Michigan's Recreation Treasure Chest

Nordhouse Dunes photo JHY

$600 million for recreation... "Aaaargh, matey! That's quite a fanciful treasure chest you're claimin'." (That's your response.)

"Aye, aye, my friend, t'is real, and we've got the treasure map!" (Now I'm talking.) That's the amount of money distributed since 1976 for approved recreation projects in the state of Michigan from the Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF). Over thirty years that's an annual average of $20 million! In recreation circles, that's a huge pile of coins and jewels. The entire 4600-mile North Country National Scenic Trail limps along on an annual budget of under $1 million.

If your eye pauses at articles about recreation projects as it slides across the printed word, you've noticed lately that a number of governmental units have been spiffing up their five-year master recreation plans. Mason County and Manistee County each have whole web pages devoted to keeping the public informed about those documents (masoncorec.wordpress.com/ and manisteecorecreation.wordpress.com/) The City of Scottville recently amended theirs in order to add purchase of riverfront property and development of recreation facilities on the old Mason County Landfill site. And Hart is working hard on theirs in order to refurbish John Gurney Park.

Those plans are the key to the treasure chest– no plan, no chance to dip your hands into the chest full of gold doubloons.

How did the chest get so full of loot? The coffer is filled by annual revenues from the development of State-owned mineral resources, largely oil and gas. The Fund is governed by a board of trustees which meets six times a year, and the meetings are open to the public.

Pirate chests are seldom filled by taking a vote, but that's how this treasure came to be replenished, by law. The Michigan legislature created a fund, the Kammer Recreational Land Trust Fund, in 1976 which received a portion of revenue from state-owned mineral rights. But if you remember voting in 1984, the public– you and I– passed Proposal B to establish the MNRTF I vaguely remember punching my ballot card and cynically thinking, "right... I wonder where this money will eventually be sidetracked." But I was wrong to be so wary.

Over the thirty years, Mason County has benefitted to the tune of $7.7 million, Manistee County– $10.9 million, Lake County– $145, 000 and Oceana County– $888,000. Familiar local projects which have received funds include the Hart-Montague Rail Trail, Ludington Waterfront Park and Scottville Riverside Park. Manistee's downtown Riverwalk, and Lake County's Shrine of the Pines have also benefitted. The big local winner was the settlement with Miller Brothers for the acquisition of Nordhouse Dunes, over $4 million for that project alone. And various other projects in the four counties, 23 in all, have received grant money.

Twice each year, projects are approved to receive funding. Three-quarters of the projects are required by law to be for land acquisition, with the rest allowed to be for recreational development. Only one third of the fund's revenue each year can be granted out, with the rest going to build the principal until a cap of $500 million dollars is reached. The trust fund board estimates that will happen in 2016. After that, available revenue will come from investment income.

Next time you read about a Master Plan for Recreation, perk up and consider participating in the public portions of the process. X marks the very real spot for the treasure to build the park or trail you dream of. That's worth a hearty "Aaaaargh!"

by Joan H. Young
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Nordhouse Dunes
See Hart Montague Rail Trail
See Get Off The Couch

Techno-Hostage?

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its charm if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Charles Slat

"Whether they're cell phones, laptop computers, video games or HDTVs, we Americans love our gizmos.

Although the cost of electronic wizardry is falling, the Consumer Electronics Institute recorded an 8.2 percent increase in sales for 2007, totaling $161 billion. And that's projected to rise another 6.1 percent this year.

About $2.2 billion in HDTVs were sold this year alone in advance of the Super Bowl.

At our house, we have our share of technology. During that heavy snowfall last week, two of my kids came home from school and cozied up in front of the computer while I fruitlessly tried to keep snow from piling up on the porch and steps outside.

After nightfall when the snow slackened, I did some cross-country skiing on a little trail cut through the small meadow out back. It was one of those nights when the snow had blanketed whiteness and silence over everything, muffling distance sounds and amplifying closer ones.... "

finish the story at the Monroe News - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

One Pair at a Time

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its charm if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Sam Cook

Joe Prijatel photo Duluth News Tribune

"Joe Prijatel had no choice but to build himself a pair of snowshoes. He couldn’t afford the $5 to buy a pair.

The year was about 1938, and Prijatel was working in a Civilian Conservation Corps camp near Ely, Minn. If a guy wanted to get around in the woods, he needed a good pair of snowshoes.

Prijatel has never stopped making snowshoes. At 88, he’s been at it for 70 years. But the price of snowshoes has changed some... "

finish the story at the Duluth News Tribune - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Fighting Non-Native Plants

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its value if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by John Hogan

invasive spotted knapweed photo from bwca.com

" Take a walk through a neighborhood park or nature preserve, and you likely will see fast-food wrappers, maybe shreds of yellowed newspapers wedged beneath a tangle of branches.

Unattended shrubs and plants that sprouted on their own often create an impenetrable mat where lawn meets woods. It's a familiar sight in home landscapes as well.

The average homeowner probably can't identify these densely branched bushes, but appreciate the fact they thrive on neglect.

Cheryl Tolley's property in northeast Kent County has the same thing going on, but the native plant expert knows her plants... "

finish the story at the Grand Rapids Press - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Hamlin Township Hoping for New Playground Equipment

Hamlin Township (Mason County, Michigan) Supervisor, Nancy Vandervest reports that the board will review a grant application for new playground equipment.

A company called Game Time, of Alabama, offers the grants in cooperation with the Trust for Public Land. The township would need to provide 50% of the money for the equipment. The goal is to replace older metal-frame swings and slides with newer equipment.

The exact units to be replaced has not been determined, but Wilson Hill and South Bayou Parks are being discussed. Vandervest says that their choices range from $6000 to $100,000 for play structures, giving them lots of options.

Volunteers would probably be called upon to help assemble the structures.

New grills for the parks is also being discussed.

from the Ludington Daily News, "Hamlin Looking Into Playground Equipment", by Brian Mulherin, Feb 14, 2008, article not available on line
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Forest Service Working On New Planning Rule

The U.S. Forest Service has moved one step closer to finalizing a new planning rule that will engage the public in the development, implementation and monitoring of forest plans. The release of the agency's Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the 2008 Planning Rule identifies the Forest Service's preferred alternative and is a procedural move towards the implementation of a new planning rule.

The planning rule is important because it brings people together with the Forest Service to develop land management plans which provide the framework for all resource and recreation management on national forests and grasslands nationwide.

"The process of developing a forest plan is a public service that ensures a great future for national forests on behalf of the American public," stated Joel Holtrop, Deputy Chief of the National Forest System. "We're proud of this vitally important planning process and yet we recognize that improvements were needed to emphasize more public collaboration, to be more adaptive to changing environmental conditions, and to ensure the protection of wildlife. The preferred alternative encompasses all of these elements."

After receiving and considering over 79, 000 comments on a draft environmental impact statement, the Forest Service developed 'Alternative M' as their preferred alternative. The alternative is based on public comment and builds on the 1982, 2002, and 2005 Planning Rules and years of professional forest planning experience. The preferred alternative provides extensive public participation and offers an approach to quickly respond to changing natural resource conditions.

"This preferred alternative expands public involvement by requiring early and frequent public dialogue in all phases of the development, implementation and monitoring of land management plans," stated David Dillard, Director of Ecosystem Management Coordination. "This exceeds National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements for public involvement. Our goal is to create strong, relevant conversations that address local issues as well as incorporate the latest available science and technology in the plans. Additionally, all plans and projects developed under those plans are expected and required to comply with NEPA."

The preferred alternative is responsive to changing conditions because adaptability is built in the approach. Plans will be able to adjust more quickly to changing conditions such as those brought about by climate change. By doing so, they will better protect resources of the forest and address the concerns of the surrounding communities.

Alternative M requires improved monitoring and sustainability standards for wildlife protection as well as the requirement for an Environmental Management System to be in place prior to the implementation of approved projects. In addition, Forest Service Timber Policy will not be affected by the preferred alternative because resource protections for timber management activities have not changed.

The FEIS will now be sent to the Department of Agriculture for a decision on a final rule for forest planning. The Record of Decision and final rule will be published in the Federal Register in approximately 30 days. Additional information on the planning process can be found at: http://www.fs.fed.us/emc .

a news release of the USDA Forest Service, Feb 7, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

How Readers Enjoy the Winter

The last poll here got a few more responses, 13 in all. Still a very small sample. The question was: "What is your favorite winter exercise?" Over 50% said they prefer cross-country skiing for their winter exercise, and two people admitted to being winter couch potatoes! No one said that they moved their exercise to indoor gyms for the winter. Perhaps outdoor folk just prefer to stay that way.

One person liked downhill skiing, and another chose "other outdoor activity." No one who responded marked snowboarding, but two people liked to snowshoe.

So, for the next unscientific poll let's find out how far you have trekked on your longest hike. Look to the right and participate. It's just for fun!

by Joan H. Young
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Snowshoeing the North Country Trail

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its charm if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Dave Alexander

Muskegon Chronicle Cory Morse

"The creative marketing genius who developed the "Pure Michigan" tourism campaign surely must have snowshoed the North Country Trail as it winds through Newaygo County.

