From licenses and permits to boating destinations and volunteer options, we've got the info you need for May outdoor adventures.



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"News Digest - Week of April 28, 2025"

bright yellow marsh marigolds with dark green leaves brighten a roadside area in Alger County


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


* Prepare your home and yard for fire seasons [ #link_3 ]
* Explore nature, history and more with May events [ #link_2 ]
* DNR marks mass timber milestone with Newberry building [ #link_16 ]
* Help improve ecosystems and wildlife habitat, protect sturgeon [ #link_17 ]
* Photo ambassador snapshot: West Michigan boating bliss [ #link_1 ]

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

*PHOTOS:* Larger, high-res versions of some of the photos used in this email (mushroom picking [ [link removed] ], Cambridge Junction barn [ [link removed] ] and stewardship volunteer [ [link removed] ]) are available in the DNR's public online image gallery [ [link removed] ]. Others (Newberry opening, tree planting) are in this photo folder [ [link removed] ].

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Prepare your home and yard for fire seasons

an orange-handled rake with black metal tines reaches into a pile of dried branches, twigs and leaves in a parklike setting

Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is Saturday, May 3! This annual campaign encourages people to come together to raise awareness about wildfire risks and take steps to reduce those risks.

The weekend prep day presents a great opportunity to research and implement proven methods to prevent and withstand damage from wildfires. This year’s campaign highlights the value and impact of “Zone Zero” [ [link removed] ] – the immediate 5-foot perimeter around your home’s exterior.

Some proven actions to protect your home in the face of wildfire and reduce the risk of home ignition include:


* Removing potential fire hazards such as dead leaves and tree/shrub debris.
* Clearing roofs and gutters.
* Keeping lawns and native grasses mowed.
* Removing flammable items from decks and porches.

Explore more firesafe resources on the Wildfire Community Preparedness Day website [ [link removed] ], and even pin your prep project on the nationwide map [ [link removed] ] to share how you’re making a difference.

Questions about fire safety? Contact DNR fire prevention specialist Paul Rogers <[email protected]>.



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Explore nature, history and more with May events

Spring is a great time to get outdoors, or into the classroom, and learn about Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. Following are just a few highlights from the DNR's May calendar; discover what else is coming up in May and beyond on the DNR events calendar [ [link removed] ].

Fly fishing and wild mushrooms in Cadillac

little boy in overalls hands mushrooms to a man sitting down, holding open a plastic bag. They are in a dense, green forested area.

The DNR Outdoor Skills Academy offers classes – including expert instruction, gear and hands-on learning – on fly fishing and wild mushrooms in May. Both will be held at the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center, located in Cadillac’s Mitchell State Park.

During the May 3 Fly Fishing Seminar [ [link removed] ], designed for beginners to intermediate enthusiasts, you'll learn fundamental fly-casting techniques, discover the secrets of fly selection based on target species and gain the skills to confidently approach the next fishing adventure. The Wild Mushroom Clinic [ [link removed] ], May 10, dives into the world of Michigan’s seasonal edible wild mushrooms, with a focus on the “big five” – morel, chanterelle, chicken of the woods, hen of the woods and oyster mushrooms – plus other foods found in nature.

See a full schedule of classes at Michigan.gov/OutdoorSkills [ [link removed] ].



Family fun at the Outdoor Adventure Center

If you live in or are visiting the Detroit area, check out the Outdoor Adventure Center activity schedule [ [link removed] ] for fun, educational programs for all ages. The May calendar includes archery, yoga, birding, programs just for kids and seniors, and more.

There also are two special opportunities to learn about the OAC’s Detroit-area community partners in recreation, leisure and health services. During Grown-Up Gatherings: Partner Meet and Greet [ [link removed] ], May 16, enjoy partner presentations and activities while you mix and mingle. At the May 17 Partner Expo [ [link removed] ], community partners will share news about their work and the services they provide.

Finally, artists shouldn't miss the chance to chance to create a sticker design that celebrates the Outdoor Adventure Center’s 10th anniversary – enter the OAC Sticker Contest [ [link removed] ] by May 15.

