The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will host an informal open house Tuesday, Dec. 1, to provide information and receive public comment on proposed forest management treatments for 2011 in the Newberry Management Unit. The open house will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at the McMillan Township Hall, located at 405 Newberry Ave., in Newberry.

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 public and private lands. Proposed treatments, which may include timber harvesting, replanting and other management activities, are then 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 located in McMillan, Columbus, Lakefield and Pentland townships in Luce County, and Whitefish and Hulbert townships in Chippewa County.

The formal compartment review to decide on prescriptions for these areas is scheduled for 9 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 22, at the Training Center of the Newberry Correctional Facility.

Persons with disabilities needing accommodations for these meetings should contact Les Homan at (906) 293-3293, ext. 4740, a minimum of five business days before the meeting. Requests made less than five business days before a meeting may not be accommodated.