Nothing is more "Pure Michigan" than a pristine snowfall on a hiking trail that links West Michigan pine groves, hardwood forests and creek valleys.

I explored the West Michigan portion of the North Country National Scenic Trail recently while introducing Chronicle colleagues Lynn Moore and Cory Morse to snowshoeing.

One day this January provided a perfect afternoon of cool temperatures, an overnight blanket of new snow, intermittent snow showers and sunshine so typical here of the lake-effect snow pattern.... "

finish the story at the Muskegon Chronicle - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Winter Season a Challenge for Wildlife

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its charm if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by The Ile Camera

"Wild animals endure many hardships in order to survive, but the most challenging of these is winter.

Cold temperatures, wind, lack of cover and little food make life during the winter months difficult, but Michigan's wildlife species have adapted different strategies to survive and sometimes make winter almost seem bearable.

To escape winter's bite, many summer resident birds migrate, but this is a costly strategy... "

finish the story at the Ile Camera - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Hofma Park a Hidden Gem in Ottawa County

Hofma Park is 400 acres of hiking, biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, birdwatching and quiet activity opportunities. The park was created in the 1930's. Leave US 31 north of Holland, Michigan, and turn right on Ferris St. Travel 11.5 miles to the park, which is marked with a large sign.

Not all the facilities are open during the winter months, but there is a winter parking lot, and the trails are open for skiing and snowshoeing. There are several loop trails which can be combined for short or long excursions.

The primary trail is just over 4.5 miles, making for a decent day outing. The area is also a nature preserve, and many birds and animals can be observed. Take the green and yellow blazed trails to the northwest corner of the park and you will be at Potawatomie Bayou. A boardwalk crosses the wetlands, and you may have the chance to see many migratory waterfowl in season. Just beyond the bayou there is an elevated viewing platform.

There is also a northern access on Sleeper Road which is less used than the main entrance.

Dogs are welcome, but must be leashed.

from the Holland Sentinel, "Hofma Park a hidden gem in Ottawa County", by Steven Hoffman, Feb 14, 2008-
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Grand Traverse Grand Vision Includes Trails

Sponsors of The Grand Vision say its success turns on the kind of widespread participation the two-year project attracted to recent workshops in Traverse City, Acme (pictured here), and Interlochen.

Northwest Michigan has taken their plan to the people, and they people have responded. More than 600 people showed up last month for three planning workshops produced by The Grand Vision project.

The six-county land use plan is a federally funded, yet locally based project begun in Octobet 2007. The goal is to produce a guide to the six counties by 2009. The ideas are being massaged by computer to create possible growth scenarios to guide the region for the next fifty years.

Last month's sessions focused on Traverse City, Acme, and Interlochen. Participants gathered in small groups with maps of their target areas. "They discussed different ways their communities could manage thorny growth issues like commercial, residential, and industrial development; transportation choices from bike paths to bullet trains; and farmland and other open-space preservation."

Avoiding sprawl, preserving the shoreline of Grand Traverse Bay and making downtown Traverse City more walkable were important topics.

Kurt Schulte, who works with the firm that is compiling the workshops' maps said he was impressed by the willingness of workshop participants to consider alternative modes of transportation. "I was blown away at the Traverse City workshop," Mr. Schulte said. "I came away with the sense that this is a very progressive community. People are very open to walking and biking and looking at other modes of transportation other than just the automobile."

from Michigan Land Use Institute, "Grand Vision Workshops Crack the 1,000 Mark", Feb 14, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Conditions Can Spoil Best-Laid Plans

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its charm if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Bob Gwizdz

"Weather, they say, trumps all. You can be perfectly prepared with the proper gear, the right bait, good lures and be located squarely on the X, but when the weather goes south, well, good luck.

That's the way we found it last weekend when I joined Mark Martin for a planned couple of days on the ice. There had been a good bite going for several days, but the weather was warm enough that we waited until good light to go out of the marina. There were enough cracks and open water around that you don't want to be scooting across the ice on a quad only to find yourself swimming.... "

finish the story at MLive.com - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Cassopolis Developing Parks Master Plan

Cass County Parks Department (Michigan), is seeking professional services to create a comprehensive master plan for Dr. T.K. Lawless Park in Newberg Township.

The county is striving to enhance the quality of life for its residents, according to parks director, Scott Wyman.

The park itself is named for a medical pioneer, African-American Theodore Lawless, a dermatologist. The land was donated to Michigan and purchased by the county in 1978. Since that time, additional purchases have brought the size of the tract to 820 acres, which include fields, hardwoods, bogs, marshes, lakes and a stream. The property includes the headwaters of the Christiana Creek watershed.

There are eight miles of hiking trails, ten miles of developed mountain bike trails, cross-country skiing, disc golf, tubing, picnic facilities, softball fields, and a group camp. Hunting and fishing are allowed in various locations.

The park is used for a local harvest festival, a movie-in-the-park event, and schools conduct nature studies there with classes.

Proposals to develop the plan are due by Friday, Feb. 29, and are to be mailed or delivered to the Cass County Parks Department, 340 N. O'Keefe St., P.O. Box 68, Cassopolis, 49031.

from National Geographic, "Proposals Sought for Master Plan", Feb 11, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

DNR Looking for Wolves- You Can Help

photo by Deborah Walker stock.xchng

Department of Natural Resources wildlife officials today announced the DNR will conduct a survey in the northern Lower Peninsula now through March 10 to detect the presence of gray wolves in this part of the state.

"The goal of the survey is to verify the presence of wolves both in the area where we previously confirmed tracks and detect new occurrences in other parts of the region," said DNR Wildlife Biologist Brian Mastenbrook.

Wolves began naturally returning to the Michigan's Upper Peninsula via Canada and Wisconsin in the early 1990s. Today, the U.P. is home to at least 500 wolves. Following the accidental killing of a wolf in Presque Isle County in 2004, the DNR also confirmed two other gray wolves in the northern Lower Peninsula in 2005.

The DNR is asking the public to report any sightings of wolves or tracks they believe were made by wolves from mid-February through mid-March to the DNR Gaylord office at (989) 732-3541, ext. 5901.

Mastenbrook said this year there will be a targeted search approach. Survey teams will be searching areas where there have been one or more public observations. Sightings from earlier in the year will be considered but sightings during the survey period will be especially important. Given the low probability that tracks will be found, public reports are very important in helping the DNR identify potential wolf locations.

"If the public finds anything related to wolves, we are encouraging them to preserve the physical evidence or take photographs, and then contact us as soon as possible so that we can follow up with field investigations," Mastenbrook said.

The DNR is partnering in this survey effort with USDA Wildlife Services, Central Michigan University and the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians.

a news release of the Michigan DNR, Feb 14, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Deal Would Let Saugatuck Lease Part of Dunes Land

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its value if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Ken Kolker

"The city could lease the south half of the old Denison dunes property for $1 a year as long as it maintained and protected the land, according to an attorney for the Oklahoma billionaire who owns it.

The attorney discussed the lease with the mayor and city manager in a telephone conference on Monday, though no agreement has been reached.

City officials say they want a long lease, but the attorney for Aubrey McClendon said the length hasn't been determined.... "

finish the story at the Grand Rapids Press - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Another Powerful Idea for Your Clothes

Can you imagine that your shirt might be able to power the iPod in its pocket? It's a nanotech idea that is already a step past the wild idea stage.

The journal, Nature, reports that Zhong Lin Wang and colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology covered individual fibers of fabric with nanowires made of zinc oxide. These wires are only 50 nanometers in diameter — 1,800 times thinner than a human hair.

Alternate fibers are coated with gold. The alternating strands rub against each other and the resulting pressure generates a piezoelectric charge that can be captured.

Piezoelectric power is created when pressure is translated into an electric current. Other applications include capturing the power of raindrops hitting a building, or the power of many persons walking over a specialized mat- for example at a turnstile.

So far only very small pieces of fabric have been made, but the results have been very positive. The researchers estimate that one square meter of the cloth would produce enough current to power a portable music player. And although gold is currently being used, other metal fibers would work well. The high-tech fabrics would not weigh much more than typical fabrics. The biggest hurdle at the present time is that the fabrics can not hold up to being wetted. Washing your clothes, or a walk in the rain would destroy their special properties.

from Live Science, "Tech-Stiles: Clothes That Produce Power", by Brian Bergstein, Feb 14, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Open House for the DNR Red Pine Project in Gaylord

The Department of Natural Resources will host a Red Pine Project open house on March 13, 2008, from 1 to 7 p.m., at the DNR Gaylord Operations Service Center, located at 1732 W. M-32 in Gaylord. This open house will provide the public with an opportunity to receive information and give public comment on proposed forest management treatments for the Northern Lower Peninsula and Eastern Upper Peninsula Forest Management Units, as part of the Red Pine Project (RPP).

This is a special open house and statewide review for forest treatments that are proposed for implementation during 2008. Proposed treatments, which may include timber harvesting, replanting, and other management activities, are designed to ensure the sustainability of the resources and ecosystems.

The RPP is a three-year initiative that aims to treat additional red pine stands, as part of efforts to accelerate the process of balancing red pine cover-type age classes. The Red Pine Project is in addition to the annual inventory and review of state forest land.

