Seventeen miles of an Upper Peninsula trout stream are now flowing freely with the restoration of Beavertail Creek, a tributary of northern Lake Huron in Chippewa County, following Huron Pines’ first project in the region.

Two breeding pairs fledged 7 chicks at Tawas Point State Park in 2024. We attribute this success to our 7 volunteer piping plover monitors who spent a combined 200 hours watching over these sensitive birds and their nests this summer. Photo by Gary Nelkie

In 1973, Huron Pines embarked on a mission to protect and enhance Northern Michigan’s natural resources. Five decades later, we issued a challenge to you: Log 50 trail miles and help us commemorate 50 years of conservation. You answered, big time.

As the drawdown of Cornwall Creek Flooding continues, the staff of Huron Pines and the Michigan DNR Fisheries Division have been relocating freshwater mussels to deeper water where they can continue serving an important role in the ecosystem.

Seventeen miles of trout habitat on a northern Lake Huron stream will be reconnected this summer during Huron Pines’ first river restoration project in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Huron Pines hosted its first North Point Exploration Day July 12 and welcomed 30 guests to walk along the dunes, venture to the edge of a coastal fen or kick back to enjoy the serene nature preserve.

Huron Pines is leading the two-phase project to draw down the 161-acre flooding, renovate the dam and preserve the impoundment at the heart of the Pigeon River Country State Forest.

We welcomed 27 enthusiastic birders to explore the remote peninsula and observe dozens of species during the peak of spring migration.

This survey is one way we monitor the health of sensitive forest wetlands where salamanders congregate during the spring breeding season. Just as importantly, it’s a way for people to make deeper connections to the unique wildlife and landscapes which define Northern Michigan.

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.