Michigan DNR highlights and public notices (Jan. 8 – 20, 2026)
Showcasing the DNR: Conservation Officer Cadet Academy
The Michigan DNR’s January 15 newsletter introduced the department’s first Conservation Officer Cadet Academy held July 6 – 11 at the Ralph A. MacMullan Center in Roscommon. Nineteen participants experienced a regimented schedule that included 5:30 a.m. wake‑ups, classroom lessons on conservation law, fish and game regulations, and hands‑on training in fish and waterfowl identification, trapping enforcement, search and rescue, first aid and survival tactics. Lodging, meals and supplies were covered through the Michigan Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funding Program, though cadets provided their own transportation. In addition to earning boater and off‑road safety certificates, cadets worked alongside the Wildlife, Fisheries, Forest Resources and Parks and Recreation divisions to see how the divisions collaborate. Feedback from participants helped the DNR evaluate candidates and allowed cadets to decide if they want to pursue a career as a conservation officer, another DNR career or a different path altogether. The department noted that applications for the 2026 cadet academy would be available soon and encouraged interested individuals to begin preparing.
Showcasing the DNR: 2025 bear harvest sets records
A Jan. 9 article reported that Michigan hunters harvested 1,952 black bears during the 2025 season, slightly above the five‑year average of 1,911 animals. Most bears (83 %) were taken in the Upper Peninsula (UP), and hunters registered around 20 bears over 400 pounds and eight over 500 pounds at the Escanaba check station. The article highlighted how long‑term management strategies and abundant food sources contributed to larger bruins and that a record 73,000 hunters applied for permits. Personal stories included Paula Schemm’s first bear harvest and a 97‑year‑old hunter’s success in the Red Oak management unit. Wildlife biologist Cody Norton emphasized the state’s preference‑point system, noted that success rates hover around 40 %, and reminded hunters to cook bear meat to 160 °F to avoid parasites. He also described rendering bear fat for cooking and boot conditioning, underscoring the importance of using as much of the animal as possible.
Black velvet exhibit celebrates Latino history
The Michigan History Museum announced a special exhibit titled “Black Velvet: A Rasquache Aesthetic” featuring more than 100 black‑velvet paintings. The exhibit explores the medium’s ties to Chicanx/Latinx history and runs through November 2026. Admission will be free on Jan. 17. Collectors Diana Rivera, Elena Herrada and Minerva Martinez loaned works depicting bull fights, celebrities, landscapes and religious figures. The exhibit emphasises rasquache—art made from everyday materials—and includes bilingual labels and frames inspired by Mexican‑American folk art. The museum hopes the show addresses gaps in the representation of Chicanx/Latinx communities and invites visitors to a free‑day craft‑making activity.
Proposed additions to invasive plant lists
On Jan. 9 the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) requested public comments on adding six plants—common and glossy buckthorn, callery pear, Japanese barberry, water hyacinth and water lettuce—to the state’s restricted and prohibited invasive plant list. These species were identified through weed‑risk assessments as threats to ecosystems and the economy. If approved, it would become illegal to import, sell or intentionally possess them. MDARD will accept feedback until Feb. 9, 2026, after which the Michigan Commission of Agriculture & Rural Development will review recommendations.
Proposed quarantine for firewood entering Michigan
MDARD also solicited comments on a proposed exterior firewood quarantine that would restrict the movement of untreated firewood into Michigan to prevent the spread of pests like the Asian longhorned beetle, oak wilt, beech bark disease and spotted lanternfly. Stakeholders have until Feb. 9 to provide feedback. Under the proposal, firewood from outside Michigan would need to be heat‑treated at 60 °C (140 °F) for 60 minutes or treated with another approved method and accompanied by a certificate of treatment. Exemptions would apply to kiln‑dried lumber, small wood chips, logs destined for immediate processing and locally gathered fuelwood used at home. Treated wood would have to carry documentation of origin, and recipients would be required to keep records for 36 months.
Fall fingerlings stocked across Michigan waters
Michigan DNR’s Jan. 8 release recapped its fall 2025 fish‑stocking efforts. More than 648,000 fish were added to 76 locations, complementing spring and summer efforts to bring the year’s total to nearly 19.5 million fish stocked statewide. The report praised hatchery managers: Marquette State Fish Hatchery stocked over 27,000 fall fingerling brook trout and 250 adult brook trout; Oden State Fish Hatchery stocked 140,366 fall fingerling rainbow trout; Thompson State Fish Hatchery released more than 3,000 muskellunge and 329,085 fall fingerling steelhead; Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery provided about 64,532 steelhead; and Harrietta State Fish Hatchery added 17,548 brown trout and 24,520 rainbow trout. Walleye were stocked by regional management units, including the Southern Lake Michigan unit, which placed 33,580 Muskegon‑strain walleye fingerlings at 20 sites. The notice invited residents to visit state fish hatcheries and consult the online fish‑stocking database for details.