The open house is an opportunity for the public to review proposed red pine treatments and to provide input on those treatments. It also provides the public an opportunity to talk with foresters and biologists about issues of interest. Proposed treatments under review this year are in the following Forest Management Units: Sault Ste. Marie, Gaylord, Pigeon River Country, Atlanta, Traverse City, Cadillac, Grayling, and Roscommon. Maps and information regarding the proposed treatments will be available at the open house, and can be accessed at www.michigan.gov/dnr, under Forests, Land & Water.

The statewide RPP review to decide on prescriptions for these areas is scheduled for March 28, 2008, at 9 a.m. at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center, located 104 Conservation Dr. in Roscommon.

a news release of the Michigan DNR, Feb 14, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Ottawa County to Harvest Pines in Parks

Seventy years ago Ottawa County planted red pines on park lands to stablize soils that had been clear cut during the logging era. Now those trees need to be trimmed and thinned.

About 140 acres of red pines north of Pigeon Creek Park in Olive Township will be thinned. Most of the work is on the north side of Stanton Street.

Due to safety, there will be no public access until the work is complete. This is expected to be mid-April.

The pine plantations of the 1930's and 1940's are the typical straight line rows of one species. The current goal of the trimming is to improve the health of the stand and eventually to transform the forest into native communities with more diversity of species. Dead and diseased trees will be removed, and live trees near areas of infected trees will also be harvested.

from the Muskegon Chronicle, "County to trim acres of red pines", by Terry Judd, Feb 14, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Michigan DNR Hiring Seasonal Workers

The Department of Natural Resources is now hiring to fill many interesting and educational jobs at state parks, visitor centers and fish hatcheries.

"We offer several positions in the summer in our State Park Explorer Program, which is aimed at providing educational nature programs to state park visitors," said DNR Education and Outreach Manager Kevin Frailey. "We also have summer jobs available through our Interpretive Services for positions at visitor centers, fish hatcheries and gift shops. These positions provide summer job opportunities for people who are interested in working for the DNR and helping educate and inform the public about Michigan's natural resources."

Anyone interested in working for DNR Interpretive Services may apply by filling out an employment application at one of 10 major interpretive sites: The Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center near Mitchell State Park in Cadillac; the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center at Waterloo Recreation Area near Chelsea; the Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center at Hoffmaster State Park near Muskegon; the Great Lakes Visitor Center at Ludington State Park in Ludington; the Michigan Forest Visitor Center at Hartwick Pines State Park near Grayling; the Saginaw Bay Visitor Center at Bay City State Recreation Area in Bay City; Tahquamenon Falls State Park near Paradise in the Upper Peninsula; Wilderness Visitor Center at the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Silver City; Oden State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center in Oden, about six miles east of Petoskey; and Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery located in Mattawan.

Positions at the visitor center and interpretive sites include nature program presenter, visitor center maintenance crew and gift shop clerk.

For the State Park Explorer Program, a list of 41 Explorer Guide sites is listed on the DNR Web site under the Education and Outreach menu. For more information on the State Park Explorer Program, please contact Karen Gourlay at (248) 349-3858.

from Michigan DNR, "DNR Hiring Now for Summer Positions at State Parks and Visitor Centers", Feb 13, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Why Youth Hostel Showers are Like the Stock Market

photo from GeekTimes

Diversity keeps you warm. At least that is true while you're having a shower in youth hostels. If you like, this sums up the research project just published by scientists from the Universities of Fribourg and Bonn. Their result is not as trivial as it sounds. Ultimately it shows that heterogeneity provides stability, whether this is in a shower, in power grids or even on the stock market.

Having a shower in a youth hostel can be risky when there is not enough hot water for everybody. If only one visitor turns up the hot tap during the early morning shower, everyone else is threatened by an icy gush of water. This unwanted form of hydrotherapy is particularly likely to happen when all the shower taps have the same possible settings, in other words if cold and hot water can be adjusted to exactly the same amount in all showers. But if the water taps in each shower have their individual quirks, the risk of extreme fluctuations is less.

At least that is what the Bonn economist Christina Matzke and her colleague Damien Challet, a physicist at the University of Fribourg, say. They modelled the temperature profile of showers in a youth hostel on the computer. 'All in all, heterogeneous taps offer advantages – they prevent the average shower temperature of all guests from suddenly dropping or rising,' Christina Matzke explains. 'From the perspective of the individual they also have disadvantages, as it’s more difficult for each person to set the right temperature.'

The problem sounds comical, but in principle it can be applied to all situations where people compete for a scarce resource, whether this is hot water, electricity or equities. One thing is always true, the more individualistic the behaviour of those involved in the market is, the more stable the whole system becomes. Put simply, the only reason why our electricity grid does not break down is that not all the inhabitants of Germany switch on the tumble drier at the same time. And if all shareholders made strictly rational decisions on their investments, there would probably be a lot more turbulence on the stock market.

The result is also significant from a theoretical point of view. 'We show what different results economic models can produce, depending on whether they are based on homogeneous or heterogeneous behaviour,' Christina Matzke emphasises. Accordingly, it is important to account for differences in individual behaviour when making forecasts. Although it sounds obvious, economists long ignored this insight. For decades their models were dominated by 'homo economicus', an imaginary standardised market investor who always made rational decisions rather than deciding according to individual criteria.

a news release of University of Bonn, Feb 11, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Michigan Man Fights Adversity Through Exercise

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its charm if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Autumn Lee

"Bud Knight can easily recall the day that led him to pursue a healthier way of life and ultimately enter triathlon competitions. It was Nov. 8, 2006.

Knight, a Manitou Beach resident and registered nurse at Foote Hospital in Jackson, had just left work on his motorcycle when a motorist pulled out in front of him. Knight hit the car head on, rolled off the hood and was knocked unconscious...

He spent five weeks "retraining" his brain — a process that was originally supposed to take 10 weeks — in order to go back to work.

An avid cycler before the accident, he resumed his biking and also started taking better care of himself. And as he made changes in his life and began to shed some pounds, he noticed a change in his biking abilities.

He was getting faster.... "

finish the story at the MLive.com - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Pentwater Junior Sailing Venue Claims Legal Use

The Pentwater (Michigan) village council voted Monday to move the summer's Junior Sailing Program from the Pentwater Yacht Club to the village launch ramp. The move was first suggested because more participants come from the public at large than from Yacht Club membership.

However, a question of riparian rights was posed by a neighbor of the village ramp, Chuck Timmer. His claim is that anyone wading from the ramp into the lake on the east side will be trespassing on his property.

The village attorney Gary Nicholson researched the issue and learned that there are two reasons which make this claim unlikely to hold up. First, riparian lines are drawn perpendicularly to the centerline of the lake. With a DEQ map of the lake, lines drawn to the shore at the property boundaries indicate that there is enough room for sailing program participants to use the east side of the ramp.

Secondly, the state has continually upheld the rights of anyone to use an entire body of water for recreational purposes if the water is reached through a legal access.

Timmer's attorney responded that the laws could be interpreted in different ways and suggested that his client would pursue the question in court.

from the Ludington Daily News, by Cindy Shafer, "Junior Sailing Program to Move", Feb 12, 2008 (article not available on line)
See Pentwater Considers Public Venue for Junior Sailing Race, Jan 16, 2007
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Boating
See Get Off The Couch

Belt, Suspenders Can Carry it All

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its value if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Howard Meyerson

Tom Wiersma wears his carrying system for hunters (photo from MLive)

"Tired of digging around in a daypack for your binoculars, flashlight, shotgun shells, field guide or GPS?

What if you could just reach over to your shoulder or hip and touch it?

Tom Wiersma may have an answer to the "where the heck is my blah blah" blues.

Wiersma, the president of Duckbill LLC in Grand Rapids, calls it body borne customizable carrying gear.

That mouthful refers to a rugged belt and suspender system and an assortment of different fabric modules that can be clipped onto one or the other so that your bullets or walkie-talkie are right where you can find them.

It's not a replacement for a backpack... "

finish the story at the Grand Rapids Press, Feb 8, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Multi-State Research Grant Will Focus on Deadly Fish Virus

The Great Lakes Fishery Trust announced today a $750,000 grant to address viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), a deadly viral disease in fish. Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey's Western Fisheries Research Center, Michigan State University, and Cornell University have joined together to provide resource managers in the Great Lakes region with new tools and information to better understand, predict, and manage the threat posed by this fatal disease.

The research will compare the effects of VHS on important native and Great Lakes sportfish, including lake trout and Pacific salmon, and develop new and faster detection techniques which are key information gaps on this virus as identified by the Department of Natural Resources.

"This research allows us to be proactive and focus on the highest priority needs for this new and emerging disease," said Great Lakes Fishery Trust Board Chair and DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. "This funding will provide critical management tools to protect our fish populations."

