Grant applications for community forestry activities are available from the DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program. These grants are funded through the USDA Forest Service, State, and Private Forestry Program.

“Trees provide many benefits to communities, including shade, oxygen, and beautifully landscaped streets,” said Kevin Sayers, DNR UCF program coordinator.  “These grants will help enhance the livability of our communities through tree planting and improve the management of our valuable natural resources.”

Local units of government, nonprofit organizations, and schools are eligible to apply.  All projects must be performed on non-federal public land or land open to the public.  Community forestry projects considered for funding include:

• community tree management and planning activities
• training and education activities
• purchase of trees, and
• Arbor Day celebrations

Grant applications must be received by Sept. 16, 2011, to be given funding consideration for this grant cycle.  Projects must be completed by Sept. 1, 2012.

This year up to $100,000 may be awarded statewide for approved projects.  All grants require a one-to-one match of funds.  The match may be made up of cash contributions or in-kind services, but may not include federal funds. Depending on the category, grants up to $20,000 may be requested.

For a grant application or more information, visit the DNR website at http://www.mi.gov/ucf or contact Kevin Sayers at 517-241-4632, via email at sayersk@mi.gov, or in writing at DNR, Forest Management Division, P.O. Box 30452, Lansing, MI 48909-7952.

Department of Natural Resources Director Rodney Stokes withdrew an order to close 23 state forest campgrounds this summer at Thursday’s Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing.
Stokes said he wanted to give the Department more time to work with local units of government on lease agreements, and he called on the Department to review the entire state forest campground system for possible local partnerships and interdepartmental agreements to operate state forest campgrounds.
The DNR announced the first lease agreement with a local unit of government earlier in the week, turning over operation of the McCollum Lake State Forest Campground in Oscoda County to Clinton Township. Talks continue with other local units of government on some of the campgrounds that were slated for closure, Stokes said.
The DNR Parks and Recreation Division will assume management of Lime Island State Forest Campground, and will conduct a pilot project with the DNR Forest Management Division to co-manage the Munuscong River State Forest Campground in Chippewa County.
The DNR will continue to operate the remaining campgrounds this year, Stokes said. He has asked Forest Management Division to develop a comprehensive cost estimate for operating the campgrounds slated for closure.

This bullet hole in a child’s bedroom wall is just one of several incidents of bullets hitting homes in the Saddle Ridge community in Algoma Township. This bullet hole in a child’s bedroom wall is just one of several incidents of bullets hitting homes in the Saddle Ridge community in Algoma Township.

Several incidents of stray bullets striking homes and whizzing past kids and parents in a residential neighborhood in Algoma Township has caused the Department of Natural Resources to close target shooting in the Rogue River State Game Area Extension.
Effective immediately, target, skeet and trap shooting at the Rogue River State Game Area Extension will be prohibited. However, lawful hunting will continue to be allowed in the state game area.
The order was signed by DNR Director Rodney Stokes May 5.
“It is always unfortunate when we have to close an area to certain activities,” said DNR Director Stokes. “However, the careless and illegal shooting at the Extension is a serious public safety risk that we must address.”
The order is in response to a growing number of complaints from residents who live in the Saddle Ridge subdivision near the Extension about careless or illegal shooting dating back to 2004.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources investigated at least three recent incidents of bullets striking homes and a light pole in the Saddle Ridge neighborhood, which is located a half mile to the west of the Rogue River Extension nature area, located east of Algoma Avenue and north of Fonger Road.
Bullets penetrated a home exterior and bedroom in the 9700 block of Sunset Ridge on April 10, and during a canvass of the area by Kent County Policing officer Tonya Walkons and DNR officers found another home which had also been struck. In that case the bullet passed close to a little girl’s bed and stopped in a bathroom. Two other homes had also been struck by bullets.
It was determined that three Rockford area men had fired the bullets from an AK-47 rifle and a .30 X .30 caliber rifle while target shooting at the Rogue River Extension Area, located one half mile from the damaged homes.  They have been cited for misdemeanor Reckless Discharge of a Firearm.

