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"News Digest - Week of May 26, 2025"

Two bright orange and black flowers in the foreground, a bunch of purple flowers in background, all against lush green grass


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


* Landscape/firewood surveys seek consumer, retailer feedback on invasive species [ #link_16 ]
* Say 'Yes!' to summer fun with June events [ #link_17 ]
* Support state parks, weigh in on state forests [ #link_2 ]
* Photo ambassador snapshot: Brilliantly bright bird [ #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 (landscaping tools [ [link removed] ], young angler [ [link removed] ], morels [ [link removed] ], stewardship volunteer [ [link removed] ] and fall forest [ [link removed] ]) are available in the DNR's public online image gallery [ [link removed] ].

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Landscape/firewood surveys seek consumer, retailer feedback on invasive species

an upright metal shovel, straw broom and a rake, held in a wooden hanging structure in an outdoor park area

If you had a choice between welcoming or preventing insects, plants, animals and diseases that threaten Michigan’s natural landscape in your yard, workplace or favorite outdoor spot, which would you choose? While most people would say they’d opt to keep invasive species like spotted lanternfly, oak wilt and Asian longhorned beetle at bay, too many aren’t aware of which actions help or hurt that effort.

If you buy, sell or use firewood and landscaping/construction materials such as gravel, mulch, soil, fill dirt and compost – known vectors for the spread of invasive species – your feedback can make a big difference. This summer, as the state of Michigan seeks to better understand a key pathway for invasive species, you can help.

The DNR is working with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on a voluntary invasive-free certification program for the state. Insights from consumers and producers of firewood and landscape products can assist in program development in a way that encourages participation by producers and a preference for certified products by consumers.



Share your thoughts
horizontal graphic with text Michigan Invasive Species Program Landscape Material and Firewood Survey, overlaid images of mulch, wood

Two brief surveys (one for producers and one for consumers) are available now through August. If you have produced, purchased, used or transported firewood or landscape materials in the last 12 months, we welcome your input on the Landscape Material & Firewood Survey:


* Survey for consumers [ [link removed] ] (end users/purchasers of firewood/landscape products).
* Survey for producers [ [link removed] ] (manufacturers/retailers of firewood/landscape products).

Questions? Contact Vicki Sawicki <[email protected]>, invasive species prevention coordinator with the DNR Forest Resources Division, at 231-942-3982.

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Say 'Yes!' to summer fun with June events

The DNR offers a variety of ways to experience Michigan’s natural and cultural resources this month! Here’s just a sampling – see the full events roundup at Michigan.gov/DNRCalendar [ [link removed] ].

Fish, ride off-road, visit state parks for free

young boy in waders and T-shirt, holding a fishing pole high, stands thigh-deep in Manistee River near Tippy Dam, as adults fish near him

Two days twice a year, families and friends can enjoy one of Michigan's premier outdoor activities, Michigan fishing, for free! During the summer Free Fishing Weekend, June 7-8, all fishing license fees will be waived for residents and out-of-state visitors fishing on both inland and Great Lakes waters for all species of fish. All fishing regulations will still apply.

The summer Free Fishing Weekend is held in conjunction with the DNR's popular "Three Free" weekend, when you also can ride off-road trails and visit state parks and boating access sites free of charge. June 7-8, a Recreation Passport will not be required for entry into state parks and boating access sites, and residents and visitors can legally ride Michigan's 4,000 miles of off-road vehicle trails and routes and six scramble areas without an ORV license or trail permit. All other ORV rules and laws still apply.

Learn more about this fun-filled weekend at Michigan.gov/FreeFishing [ [link removed] ].



Dig into the Outdoor Adventure Center

The June calendar at the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit is packed with ways for everyone from preschoolers to retirees to connect with Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. Check out the OAC activity schedule [ [link removed] ] for a full list – including fishing, archery, birding and yoga programs, nature exploration for kids, experiences for seniors and more.