First identified in the region as the cause of a large die-off of freshwater drum in Lake Ontario in 2005, VHS is considered a serious viral disease of fish. Since that time, a number of outbreaks have occurred in the Great Lakes with the exception of Lake Superior where it has not been detected. While having no affects on humans, over 25 fish species have been found with VHS in the Great Lakes region. Significant losses among muskellunge, walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, round gobies, bluegill, black crappie and gizzard shad have been seen during the period from 2005-2007. It is not known how VHS was introduced to the Great Lakes, or exactly how long it has been in the ecosystem, but the discharge of ballast water from ocean-going vessels is a prime suspect. Within the Great Lakes region, movement of infected baitfish has also been suspected as the source of VHS that has been found in certain inland lakes of New York, Michigan and Wisconsin.

"This intensive, multi-research institute focus on VHS offers the best approach to effectively respond and manage VHS in the Great Lakes region," said Dr. James Winton, chief of U.S. Geological Survey's Fish Health Section. "The Great Lakes Fishery Trust is a key funding partner in this effort and should be recognized for this valuable contribution."

The Great Lakes Fishery Trust (GLFT) was established in 1996 as a result of a settlement agreement with the Ludington Pump Storage Utility Plant on Lake Michigan. The mission of the GLFT is to provide funding to enhance, protect, and rehabilitate Great Lakes fishery resources. Since inception, the GLFT has awarded over $30 million to enhance and protect fishery resources and provide enhanced shore-based angling access.

a news release of the Michigan DNR, Feb 12, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Mapping a Greener Future

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its value if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Dave Wortman

Green Map System

"For thousands of years, maps have played pivotal roles in human history. They've been used to chart voyages of discovery, find buried treasure, even fight wars. In our modern, car-oriented society, we depend on maps to help us get where we want to go. Today, communities are using the visual power of maps in a provocative new way: to chart a path toward a greener, more environmentally sustainable future.

From Kalamazoo, Michigan, to New York City, students, teachers, and activists are creating green maps to promote farmer's markets, locally produced goods, natural food restaurants and environmentally sustainable businesses.

Green maps also are being used to reconnect people with community parks, bike paths, recycling centers and museums—unique places that give our communities a rich sense of identity, but are often overlooked in today's fast-paced culture... "

finish the extensive story at Mother Earth News - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Greenmap.org
See Get Off The Couch

Manistee County Audubon Society Spring Programs

WED., FEB. 13, 7pm – MICHIGAN SALAMANDERS:
Declines in frog populations, in Michigan and worldwide, is well-documented. Salamanders, which utilize similar habitats and resources, are believed to be experiencing similar declines. However, due to their secretive nature, these amphibians are much more difficult to observe, and many people know little about them. A powerpoint presentation and live specimens are used to help participants become more familiar with the ten species found in Michigan, including their life cycles, behavior, ecology and struggles for survival. This program will be presented by Wildly popular naturalist Jim McGrath. “This is an educational program for the whole family” but children must be accompanied by an adult.”

WED. MARCH 12, 7pm – MANISTEE WATERSHED:
Mark Johnson, a biologist with the Conservation Resource Alliance in Traverse City, will be presenting a powerpoint presentation on what the CRS is doing to protect & conserve the Manistee river system. He will be concentrating on many of our local rivers that we all care for & enjoy.

SAT. MARCH 15, TIME ? – OWL HIKE:
Join avid birder, Dr. Brian Allen, he will lead a hike through the dark in search of native owls. He will use recordings to bring the owls in. We will meet at the Allen’s house 5539 Bar Lake Rd., Manistee. Call for info.

WED. APRIL 9, 7pm – ADVENTURES IN CHILE:
Ramona Venegas, United States Forest Service Outdoor Recreation Planner will take us along with her on her adventures through the beautiful land of Chile. She will take us a little north & south of Chile & through a powerpoint slide presentation will show us the wildlife, bird & places she saw.

SAT. APRIL 19, 8am – ARCADIA MARCH FIELD TRIP:
Meet at the Arcadia Marsh causeway, bring binoculars and be ready to discovery the diversity of the Arcadia area. Call Tim or Brian for details

WED. MAY 14, 7pm, MICHIGAN’S NATURAL BEAUTY:
Stacy Niedzwiecki – owner of “Creative Solutions” is a scenic outdoor photographer. She will present a multi-media slide show presentation set to music. Her slide show will feature lower Western Michigan, the Sleeping Bear area & the many beautiful birds, animal & flowers of the region. She will allow plenty of time for questions & answers & will also bring along prints & greetings cards to sell.

SAT. MAY 10 - SPRING BIRD COUNT:
Free up your Sat., grab your binoculars & join in with other birders. You have the opportunity to survey & enjoy the birds in our area. To participate in this state wide count, contact Tim or Brian.

from "THE LAKE MICHIGAN FLYWAY", the Newsletter of the Manistee County Audubon Society, Jan 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

From Premature Death to a Permanent Legacy

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its charm if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

Jeff Lamont (right), before his death, is shown with his older brother, Mike. photo- Leelanau Enterprise

"A young man’s death to cancer was used as inspiration to create a permanent legacy for his life through the preservation of 40 acres near Christmas Cove and its deliverance to the Leelanau Conservancy.

Jeff Lamont’s nearly 6-year battle with cancer was drawing to a conclusion late last summer when the Conservancy received a call from his mother, Bridget Lamont. One of her son’s dying wishes was to make a contribution to the Conservancy’s Leelanau Preservers program. Jeff held on for three more weeks of life ... "

finish the story at the Leelanau Enterprise - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Quiet Water Symposium - March 1 at MSU

canoeists on the Huron River

The 13th Annual Quiet Water Symposium is scheduled as a part of the Agriculture and Natrual Resources Week at Michigan State University.

The symposium is an annual event where those who share a love of outdoor, non-motorized recreation come together to share experiences and adventures in the great outdoors. Equipment, water resources, and opportunities to participate in activities are also major thems of the event.

Participate on Saturday March 1, 2008 in Lansing at the Pavilion for Livestock and Agriculture Education (Farm Lane, south of Mt Hope - on the campus of MSU). The doors open at 9:00 AM and close at 6:00 PM. Admission is $8.00 for adults, under 12 are free.

Activities including canoeing, kayaking, biking, diving, sailing and fishing. Beautiful hand-built canoes, kayaks, rowing craft, outdoor gear, antique and restored classic canoes, traditional snowshoes, and bicycles will be on display. There are children's activities, demonstrations of re-canvassing canoes, outdoor cookery, fly tying and more.

If you're looking for a fun way to ponder warmer days in the outdoors, this would be an event worth visiting.

from Quiet Waters Symposium
Also see Agriculture And Natural Resources Week - Not Just for Farmers
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Grand Haven Pettys Bayou Bridge - 4 Month Closure

Pettys Bayou Bridge Grand Haven Tribune

The heavily traveled multi-use trail along Fruitport Road, and vehicular traffic will have to take a 4-mile detour until June 2008.

The Ottawa County Road Commission started reconstruction of the Fruitport Road Bridge over Pettys Bayou on February 7, with a completion target of June 27. The bridge was originally built in 1948.

Both lanes of the bridge will be closed during all phases of construction. The weather will determine how quickly work can progress, but the plan is for agressive construction, with hopes of completing early.

Construction isn't expected to interfere with boat traffic very much, except when beams are being lifted into place.

The new bridge will include an 8-foot-wide bike/pedestrian lane on the west side.

Anlaan Corporation President, Ryan O'Donnell, said, "We'll go at it as hard as we can and just try to give this community a nice-looking quality project on time."

from Grand Haven Tribune, "Pettys Bayou bridge to close for 4 months", Jan 31, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Walk For Warmth, Feb 23, in Four Local Counties

photo: Northwest Michigan Human Services Agency

Communities can rally to raise funds to help low-income families and seniors with heating costs with the Walk For Warmth.

There are many low-income people, maybe your neighbor or a family member, at risk of having their heat shut-off during these harsh winter months. We have all seen the increase on our personal home heating invoices. Families, many with young children, will have to make a tough choice between heating their home or paying other necessary bills, such as rent or even food costs. FiveCAP provides assistance to qualifying low-income households with funds raised by this annual "Walk for Warmth" fundraiser.

Walks will be held on Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. throughout FiveCAP's service area of Mason, Lake, Manistee, and Newaygo counties.

Pick up a pledge form at any FiveCAP office locations: Scottville, Baldwin, White Cloud, and Manistee.

A "Warm Heart Award" is given to participating organizations in each county who raise the most group donations. This traveling award trophy remains in their possession till the next annual event. Thank you for your support and participation.

Direct monetary donations are accepted year round. Contact your County FiveCAP Office of the FiveCAP Main Office at (231) 757-3785 for more information.

The state-wide Walk for Warmth fundraiser began with just one warm hearted man in 1986. It was a very cold winter that year, and Tim Kurtz was the Outreach Director of a Community Action Agency in Michigan. Tim began to feel the desperation of families when they would weep in his office because there was no help to keep their homes warm.

Tim decided to walk in his home-town streets for 24 hours in the frrrridgid February weather to understand what these families go through. What is it like to have no heat; to feel cold for 24 hours each day, he wondered? His walk made the community aware that there are many local people who need help with heating emergencies.

Since Tim's walk, warm hearted volunteers across Michigan have gathered each year to walk together and help their less fortunate neighbors with heating related emergencies during Michigan's sometimes brutal winters.