Sturgeon for Tomorrow is seeking volunteers to join in its effort, in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources’ Law Enforcement Division, to help protect sturgeon from poaching.
Each spring, mature lake sturgeon—a fish species that is threatened in Michigan and rare throughout the United States—become vulnerable to poaching as they briefly leave Black Lake in Cheboygan County for spawning sites in the Black River. Hundreds of volunteers stand guard at these sites during the spawning season, from late April through late May, to report any suspicious activity and deter the unlawful take of this prized fish.
“For over a decade, the Sturgeon Guarding Program has proven that citizens who watch over the river have greatly reduced poaching and helped ensure the protection and growth of the species,” said Ann Feldhauser, a Department of Natural Resources retiree and the program’s volunteer coordinator. “It’s a unique and rewarding experience – to witness the spectacular sight of these majestic fish, which can live up to 100 years and weigh over 200 pounds, swimming up into the Black River and to take part in safeguarding one of Michigan’s most valuable natural resources.”
When spawning begins, sturgeon guards are assigned to sites along the river in shifts. The volunteers stand watch and, if necessary, use cellular phones provided by Sturgeon for Tomorrow (SFT), to contact DNR conservation officers who are actively patrolling the area in support of the SFT effort.
Various shifts are available for those who wish to get involved, and coordinators will be on-site to assist and answer questions. In addition to guarding the fish, volunteers can also play a key role by recording the number and activity of fish they see.
Individuals or groups interested in volunteering should contact Ann Feldhauser at 906-201-2484 or register online at www.sturgeonfortomorrow.org.
For those traveling from outside the local area, several hotels, restaurants and Onaway State Park, located on Black Lake, are very close to the critical guarding locations. Volunteers also are encouraged to set up their rustic camp along the banks of the Black River.
Lake sturgeon rehabilitation in the Cheboygan River watershed is a cooperative effort involving the Black Lake Chapter of SFT, the DNR, Michigan State University and Tower-Kleber Limited Partnership. In addition to the guarding program, this effort includes activities such as tagging sturgeon adults and raising young fish for stocking.

As spring brings the season for wildlife to give birth, the Department of Natural Resources reminds Michigan residents to resist the instinct to try to help seemingly abandoned fawns or other baby animals.
“The truth is, the animal doesn’t need help. Even if a fawn appears to be abandoned, its mother is almost always nearby,” said DNR wildlife biologist Sherry MacKinnon. “We appreciate the good intentions of those who want to help, but the animals are better off left alone than removed from the wild.”
MacKinnon said it’s not uncommon for does to leave their young unattended for up to eight hours at a time, an anti-predator mechanism that minimizes scent left around the newborn animals. “The same holds true for rabbits, ground-dwelling birds and other wildlife,” she said. “Even avian parents will continue to care for hatchlings that have fallen from a nest.”
The DNR advises that:
* Many baby animals will die if removed from their natural environment, and some have diseases or parasites that can be passed on to humans or pets.
* Some “rescued” animals that do survive become habituated to people and are unable to revert back to life in the wild. It is illegal to possess a wild deer in Michigan, and every day a deer spends with humans makes it that much less likely to be able to survive in the wild.
* Eventually, habituated animals pose additional problems as they mature and develop adult animal behaviors. Habituated deer, especially bucks, can become aggressive as they mature, and raccoons are well-known for this, too.
“If you know of a deer or other animal that has been orphaned, early in the year—for example, if a doe is dead nearby—please call your local DNR office, they can refer you to a licensed rehabilitator,” said MacKinnon. “Licensed rehabilitators are trained to handle wild animals and know how to release them so that they can survive in the wild.”

