60-Mile Marquette Greenway Will Connect New Buffalo to Chicago

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Marquette Greenway map (from Berrien Trails)

from Berrien Trails

Imagine being able to ride your bike safely from Chicago all the way to New Buffalo or to spend a sunny afternoon hiking from Michigan City to New Buffalo and back. Dozens of volunteers have been working on this project for over a decade to make this dream a reality.

The Marquette Greenway is an ambitious project. The goal is to finish a regional, non-motorized greenway which will span about 60 miles in length along the south shore of Lake Michigan from Calumet Park in Chicago to downtown New Buffalo, Michigan. Residents throughout the region have long been hoping for an uninterrupted trail connecting these three states and providing access to a wide variety of destinations along the lakefront.

A ribbon cutting was held on April 25, 2025 for his first section of the trail in Michigan. There are almost 40 miles of trail completed of the 60-mile trail that will connect New Buffalo to East Chicago.

Read the full article at the link above.


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Outdoor Access Draws Employees to West Michigan

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hikers on a trail bridge (photo by jhy)

from an article in Rural Innovation Exchange

Outdoor recreation is more than just fun. The Rural Innovation Exchange says it reflects community values and the lifestyle residents can develop.

Regional leaders say that trails, greenways, and outdoor access are a critical part of West Michigan’s efforts to attract people and employers and ensure long-term vitality. In fact, these three types of perks are often in the top requests from people seeking to relocate to a different area.

Lakeshore Advantage, a Michigan economic development organization seving Ottawa and Allegan Counties, says the emerging workforce (18-34 year olds) consistently places outdoor access in their top three desires for places to move to. Lakeshore Advantage spokeswoman Kelly Wandell says, "the question of “why move here” is becoming more comprehensive."

People want more than a job. They want to find a place to raise a family and create an identity. Lake Michigan is a huge draw, but nearby trails, organized outdoor activities and wilder places are also highly sought after.

Wandel emphasizes connectivity and the expanded opportunities created by trail connections.

See the full article at Trails as talent magnet: Outdoor access is key part of West Michigan’s ‘why here’ conversation


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Little Traverse Wheelway Repair Still Uncertain

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collapsed Little Traverse Wheelway (photo from City of Petoskey Parks and Recreation)

complied from several sources

A portion of the Little Traverse Wheelway collapsed into Little Traverse Bay in 2020. Now, five years later, some serious discussion is finally underway about repairing what has been nicknamed "the Miracle Mile."

The Little Traverse Wheelway is a multi-use pathway that connects Harbor Springs, Michigan with Charlevoix. The damage occurred due to water erosion from high Lake Michigan levels in 2020, and the repair could cost $20 million. Most of that would be the expense of 100,000 tons of stone to stabilize the eroded bank.

In October, 2025, the city of Petoskey held an open house to initiate public input on a possible rebuilding of the trail. Top of Michigan Trails Council Executive Director Brent Bolin reported that the trail has about 116,000 users each year and generates about $10 million in economic activity. So this missing piece is really impacting the area. The collapsed section is between Petoskey and Bay Harbor.

Baird Engineering is preparing a plan, but so far the project is unfunded. Construction could take as much as two years once it is begun.



See an article atUp North Live


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The Lone Star Tick Now in Michigan

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caption (photo by James Gathany, Public Health Image Library, public domain)

compiled from several sources

The Lone Star Tick (also called northeastern water tick). Amblyomma americanum is now confirmed in Michigan. Berrien County in particular has seen a population develop, although it has been seen in most of southern Michigan.

This is significant because it is a regular carrier of Ehrlichiosis and is the primary vector for Alpha-gal Syndrome—a severe, newly recognized condition where the tick's saliva triggers a lifelong, sometimes life-threatening allergic reaction to mammalian meat (beef, pork, lamb). It does not transmit Lyme disease.

The females display the central white spot on the back while males may have smaller dispersed spots around the perimeter.

While it's common to talk about seeing ticks come out around a particular date, it's more reliable to look at the thermometer. If the weather hits 50° you should expect to see ticks emerging and looking for a blood meal.

And, one rarely feels a tick bite. Their saliva include and anesthetic, anticoagulants and antihistimines that work to keep you from feeling the bite or having an immediate itching reaction. Once they do puncture the skin, the anticoagulant keeps your blood flowing. So don't forget to start visually checking for attached ticks if the weather becomes mild and the leaf litter where they over-winter is exposed.

