conservation

The 'State of the Bird' in Michigan

Stateside Staff — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:57:08 +0000

Did you know that May is the height of birding season?

Our State Bird is the robin, but there are literally hundreds of species who call Michigan home.

Teresa Duran knows about the wide assortment of birds we can find in our own back yards and gardens, and how important it is that we preserve land to keep these hundreds of species thriving.

She is the publisher of Nature Conservancy Magazine, and she joined us in the studio today to discuss the many different species of birds found in our state and what role they play in our environment.

To read the Nature Conservancy Magazine's story on birding, go to magazine.nature.org.

Listen to the full interview above.

Checking in on Michigan's bird populations

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:02:36 +0000

Even as Mother Nature plays her own little cat & mouse game with us regarding whether or not spring has actually arrived, there is one unimpeachable source telling us that, despite the chilly temps and snow showers, spring is here.

No doubt you've heard the welcome sounds of birds chirping. That harbinger of warmer weather to come got us wondering: what's the State of the Michigan bird?

For those who may not know, the Michigan State Bird is the American Robin, which has been the official state bird declared by the Michigan Audubon Society since 1931.

Late last month, some of the state's top conservationists, biologists and professors came together for a statewide Michigan bird conference.

Michigan racetrack to become place of environmental education

Steve Carmody — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:35:12 +0000

Michigan school children will soon study nature at a place many people might find surprising: Michigan International Speedway.

The auto racing track hosts crowds in excess of 100 thousand when NASCAR comes to Brooklyn twice each summer.

But Adrian College biology professor Jeff Lake says the other 50 weeks of the year, the track's campgrounds are ideal for exploring the ecosystems of the Irish Hills.

Last call for low-cost energy audits from federal stimulus money

Lindsey Smith — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:48:11 +0000

A federal program that tries to get homeowners to invest in energy efficient home improvement projects is nearly over.

The program provides a detailed home energy audit for a super low price. Homeowners who want to make improvements based on the audit can take out a low interest loan.

Saugatuck Township accepts settlement over dune land

Lindsey Smith — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 05:46:56 +0000

Saugatuck Township officials have agreed to settle a land-use case with a billionaire who’s trying develop property along Lake Michigan. Saugatuck Township voted Friday night to accept a legal settlement with Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon. The proposal settles a land-use dispute between the two.

Farmers want to take land out of conservation to grow more corn

Rebecca Williams — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:41:54 +0000

Leaders in Michigan’s farm community are urging Senator Debbie Stabenow and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to change the rules for a land conservation program on farms. They say the current program could lead to higher food prices.

Oil & Gas Royalties for Parks - or Roads?

Rebecca Williams — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:00:50 +0000

At the moment, all royalties from oil and gas development in Michigan go into something called the Natural Resources Trust Fund. The trust fund money is used for improving wildlife habitat and parks and it's used to buy land for conservation.

But at a time when pretty much everything’s up on the chopping block... the future of that trust fund is in question.

State Representative Dave Agema (R) from Grandville has introduced legislation to divert oil and gas royalties away from the Trust Fund.

Under his proposal:

60% of oil and gas royalties would go into the State Transportation Fund
20% would go into the State Aeronautics Fund
the remaining 20% would go into the Natural Resources Trust Fund

The NRTF has been around since 1976. It was negotiated as part of a larger deal to allow oil and gas development in Michigan's Pigeon River Country State Forest.

I talked with the Michigan Environmental Council's policy director, James Clift, about this. He says:

"Every corner of the state has obtained some of this trust fund money, either buying parkland or developing parkland, setting aside public land for hunting and fishing... It’s a very popular program and I think people are going to be very supportive of the way it’s spent currently."