Here's how to raise $100 in one week!
Day 1: Sponsor yourself for $25
Day 2: Ask two family members to contribute $10
Day 3: Ask five friends to sponsor you for $5 each
Day 4: Ask five co-workers to contribute $5 each
Day 5: Ask one neighbor to sponsor you for $5

from FiveCap
See Northwest Michigan Human Services Agency
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

The Notion of Walkability

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its value if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Alan B. Ehrenhalt

"Where should we start?

How about in lower Manhattan, around Wall Street and the territory near Ground Zero, on an ordinary Saturday morning. It's not the number of people on the sidewalk that's striking; this part of New York is bound to attract tourists. It's the number of children's strollers. The lower Manhattan streets are dense on weekends with families out for a walk, going to the park, going to the grocery store.

In the Dallas area, one of the most interesting new residential projects is Legacy Town Center, an urbanist experiment whose promoters tell prospective residents that 'the beat of the city surrounds you. You're in the know, everything is close at hand. You can walk, skate, or bike and find everything you need.' An interesting thing about Legacy Center is that it's not in the city at all. It's in the suburb of Plano, 15 miles from downtown. The management has sold buyers on the notion of walkability in a place where hardly anyone has walked anywhere by choice for the past two decades...

The problem for walkable urbanism in the next few years, Leinberger says, won't be an absence of demand. It will be a shortage of supply.'The demand is so great,' he insists, 'that we are going to have a difficult time keeping up with it.'..."

finish the story at the Courant.com - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Grab Shovel, Get Set, Go!

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its charm if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Bill Petzold

"Why isn't competitive snow shoveling a sport?

I know it's more of an activity (and great exercise, too), but I don't see why it can't become winter's newest sport of necessity.

If Curling is a sport, why not competitive snow shoveling? How practical is curling? ''Excuse me guys, I need to clear off a foot-wide swath of this ice so this rock can get through.'' Impractical.

In fact, the only winter sport I can think of that even comes close to competitive snow shoveling for practicality is the biathlon. ... "

finish the story at the MLive.com - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Sleeping Bear Wakes Up to Increased Funding

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore budget was facing serious shortfalls, but the final 2008 federal budget has increased funding for National Parks by nearly 14 percent.

Assistant superintendent at Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore, Tom Ulrich, said that the funding will increase from $3.6 million to $4.1 million in fiscal 2008, which actually began in October 2007. Since 2002 the budget had increased by only 5%, leaving the park searching for funds to continue operations. Grants have kept programs going and the buildings clean, but base funding was becoming a serious problem.

The increased funding is part of a National Centennial Initiative in anticipation of the National Park Service’s 100th birthday.

The new funds at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will be disbursed:

• $244,000 for personnel, including deputized park rangers, and biology technicians who will help control invasive species and protect the piping plover.
• $176,000 for ten seasonal positions in a wide range of fields.
• A new Volunteer in the Parks (VIP) coordinator will be hired. 30,000 volunteer hours were recorded in 2007. "That's a substantial amount compared to other parks," said Ulrich.
• Several parking lots will be repaved, roofs replaced, and the clearing of brush in several areas will be ongoing projects.

from Leelanau Enterprise, "Lakeshore official hails big increase in budget", Feb 9, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Charge It!

Hybrid power from your knees. Power up while braking. Sounds like sci-fi? Nope, it's real.

A small device that straps to the knee harnesses the energy when your knee reaches it's extension in a step and comes back toward the ground. That spins the gears inside the small generator.

The generator adds little effort when it is charged in this "braking phase" of a person's step cycle. More power is generated if it is set to spin the gears throughout the stride, but more effort is required, decreasing the overall efficiency.

This method of generating electricity is much more efficient than hand-cranked generators that are sometimes used on flashlights or radios. Getting the weight of the device itself down is now on the researchers agenda. But it already provides enough power to operate as much as ten cell phones.

Applications for the military, and for hikers, or emergency rescue units come to mind instantly.

This technology does not produce as much power as the backpack generators which have also been recently improved, but its light weight and small size, in an out of the way location, make it an appealing technology.

from New Scientist, "Knee device makes phone charging a walk in the park", Feb 7, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Mason County Relay for Life - June 21, 22

Each year, across the nation, one event brings together entire communities to take part in the fight against cancer. That event is the American Cancer Society Relay For Life®. It's a time and place where people come to celebrate those who have survived cancer, remember those we've lost, and fight back against a disease that touches too many lives.

Won't you join us this year and be a part of Relay?

It's not just an opportunity to celebrate, remember, and fight back your involvement will help the American Cancer Society work toward a mission of eliminating cancer as major health issue and will support much-needed services in your community. Thanks in part to the donations from Relay For Life and other events, the Society is saving lives, helping those touched by cancer, and empowering people to fight this disease all over the world.

If you want to be a part of the fight against cancer, Sign up today for the Relay For Life of Mason County.

Our event will take place on June 21 & 22 at Oriole Field. If you're interested in learning more or have questions, please email us at jonathan.schreur@cancer.org or call 616.396.5576.

Thanks for being a part of Relay For Life!

from The American Cancer Society
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

What Helps / Hinders the DNR

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its value if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Howard Meyerson

"There is a move afoot within the DNR to get more volunteers involved with state game areas. And, perhaps I should say, there are volunteers who are pushing to have it become easier to donate their time.

That meeting of the minds should prove a good thing for Michigan. We live in a cash-strapped state where state land managers are making due with far fewer paid hands than a decade ago. Tapping a motivated volunteer force makes good economic sense provided it can be done productively.

To date, the use of volunteers is a hit-and-miss proposition... "

finish the story at the Grand Rapids Press - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Mason County "Girls on the Run"

Volunteers Needed for Girls on the Run® Program

Girls on the Run is an experiential learning program for pre-adolescent girls that combines training for a 5K run/walk event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting warm-ups and workouts that encourage positive, healthy growth and development. The program was developed seven years ago by social worker Molly Barker, a counselor and accomplished athlete, to help prevent emotional difficulties and substance abuse problems that often appear in adolescent girls.

Girls on the Run will be offered to 3rd, 4th and 5th grade girls in Mason County, as a 7-9 week session beginning in April. The participants will meet twice a week for 90 minutes with a flexible schedule being created by each individual coach.

Please attend the community forum on February 12th, 2008 at Ludington’s City Hall at 7pm in the community room. This forum will allow for information and answers to questions regarding the program. A sign up sheet is also be available for those who are interested in coaching a team.

Those who are unable to attend the forum and are interested in volunteering or would like more information about the program please call Jamie Healy at the City of Scottville. (231) 757-4729

a news release of the City of Scottville, Feb 5, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

"More Kids in the Woods" Says Forest Service

kids enjoy learning about native toads

The Forest Service is kicking off a national "Get Outdoors" campaign, to encourage children and their parents to take advantage of recreational opportunities on national forests to develop a healthier lifestyle and learn about conserving natural resources.

"We want every child in America to have the opportunity to experience the great outdoors, whether it is in a remote mountain wilderness or a city park," said Forest Service Chief Abigail Kimbell. "We are already working with partners around the country with some great successes and look forward to more."

The campaign will be announced at a press conference at the Outdoor Recreation Village, during Super Bowl XLII festivities in Glendale, Ariz. The event will be attended by USDA Natural Resources and Environment Under Secretary Mark Rey. At the Outdoor Recreation Village, the Forest Service and the American Recreation Coalition will announce details of the campaign including a June 14 National "Get Outdoors Day" and the Forest Service will also announce funding for this year's "More Kids in the Woods," a program that engages children in recreation and experiential learning.

In 2007, the Forest Service provided a half-million dollars challenge cost-share which when combined with its partners' funding provided 1.5 million dollars to the "More Kids in the Woods" program. Partners include other federal agencies, non-profit educational and recreational institutions, schools, colleges, museums, and communities. More than 23,000 children have benefited by this campaign, allowing them to get close to nature, some for the first time. The Forest Service will do even more in 2008 with another half-million dollars to be matched with partners again.

The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land and is the largest forestry research organization in the world.

a news release of the US Forest Service, Feb 1, 2008
See a list of 2007 "More Kids in the Woods" projects
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Will Future Generations Embrace Conservation?

From backyard gardening to mountain climbing, outdoor activities are on the wane as people around the world spend more leisure time online or in front of the tube, according to findings published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"There's a real and fundamental shift away from nature -- certainly here [in the United States] and possibly in other countries," said Oliver Pergams, visiting research assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Pergams and Patricia Zaradic, a fellow with the Environmental Leadership Program, Delaware Valley in Bryn Mawr, Pa., had previously reported a steady decline in per capita visits to U.S. national parks since the late 1980s -- which correlated very strongly with a rise in playing video games, surfing the Internet and watching movies. The researchers call this recent shift to sedentary, electronic diversions "videophilia." And they don't see it as healthy progress.

"The replacement of vigorous outdoor activities by sedentary, indoor videophilia has far-reaching consequences for physical and mental health, especially in children," Pergams said. "Videophilia has been shown to be a cause of obesity, lack of socialization, attention disorders and poor academic performance."

In the new study, Pergams and Zaradic sought to gather and analyze longitudinal survey data on various nature activities from the past 70 years -- including the 20 years since U.S. national park visits began their ongoing decline.