See Lone Star Tick on Wikipedia


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City of Wyoming Commits to Non-Motorized Trails

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map of Wyoming, MI, City Center Trails (from their website)

from the City of Wyoming

The city of Wyoming, Michigan, southwest of Grand Rapids, has completed 4.6 miles of a trail network that was connected with the pedestrian bridge over 28th St. They are committed to providing options for nonmotorized mobility.

This includes the following trail types:
• Offstreet Trail - Multi-use path that does not run adjacent to any roads, typically 8 - 12 feet wide.
• Traditional Bike Lane - Separated, onstreet bike lane marked by paint, typically 4 - 6 feet wide.
• Semi Protected Bike Lane - Separated, onstreet bike lane marked by paint and protected by bollards or a curb, typically 4 - 6 feet wide.
• Side Path - Multi-use path running along a roadway, at least 6 feet wide.

Their website states, "An extensive trail network gives mobility to those who lack car transportation, increases the use of non-motorized transport, and connects people to nearby parks and commercial activities."

This portion of the trail system, as a part of the City Center project, is 100% grant funded and does not involve city property tax dollar revenue.



See link above for additional maps and pictures


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Muskegon Lake Removed from "Most Degraded" List

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restored Muskegon Lake (photo from NOAA)

from NOAA

In September 2025, Muskegon Lake was officially removed from the EPA’s Areas of Concern list. 40 years ago it was designated one of the most environmentally degraded sites in the Great Lakes

NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Habitat Conservation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other partners have worked for decades to restore the area. Early on, there was skepticism as to whether the cleanup was even possible. A long history of industrial use along the shoreline of the lake and contaminated the water and sediment with compounds such as mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Since 2008, NOAA Fisheries has partnered with the Great Lakes Commission to carry out restoration projects that:
• Restored and reconnected 134 acres of wetland and offshore habitat
• Restored more than 7,000 feet of shoreline
• Removed 347,350 tons of debris
• Removed 190,000 tons of contaminated soil
• Enhanced habitat for species such as walleye, Chinook salmon, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and threatened lake sturgeon
• Improved public recreational access

An economic study found that restoration generated an additional $28 million annually in recreational value and an estimated 500,000 additional visits per year.

See the link above for more pictures, and much more detail about the long-term cleanup.


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Using Mosquitoes to Save Birds

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kiwikiu (photo by Zach Pezzillo- free use)

from an article at CNN

This story takes place in Hawaii, a long distance from Michigan, but the methodology that may save the critically endangered kiwikiu is fascinating.

These birds, also known as the Maui parrotbill honeycreeper Pseudonestor xanthophrys, have been driven ever higher into the mountains to escape an introduced mosquito that carries both a deadly avian malaria and an avian pox. The honeycreepers have no natural defense. The problem mosquitos can not survive the cold elevations, so those places are the last refuges for the birds.

Here's the hopeful solution- a high-tech genetic fix. A coalition of conservation organizations, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the State of Hawaii, the National Park Service, and the group Birds, Not Mosquitoes, are deploying a strategy called the Incompatible Insect Technique. Male mosquitoes are raised in a lab and infected with Wolbachia bacteria.

Males do not bite, so they pose no threat to the birds. All they do is mate. But when these males mate with a wild female the mosquito eggs are not viable. The mosquito population shrinks.

Millions of these treated mosquitoes are being released by drones over Hawaii.


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Mason County PM Township Revives Sidewalk Plan

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east Ludington Avenue with no sidewalks (photo by jhy)

from an article in the Ludington Daily News and personal knowledge

Several years ago, Pere Marquette Charter Township of Mason County, Michigan, pledged to improve the walkability of the area east of the Ludington city limits. PM Township is the most urban township in Mason County, yet many streets with businesses remain completely pedestrian unfriendly. The majority of proposed stretches where sidewalks would be added have dense business presence, and safe walking options would be a huge improvement.

About five years ago, the township initiated a sidewalk improvement plan to create a special assessment district for sidewalks. But nothing has really happened. Supervisor Kelly Smith says, "We are hoping we can get that back in front of us and build some traction."

Revival of the plan proposes building 3.2 miles of sidewalk on both sides of three critical roads:
• One-and-a-half miles from Jackson St. to Meyers Rd. (Walmart. This is the section pictured above.
• Pere Marquette Highway south to the railroad- about one mile
• Jebavy Drive from US 10 to Johnson Road.