The Department of Natural Resources announced that the state’s Forest Recreation Program has seen a 63-percent decrease in funding in the last three years, resulting in the need for the department to close 23 under-performing state forest campgrounds in the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula.
The order to close the 23 campgrounds were submitted as a proposal at Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting in Lansing, and will be eligible for action by DNR Director Rodney Stokes at the NRC’s May 12 meeting in Flint. If approved at the May meeting, the closures would be effective on May 19, 2011.
State forest campgrounds are not state parks. State forest campgrounds are rustic sites with fewer amenities than a state park. They are unstaffed and provide a more rustic, tent camping experience. Every state forest campground is located on a river or lake, and more than 60 campgrounds have nearby pathways for non-motorized trail recreation, such as hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature observation. Accommodations range from five to 50 campsites, with group sites available. All campgrounds have vault toilets and potable water from hand pumps.
General Fund support for state forest recreation programs, such as the state forest campgrounds, has been reduced every year since 2009, when $72,200 was cut. In 2010, $24,100 was cut from the program, and in Fiscal Year 2011, the program is targeted for a $314,700 General Fund reduction.
“While revenue has remained even in the last decade, due to camping fee increases in 2002 and in 2007, state forest campground fees are now at the high end of the market at $15 a night per individual site,” said Cara Boucher, assistant chief of the DNR’s Forest Management Division. “Meanwhile, the number of registrations and campers has steadily dropped over the same period. Given the long-term trend of declining use and the inability to raise camp fee revenues, the only way to absorb the current cut in General Fund support is to close some campgrounds.”
To address the reduced camping demand and insufficient funding to maintain all state forest campgrounds, the DNR will close underutilized campgrounds, Boucher said.
“We will preserve the campgrounds that perform well, and provide a diverse selection for the campers,” Boucher said. “The campgrounds targeted for closure are under-performing and close to other state forest campgrounds, so we can still provide camping opportunities in those areas.”
Currently, the highest-performing state forest campground generates more than $40,000 annually in revenue, while the lowest-performing generates just over $300 a year.
The campgrounds targeted for closure are:
•    Beaufort and Big Lake state forest campgrounds – Baraga County
•    Black Lake Trail Camp – Cheboygan County
•    Lime Island State Forest Campground and Cabins and Munuscong River State Forest Campground – Chippewa County
•    Manistee River Bridge State Forest Campground – Crawford County
•    Deer Lake State Forest Campground – Iron County
•    Bray Creek State Forest Campground – Lake County
•    Blind Sucker #1, High Bridge, Holland Lake, Natalie and Reed & Green Bridge state forest campgrounds – Luce County
•    Black River State Forest Campground – Mackinac County
•    Little Wolf Lake State Forest Campground – Montmorency County
•    McCollum Lake State Forest Campground – Oscoda County
•    Pigeon Bridge and Round Lake state forest campgrounds – Otsego County
•    Canoe Lake, Cusino Lake, Mead Creek and South Gemini Lake state forest campgrounds – Schoolcraft County
•    Long Lake State Forest Campground – Wexford County
To read the informational memo on the state forest campground closures provided to the NRC at the April 7 meeting, go to the NRC’s website at http://www.michigan.gov/nrc and click on Agendas and Minutes to find the April 7 agenda. To read the memo, click on the box for the order on page two of the agenda.

Sturgeon for Tomorrow is seeking volunteers to join in its effort, in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources’ Law Enforcement Division, to help protect sturgeon from poaching.
Each spring, mature lake sturgeon—a fish species that is threatened in Michigan and rare throughout the United States—become vulnerable to poaching as they briefly leave Black Lake in Cheboygan County for spawning sites in the Black River. Hundreds of volunteers stand guard at these sites during the spawning season, from late April through late May, to report any suspicious activity and deter the unlawful take of this prized fish.
“For over a decade, the Sturgeon Guarding Program has proven that citizens who watch over the river have greatly reduced poaching and helped ensure the protection and growth of the species,” said Ann Feldhauser, a Department of Natural Resources retiree and the program’s volunteer coordinator. “It’s a unique and rewarding experience – to witness the spectacular sight of these majestic fish, which can live up to 100 years and weigh over 200 pounds, swimming up into the Black River and to take part in safeguarding one of Michigan’s most valuable natural resources.”
When spawning begins, sturgeon guards are assigned to sites along the river in shifts. The volunteers stand watch and, if necessary, use cellular phones provided by Sturgeon for Tomorrow (SFT), to contact DNR conservation officers who are actively patrolling the area in support of the SFT effort.
Various shifts are available for those who wish to get involved, and coordinators will be on-site to assist and answer questions. In addition to guarding the fish, volunteers can also play a key role by recording the number and activity of fish they see.
Individuals or groups interested in volunteering should contact Ann Feldhauser at 906-201-2484 or register online at http://www.sturgeonfortomorrow.org/
For those traveling from outside the local area, several hotels, restaurants and Onaway State Park, located on Black Lake, are very close to the critical guarding locations. Volunteers also are encouraged to set up their rustic camp along the banks of the Black River.
Lake sturgeon rehabilitation in the Cheboygan River watershed is a cooperative effort involving the Black Lake Chapter of SFT, the DNR, Michigan State University and Tower-Kleber Limited Partnership. In addition to the guarding program, this effort includes activities such as tagging sturgeon adults and raising young fish for stocking.