A few highlights include:


* June 6, Kayaking Belle Isle [ [link removed] ]. A beginner’s introduction to kayaking and an evening on the island’s beautiful canals.
* Get Hooked on Fishing, June 7 [ [link removed] ], June 22 [ [link removed] ] and June 28 [ [link removed] ]. Learn more about the fish found in the Detroit River and how to fish in this catch-and-release program.
* June 12, Active Aging Adventures Brunch and Learn – Hardworking History: The Story of Carhartt [ [link removed] ]. Part of the OAC’s monthly series for seniors, this presentation on Michigan-based Carhartt, which has been making rugged workwear for 136 years, will give an overview of the company’s origins in Detroit, its evolution over the years and the work it takes to preserve the company’s history.

Learn about wild mushrooms, fishing, beekeeping

two hands, one with a thin, gold bracelet, are upturned and holding a pile of tan, spongy morel mushrooms over a grassy area

This month’s Outdoor Skills Academy [ [link removed] ] schedule features classes offering expert instruction, gear and hands-on learning for a variety of outdoor activities.

At the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Cadillac’s Mitchell State Park:


* June 7, Wild Mushroom Clinic [ [link removed] ]. Learn more about Michigan’s seasonal edible wild mushrooms – where to find them and best practices for safely harvesting, cleaning and preparing.
* June 14-15, Fly Fishing Clinic [ [link removed] ]. An introduction to the art of fly fishing with expert-led demonstrations, hands-on instruction and time on the water fishing.
* June 21, Intermediate Beekeeping Clinic [ [link removed] ]. Deepen your understanding of honeybee anatomy and biology to better support your colonies and learn advanced practices for maintaining healthy bees throughout the active season.

At the Saginaw Bay Visitor Center in Bay City State Park:


* June 8, Fishing 101 Clinic [ [link removed] ]. Dive into the basics of flat-water fishing, learn about different kinds of gear and practice on the visitor center’s lagoon pond.


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Support state parks, weigh in on state forests

Each month, there are a variety of opportunities to help the DNR take care of Michigan’s natural and cultural resources. Here are just a few for June. For more ways to volunteer, contribute and provide input, visit Michigan.gov/DNRVolunteers [ [link removed] ].

Volunteer at parks' stewardship workdays

Volunteers pull up spotted knapweed in a forest clearing.

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 noon Sunday, June 1, *and* Saturday, June 21.
* Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 7.
* Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland County), 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 14.
* Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County), 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 14.
* Saugatuck Dunes State Park (Allegan County), 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, June 22.
* Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County), 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, June 22.

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



Help shape future forest activities

Autumn colors of gold, orange, magenta, russet and more on the dense trees in an Ontonagon County, Michigan, forest.

Prescribed burns, timber harvests, tree planting and other activities are carefully planned to keep Michigan’s nearly 4 million acres of state forest thriving. Plans for these activities are currently being made for 2027, but public input is welcome now. Find out what activities are planned and how to offer your input at Michigan.gov/ForestInput [ [link removed] ].

You can 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 2025 season [ [link removed] ].

Due to the effects of the March 2025 ice storm in the northeastern Lower Peninsula, the public review periods for the Atlanta, Gaylord, Grayling and Pigeon River Country forest management units have been postponed. The schedule will be updated when comment periods and open houses are rescheduled.



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Photo ambassador snapshot: Brilliantly bright bird
a northern oriole, with bright orange breast, body and tail feathers and a black head and beak, perches on a thin tree branch with narrow green leaves

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 of a Baltimore oriole is by Sheen Watkins [ [link removed] ], for the Michigan DNR, at Tawas Point State Park in Iosco County.)

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THINGS TO DO [ [link removed] ]

With most of the birds in Michigan spending the season breeding, nesting and raising their babies, our summer birding tips [ [link removed] ] can help you plan for the best viewing opportunities. 




BUY & APPLY [ [link removed] ]

Ready to share your hunting, boating, snowmobiling or off-road riding wisdom and experience with a new generation? Apply to be a volunteer recreational safety instructor [ [link removed] ]!




GET INVOLVED [ [link removed] ]

Be good to state waterways with sustainable boating [ [link removed] ]: Learn how to recycle shrink-wrap and fishing line, and explore efforts toward future recycling of fiberglass boats.





"Following the severe March 28-30 ice storm in northern Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources continues assessments and cleanup at many DNR-managed locations. Find a dashboard [ [link removed] ] with the latest status (open, partially open, temporarily closed) of state parks, state-managed trails, boating access sites and state forest campgrounds; an interactive map; safety updates; and more on the DNR’s ice storm response 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