Three Huron Pines AmeriCorps members who set out to collect fairy shrimp from vernal pools found themselves immersed in a search for salamanders in a fleeting forest wetland.

Huron Pines and the City of Rose City are pursuing the removal of Sanback Dam and are asking for public input on features of a park to take shape once the site is restored. Community members have until Feb 29 to complete an online survey.

Huron Pines is advocating for the renovation of Cornwall Dam to preserve the public recreation opportunities and ecological benefits offered by Cornwall Creek Flooding and is supportive of the grassroots “Save Cornwall” fundraising campaign launched in January.

A 42-acre forested tract along the Au Sable River is under permanent protection following its acquisition Dec 5, 2023 by Huron Pines. Hull Island has high conservation value & great potential for recreation, and Huron Pines will transfer the property to Oscoda Township in 2024 as a public preserve.

Landscape enhancement and restoration efforts are underway at two Huron Pines nature preserves and a third location at a federally managed wildlife area through our Native Seed Program.

An effort to restore sand dunes along the beach of Mich-e-ke-wis Park in Alpena is underway following the project’s approval by the City Council. Led by Huron Pines, the project will help make the park more resilient to erosion, promote water quality by filtering stormwater runoff and reestablish the natural plant community along this stretch of Lake Huron.

Our Stewardship Crew spent the first part of the summer field season restoring habitat for rare plants at a place deep in the heart of Oscoda County known as the “Frost Pocket.” This region was one of the last to thaw at the end of Michigan’s Ice Age some 10,000 years ago.

We welcomed 130 friends, supporters and neighbors on Saturday, June 10 for a grand opening celebration of North Point Nature Preserve. Guests learned about the geological & human history of the peninsula and its ecological significance to the Great Lakes region as they toured two stops along the preserve’s unspoiled coast.

Community groups and more than 100 volunteers came together the morning of May 19 to plant trees in yards and public spaces across Gaylord, one day short of the anniversary of a powerful EF-3 tornado which struck the Alpine Village a year ago.

Dear friends,

I recently found a musty folder from the earliest days of Huron Pines deep in the recesses of our office. Inside was a letter from Governor Milliken, dated 1973, urging Huron Pines on as we were just getting started 50 years ago. The top projects were laid out in those old pages — protecting wildlife corridors, stream restoration, improving forest health and helping communities develop recreational opportunities.

Cornwall Dam was built in 1966 to create the 295-acre Cornwall Creek Flooding in the heart of the Pigeon River Country State Forest, Cheboygan County. The earthen dam is owned and maintained by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. A 2019 dam safety inspection rated it in poor condition and recommended immediate action. Huron Pines has been pursuing funding to renovate the dam but has exhausted all existing options. A Jan 18 press release from the Michigan DNR announced its intentions to draw down the flooding in 2023 and to seek grant funding to remove the dam. This is our response.

Two properties encompassing 168 acres of forests and wetlands on Birdsong Bay are now under the permanent protection of Huron Pines. They join North Point Nature Preserve in an ongoing effort by Huron Pines and its partners to protect the water quality of Lake Huron and ensure the preservation of its undeveloped shorelines long term. …

Bay City is committing to the protection of Lake Huron’s water quality by curbing stormwater runoff, planting trees and improving natural areas while inspiring community members to take action. The Bay City Commission adopted a resolution at its meeting November 7 to take the Lake Huron Forever Pledge.

Three major restoration projects on tributaries of the Thunder Bay River in 2021 reconnected 39 miles of coldwater habitat and significantly reduced the amount of sediment and other pollutants entering Lake Huron from one corner of the watershed in Montmorency County.

Huron Pines’ two Invasive Species Networks (ISNs) have received $60,000 each in state grant funding to expand detection, prevention and control efforts for invasive plant species. This is accomplished through strategic on-the-ground surveys, plant removals on public and private lands and waterways, and community outreach and engagement efforts.

The City of Au Gres has taken the Lake Huron Forever Pledge, committing to the protection of the water quality of Lake Huron by improving the ways it manages stormwater runoff, invasive species and chemical hazards while also inspiring community members to action. Au Gres City Council adopted the resolution at its first regular meeting of the year Jan 4, making them the first city to sign the pledge.