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.