Key Department Initiatives

Hunter and Angler Retention and Recruitment

Hunting

To help the DNR develop a strategy to recruit and retain hunters in Michigan, a work group was formed in 2005. The work group, comprised of representatives from universities, the DNR, educational groups and conservation organizations, issued these top three recommendations in its final report.

1. Provide additional public hunting access in southern Michigan.
2. Provide opportunity for a wider spectrum of society to participate in hunting.
3. Create and expand opportunities to infuse hunting and related outdoor recreation into existing and emerging mentoring programs.

An implementation team has been formed to put these recommendations into action. The very future of conservation depends on these recommendations to stem the loss of licensed hunters and bring new enthusiasts into the shooting and hunting sports.

Fishing

Voices at both state and national levels have indicated concerns about successfully involving youngsters with fishing. The DNR believes that any strategic plan for building future Michigan anglers must be based on the following five key elements:

• Providing introductory experiences
• Providing access to equipment
• Providing access to aquatic resources that support fishing
• Providing access to a guide or mentor
• Providing social support for fishing

Although events such as fishing derbies or one-day trips are a good method of introducing kids to fishing, the DNR recognizes that if there is no follow-up or continued support, any initial interest soon fades and this activity often is never advanced further. That's why the DNR believes mentoring is probably the single most important factor in passing on the fishing tradition, and is working with its partner organizations to find new ways to involve more youth and families in fishing.

The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program is aimed at introducing adult women to outdoor activities by offering weekend workshops (comprised of 33% fishing, 33% shooting and 33% other) in summer and winter -- with both offered in the Upper Peninsula and Lower Peninsula. Beyond BOW workshops throughout the year provide more in-depth instruction and are geared for the woman who has some experience, but wants to learn more. All BOW programs are hands-on and many are taught by women.

"We hunt because we love it. ...Among nature pursuits, hunting and fishing connect us most profoundly with animals and nature." Dr. Randall Eaton

Outreach and Education

Providing information about Michigan's natural resources and outdoor heritage as well as preparing the next generation of conservationists is one of the DNR's primary goals.

Archery in the Schools - Through a partnership with the Archery Trade Association the DNR implemented an archery program in Michigan schools. The program teaches basic archery skills over a two-week period. Begun in 2004, more than 300 schools representing 56 counties across the state have joined the program, with more than 400 certified instructors and over 60,000 Michigan students taking part in 2008. Each February, participating schools are invited to participate in a statewide tournament.

No Child Left Inside - Studies of children indicate an alarming decline in the amount of time they spend outdoors. Evidence is mounting that outdoor play has many benefits, including increased sensory abilities, reduced stress and improved attention spans in the classroom. The DNR is developing programs to encourage parents, caregivers and educators to get kids outdoors. Each year, more than 1,500 kids are provided the opportunity to catch fish during outreach programs at two pocket parks. The DNR also is partnering with a number of organizations and agencies to create the "Michigan No Child Left Inside Coalition." The coalition is sponsoring a statewide summit in June 2009 to focus attention on this important issue and coordinate efforts.

Reaching Classrooms - The DNR is helping teachers incorporate natural resources information and issues into daily lesson plan by sponsoring three state programs:

• Salmon in the Classroom allows students to learn about fish and aquatic ecosystems by rearing and releasing salmon
• Project WILD is a nationally acclaimed curriculum supplement that teaches lessons about wildlife and habitat
• Project Learning Tree focuses on learning about trees, forest and forest management.
• Academy of Natural Resources is a weeklong teacher training program where natural resource experts help educators learn.

Interpretive Programs - The DNR maintains interpreters at nine visitor centers around the state, and seasonal interpreters are stationed at select state parks each summer to conduct fishing programs, guided nature hikes and nighttime owl walks. The interpreters also take their programs to local schools with messages about Michigan's great outdoors. During the summer camping season, "Explorer Guides" are stationed around the state to provide programs and activities to state park visitors.

Information - Providing information on subjects ranging from frogs and toads to issues related to fish and wildlife disease keeps a constant stream of material in development and distribution. The DNR also continually upgrades its Web site to provide quick, easy sources of information for millions of online visitors.

"Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives." Thomas Berry

Fish and Wildlife Health

A key component to managing fish and wildlife populations is understanding the role of fish and wildlife pathogens and disease in causing mortality. The emergence of such diseases as bacterial kidney disease (BKD), viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), bovine TB, chronic wasting disease (CWD) and others shape the management options that fish and wildlife managers can employ and can create large shifts in population numbers.

Fish
The effects of pathogens and their diseases on fish have been very evident in the large fish kills from BKD in chinook salmon in the 1980s and more recently by VHS. Since the 1980s, the DNR has intensely managed fish health in its fish hatchery system and has employed rearing strategies to reduce disease outbreaks in wild populations.

Since the late 1990s, the DNR also has conducted surveillance on wild fish populations for a broad range of pathogens including Largemouth Bass Virus, VHS virus and whirling disease.

Additional research has enabled fisheries managers to better understand fish pathogen epidemiology and provided information for managing around pathogens.

Wildlife
Outbreaks of wildlife diseases have the potential to impact wildlife abundance, reduce recreational opportunities and threaten human health. Monitoring the health of Michigan's free-ranging wildlife is the responsibility of the DNR's Wildlife Disease Laboratory (WDL). Established in 1933, the Wildlife Disease Laboratory was the first of its kind in the U.S., and it continues its legacy of leadership, protecting wildlife, domestic animals and humans from threats of disease.

For several years the DNR has worked to reduce the level of tuberculosis (TB) in white-tailed deer and conducted surveillance for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Michigan. Thousands of deer are examined and tested by the lab each year.

More recently, type E botulism has killed thousands of birds including the state threatened common loom in northwestern Lake Michigan. The WDL has participated in efforts to determine the cause of these outbreaks. Additional surveillance efforts have focused on avian influenza, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, rabies and arboviruses.

The WDL also helps assess risks that toxic chemicals such as lead, PCBs and dioxins in wildlife may pose to human health. It provides forensic support to DNR law enforcement and helps guard native wildlife from diseases of farmed wild animals, such as captive cervids and feral swine.

"The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value." Theodore Roosevelt

Ecosystem Management and Forest Certification

Ecosystem Management
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to implementing a holistic, regionally focused, ecosystem-based strategy for resource management. Ecosystem management is a process that integrates biological, social and economic factors into a comprehensive strategy aimed at protecting and enhancing sustainability, diversity and productivity of our natural resources.

Our strategy involves managing Michigan's ecosystems in a responsive manner that includes stakeholder involvement in both planning and stewardship. Public participation is crucial to acceptance and implementation of the strategy. Management success is more assured when the public is involved in identifying values and working alongside resource managers to develop goals and strategies.

Ecosystem management planning includes the following steps:

1. Develop and define values (criteria) and ways to measure (indicators) those values.
2. Inventory and assess the resources.
3. Develop strategic goals.
4. Monitoring, evaluating, reporting and adapting.
5. Develop management unit level operational plans.

Eco-regional teams have been organized to define the goals, principles, objectives and infrastructure required for sustainable management of ecosystems within their eco-region.

Forest Certification -- Sustainable Forest Management
Healthy forests that meet myriad user needs are vital to our future. The DNR recognizes that forests are an asset providing timber, recreation, soil and water protection, wildlife and aquatic habitat, biodiversity, and other products and ecosystem services.

In 2005, the DNR certified the 3.9-million acre state forest system under both the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council, becoming the largest single landowner certified in Michigan.

Certification demonstrates to interested stakeholders and markets that our natural resource management practices are sound and comprehensive. Simply stated, forest certification is a means of protecting our forests by promoting responsible forestry practices. It involves:

• A review of on-the-ground forest practices against standards that address environmental, social and economic issues.
• The provision of an independent, third party view attesting how effectively current management maintains forest health and productivity.
• The periodic re-verification and re-certification after initial certification of the forest.

In Michigan, forest certification will maintain markets for state forest timber, and continue our ability to manage habitats for wildlife, recreation opportunities, and maintenance of forest health.