Find Michigan’s stories at museums, historic sites

a covered wagon with large, spoked wheels sits inside a restored barn, with both doors open, on grounds of Cambridge Junction State Park

Several of the Michigan History Center’s seasonal museums and historic sites open in May. These include:


* Cambridge Junction [ [link removed] ] in Lenawee County (historic buildings open May 11), along the Old Chicago Road, featuring exhibits and artifacts about people, travel and work during the 1840s and '50s, and stories of early auto tourism and 20th-century Irish Hills tourist attractions.
* Fayette Historic Townsite [ [link removed] ] in Delta County (opens May 9), a once-bustling industrial community that manufactured charcoal pig iron between 1867 and 1891 at the tip of the Garden Peninsula. Visitors can walk through the well-preserved buildings that have been standing for 150 years and learn about life during the 19th century.
* Fort Wilkins [ [link removed] ] in Keweenaw County (opens May 15), home of a restored 1844 army military outpost, including 19 buildings, with a living-history program. Visitors can experience a look back at life on the northern frontier during the mid-1800s and a time when soldiers were stationed in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
* Hartwick Pines Logging Museum [ [link removed] ] in Crawford County (opens May 1*), which depicts the state’s 19th-century logging era, an industry that changed Michigan’s landscape, people and economy in ways that can still be seen today. "(*The planned May 1 open date depends on whether Hartwick Pines State Park is set to reopen following the northern Michigan ice storm. Call ahead or check Michigan.gov/DNRClosures [ [link removed] ].)"
* Higgins Lake Nursery and CCC Museum [ [link removed] ] in Crawford County (opens May 1), highlighting Michigan’s first tree nursery and the hard work of the Civilian Conservation Corps.


If you’re in the Lansing area, check out the new special exhibit at the Michigan History Museum [ [link removed] ], “Black Bottom Street View,” bringing Detroit's Black Bottom neighborhood to life with panoramic, free-standing murals. 

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DNR marks mass timber milestone with Newberry building

small group of men and women dressed in business casual, holding and cutting a big red ribbon in front of a wood-sided building

Those responsible for Michigan’s first mass timber building built with Michigan wood gathered April 16 to celebrate the official opening of the new DNR Customer Service Center in Newberry.

The project, featuring cross-laminated panels made with Michigan red pine wood, achieves a significant milestone as this construction technique continues to gain in popularity across the continent.

According to Michigan State University’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, “Mass timber buildings are cropping up across North America, along with factories that manufacture these versatile, sustainable, engineered wood building materials. That’s because mass timber offers a compelling suite of benefits.” Those include progress toward forest health management goals, rural economic development and new opportunities in manufacturing.

Building with mass timber also can reduce construction times, costs, crew sizes and equipment needs, and create beautiful buildings that people love to work, learn and live in, according to MSU.

“Mass timber materials result in fewer carbon emissions to source, make and transport,” Sandra Lupien, director of MassTimber@MSU [ [link removed] ], told the Newberry News in 2024. “As does all wood, mass timber products store carbon, holding it in place in the building, keeping it out of the atmosphere for 50, 100 to 200 years. With the Newberry customer service center, the DNR is demonstrating mass timber leadership by going first.”

When groundbreaking for the DNR building occurred in 2024, there were five buildings in Michigan either built or in progress using mass timber. Today, there are 60. The DNR anticipates hosting a public open house this summer at the Newberry CSC, located at 5666 M-123. Meanwhile, the new facility is open for business!

Take a video tour of this new mass timber building [ [link removed] ].

Questions? Contact Matt Watkeys, DNR forest marketing and outreach specialist, at [email protected] <[email protected]>. 



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Help improve ecosystems and wildlife habitat, protect sturgeon

Each month, there are a variety of opportunities to help the DNR take care of Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. Following are a few ways to get involved this May. Discover more opportunities to volunteer, contribute and provide input at Michigan.gov/DNRVolunteers [ [link removed] ].

