The Michigan Department of Natural Resources' Eastern Upper Peninsula Citizens' Advisory Council is scheduled to discuss several interesting topics when the panel meets Thursday, Aug. 24 in Newberry.

Discussion items include a resolution on transportation of firewood in state parks, a Graymont land exchange update, aquatic habitat grant information and trail updates.

"The council meeting this week presents another great opportunity to provide input and learn what's new on DNR topics important to the eastern Upper Peninsula," said Stacy Haughey, DNR Upper Peninsula coordinator. "There's always a great deal of information provided at council sessions and plenty of council members and DNR staffers available to answer questions."

The Eastern U.P. Citizens' Advisory Council and its western U.P. counterpart meet alternating months throughout the year.

This session in Luce County will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. EDT Thursday in the lower level conference room at the Luce-Mackinac-Alger-Schoolcraft (LMAS) Health Department, located at 14150 Hamilton Lake Road in Newberry.

The public can participate in the session by offering comments to the discussion during two specified periods at the meeting (for instructions on comment procedures, see www.michigan.gov/upcac).

The DNR's eastern and western Upper Peninsula citizens' advisory councils are designed to provide local input to advise the DNR on regional programs and policies, identify areas in which the department can be more effective and responsive and offer insight and guidance from members' own experiences and constituencies.

The council members represent a wide variety of natural resource and recreation interests. Agenda items are set by the council members and council recommendations are forwarded to the DNR for consideration.

Anyone interested in being considered as a future council member should fill out the application form found on the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/upcac. For more information, contact the DNR Upper Peninsula regional coordinator's office at 906-226-1331.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.



Contact: Stacy Haughey, 906-226-1331, John Pepin, 906-226-1352