"We felt that national park visits in the U.S. were a pretty good proxy for how much people were involved in nature," said Pergams. "But we wanted to see if people were going less to other nature-related venues or participating less in nature recreation activities, both here and in other countries."

The biologists examined figures on backpacking, fishing, hiking, hunting, visits to national and state parks and forests. They found comparable reliable statistics from Japan and, to a lesser extent, Spain.

They found that during the decade from 1981 to 1991, per-capita nature recreation declined at rates from 1 percent to 1.3 percent per year, depending on the activity studied. The typical drop in nature use since then has been 18-25 percent.

As biologists, the researchers are also concerned about the ecological implications.

"We don't see how this can be good for conservation," Pergams said. "We don't see how future generations, with less exploration of nature, will be as interested in conservation as past generations."

a news release of the Universe of Illinois at Chicago, "Communing with nature less and less", Feb 4, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Veden to Speak at Michigan City

Veden's Book

Michigan City Public Library at Fourth and Franklin Streets offers programs on a variety of topics.

Sunday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m., the local Author Barry Veden will speak. He is the author of "Coming of Age on the Appalachian Trail."

Veden has written a heartwarming memoir of how hiking changed his life. "Coming of Age on the Appalachian Trail" suggests that any adversity can be overcome with the right attitude and with the help of God. He will talk about his book, his experiences and for those who are interested in hiking, he'll provide tips about equipment and show off his gear.

from Michigan City News-Dispatch, "Michigan City Public Library"
See New Book: Coming of Age on the Appalachian Trail
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Vacations Blend Public Service, Hiking

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its value if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Howard Meyerson

An American Hiking Society volunteer enjoys the views on the Damfino Lakes trail in Washington

"Ted Siereveld was 61 years old when he signed up with the American Hiking Society for his first volunteer vacation, a week spent doing trail maintenance on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont.

The retired tool and die supervisor from Grand Rapids simply loved it. So much so that he has signed up for one or more trips almost every year since.

This summer he returns to Arkansas's Buffalo National River which was dedicated by Congress in 1972. It will be his seventh year... "

finish the story at the Grand Rapids Press - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

How the Michigan DNR Found that $10 Million

Michigan DNR Director, Rebecca Humphries, took time to explain to the Outdoor Writers Association how the agency suddenly found $10 million at the end of 2007.

The Fish and Game Fund is maintained to provide revenues for the operation of the DNR's Fish, Wildlife, and Law Enforcement programs. It was established in 1986. The balance the DNR tries to keep in the fund is $10 million.

But midyear 2007 the projection was that the fund would finish the year with only about $4 million. (The DNR web site projects that the fund will be $45 million dollars in the hole in 2011.)

At about the same time the DNR enacted a hiring freeze, and purchasing freeze. By October, with these temporary cost savings the fund was looking better-- projected to be at $7.8 million by the end of the year.

Then came hunting season, and hunting was up. So more revenue came in from license sales.

And finally, when investments were tallied at the end of the year, these had done very well.

Humphries concluded that the DNR was in the black for 2007 and should be for 2008. But she noted that the DNR is still in search of a long-term funding solution.

read more in the Ludington Daily News, "DNR seeking funding", by Brian Mulherin, Feb 4, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Michigan Waterfront Project Grants

The Department of Environmental Quality announced today that approximately $750,000 in Waterfront Redevelopment Grant funds is now available for projects across the state. The DEQ is requesting proposals for projects that revitalize waterfronts, create economic benefit for communities, and provide waterfront access for the public.

"The DEQ is committed to partnering with local communities to revitalize their waterfronts and create a destination for families to enjoy Michigan's natural resources," said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. "This program has provided a tremendous investment for Michigan, and while its funds are nearly exhausted, we will remain a partner in ensuring these projects are a success."

The Clean Michigan Initiative Waterfront Redevelopment Grant Program has funded 62 grant projects in 47 communities, totaling almost $50 million. A number of these projects were completed under budget and have returned unexpended funds to the Waterfront Redevelopment Grant fund which is now available for new projects. Waterfront Redevelopment Grant funding can be used for any of four eligible activities: Environmental response activities, property acquisition, infrastructure, and public facility improvements and demolition. The project can be part of a larger development or a stand-alone project. The proposal must include a minimum of 25 percent local match.

Proposals will be accepted until March 26, 2008. Applicants must also submit a Waterfront Redevelopment Plan along with the application. The full text of the Request for Proposals, as well as the application and instructions, can be found on the DEQ Web site at: www.michigan.gov/deqbrownfields, then click on "Brownfield Grants and Loans." Application materials and program information may also be requested from Nancy Steffen at (517) 373-9540.

Grant awards are contingent upon availability of funds and the terms and conditions of the Brownfield Redevelopment Grant Program.

a news release of the Michigan DEQ, Feb 4, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

State Park and Harbor Reservation Service to be Unavailable Feb 16-17

The reservation service call center and internet site for Michigan state parks, recreation areas and harbors will be closed for routine maintenance procedures on Feb. 16 and 17, Department of Natural Resources officials announced today.

"We wanted users of the reservation service to be aware of this temporary closure so they would not be inconvenienced," said Harold Herta, Parks and Recreation resource management section chief. "The reservation system will resume operations at 8 a.m. on Feb. 18 with all available inventories."

When service resumes on Feb. 18, reservations can be made by contacting the call center at 1-800-44PARKS, or on-line at www.midnrreservations.com.

a news release of the State of Michigan, Feb 4, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Yankee Springs Hike Open to All

Chief Noonday Hikers

Join us (that's the Chief Noonday Chapter of the North Country Trail Association) for our February hike - on the Long Lake and the Sassafras Trails in the Yankee Springs Recreation Area this coming Saturday, February 9. It'll be our Chief Noonday Winter Hike III.

For those who like to hike on a full stomach, we'll enjoy a hearty breakfast at the Hastings Big Boy at 8:00 AM.

Then we'll convoy to the Long Lake Trailhead on Briggs Rd. at 9:30 AM. Roadside parking. We'll spot vehicles at the Chief Noonday trail and hike back on the Chief Noonday and Long Lake Trails to the cars. For those who are up to it, an additional hike is available on Sassafras Trail across the road.

Note that the Google Map shows the wrong road name at the location of the Long Lake trailhead -- it is Briggs Rd, not "Gun Lake Rd," which comes from the east and becomes Briggs Rd at Gun Lake.)

All the details and links to maps for directions are posted on our Events Calendar. Any last minute changes will be posted there too.

Long range forecast calls for a typical Michigan February day - cloudy with temps in the upper 20's, about a 30% chance of precip. Since they're talking the possibility of rain on Monday and Tuesday with temps hovering at or above freezing, the snow probably won't be deep.

Hope to see you there.

by Mick Hawkins
Chief Noonday Chapter NCTA
See DNR Map of Yankee Springs (a pdf)
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Norton Shores Teen Dies in UP Skiing Accident

An 18-year-old Michigan Tech student died Friday in a skiing accident at Mount Ripley in the Upper Peninsula.

Robert W. Smith, of Norton Shores, was skiing at Mont Ripley, Michigan Tech University's ski area. He apparently lost control and hit a tree. Smith was transported to Portage Health System in Houghton, where he was pronounced dead.

Smith was a mechanical engineering major, an experienced skier and a member of the University's ski team club.

The University President, Glenn Mroz expressed his sympathy and announced that grief counseling will be provided.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

from WOOD TV, "Norton Shores college student dies in skiing accident", Feb 3, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Skiing

Hot Liquids Release Endocrine Disruptors from Nalgene

Scott Belcher, Ph.D, of the University of Cincinnati, tested these polycarbonate bottles for Bisphenol A.

When it comes to Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure from polycarbonate plastic bottles, it's not whether the container is new or old but the liquid's temperature that has the most impact on how much BPA is released, according to University of Cincinnati (UC) scientists.

Scott Belcher, PhD, and his team found when the same new and used polycarbonate drinking bottles were exposed to boiling hot water, BPA, an environmental estrogen, was released 55 times more rapidly than before exposure to hot water.

"Previous studies have shown that if you repeatedly scrub, dish-wash and boil polycarbonate baby bottles, they release BPA. That tells us that BPA can migrate from various polycarbonate plastics," explains Belcher, UC associate professor of pharmacology and cell biophysics and corresponding study author. "But we wanted to know if 'normal' use caused increased release from something that we all use, and to identify what was the most important factor that impacts release."

"Inspired by questions from the climbing community, we went directly to tests based on how consumers use these plastic water bottles and showed that the only big difference in exposure levels revolved around liquid temperature: Bottles used for up to nine years released the same amount of BPA as new bottles."

The UC team reports its findings in the Jan. 30, 2008 issue of the journal Toxicology Letters.

BPA is one of many man-made chemicals classified as endocrine disruptors, which alter the function of the endocrine system by mimicking the role of the body's natural hormones. Hormones are secreted through endocrine glands and serve different functions throughout the body.

The chemical—which is widely used in products such as reusable water bottles, food can linings, water pipes and dental sealants—has been shown to affect reproduction and brain development in animal studies.

