Give Us Your Feedback and Win a Chance for Two Free Nights at a Harbor or Park

We are looking for your views on the PRD Draft Strategic Plan . Tell us your thoughts and your completed questionnaire will be your entry to win two free nights at a state-operated harbor, state park or recreation area; an annual Boating Access Permit or a Motor Vehicle Permit. Three winners will be chosen; each winner may select his/her choice of prize.  Deadline for comments is April 4. 

Sustainable Funding

The Michigan state park and recreation system is funded primarily by user fees.  It does not receive any General (tax) Fund assistance.  Due to increased efficiencies in 2007, the various Governors' Executive Orders that placed limits on spending and a hiring freeze, all state parks and state operated harbors will remain open for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

Finding sustainable funding for operations and addressing the $1billion of aging infrastructure needs in the parks and harbors remains a challenge.  The Citizens Committee for Michigan State parks is working with the Natural Resources Commission, legislators and other conservation partners to address the need for sustainable funding for the Parks and Recreation Division and the DNR overall.

2008 Extremity Games at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area

Pontiac Lake Recreation Area has been selected as the site for the 2008 Extremity Games, a multi-sport, action sports competition for individuals living with limb loss or limb difference. The competition will be held July 24-26. More than 300 athletes are expected to compete in several extreme sports, including skateboarding, wakeboarding, BMX mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, weightlifting and other events.

The Extremity Games was started by College Park Industries, a manufacturer of prosthetic feet, in the summer of 2006 in Orlando, Florida . The competition's success resulted in the creation of Extremity Events Network, Inc., in which all orthotic and prosthetic manufacturers and professionals can come together to sponsor these games.

In addition to the competitions there are instructional clinics held in each of the sports in which trainers instruct newcomers on the basics of the sport. The event also includes an exhibit area featuring the latest state-of-the art prosthetic devices available today.

E-Comment Card

Parks and Recreation Division and the Office of Communications have created an electronic-based e-comment card for visitors to all state parks, recreation areas, state park visitor centers and state fish hatchery visitor centers. The link can be found on state park, recreation area and visitor center Web pages under "Tell Us About Your Visit ."

Individuals also can select locations, including state harbors and various boating access sites at www.dnr.state.mi.us/ecommentcard/SelectLocation.aspx .

You will be able to submit comments in text format and report demographic information similar to the printed comment card available at most state parks and recreation areas.

The e-comment cards will not replace the existing comment cards/report cards found at many units, but are intended to provide improved service to our customers.

Michigan Harbor Guide and Harbor Work

A new, updated edition of the Michigan Harbor Guide is in the works and copies should be available in May, in time for the start of the 2008 boating season. Pick up your copy at a harbor near you or from a DNR Operations Service Center.

Pardon our dust. Various work projects are planned for a number of harbors, including Leland, Charlevoix, Mackinaw City Municipal, and Mackinaw City (new harbor) Greilickville, East Jordan, Arcadia, St. Joseph, Lac LaBelle, Metro Beach, Port Austin, Bayport, DeTour, Whitefish Point, Manistique, Gladstone and Grand Marais. 

Employment Opportunities

Do you know someone who may want to work for the Department of Natural Resources?

We currently have several opportunities:

• The DNR is hiring to fill several stewardship field crews across southern Michigan through the Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps/AmeriCorps program. Working on a stewardship crew offers the individual an opportunity to gain valuable experience working for the DNR, while participating in the domestic program of the Peace Corps. Positions are available at Island Lake Recreation Area and Algonac State Park. Educational awards up to $4,725 are available. Applicants must be between the ages of 18-25. Applications are accepted year-round and are available online. For more information, contact Kirstin Condict, DNR Parks and Recreation Division, 12950 East Grand River, Brighton, MI 48116; condictk@michigan.gov ; (517) 202-1378.

• Interviews for summer rangers are being scheduled at most state park and harbor locations. Click here for more information and an application.     

• Campground host applications are being accepted. Campground host volunteers are allowed a minimum of four weeks of free camping in one of our beautiful natural and/or historic areas. The time commitment required of the volunteer host allows you ample time to enjoy recreational activities with friends and family members while providing important volunteer services within the campground. There are positions available in both state parks and state forest campgrounds. Read more about it and apply here.

• The DNR is now hiring to fill many interesting and educational jobs for our summer State Park Explorer Program, which is aimed at providing educational nature programs to state park visitors. The list of 41 Explorer Guide sites is listed on the DNR Web site under Education and Outreach.  For more information, contact Karen Gourlay at (248) 349-3858.

Core Volunteer Steward Program Update: Native Seed Collecting to Native Planting

Volunteers spent almost 1,700 hours collecting native prairie plant seeds in nine southern Michigan state parks and recreation areas in the fall of 2007. But what happened to all that seed? Staff members on the Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps stewardship crew have been hard at work this winter cleaning that seed. From about 25 different plant species a total of 175 pounds of seed was collected handful by handful.

If that doesn't seem like very much, a single pound of Indian grass has approximately 175,000 seeds! So, if all the seed collected was similar to Indian grass in size and weight, 170 pounds would translate to more than 30 million seeds! If only 10% grow into viable plants, that's three million new native plants for Michigan State Parks.

A huge Thank You to all the wonderful volunteers who helped collect this seed.  We could not have collected so much seed from as many different species without your numerous helping hands

Most of the seed will be used to plant close to 100 acres of prairie in the coming growing season. The rest will be grown into nearly 25,000 plugs (small seedlings) that will be hand planted this spring and early fall at Waterloo Recreation Area, Pinckney Recreation Area, Fort Custer Recreation Area, Sterling State Park, Highland Recreation Area and Algonac State Park.

If you would like to help plant these plugs, visit www.michigan.gov/dnrvolunteers and click on the "Calendar of Volunteer Stewardship Workdays" link for a schedule of upcoming workdays. If you are interested in helping water the plants after planting or monitoring their success, there also will be opportunities to help. Contact Laurel Malvitz at (248) 359-9057 or malvitzl@michigan.gov for more information or with any