Public Act 288 of 2016 directed the DNR to inventory and map state forest roads to encourage more people to enjoy Michigan’s public lands through enhanced off-road vehicle opportunities. The northern Lower Peninsula inventory and classification are complete, and similar efforts for the southern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula are under way right now. Public opinion continues to be an important part of the evaluation process.

Next year all state forest roads will be open to ORV use unless the DNR designates them “closed” for reasons of ensuring user safety, preventing user conflicts or protecting environmentally sensitive areas.

Revised recommendations will be discussed at the Oct. 11 and Nov. 8 Natural Resources Commission meetings, with a final decision at the Dec. 13 meeting. The final, approved recommendations will go into effect January 2019.

The DNR will accept public input throughout this process. In-person comments will be accepted at all three NRC meetings. Mail, email and online comments will be accepted until Nov. 15.

Visit michigan.gov/forestroads to view interactive maps, leave comments online or get details about submitting feedback via email or U.S. mail. 

Michigan’s 4 million acres of state forest land require a lot of careful planning to keep them healthy and thriving. That’s why the DNR finalizes plans for each forest management unit two years in advance of when any management activities – prescribed burns, timber harvests or tree thinning, for example – will take place.

This summer and fall, forest management recommendations for 2020 are being presented at open houses within those forest management units, giving people the opportunity to speak with foresters, wildlife biologists and other resource professionals. Upcoming open houses include:

• Newberry Forest Management Unit – Oct. 16 in Newberry
• Grayling Forest Management Unit – Oct. 17 in Grayling

About a month after each forest management unit’s open house, a public compartment review meeting also will take place. At these reviews foresters present their final decisions on management activities for that unit. Compartment review meetings coming up include:

• Gwinn Forest Management Unit – Oct. 17 in Ishpeming
• Shingleton Forest Management Unit – Oct. 23 in Shingleton
• Crystal Falls Forest Management Unit – Oct. 25 in Crystal Falls
• Newberry Forest Management Unit – Oct. 30 in Newberry
• Grayling Forest Management Unit – Nov. 8 in Grayling

For more information – including a link to the interactive forest map showing details of forest management activities, and the forest open house and compartment review schedules – visit the public input section of the DNR’s michigan.gov/forestry webpage.