State park volunteer stewardship workdays

A woman in T-shirt, jeans and headphones carries a neon green bag while pulling spotted knapweed in forested area of Island Lake Rec Area.

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:


* Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, May 2.
* Saugatuck Dunes State Park (Allegan County), 2 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 3; 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 18; and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 24.
* Warren Woods State Park (Berrien County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 10, and 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 31.
* Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland County), 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 10, and 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 20.
* Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 11.
* Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 17.

Get more workday and registration details on the DNR volunteer events calendar [ [link removed] ].



Sturgeon guarding along the Black River

Volunteers are needed in Cheboygan County through early June to stand guard as mature lake sturgeon head upstream to their spawning sites along the Black River. The Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon for Tomorrow is working in partnership with the DNR and various tribes to protect the fish from illegal harvest during the spawning season.

Visit sturgeonfortomorrow.org [ [link removed] ] for more information and to register.

On the Ground habitat improvement projects

a man in red and black flannel shovels mulch around a tree planting area as a woman kneels on the ground, wrapping wire fencing around the area

Join in wildlife habitat improvement efforts with On the Ground [ [link removed] ], Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ volunteer program in partnership with the DNR. This month you can:


* Help improve habitat in Mecosta County.

Starting at 8:45 a.m. Saturday, May 3, at Haymarsh State Game Area [ [link removed] ]. During this habitat workday in partnership with the Ruffed Grouse Society, volunteers will plant fruit-bearing shrubs and white spruce to support ruffed grouse and American woodcock habitat. Lunch and refreshments provided. RSVP is required. Contact Kevin Crowley <[email protected]> at 616-292-6385.


* Plant jack pines for Kirtland’s warblers in Crawford County.

From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 3, in the DNR Grayling Forest Management Unit [ [link removed] ]. The goal of the annual Jack Pine Planting Day, a collaboration with the Kirtland’s Warbler Alliance and Huron Pines, is to improve and enhance Kirtland’s warbler habitat. MUCC will provide lunch and a volunteer appreciation gift to all registered volunteers. Registration for Crawford County event [ [link removed] ] closes at 2 p.m. May 2.


* Plant trees for wildlife in St. Clair County.

From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 10, at Port Huron State Game Area [ [link removed] ]. The volunteer crew will plant oak trees for wildlife foraging and cover. Lunch provided. Registration for the St. Clair County event [ [link removed] ] is required by 2 p.m. May 9.


* Pitch in and clean up for wildlife in Wayne and Monroe counties.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area [ [link removed] ]. Help improve fish and wildlife habitat by removing trash from this unique wetland area. Lunch, snacks and supplies provided. Registration for the Wayne/Monroe County event [ [link removed] ] closes at 2 p.m. May 16.



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Photo ambassador snapshot: West Michigan boating bliss
a sailboat and a speedboat in shallow water near the Big Red Lighthouse pier at Holland State Park with pinkish blue evening light

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 Sarah Goodwin [ [link removed] ], for the Michigan DNR, at Holland State Park in Ottawa County.)

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THINGS TO DO [ [link removed] ]

Can't wait to hit the water? If boating is a big part of your spring and summer plans, visit our boating webpage [ [link removed] ] to find launch sites, safety tips, rules and regulations, invasive species info and other helpful resources.




BUY & APPLY [ [link removed] ]

Take care of fishing and hunting license and permit needs with the DNR Hunt Fish app [ [link removed] ]. It's your mobile path to buy and store licenses, permits, report harvests and more, right at your fingertips!




GET INVOLVED [ [link removed] ]

Help support the recovery effort [ [link removed] ]! In April and May, proceeds from sales in the Great Lakes Proud x Michigan State Parks collection [ [link removed] ] will help restore ice storm-damaged state parks and trails.

 





"Following a severe ice storm in northern Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources is assessing damage and conducting cleanup at several state parks, state park campgrounds, state forest campgrounds, boating access sites and state-managed trails. Find up-to-date information about closures, volunteer opportunities and more" "on the DNR storm recovery page [ [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