There are plenty of ways to lend a hand and have some outdoor fun and learning this month!



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"News Digest - Week of March 3, 2025"

close-up of thin, brown tree branches with puffy tan buds dusted with frost


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


* Traveling soon? Don't forget your recreational safety certificate [ #link_16 ]
* March events: Outdoor fun and learning on the calendar [ #link_17 ]
* March 21 webinar: Birding bonanza at Pointe Mouillee SGA [ #link_2 ]
* March volunteering: Support the places, resources you love [ #link_3 ]
* Photo ambassador snapshot: Superior sunset [ #link_1 ]

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

Larger, high-res versions of some of the photos used in this email – wild turkey [ [link removed] ] and tree buds [ [link removed] ] – and others (steelhead fishing [ [link removed] ]) are available in the DNR's online image gallery [ [link removed] ]. Additional pictures (park volunteer, lumberjack runner and least bittern) are available in this photo folder [ [link removed] ]. 

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Traveling soon? Don't forget your recreational safety certificate

young woman on a blue and white Jet Ski kicks up a foamy wake making a turn on the water

If you’re planning a spring break trip to a warmer destination and intend to rent a personal watercraft (such as a Jet Ski) while there, don’t forget to take a copy of your Michigan boater safety certificate.

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 that date 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 [ [link removed] ].

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



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March events: Outdoor fun and learning on the calendar

The DNR offers a variety of ways for everyone to learn about and enjoy Michigan’s outdoors. Following are a few March highlights; for all of the latest events, visit Michigan.gov/DNRCalendar [ [link removed] ].

Learn turkey hunting, steelhead fishing skills

A pair of turkeys are shown in a green and grassy scene.

If you’re interested in trying something new outdoors or brushing up on a pastime you already enjoy, check out the DNR Outdoor Skills Academy’s classes. They offer expert instruction, gear and hands-on learning for a range of activities.

Coming up this month at Mitchell State Park’s Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Cadillac, you can learn about turkey hunting and steelhead fishing.

The March 15 Turkey Hunting Clinic [ [link removed] ] will review spring turkey hunting rules and regulations, preferred habitat, hunting gear, calling techniques and more.

The two-day Steelhead Fishing Clinic [ [link removed] ], March 29-30, will include an indoor lesson on salmon identification, the history of steelhead in Michigan, equipment, how to cure spawn, casting techniques and various strategies for catching steelhead, including rig setup. The following morning will feature fishing on the Manistee River at the Tippy Dam, where instructors will teach anglers how to read the water, where to cast and, hopefully, how to land a steelhead!

An additional session of the steelhead fishing class is scheduled in April, along with walleye fishing and beekeeping clinics. The rest of the year brings opportunities to learn about wild mushrooms, fly fishing, bear and deer hunting, and more. See a full schedule of classes – with more being added throughout the year – at Michigan.gov/OutdoorSkills [ [link removed] ].



Lumberjack Days and more at the OAC

man in red and black flannel shirt, dark blue pants, black knit cap and sunglasses runs down a city sidewalk on a bright winter day

If you live in, or your travels take you to, southeast Michigan, you can find fun, educational programs for all ages at the Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit. The March OAC event calendar [ [link removed] ] features programs especially for seniors, kids and families, archery, yoga, birding and more.

Don’t miss the OAC’s annual Lumberjack Days celebration, March 21-23, which includes:


* March 21: The Plaid Tie Dinner [ [link removed] ], an evening adventure for those 21 and older with a strolling dinner, bonfire, axe throwing and more.
* March 21-22: Explore hands-on educational tables and visiting partners [ [link removed] ], including a cross-cut saw demonstration.
* March 23: Lumberjack Pancake Run and Pancake Breakfast [ [link removed] ]. Run or walk the Flapjack 5K or Silver Dollar Mile and refuel afterward at the Lumberjack Pancake Breakfast – prizes will be given for best lumberjack attire.