This year marks the sixteenth year for the annual Michigan frog and toad survey compiled by the Department of Natural Resources with help from volunteers around the state.

Declining populations of frog, toads and other amphibians have been documented worldwide since the 1980s.  Studies suggest amphibians are disappearing due to habitat loss, pollution, disease, and collection.

Michigan’s annual survey efforts help biologists keep tabs on frog and toad abundance and distribution in the state.

“We have collected a large, valuable data set to help us evaluate the condition of Michigan’s frog and toad populations,” said Lori Sargent, the DNR’s survey coordinator.

The surveys are conducted by volunteer observers along a statewide system of permanent survey routes, each consisting of 10 wetland sites.  These sites are visited three times during the spring when frogs and toads are actively breeding.  Observers listen for calling frogs and toads at each site, identify the species present, and make an estimate of abundance.

“We need new volunteers in all parts of the state. Please consider joining us every spring for a fun, educational opportunity and run a route.  he continued success of the program is dependent on strong volunteer support,” said Sargent.

Interested persons should contact Sargent by e-mail at SargentL@michigan.gov or phone at 517-373-9418.

More information on the Frog and Toad Survey and other projects supported by the Nongame Fish and Wildlife Fund is available on the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/nongamewildlife.

The Department of Natural Resources plans to raise Great Lakes (spotted) muskellunge at its Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery this year, a change of direction from the northern muskies the department has raised in the past.

“This is a key turning point in our muskellunge production program,” said DNR Fish Production Manager Gary Whelan. “This strain of muskellunge is native to most of Michigan; the northern muskellunge is native to only a small portion of the far western Upper Peninsula in the Wisconsin River drainage.

“The spotted muskellunge will be more at home in more waters than northern muskies.”

The DNR has been studying the idea of raising spotted muskies for more than a decade, but did not want to bring the Great Lake strain into the hatchery system while raising northern muskies because of potential disease concerns.  DNR Fisheries Division personnel plan to take 1.5 million eggs from spotted muskies in Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River this spring with a goal of producing 40,000 10- to 12-inch fall fingerlings.

In order to minimize the risk of spreading disease, the DNR will not take eggs from northern muskellunge this year, but will evaluate the need to produce northern strain muskies in the future.  Ideally, the department will address the disease concerns and be able to raise both strains in the future, Whelan said.

To learn more about fishing in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing.

The Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that a new license season begins Friday, April 1.

Anglers have a choice of a variety of licenses. Anglers should know that lake sturgeon, lake herring, amphibians, reptiles, and crustaceans have been added to the all-species fishing license requirement.  Anglers may opt for a 24-hour license (good for all species), 72-hour license (good for all species), a season-long restricted license (good for all species except trout, salmon, lake sturgeon, lake herring, amphibians, reptiles or crustaceans), or a season-long, all-species license (good for all species).  An additional (free) lake sturgeon tag is required of anglers who fish for or target lake sturgeon. License prices remain unchanged from 2010.

A number of new regulations have been adopted for 2011-12, including a new possession limit, which allows anglers to possess, in addition to one day’s daily possession limit of fish, an additional two daily possession limits of fish taken during previous fishing days provided that the additional limits of fish are processed (canned, cured by smoking or drying, or frozen).

There is an additional 81 miles of designated trout streams that had new modifications to the type of gear allowed. Some of those streams have seasonal gear restrictions. Please see the 2011 Michigan Fishing Guide for details.

There are two changes to the 2011 Fishing Guide that go into effect beginning May 1:

•    The daily possession limit for walleyes on Lake Erie will increase to six (up from five).

•    The maximum size for lake trout and splake in management unit MH-1 in northern Lake Huron will be 24 inches (down from 27 inches), except one fish may measure 32 inches or longer.

Both changes were made when new data became available after the 2011 Fishing Guide went to press. For more information, visit the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing.