The Department of Natural Resources will host an open house on Wednesday, Sept. 17, to provide information and receive public comment on proposed forest management treatments for 2010 in the Escanaba Management Unit. The open house will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. EDT at the DNR Pocket Park of the U. P. State Fairgrounds, located at 2401 12th Ave. N. in Escanaba.

Each year, DNR personnel inventory and evaluate one-tenth of the state forest. Information gathered includes the health, quality, and quantity of all vegetation; wildlife and fisheries habitat and needs; archeological sites; minerals; recreational use; wildfire potential and social factors, including proximity to roads and neighborhoods; and use on adjacent lands, public and private. Proposed treatments, which may include timber harvesting, replanting, and other management activities, are designed to ensure the sustainability of the resources and ecosystems.

The open house is an opportunity for the public to review proposed treatments and to provide input toward final decisions on those treatments. It also provides the public an opportunity to talk with foresters and biologists about issues of interest. Maps and information regarding the proposed treatments will be available at the open house, and can be accessed at www.michigan.gov/dnr under the Forests, Land & Water section.

Each management unit is divided into smaller units or compartments to facilitate better administration of the resources. Compartments under review this year are in Baldwin, Brampton, Ford River and Maple Ridge townships in Delta County; and Cedarville, Gourley, Holmes and Lake townships in Menominee County. The formal compartment review to decide on prescriptions for these areas is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the DNR Pocket Park.

Individuals attending the meeting are requested to refrain from using heavily-scented personal care products, in order to enhance accessibility for everyone. Persons with disabilities needing accommodations for the Escanaba Open House should contact Eric Thompson at 906-786-2354 a minimum of five business days before this event/meeting. Requests made less than five business days before this event may not be accommodated.