Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/author/capital-news-service/page/12/)
Michigan’s most scenic destinations – like Traverse City and – are typically affordable enough to live at for the state’s tourism workers, according to a new report. This bucks a national trend which shows tourism workers typically can’t afford to live in the cities they work in.
The devastating spread of the emerald ash borer shows no sign of slowing and it is causing the pace of timber sales to quicken, as those in the timber sales industry race against the clock – and many dying trees.
For a long time, botulism didn’t much affect loons, but the bacteria has been taking its toll recently on the population in northern Michigan.
Combined with a high mortality rate for offspring, experts are worrying about the future of this iconic bird.
Michigan Rep. Bob Genetski, R- Saugatuck, has introduced a bill that would allow the state to compensate localities for fighting fires on state-owned land through the already-established Forest Development Fund. Wildfires strain the resources of small, under-equipped localities, he says.
Michigan is losing $229,491 in federal timber payments this year because of the budget sequestration — money that would otherwise be used for rural roads and schools, environmental work in the state’s three national forests and county wildfire projects.
As the number of active state-licensed commercial fishing operations dwindles on the Great Lakes, their downward spiral signals a change in culture as well as economics and environment.
The Department of Natural Resources is tagging and recapturing walleye to determine growth rates, movement between waters and the contribution of stocked fish to native walleye populations.
Michigan wine grape growers hope for another strong season and that this year’s crop will reflect innovation. Some expect to see the first production of wines from at least two varieties of red grapes.
Michigan farmers who purchased drought-resistant corn last year don’t feel they’ve wasted their money on the more expensive hybrid. Many farmers agree that recent wet weather doesn’t mean there won’t be a drought later this summer.
Sand traps were constructed worldwide to save fish from excessive sand in freshwater streams. But Michigan Department of Natural Resources reserchers doubt their benefit.
Some sand traps could even harm river ecosystems, experts say.