"There is a large body of scientific evidence demonstrating the harmful effects of very small amounts of BPA in laboratory and animal studies, but little clinical evidence related to humans," explains Belcher. "There is a very strong suspicion in the scientific community, however, that this chemical has harmful effects on humans."

Belcher's team analyzed used polycarbonate water bottles from a local climbing gym and purchased new bottles of the same brand from an outdoor retail supplier.

All bottles were subjected to seven days of testing designed to simulate normal usage during backpacking, mountaineering and other outdoor adventure activities.

The UC researchers found that the amount of BPA released from new and used polycarbonate drinking bottles was the same—both in quantity and speed of release—into cool or temperate water.

However, drastically higher levels of BPA were released once the bottles were briefly exposed to boiling water.

"Compared to the rate of release from the same bottle, the speed of release was 15 to 55 times faster," explains Belcher.

Prior to boiling water exposure, the rate of release from individual bottles ranged from 0.2 to 0.8 nanograms per hour. After exposure, rates increased to 8 to 32 nanograms per hour.

Belcher stresses that it is still unclear what level of BPA is harmful to humans. He urges consumers to think about how cumulative environmental exposures might harm their health.

"BPA is just one of many estrogen-like chemicals people are exposed to, and scientists are still trying to figure out how these endocrine disruptors—including natural phyto-estrogens from soy which are often considered healthy—collectively impact human health," he says. "But a growing body of scientific evidence suggests it might be at the cost of your health."

a news release of the University of Cincinatti, "Hot liquids release potentially harmful chemicals in polycarbonate plastic bottles", Jan 30, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Get Oriented - Even Toddlers Can

Have you ever left the beaten path and temporarily lost track of where you are? Then you come over the hill or around a bend, spot a landmark and suddenly you have your bearings again?

New research from the University of Bristol shows for the first time that global positioning systems technology (GPS) can be used to show how children as young as three find their way around. GPS, the technology used in sat-navs, is a navigation system based on satellites that allows a user with a receiver to determine precise coordinates for their location on the earth's surface.

Using things around us to regain our bearings is known as reorientation and the process has been widely studied in non-human animal species. More recent research, looking at the development of this ability in children, suggests that we do not accurately use landmarks to orient ourselves until about the age of six. However, all studies to date have taken place in artificial laboratory environments rather than the real world.

Now Dr Alastair Smith from the Department of Experimental Psychology and colleagues from his department and the Department of Computer Science have tested the ability of children aged between three and seven to orient themselves in the great outdoors. The results suggest that children as young as three use outdoor landmarks, like trees and buildings, to find their way around.

The tests took place in open parkland [Durdham Downs in Bristol] where the children had to remember where an object had been hidden. The children observed a sticker being placed beneath one of four buckets which were arranged in a square. In some trials the buckets were the same colour, in others they were different. After the sticker had been hidden the children were disorientated by being blindfolded and turned around until they no longer knew which way they were facing. The blindfold was then removed and the children went to the bucket where they thought the sticker was hidden. The experiment shows that the children could only have picked the correct bucket if they had used environmental landmarks. Performance was measured by attaching GPS receivers to the children, which allowed researchers to accurately track their movements.

All age groups performed better than they would have done if they had simply searched at random, which shows that they all used natural landmarks to guide their search. Accuracy was closely related to the nature of the search space. In particular, the bigger the test area, the more likely the children were to reorient themselves using natural landmarks. Performance was also improved when the buckets were different colours, although this was also affected by the size of the test area. These results suggest that even children as young as three use outdoor landmarks to find their way around. The scale of the environment, and the size and position of landmarks within it, also affects children’s sensitivity and preference for certain spatial cues over others.

Speaking about the findings, Dr Smith said:

"This study demonstrates the importance of testing cognitive abilities in a variety of environments, rather than confining studies to the psychological laboratory. Here we see that young children have a better ability to orient themselves than we have previously thought. Using GPS to study these abilities is a novel approach and shows that there’s more to sat-nav than helping you find the right exit off the motorway. It could be a powerful tool in exploring how we all interact with the world around us."

a news release of the University of Bristol, "Where in the World", Jan 30, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Birds ID Latitude and Longitude

Eurasian reed warblers captured during their spring migrations and released after being flown 1,000 kilometers to the east can correct their travel routes and head for their original destinations, researchers report online on January 31st in Current Biology, a publication of Cell Press.

The new evidence suggests that the birds have true navigation, meaning that they can identify at least two coordinates that roughly correspond to geographic latitude and longitude.

The findings challenge the notion held by some that birds might be limited to navigation in the north-south direction. But scientists still don't know how they do it.

"We have experimentally shown beyond reasonable doubt that long-distance, intercontinental avian migrants can correct for east-west displacements during their return migration in spring," said Nikita Chernetsov of the Biological Station Rybachy at the Zoological Institute in Russia. "This means that they can determine geographic longitude, even though we do not currently know how they do it."

Latitude, which defines the location north or south, may be relatively easily defined from the position of the sun at midday or through the use of geomagnetic information, Chernetsov explained. Experimental studies by others have strongly suggested that geomagnetic cues are indeed used by avian migrants for this purpose, he said, although other cues might also be important.

Longitude is trickier. Migrants could perhaps deduce their longitudinal location from the rotational phase of the starry sky, but experimental data do not support that idea, he said. Migrating birds might use a dual time-sense, relying on two internal clocks, one set to their "home time" and the other to their wintering grounds. They might also rely on geomagnetic information, but in some parts of the world that doesn't vary with longitude, Chernetsov said.

Many previous experiments performed with young birds on their first autumn migration have suggested that the young birds rely on a very simple navigation strategy, yet few experiments had been performed on more experienced birds during the return migration in spring.

"Consequently," the researchers wrote, "our knowledge about the spatiotemporal navigation strategies of experienced migrants in spring is very sparse and rather speculative. Do birds on return migration in spring perform true navigation towards a specific goal area?"

The answer, for the reed warblers at least, is yes. After the researchers dropped the migrants off many kilometers to the east, the birds corrected for their displacement by shifting their orientation from the northeast at the capture site to the northwest, the researchers reported. That new direction would lead the birds to their expected breeding areas.

"Our results suggest that Eurasian reed warblers are able to determine longitude and perform bicoordinate navigation," the researchers concluded. "This finding is surprising and presents a new intellectual challenge to bird migration researchers, namely which cues enable birds to determine their east-west position?"

a news release of Cell Press, "Migrating birds detect latitude and longitude, but how remains a mystery", Jan 31, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Wildlife Watching

West Michigan Land Conservancy Aids in Protecting Pere Marquette Acres

Pere Marquette easements thumbnail- see www.naturenearby.org for full scale map

Five new parcels of land in the Pere Marquette watershed have been recently protected with conservation easements. Such easements allow a property owner to prohibit development in perpetuity.

The Land Conservancy of West Michigan states in their Winter Newsletter, "Beloved by anglers and other river enthusiasts alike, the PM, as locals refer to it, is the longest un-dammed river in Michigan and known to be one of the finest trout streams in America. With all of its outstanding scenic, recreational, and wildlife habitat attributes, it's no wonder that the PM was the first river in the state to be listed as a National Wild and Scenic River."

The recent additions to protected land are:

• 150 acres in Sweetwater Township near Tank Creek. Bigford family.
• 22 acres in Pleasant Plains Township near Baldwin, by Rich Rasmussen. placed 22 acres near Baldwin under an easement.
• 150 acres containing the 60-acre Cashion Lake in Webber Township, by the Bunch, Duffing, Anderson and Hendrickson families.
• Two other properties — 155 acres in Newaygo County’s Home Township and 14 acres in Lake County’s Lake Township — were also protected in 2007.

For more detail, follow the links below.

from the Ludington Daily News, "Land in P.M. watershed protected", Feb 1, 2008
See Land Conservancy of West Michigan
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

'Backpacking' Book Loaded with Maps, Photos

The following is an excerpt from a story which we believe is worthy of reading, but would lose too much of its value if it were re-written for presentation on this blog. Please link through for the rest of the story, but hurry back! ... Editor

by Howard Meyerson

"There are all types of books about trails in Michigan, but if you are looking for a book about where to go backpacking, go no further than "Backpacking in Michigan" by Jim DuFresne.

Spring may be six weeks away, but it's not too early to start planning, particularly if you have aspirations to walk some of the longer or more challenging trails in the state.

DuFresne's new book will be of service to both novice and experienced backpackers. It is a practical and useful resource ... "

finish the story at the Grand Rapids Press - see FAIR USE notice.
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

Great Backyard Bird Count Connects People With Nature

Join the Fun February 15-18
Count for Fun, Count for the Future

photo by Jason McClellan

"In today's busy and exhausting lifestyle, everyone should sit still and observe birds," said a volunteer bird counter from Massachusetts.

Both novice and accomplished bird watchers are invited to become Citizen Scientists during the 11th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), led by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. During "Presidents' Day" weekend, February 15–18, participants will count the birds they see at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges, and enter their results at www.birdcount.org.

"Each tally helps us learn more about how our North American birds are doing and what that says about the health and the future of our environment," said Tom Bancroft, Chief Science Officer for Audubon. "These volunteers are counting not only for fun but for the future."