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March 21 webinar: Birding bonanza at Pointe Mouillee SGA

a slender golden-tan bird with bright black eyes outlined in yellow, and an upturned beak, pees out from green and gold grasses

Join MI Birds, an outreach program from Audubon Great Lakes and the DNR, later this month for a lunchtime webinar that explores the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area – one of southeast Michigan’s premier birding destinations!

From black-bellied plovers to glossy ibises, learn about the unique birds that inhabit this Wetland Wonder and Audubon Important Bird Area, as well as the conservation efforts to support them. Discover tips to enhance your visit to Pointe Mouillee and upcoming opportunities to tour the area.

Presenters for the "Demystifying Pointe Mouillee State Game Area [ [link removed] ]" webinar include:


* Zach Cooley, DNR wildlife biologist.
* Ava Landgraf, conservation and research coordinator, Detroit Bird Alliance.
* Adam Shook, DNR wildlife technician.

The webinar starts at noon ET Friday, March 21. RSVP today [ [link removed] ] and save your spot! Looking ahead, mark your calendar for two more webinars in the series: "Demystifying Portage Marsh State Wildlife Area [ [link removed] ]" (May 9) and "Demystifying Paw Paw River State Game Area and the West Michigan Coastal Corridor [ [link removed] ]" (July 17).

Questions? Contact Erin Ford <[email protected]> at 313-820-0809.



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March volunteering: Support the places, resources you love

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 March.

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

Volunteer workdays at state parks

a man in black winter coat and red knit hat crouches in the snow, using a pruning trimmer to take off branches of a buckthorn plant,

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:


* Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 8.
* Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 9.
* Saugatuck Dunes State Park (Allegan County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 23.
* Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 29.

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



State parks/trails advisory vacancies

If you’re a fan of Michigan state parks and trails and have always wanted to add your voice to the discussion that shapes them, consider applying by mid-March for vacancies on three key advisory bodies that work with the DNR. The Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee [ [link removed] ] and two trails advisory workgroups, the Nonmotorized Advisory Workgroup [ [link removed] ] the Off-Road Vehicle Advisory Workgroup [ [link removed] ], are now accepting applications for open positions.

The deadline to apply is March 10 for the Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee and March 15 for the trails advisory workgroups.

Learn more about the vacancies and how to apply [ [link removed] ].

Happy Little (Virtual) 5K: Run for the Trees
a green and white web graphic with a Bob Ross image and reading Run for the Trees, Happy Little 5K and listing 13 participating states

Run, walk or roll to support tree planting and forest protection efforts in state parks. Registration is open for this spring’s Run for the Trees: Happy Little (Virtual) 5k. For this virtual event, you pick the pace and place – do your 5K anytime April 19-27 (the week of Earth Day and Arbor Day). Registration is $36 and includes your keepsake Happy Little T-shirt, finisher’s medal, commemorative bib number and shipping.

Don't wait to sign up – registration is recommended by April 1, and race packets have started shipping. Get more race information and register [ [link removed] ].

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Photo ambassador snapshot: Superior sunset
calm, rippled water stretches out on Lake Superior under a brilliant pink and purple sunset at McLain State Park in Houghton County

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 Samantha Bohon [ [link removed] ], for the Michigan DNR, at McLain State Park in Houghton County.

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THINGS TO DO [ [link removed] ]

See how conservation officers and other DNR pros protect Michigan's natural resources! This week [ [link removed] ] (Friday) on the "Wardens" TV show [ [link removed] ]: See how a baiting violation leads to more questions, and explore accessible blinds available on state land. 




BUY & APPLY [ [link removed] ]

When it's time to renew your vehicle registration, remember you can easily add the Recreation Passport [ [link removed] ] for year-round vehicle access to state parks, state forest campgrounds, trailheads and waterways! 




GET INVOLVED [ [link removed] ]

Want to learn more about the different birds stopping for layovers or moving into your community each new season? Sign up for Winged Wednesday text updates [ [link removed] ] to see which birds are on the move in Michigan and the best state parks to see them.




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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