Michigan BHA goes to Washington DC
In early April, Mike Donovan, Chapter Board member, participated in a “DC Fly-In” to talk to our Legislators about the importance of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to Michigan’s hunters, anglers, and other recreationists.
A bipartisan creation in the 1960s, the LWCF is primarily funded by revenues from federal offshore oil and gas leases. Much like Michigan’s own Natural Resources Trust Fund (created in the 1970s), political leaders and conservationist of the time recognized the wisdom of investing revenues derived from non-renewable resources into more enduring recreation and conservation efforts.
Over the past 5 decades, Michigan has received approximately 349 million dollars of LWCF funding protecting some of our most iconic places including Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshores, Detroit River International National Wildlife Refuge, Shiawassee and Harbor Islands National Wildlife Refuges, the Huron-Manistee, Ottawa, and Hiawatha National Forests. In addition, LWCF’s state and local assistance program has provided funding to over 1900 State and local government outdoor recreation and park projects across Michigan.
When talking to Legislators, as part of a Fly-In, it is important to make sure you are specific in your requests. The specific “ask” was to maintain full funding for LWCF’s Forest Legacy Program (FLP). The FLP works to protect “working forest”. Working forests are lands sustainably managed for timber supply while providing other benefits like fish and wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities. Through the FLP, the Michigan DNR is currently working with Lyme Great Lakes Timberlands on a 73,000-acre permanent conservation easement in the Michigamme Highlands. This conservation easement will ensure that the land is sustainably managed as a working forest (supporting Michigan’s important forest products industry) and provides public hunting/fishing and recreational access forever. Michigan BHA is engaged with Lyme and the DNR to request that significant backcountry remote recreation opportunities are part of the management plan for these lands. In fact, it was Lyme Great Lakes Timberlands that recommended Michigan BHA’s participation in the Fly-In.
As Michigan hunters and anglers, we are the lucky beneficiaries of the wisdom of past political and conservation leaders working together to protect over 8 million acres of public lands and 2.2 million acres of working forest lands. These lands are open to all of us for hunting and fishing adventures and make Michigan a destination state for outdoor tourism while supporting a healthy forest products industry. Let’s all work together to make sure current leaders see the Forest Legacy Program, and the LWCF overall, as a way to improve upon the wisdom of the past and make sure future generations of hunters and anglers enjoy the public access we cherish today.
About Michigan BHA
Our chapter is dedicated to serving the interests of conservation and access to clean public lands and waters. Through planning, collaboration, and dedication, we will make a difference.