Great Backyard Bird Count is not only great for birds, it's fun and easy for the whole family. Observers simply count the highest number of each species they see during at least 15 minutes on one or more of the count days, and submit each count online. Complete instructions, checklists and helpful hints for identifying birds can be found at www.birdcount.org. During the count, the website will provide a real-time picture of results, enabling participants to compare their tallies with others as checklists pour in from throughout the U.S. and Canada.

"Literally, there has never been a more detailed snapshot of a continental bird-distribution profile in history," said John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "Imagine scientists 250 years from now being able to compare these data with their own!" This year, fledgling filmmakers will also be able to upload video of their backyard birds on YouTube and tag it "Great Backyard Bird Count. The best clips will be posted on the birdcount.org website Still photographers can get in on the fun by submitting their digital images for the online photo gallery and contest.

"People who take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count see the results of their efforts in the news and in bird conservation work taking place across the country," said Audubon Education VP, Judy Braus. "Whether the counts occur at home, at schools or nature centers, they're more than engaging and educational science activities for young people and adults, they're a way to contribute to the conservation of birds and habitat nationwide."

In 2007, Great Backyard Bird Count participants made history, breaking records for both the number of birds reported, and the number of checklists. Participants sent in 81,203 checklists tallying 11,082,387 birds of 613 species. With the growth of bird watching described by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Survey, Audubon and Cornell are hoping that this year's event may attract even more birders. Last year, over 70 million Americans participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity, including observing, feeding, or photographing birds.

a news release of National Audubon, Jan 24, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Wildlife Watching
See Get Off The Couch

New Baitfish Rules to Guard Against VHS

The Department of Natural Resources wants to remind anglers that regulations are in place to protect Michigan's waters from the spread of a fish virus known as Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHSv). These regulations place restrictions on the use of certain species of fish or baitfish for fishing. The official list of fish species affected by these regulations is available on the DNR's Web site www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing - see Prohibited Species List). The list is updated as necessary when new fish species are found to have a susceptibility to VHSv. Therefore, anglers are encouraged to check the web site on a regular basis.

In addition, the DNR reminds anglers that the regulations vary based upon designated management areas, which have been identified to help in controlling the spread of VHSv throughout Michigan's waters. There are three basic management areas, which include the VHSv Free Management Area, the VHSv Surveillance Management Area, and the VHSv Positive Management Area. The official list of waters associated with each type of management area may also be found on the DNR's Web site listed above. As new occurrences of VHSv are identified, the waters included in each type of Management Area type will be modified accordingly. Again, anglers are encouraged to check the web site on a regular basis.

For those fish species that are on the Prohibited Species List, baitfish or roe that are purchased and have been certified to be disease-free may be used for fishing in any waters of the State. For those fish species that are on the Prohibited Species List, baitfish or roe that have been collected either by anglers for personal use or wholesalers for retail purposes from waters in the VHSv Free Management Area may also be used for fishing in any waters of the State. The VHSv Free Management Area includes Lake Superior and all inland waters within the Lake Superior watershed.

There are specific restrictions, however, on where baitfish or roe on the Prohibited Species List that have not been certified, whether purchased or collected by anglers from public waters for personal use, may be used for fishing. These restrictions depend on the location and disease-status of the water body from which the baitfish or roe were collected. If the baitfish or roe were collected in a water body within the VHSv Positive Management Area, they can only be used in waters within the VHSv Positive Management Area. The VHSv Positive Management Area includes those waters of the Great Lakes from Lake Huron to Lake Erie, the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, and the Detroit River, as well as all tributary streams up to the first barrier that blocks the movement of Great Lakes fish into inland waters. If baitfish or roe were collected in a water body within the VHSv Surveillance Management Area, they can be used in waters within either the VHSv Surveillance or Positive Management areas. The VHSv Surveillance Management Area includes all waters in the Lake Huron, St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, Detroit River, and Lake Erie watersheds above the first barrier that blocks the movement of Great Lakes fish into inland waters, as well as the St. Marys River and the waters of Lake Michigan up to the first barrier that blocks the movement of Great Lakes fish into inland waters.

"An easy way to determine the management area classification of a particular water body is to determine if Great Lakes fish such as Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, walleyes or suckers can get to that water body. If so, then that location has the same classification as the Great Lake water into which it flows." said Gary Whelan, DNR fish production manager.

If anglers purchase bait from a retail shop, they will need to carry receipts for any species of baitfish or roe that is found on the Prohibited Species list. Some of the key baitfish species that anglers will need to have receipts for include: emerald shiners, spottail shiners, and white suckers, as well as for roe from Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead.

The receipts should contain the following information: 1) the name of the licensed retail bait dealer and the dealer's license number; 2) the date of sale; 3) the prohibited fish species sold and amount; 4) a transaction number; and 5) whether the bait is certified or not. If the bait is not certified then the VHSv Management Area in which the bait was collected must be indicated so anglers know where they may use it. The information on the receipt is essential to allow DNR staff a chance to trace back any problems, such as a VHSv outbreak.

"Anglers are likely to see a variety of ways the information is provided on or attached to a receipt, since we are trying to be as flexible as possible in working with retailers. As long as the information is made available to the angler, everything will work out just fine," said Whelan. "Anglers may see cash register printouts with all of the information, cash register printouts that have some of the information on an attached sticker (such as an address or photo slide-sized label) or ink stamp, or cash register printouts with some of the information and a second piece of paper attached to the receipt with the rest of the information."

Anglers are reminded that their receipts are valid for one week, after which anglers will need to dispose of their minnows.

There have been some reports of significant price increases attributed solely to the testing requirements for VHSv certification. Anglers should be aware that the costs of the testing range between $300 to approximately $950 for each lot of fish tested. Examples of lots include up to 100,000 white suckers or up to 1 million fish if the tests are being conducted on emerald or spottail shiners. Since the cost per fish for testing is very small, anglers should be wary of large price hikes when purchasing minnows that have been attributed to costs associated with testing.

"It is critical that anglers follow these regulations because we need their help in preventing the movement of fish diseases. Without their help, their fisheries could suffer avoidable losses," said DNR Fisheries Division Chief Kelley Smith.

a news release of the Michigan DNR, Jan 30, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Fishing

DNR Completes Draft of State Forest Management Plan

Department of Natural Resources officials announced today the completion of a revised draft of the Michigan State Forest Management Plan. Revisions to the plan were in response to comments on an initial draft that was presented to the public in August of 2006. The plan is a requirement of forest certification, which the State of Michigan achieved from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in 2006.

The revised plan and DNR responses to public comments on the initial draft plan can be viewed on the DNR Forests, Land & Water web page. The draft plan is a 294 page pdf document, if you choose to open it.

The DNR is seeking public comment on the revised draft management plan at the Feb. 7 meeting of the Natural Resources Commission and via an email based comment system. Comments may be submitted via email at dnr-sfplanning dnr@michigan.gov, prior to or at the NRC meeting. Comments will be accepted until Feb.15, 2008. A final decision for approval of the plan is scheduled for the March 2008 NRC meeting.

"This will be the final opportunity for public comment on this plan during the current planning cycle. We value the public opinion on the content of the plan and it is important that we involve the public in this stage of the planning process. We want to know what the people think of the thoughtful revisions that we have made to the plan and how it can best direct the management of the state forest", said DNR Forest, Mineral and Fire Management Chief Lynne Boyd. "We believe the final version of this plan will address the broad variety of uses of the state forest system, including conservation, recreation and fiber production."

The Michigan State Forest Management Plan is a component of a suite of plans that the DNR is developing for management of the state forest. Other plans include the completion of four Regional State Forest Management Plans around the end of 2008, and four strategic, multi-ownership Ecoregional Resource Plans starting in 2008 for Southern Lower Michigan, and in 2009 for all Northern Michigan regions. The Ecoregional Resource Plans will be developed using public collaborative development processes. More information on these planning processes can be viewed on the DNR Web site listed above.

a news release of the Michigan DNR, Jan 30, 2008
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch

State-Owned Land Consolidation Meeting for Manistee County

The Michigan DNR continually tries to consolidate small parcels of land which it owns that do not connect to other state lands.

Manistee County has nine parcels, totalling only seven acres of land, which they would like to dispose of. The state will choose to keep 24 parcels it owns (353 acres), which are not part of state parks, state forests, or public access sites. Most of the parcels came into state ownership through tax forfeiture.

Only one of these parcels is considered to have a high enough ecological or recreational value to be worth offering to an alternative conservation group.

For anyone who would like to know more about those parcels, a thorough review will be offered from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5 at the Manistee County Road Commission.

A pdf file of the parcel descriptions is provided by the DNR. And a Manistee County Map with the locations shown is also available.

The DNR says its current plan is to retain any land that is near or adjacent to boating access sites.

from the Ludington Daily News, "State seeks to consolidate its Manistee County land", by Brian Mulherin, Jan 31, 2008
See What is the DNR Land Consolidation Strategy
These links are checked on the date of the article. As the article ages, some links may become invalid

Go To www.getoffthecouchnews.blogspot.com for all the news
See Get Off The Couch