SCI Foundation gifts $40,000 for U.P. winter deer habitat
Michigan Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 07/22/2015 12:45 PM EDT|
Gift will aid development of more than 50 U.P. deer winter habitat complexes. |
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Upper Peninsula DNR News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2015
Contact: Terry Minzey, 906-485-1031 or John Pepin, 906-228-6561
Safari Club International Foundation gifts $40,000 for U.P. winter
deer habitat management 
The new Upper Peninsula Habitat Work Group is hard at work improving U.P. winter deer habitat, and Safari Club International Foundation is a critical partner in this endeavor.
Recently, SCIF donated $40,000 to ensure the work group’s deer winter range initiative moves forward.
“The partnership and commitment on the part of the SCIF to move this project forward are remarkable,” said Michigan Department of Natural Resources U.P. Regional Wildlife Supervisor Terry Minzey. “It is exciting to see the dedication groups have to the resource and to Michigan.”
The U.P. Habitat Work Group was reconvened this year to focus on improving and conserving critical U.P. winter deer habitat. The work group, comprised of natural resource professionals, private landowners and sportsmen's groups, is led by Natural Resources Commission member J.R. Richardson of Ontonagon and Jim Hammill of Crystal Falls, a wildlife management consultant who also is a retired DNR biologist.
“SCIF has already invested more than $350,000 in the U.P. predator-prey study over the last five years,” Hammill said. “The study has shown the quality of winter habitat is a critical factor, and this is a natural extension of the investment already made.”
The $40,000 gift will be used to help fund a wildlife biologist position specifically assigned to develop comprehensive habitat strategies for 57 U.P. deer winter habitat complexes. The focus primarily will be on lands not managed by the DNR, including U.S. Forest Service, commercial forest and nonindustrial private forest lands. Private landowners will be offered technical assistance and other incentives to encourage maintenance and enhancement of winter deer habitat on their property.
Learn more about the progress of the U.P. Habitat Work Group and sign up to receive email updates from the DNR.
/Editors, please note: An accompanying image, the Safari Club International Foundation logo, is available below for download./