LAND, WATER & WILDLIFE STEWARDSHIP:
BURNING - FORESTRY - INVASIVES - RECYLCING - WILDLIFE - & MORE
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Get A Burn Permit:
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds those burning leaves, or anything else, will first need to check if 1) weather conditions or 2) materials being incinerated, require a permit. Checking out permitting is easy. For the Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Peninsula, residents can visit Michigan.gov/Burn Permit or call 866-922-BURN to find out whether burning is currently allowed by the DNR. This process is a little different from the "downstaters"; all Southern Lower Peninsula residents can obtain burn permits from their local government or fire department. For any questions regarding responsible burning information, call (616) 260-8406. Get Free Forestry Management Advice: District Forester, Kama Ross provides free assistance through the Forestry Assistance Program (FAP) to encourage and enable landowners to more actively manage their woodlands. DOWNLOAD THE PDF TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION.
Combat Invasive Species: Marine invasives can be and must be twarted! Boaters should be aware that the boat washing ordinances apply wherever your boat is launched – if it has navigated other waters within 10 days, it must be washed. One of the more important protections we can advocate is to keep our waters clean and clear. Towards that end, a new Michigan law went into effect in March 2019 that requires thorough cleaning of all watercraft --including non-motorized !-- emptying of all water from the craft, and also restricts disposal of fish and bait. Click Here for the full text of the law. But long before that, by 2014, all the Townships surrounding Crystal Lake had taken the initiative to do so [including CLT: see the Crystal Lake Aquatic Nuisance Ordinance; they approved ordinances, with $500 fines, requiring boats to be washed prior to being launched into the lake if they have been operated in another watershed in the last 10 days. In addition to the main DNR boat launch at Mollineaux Road, where the Crystal Lake Watershed Association's (CLWA’s) washing facility is readily available, there are several other secondary boat launch sites around Crystal Lake, for example at the Beulah Public Beach, the Crystal Lake Yacht Club, and public road ends. SPOTTED LANTERN FLY: READ ABOUT ONE OF THE LATEST THREATS Links Invasive Species: In no particular order, the following are links to environmental information & events, and agencies & action groups whose missions are to combat a myriad of invasive species, both flora and fauna. |
Recycle in Northern Michigan: Recycling is a small thing that can make a difference at the local level. Benzie County and NW Michigan makes a concerted effort to provide for as much recycling as is feasible. For example, there is a really neat shop in Traverse within the Commons called the Refillery. You can BYO reusable bottles for household cleaning products/bath and body, and they also have products with zero waste containers. Click here for the county recycling webpage. Wildlife: 
Report all poaching by calling or texting: (800) 292-7800.
Report Wildlife observations of diseased wildlife, tagged fish, invasive carp and more: Michigan.gov/EyesInTheField
Helpful links to wildlife-related issues include:
Click here for a Local Waterways List Check out these organization's websites for more information on what they are doing to improve and preserve the environment: Crystal Lake and Watershed Association Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy Benzie-Leelanau Health Department-Environmental Health Water Quality Maps by County Water testing Forest Management Native Flora Species or plantitwild.net Benzie County Conservation District Conservation Resource Alliance Oil & Water Don't Mix Nature Conservancy Sierra Club Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council Michigan Climate Action Council Michigan DNR Conservation Organizations Directory or https://www.epa.gov/greatlakes Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes Coalition EGLE: MI Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Grow Benzie Michigan State Extension |
