Volunteers of all ages explored Emily Min Hunt Preserve in Presque Isle County April 26 in search of tiny amphibians lurking among the forest duff. This annual survey is one way we engage volunteers in monitoring the health of our preserve’s ecosystems and foster deeper connections to nature.

The Town of Goderich, Ont. is the first Canadian community to take the Lake Huron Forever Pledge, committing to actions which protect Lake Huron’s water quality by reducing stormwater runoff, preserving natural areas and engaging community members in conservation.

Two pairs of piping plovers nested at Tawas Point State Park last summer. By restoring more of its breeding and stopover habitat and coordinating a team of volunteers to watch over these sensitive birds, Huron Pines is assisting in the recovery of one of Michigan’s rarest species.

Charter Township of Oscoda joined the Lake Huron Forever initiative in 2024, becoming the sixth Michigan community pledging to protect Lake Huron’s water quality by reducing stormwater runoff, preserving natural areas and engaging its residents and staff in local conservation efforts.

Huron Pines staff ventured deep into the Pigeon River Country State Forest in early February looking for signs of two invasive insect pests threatening Northern Michigan’s native evergreen trees. We have long partnered with the DNR in managing invasive species in the Pigeon River Country State Forest.

Huron Pines has welcomed the addition of Sam Burckhardt, Katherine Erwin and Ty Ratliff to its Board of Directors. Their diverse backgrounds will help Huron Pines carry out its mission to conserve and enhance Northern Michigan’s natural resources.

The following is Huron Pines’ position statement regarding the siting of solar energy infrastructure in Michigan. It outlines our views and encourages state-level decision makers and landowners to evaluate a variety of factors when considering a renewable energy project.

If you were a brook trout, you’d be right at home in Sheridan Creek, a spring-fed stream that stays cold year round as it winds through the forested hills of Montmorency County. Since 2020, Huron Pines has invested more than $2 million to reconnect the Thunder Bay River Watershed.

Seventeen miles of an Upper Peninsula trout stream are now flowing freely with the restoration of Beavertail Creek, a tributary of northern Lake Huron in Chippewa County, following Huron Pines’ first project in the region.

Two breeding pairs fledged 7 chicks at Tawas Point State Park in 2024. We attribute this success to our 7 volunteer piping plover monitors who spent a combined 200 hours watching over these sensitive birds and their nests this summer. Photo by Gary Nelkie

In 1973, Huron Pines embarked on a mission to protect and enhance Northern Michigan’s natural resources. Five decades later, we issued a challenge to you: Log 50 trail miles and help us commemorate 50 years of conservation. You answered, big time.

As the drawdown of Cornwall Creek Flooding continues, the staff of Huron Pines and the Michigan DNR Fisheries Division have been relocating freshwater mussels to deeper water where they can continue serving an important role in the ecosystem.

Seventeen miles of trout habitat on a northern Lake Huron stream will be reconnected this summer during Huron Pines’ first river restoration project in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Huron Pines hosted its first North Point Exploration Day July 12 and welcomed 30 guests to walk along the dunes, venture to the edge of a coastal fen or kick back to enjoy the serene nature preserve.

Huron Pines is leading the two-phase project to draw down the 161-acre flooding, renovate the dam and preserve the impoundment at the heart of the Pigeon River Country State Forest.

We welcomed 27 enthusiastic birders to explore the remote peninsula and observe dozens of species during the peak of spring migration.

This survey is one way we monitor the health of sensitive forest wetlands where salamanders congregate during the spring breeding season. Just as importantly, it’s a way for people to make deeper connections to the unique wildlife and landscapes which define Northern Michigan.

Three Huron Pines AmeriCorps members who set out to collect fairy shrimp from vernal pools found themselves immersed in a search for salamanders in a fleeting forest wetland.

Huron Pines and the City of Rose City are pursuing the removal of Sanback Dam and are asking for public input on features of a park to take shape once the site is restored. Community members have until Feb 29 to complete an online survey.

Huron Pines is advocating for the renovation of Cornwall Dam to preserve the public recreation opportunities and ecological benefits offered by Cornwall Creek Flooding and is supportive of the grassroots “Save Cornwall” fundraising campaign launched in January.