Check out Birding Belle Isle [ [link removed] ], a guided birding experience where participants will identify several species and discuss what makes them unique, Sept. 14.  

*Exploring Michigan history *

The Michigan History Center’s Mann House museum in Concord will host the fifth annual Women’s History Conference [ [link removed] ] – including presentations, entertainment, lunch and tours of local historic sites – Sept. 19.  

The Michigan Underground Railroad Heritage Gathering [ [link removed] ], Sept. 21 at the Michigan History Museum in Lansing, offers opportunities for learning and networking through keynote speakers, workshops, and group and individual presentations.  

*Investigating the paranormal
*

Ever wonder what a paranormal investigator does? Learn how to become a member of a paranormal team that looks into apparitions, hauntings and other otherworldly things, and participate in a real investigation during A Paranormal Event [ [link removed] ] at Fayette State Park in Garden Sept. 20-21. Investigations will occur at various times each night, and online preregistration is required. 



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September opportunities to get involved in conserving Michigan’s natural resources

Volunteers collect seeds during workdays.

There are many ways you can help the DNR take care of Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. Here are a few opportunities to get involved this month.

*Keep state parks healthy
*

Several state parks in southern Michigan will host stewardship workdays, where volunteers are needed to help remove invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems or to collect native wildflower seeds for replanting. Workdays will take place at:


* Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, *and* Sunday, Sept. 29. 

* Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. 

* Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday Sept. 8; Saturday, Sept. 14; *and* Sunday. Sept. 22. 

* Saugatuck Dunes State Park (Allegan County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. 

* Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 28.

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

*Improve wildlife habitat
*

 On the Ground, Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ volunteer wildlife habitat improvement program in partnership with the DNR, offers several upcoming opportunities: 


* Fall Rendezvous in the Pigeon River Country State Forest (Otsego County), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. Volunteers will help plant oak trees, remove old fencing and more to improve habitat for elk and other wildlife.

* Sharp-tailed grouse habitat enhancement in the Hiawatha National Forest (Chippewa County), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. 

* Dam improvement project at the Blind Sucker Wildlife Flooding (Luce County), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14. 

* Tree planting at Maple River State Game Area (Gratiot County), 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20.  

Find more details and registration info on the On the Ground webpage [ [link removed] ]. 

*Give input on your state forests*

Prescribed burns, timber harvests and other activities are carefully executed to keep Michigan’s nearly 4 million acres of state forest thriving. Plans for these activities are currently being made for 2026, but public input is welcome now. Find out what activities are planned and how to offer your input at Michigan.gov/ForestInput [ [link removed] ].  

Submit online comments during designated 30-day periods or attend an open house or compartment review meeting, where plans are finalized. See all scheduled comment periods, open houses and compartment review meetings for the 2024 season [ [link removed] ]. 

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



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Photo ambassador snapshot: Golden hour glow
A stunning sunrise crests over mountain forests overlooking the Lake of the Clouds

See more pictures by Michigan state parks photo ambassadors [ [link removed] ] at Instagram.com/MiStateParks [ [link removed] ]. For more on the program, call Stephanie Yancer <[email protected]> at 989-274-6182. (This photo is by Emily Simon [ [link removed] ], for the Michigan DNR, at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Ontonagon County.)

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THINGS TO DO [ [link removed] ]

Hiking and biking [ [link removed] ] are great activities to enjoy in cooler weather. Just make sure you plan ahead, know trail etiquette and follow safety tips.




BUY & APPLY [ [link removed] ]

Looking to beef up your hunting knowledge? Space is still open for a class combining traditional hunter education and bow hunter courses [ [link removed] ] this weekend, Sept. 7-8.




GET INVOLVED [ [link removed] ]

There are plenty of ways to give back to nature, and one of the best is becoming a community scientist [ [link removed] ]. Find opportunities near you and contribute to projects locally or globally!




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