Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/tag/capital-news-service/page/41/)
LANSING – State and federal agencies, conservation groups and residents have been teaming up to increase the amount of environmentally important land protected in Michigan.
Securing development rights is gaining popularity as it’s cheaper than purchasing land outright to preserve it.
Some communities are exploring green job initiatives as an opportunity for ex-prisoners to rebuild their lives. The Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative (MPRI), a statewide effort led by the Department of Corrections that does job placement for former prisoners, provide a pathway out of the incarceration cycle for an increasing number of former prisoners.
Cleanup efforts are still underway more than six months after 819,000 gallons of heavy crude oil spilled into the Kalamazoo River, covering wildlife and the nearby environment with sludge.
New information about sand dunes along Lake Michigan is expected to improve protection of archeological sites, researchers and planners say.
Michigan deer hunting is a $1 billion-a-year industry but last year license sales dropped 4 percent from previous years.
The state is attempting to boost hunting tourism with new campaigns like advertising that targets out-of-state hunters.
Rabies remains a problem in Michigan, with 70 animals testing positive in 2010. Most cases of animal rabies are reported in the Lower Peninsula, especially in the southeast. There were 68 positive animal tests last year, 79 in 2007 and 47 in 2001.
A set of initiatives by the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth is making it easier for communities to go green. Program goals include developing recycling and household hazardous waste programs for residents and businesses.
A 7.5-mile auto trail through Michigan’s Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge will open in May. The trail would allow visitors to observe birds in the refuge like the bald eagle and peregrine falcon.
Michigan is making strides in protecting its unique landscapes and wildlife.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) initiated a “Living Legacies” program to identify, restore and manage places that best represent the state’s biodiversity.
A laser developed at Purdue University can shine through E. coli samples to determine what kind of animal hosts bacteria that prompt a beach to close.
The method could make finding the source of contamination quicker and cheaper.