March 30, 2021: Michigan Department of Natural Resources Centennial Day

March 30, 2021: Michigan Department of Natural Resources Centennial Day

 

WHEREAS, on March 30, 1921, the Michigan Legislature established the Michigan Department of Conservation, the precursor to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources; and,

 

WHEREAS, the legislation granted the Michigan Department of Conservation the work of the Public Domain Commission and duties of the Game, Fish and Forest Fire departments, Board of Fish Commissioners, and the State Park Commission; and,
 

WHEREAS, those entities previously created, whose duties were placed under the administration of the Department of Conservation, were abolished with the passage and signing of the legislation; and,

 

WHEREAS, over subsequent decades, the duties of the Department of Conservation increased; and,

 

WHEREAS, in 1968, the name of the Michigan Department of Conservation was changed to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to reflect widening responsibilities; and,

 

WHEREAS, the department today employs 1,600 permanent employees and more than 1,600 seasonal workers, and includes Executive, Law Enforcement, Forest Resources, Parks and Recreation, Fisheries, Wildlife, Marketing and Outreach, Finance and Operations, and Michigan History Center Divisions; and,

 

WHEREAS, the department manages 4.6 million acres of public lands, with 103 state parks, more than 11,000 miles of recreational trails, 19 state harbors, 3.9 million acres of state forests, more than 1,400 boating access sites, six state fish hatcheries, the Michigan History Center, 12 museums and historic sites, more than 100 state game and wildlife areas, and much more; and,

 

WHEREAS, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, and the use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations; and,

 

WHEREAS, during 2021, the Department of Natural Resources is celebrating 100 years of significant conservation efforts in Michigan, contributing to the state's legacy of historic and meaningful conservation leadership; and,

 

WHEREAS, the Department of Natural Resources is finalizing a webpage that will share with the public  several ways to explore the past century of the department's efforts. In the interim, the DNR has produced 100 ways to celebrate the centennial;  

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim March 30, 2021, as Michigan Department of Natural Resources Centennial Day in Michigan.