For Friday, June 1, 2018

… Audio …

1 – Wildlife Drive is due to re-open today at the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw County (on Friday, June 1).

Built in 2010, the 6.5-mile, one-way auto route winds past forests, grasslands, marshes, open water pools, and the Shiawassee River.

The speed limit is 15 mph. Motorists who take the route drive through the core of the refuge and can see management practices used to attract birds and other wildlife.

Keep a lookout for the newly restored Maankiki Marsh. This area is south of the Shiawassee River and consists of 940 acres of wetlands converted from agricultural fields.     

There also are observation platforms and parking areas along Wildlife Drive.

The stretch will remain open through Sept. 30, from sunrise to one hour before sunset.

More information is available at the refuge website. Using Wildlife Drive is free of charge and tours are self-guided. The entrance is at 6000 Bishop Road in Saginaw.

2 – Also starting today (June 1), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking for public comment on a forest road inventory.

The inventory is of state forest roads in the southern Lower Peninsula and involves classifying the routes as open or closed to off-road vehicles.

A series of public meetings are planned for next week (June 4-8), including on Friday, June 8, in Bay city.

Each public meeting will include an overview of the issue, a question-answer period, and opportunities for people to review DNR recommendations, speak with staff and provide input.

The Bay City meeting is from 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 8, at the Bay County Community Center.

State forest roads provide access for activities including hunting, fishing and hiking. These roads are currently closed to use by off-road vehicles. Any changes to their status will take effect in January 2019.

More information about the state forest road inventory and recommendation process is online at michigan.gov/forestroads, where comments also may be made.

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 9:30 a.m. Fridays in Bay City, Michigan, on Delta College Q-90.1 FM NPR. Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes