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Recreational Safety and Hunter Education
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July 07, 2026
Perhaps your idea of a perfect Michigan day is listening for the bugle of an elk in the Pigeon River Country State Forest. Maybe it’s enjoying the rugged Lake Superior coast where the Crisp Point Lighthouse has stood sentinel since 1876. Or possibly you love the woods and waters of the Keweenaw Peninsula or breathtaking inland lake landscapes in the northern Lower Peninsula.
Whatever your pleasure, chances are that Michigan’s Forest Legacy program has had a hand in protecting several of these special places.
Michigan’s 10 Forest Legacy projects range from 160 acres in size to more than 147,000 acres and include important ecological spots in the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. All of these projects are now on display in a new, interactive story map.
“The Forest Legacy program allows us to identify forests that are important due to their natural beauty, unique geography or the benefits they provide for both people and wildlife,” said Kerry Heckman, assistant administrator in the Michigan Department of Natural Resources' Forest Resources Division. “The program helps us protect and make these forests available for the public to use and enjoy forever."
Forest Legacy is a competitve federal program that has allowed the DNR to acquire more than 238,000 acres of land for the public to use and enjoy through outright purchase or conservation easements.
Smaller tracts, such as the 160-acre Central Upper Peninsula Forest and the 200-acre Northern Wexford Forest, serve as important corridors to connect or consolidate state-managed public land.
The most recent project, Michigamme Highlands, is a working forest conservation easement that includes 73,063 acres in the Huron Mountains with forests, lakes, trout streams, wetlands and Michigan’s highest natural point, Mount Arvon. The easement provides for motorized and nonmotorized public recreational access and the protection of deer and moose habitat, and also ensures sustainable forest management to help support the forest products industry and local economies.
The federal government funds up to 75% of costs for chosen projects; 25% of the costs must come from private, state or local sources. DNR partners include commercial and private landowners, conservation organizations, citizen groups and Michigan Native American communities.
The interactive story map is a great resource to learn the details of each Forest Legacy project, where they are located, and the public recreational opportunities that each one offers.
Contact: Brad Laskosky, 517-230-1115 or Kerry Heckman, 517-643-1256
Recent research suggests gray foxes may be harder to find than previously thought, and the DNR is asking the public to help locate them
A Mecosta County jury unanimously agreed that Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Ryan Cox is innocent of charges stemming from an officer-involved shooting that occurred three years ago.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reconstructing the aging Net River Dam in southern Baraga County, a collaborative project that will restore water levels and improve the wetland habitat.
To help keep ORV recreation enjoyable and safe, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications for off-road vehicle safety education grants to help fund certified instructors and ORV safety courses throughout the state.
If you spot a hen turkey leading a line of poults (baby turkeys) this summer, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants to hear from you.
This summer, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will rehabilitate the South Unit at Houghton Lakes Flats, a popular spot for wildlife viewing and fishing just off U.S. 127 in Roscommon County.
Boaters in northern Michigan, get ready: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced Friday that the Cheboygan Lock has officially reopened.
America's 250th birthday is right around the corner! If your plans include outdoor time up north, at home or somewhere in between, here are a few ideas from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to keep your celebrations safe, sound and relaxation-ready.
If you’re looking for a volunteer opportunity to help young people experience outdoor recreation – helping instill in them a sense of Michigan’s rich natural resources heritage and traditions – then the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is looking for you.