Some engineering problems remain to be worked out. In some areas there is not room for a 5-foot sidewalk outside the MDOT right-of-way. Also, ideally, the sidewalk south would extend to the Conservation Park, but at this time, the plan ends with just under a half-mile gap remaining.

The project is estimated at $2.16 million. This might be funded through a special assessment of property owners, or by a bond.

See more at PM Revisits Discussion on Sidewalk Improvement Plan

See 5-County Multi-Use Trail Plan


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Indigenous Maple Sugaring Technique Demo

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fire to boil maple syrup (photo from Kalamazoo Nature Center)

from the Kalamazoo Nature Center Facebook Page

Chris Chosa, KNC Grants Manager and an Ojibwe descendant raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is leading an experimental project to revive early Indigenous maple sugar production techniques that have not been practiced for centuries. Drawing on more than 20 years of hands-on experience in the sugar bush and academic research conducted at Michigan Technological University, Chris is reconstructing a method that may not have been witnessed in over 500 years. This work blends cultural knowledge, experimental archaeology, and environmental science to better understand how maple sugar was produced long before modern equipment.

Visitors can experience this living history during the Maple Sugar Festival, where Chris will demonstrate the process, share insights, and answer questions in the Arboretum. Check out the process and talk with Chris from 10 am–12 pm and 1-3:30 pm on Saturday, March 7, 2026.

Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49009

See more at Maple Sugar Festival


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Birdie Blizzard Disc Golf at Gun Lake Winterfest

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Birdie Blizzard promo (photo by Birdie Blizzard)

compiled from several sources

Innova Discs is back again at Gun Lake Winterfest in 2026 with another blizzardy, prize packed tournament for beginners to pros alike with our SIXTH annual – Winterfest Birdie Blizzard.

Located at Yankee Springs TOWNSHIP Park, 1705 Parker Drive Wayland, MI 49348.

Our temporary 2026 Winterfest course is again 9 holes. Most holes are under 150 feet from tee to basket, making Aces and Birdies available to every player – beginner to Pro.

Come and test your disc golf skills. Cool prizes will be awarded! Thank you Innova Discs and Brave Art Studios & Gallery for being primary sponsors since the beginning

February 21, 2026. 10:00 am - 3:30 pm. Registration will be onsite. Flexible tee times.

See Gun Lake Tourism on Facebook


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Michigan Moose Population Strugging

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sedated moose being tagged (photo from the Michigan DNR)

from a news bulletin of the Michigan DNR

Despite the fact that Michigan's lower peninsula has no resident moose, the large mammals are usually of high interest to all Michigan residents.

In an aerial survey, biologists estimated approximately 300 moose within the western Upper Peninsula core range, down from an estimated 426 moose in 2023. It is unclear whether the lower estimate reflects an actual population decline, a shift in moose distribution away from historically surveyed areas, or a combination of both.

Michigan reintroduced moose to the Upper Peninsula in the 1980s with a goal of a herd of 1,000-plus moose. This population goal has not been attained, and currently the herd is declining.

Moose reproduction is stable. Eight of ten tagged cow moose produced eleven calves. However, brainworm, predators, ticks and vehicles remain problematic. Cars have killed 60 moose in the UP in past four years.

Ongoing moose research in the western Upper Peninsula is a collaborative effort between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, and Northern Michigan University, and is supported primarily through federal conservation grants, tribal partnerships and university resources.

See Balsam Oil May be Balm for Moose


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Pedestrian Walkway over 28th Street Open

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28th St Pedestrian Bridge (photo by Isaac Ritchey)

from a news article at M-Live

The first ever elevated pedestrian crossing over 28th St in Wyoming, Michigan is open (Grand Rapids area SW). The bridge officially opened on Sept. 27, 2025, and extends over 28th Street on Hook Avenue SW. The $7.4 million project was fully funded by state and federal grants.

The bridge and a stretch of wooden boardwalk connects to 4.6 miles of new trails recently built by the city of Wyoming. Fully accessible and open to pedestrians and bicycles, the structure is 600 feet long. It connects Wyoming's Trail 3 with Pinery Park. The pedestrian bridge is part of Wyoming’s broader City Center project, an initiative to develop a downtown area off of 28th Street between Burlingame and Clyde Park avenues.

See additional photos and a video at the link above.


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