Making her first public presentation since being named Director of the newly created Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Rebecca Humphries was the keynote speaker February 6^th at the Huron Pines Annual Meeting in Gaylord. Director Humphries spoke about challenges facing Michigan’s conservation future and fielded questions from the 130 conservation and community leaders from across northern Michigan.

Below: Huron Pines Annual Meeting attendee Perry Smeltzer, District Conservationist with Natural Resources Conservation Service in Presque Isle and Cheboygan counties, asks Michigan DNRE Director Rebecca Humphries about preventing Asian carp from entering Lake Michigan.

Glen Eberly, with Lovells Hook & Trigger Club and North Branch Au Sable Restoration, asks Michigan DNRE Director Rebecca Humphries about a ballot initiative to change the way Michigan funds the DNRE.
 

US Forest Service Biologist Robert Stuber also presented at the meeting, talking to the group about the watershed planning process and opportunities to improve water quality through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Huron Pines Award was presented to Bob Andrus, former Chair of the Au Sable River Watershed Restoration Committee, for his two decades of leadership of that coalition. Roger Rasmussen, a Huron Pines Board Member, received recognition through the Volunteer Service Award, which is approved by the U.S. President.

Brenda Archambo received the O.B. Eustis Award for her work in preserving Lake Sturgeon as the leader of Sturgeon For Tomorrow. The Pine River-Van Etten Lake Watershed Coalition, based in Alcona and Iosco counties, also received an O.B. Eustis Award for their volunteer environmental work.

Huron Pines used the meeting to unveil the new interactive “River Model,” which simulates river processes and is an effective teaching tool for showing the results of human impacts on river systems. Project staff also did a presentation for the group t highlighted many of the hands-on conservation projects from the past year and highlighted the important role that project partners, funders and volunteers all play. Huron Pines has over 50 projects each year, bringing approximately $1 million worth of funding to the region from both government grants and private sector support. 

To learn more about opportunities like participating in this meeting, be sure to get on the Huron Pines mailing list. Email info@huronpines.org or call (989) 344-0753.