May 21st, 2013 by Drew YoungeDyke.
LANSING—Michigan United Conservation Clubs has announced its 2013 Michigan On-the-Ground project schedule. Michigan On-the-Ground is a public-private partnership between Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to increase the state’s volunteer capacity and conservation stewardship ethic through on-the-ground fish and wildlife habitat improvement projects. The first Michigan On-the-Ground project improved [...]
Fish and Wildlife Habitat Volunteer Opportunities Available Statewide
May 21st, 2013 by Amy Trotter.
Summary: SB 163 (S-2) reforms Michigan’s wetland protection statutes to comply with an EPA audit of Michigan’s program, as well as clarify some definitions and exempted activities. Current Status: The Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Environment, and Great Lakes approved SB 163 (S-2) on Tuesday, May 21. It now moves to the Senate floor. Analysis: This [...]
Senate Bill 163: Wetland Program Reform
May 20th, 2013 by Drew YoungeDyke.
The Farm Bill is the largest piece of conservation legislation in the nation, and Congress is working through this year’s version after they failed to pass one last year. A key component that conservationists are working toward is called “conservation compliance,” which ties conservation responsibilities to crop insurance subsidies rather than direct payments. The direct [...]
Different Versions of Farm Bill Pass House and Senate Ag Committees
May 17th, 2013 by Amy Trotter.
Our goal of MUCC’s youth programming is to encourage kids to enjoy Michigan’s outdoor playground and to teach them the value of conserving Michigan’s resources for the future. How can we do this? By raising funds to support the Michigan Outofdoors Youth Camp and other MUCC children’s programs. Since 1946, MUCC’s youth camp programs have [...]
Get Kids in the Outdoors: Lt. Governor’s Charity Sporting Clays Shoot
May 14th, 2013 by Amy Trotter.
The “implementation bill” for the license fee restructuring and simplification has finally been introduced. House Bill 4668 was introduced two weeks ago by Rep. Jon Bumstead, chair of the House Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, and a committee hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, May 8 where they took testimony. To recap, the House and Senate have [...]
Hunting and Fishing License Bill Up in Committee
May 14th, 2013 by Amy Trotter.
At the May 9 Natural Resources Commission meeting in Roscommon, Wildlife Division researcher Dean Beyer presented the Moose Population Survey results. The current moose range (outside of Isle Royale) has been identified as 1,400 square miles in the Western Upper Peninsula (core range) and 1,200 sq. mi. in the Central Eastern end. The 2013 Moose [...]
No Moose Hunt for Michigan Yet
May 14th, 2013 by Drew YoungeDyke.
Summary: SB 16 would make Michigan a full participant in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, an agreement between many states to recognize each other’s game law enforcement actions. This bill is a reintroduction of SB 1348 of 2012, which passed the Senate unanimously but did not reach a House vote before the end of the 2011-2012 [...]
Senate Bill 16: Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact
May 14th, 2013 by Amy Trotter.
Summary: This package of bills has been reintroduced (formerly SB 1057-1062, 1287-1288 of 2012) after failing to reach a final vote at the end of 2012. The new package includes House Bills 4069, 4243-4244, 4320-4345 and Senate Bills 51-59. In the analysis, we have indicated which bill from the Senate or House is proposed to [...]
Senate and House Bills: Tax Break Reforms for Forest Management
May 9th, 2013 by Amy Trotter.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 9, 2013 Contact: Amy Trotter, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, (517) 331-1909 atrotter@mucc.org ROSCOMMON, MI – In a landmark decision this evening, the Natural Resources Commission approved a limited wolf hunting and trapping season for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Commissioner Annoesjka Steinman was the lone dissenting member. MUCC members have long supported a [...]
MUCC Applauds NRC in Approving Michigan Wolf Season
May 8th, 2013 by Drew YoungeDyke.
LANSING – Governor Rick Snyder signed Senate Bills 288 and 289 into law today. The bills allow the Natural Resources Commission to name game species, protect the rights to hunt and fish, and were supported by Michigan’s conservation community. “We thank Governor Snyder for continuing Michigan’s tradition of separating conservation from politics today,” said Erin [...]
Governor Snyder Signs SB 288, 289
