Are you ready to make a New Year’s resolution? Declare 2016 #MiShoeYear! Grab your friends and family and head outside during the week of Jan. 1-7 to take the first step toward being fresh air fit. State parks, township parks, your neighborhood – wherever it is, just get outside and snap a "selfie." Share your resolution on Facebook and Twitter by using #MiShoeYear!

Whether you want to shed a few pounds, strengthen your heart, or reduce stress, outdoor exercise can get you there. Think of a Recreation Passport as the most affordable gym membership available, with the most locations statewide. With more than 100 parks and access to thousands of miles of trails, your $11 is sure to have you feeling fantastic in 2016. 
 

Chateau Grand Traverse continues to celebrate Michigan’s natural resources with a series of three custom-labeled “Wines of Michigan’s Great Outdoors” – and now gear! Click on the button below to shop for Great Outdoors wines or sweatshirts, and one dollar of each purchase will be donated to the DNR. Voters got to choose how they prefer donations to be used, and after the votes were tallied, all funds raised through this campaign will be used to reforest state parks with tree diseases and infestations. Interlochen, PJ Hoffmaster, Sterling and Aloha are just a few state parks where trees will be planted as a result of the generosity of Chateau Grand Traverse and Michigan wine enthusiasts.

The Family Outdoor Adventure Club started as an idea by David Janda to help families get outdoors and be active together. The club is a 501(c)(3) that has earned Janda national recognition through the Built Ford Tough Good Works Program. After submitting an essay for consideration, Janda’s non-profit was chosen as one of 10 national finalists. Then, after social media fans spoke up, he was moved into the top two, earning him an all-expenses-paid trip to the Professional Bull Riders World Finals. His idea was given big exposure when he won a 2015 Ford F-150. Check out this video to learn more, and click on the button below for more information about the Family Outdoor Adventure Club and upcoming events your family can enjoy.
 

Michigan's trails are used in many ways, most often for a variety of recreational activities, including hiking, biking and more. Now educators are finding creative ways to utilize the trails. A teacher at Pewamo Westphalia Elementary school took her students for a nature walk on the CIS Trail. The class collected leaves and nuts, inspected them, and made fall crowns out of the items. Another walk consisted of collecting a bucket of soil to take back and inspect in the classroom. Using trails in this non-traditional way is a great idea for getting children involved and interested in the outdoors.