Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Michigan: give us your input on state forest planning

Michigan’s 4 million acres of state forest land require a lot of careful planning to keep them healthy and thriving. That’s why the DNR finalizes plans for each forest management unit two years in advance of when any management activities – prescribed burns, timber harvests or tree thinning, for example – will take place.

This summer and fall, forest management recommendations for 2020 are being presented at open houses within those forest management units, giving people the opportunity to speak with foresters, wildlife biologists and other resource professionals. Upcoming open houses include:

  • Roscommon Forest Management Unit Sept. 12 in Roscommon
  • Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit Sept. 18 in Naubinway and Sept. 19 in Kincheloe
  • Gwinn Forest Management Unit Sept. 26 in Ishpeming
  • Crystal Falls Forest Management Unit Oct. 3 in Crystal Falls
  • Shingleton Forest Management Unit Oct. 4 in Shingleton
  • Newberry Forest Management Unit Oct. 16 in Newberry
  • Grayling Forest Management Unit Oct. 17 in Grayling

About a month after each forest management unit’s open house, a public compartment review meeting also will take place. That’s where the foresters will present their final decisions on management activities for that unit. Compartment review meetings coming up include:

  • Roscommon Forest Management Unit Sept. 27 in Roscommon
  • Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit Oct. 2 in Naubinway
  • Gwinn Forest Management Unit Oct. 17 in Ishpeming
  • Shingleton Forest Management Unit Oct. 23 in Shingleton
  • Crystal Falls Forest Management Unit Oct. 25 in Crystal Falls
  • Newberry Forest Management Unit Oct. 30 in Newberry
  • Grayling Forest Management Unit – Nov. 8 in Grayling

For more information – including a link to the interactive forest map showing details of forest management activities, and the forest open house and compartment review schedules – visit the public input section of the DNR’s michigan.gov/forestry webpage.