State Rep. Ken Borton on Wednesday highlighted that funding for Northern Michigan conservation groups and a one-of-a-kind forestry simulator for Kirtland Community College has been included in the House Republican ‘Value for MI Dollars’ budget plan approved by the Michigan House of Representatives last week. The projects will now be a part of final negotiations on the state budget, which are currently underway.

“I’m proud to have secured two key Northern Michigan projects in our House budget that would strengthen ongoing wildlife conservation efforts and help educate college students on safe and effective ways to harness our immense timber resource across Northern Michigan,” said Borton, R-Gaylord. “Our taxpayer dollars should be sent to where they would have the greatest possible impact, and I can think of no better place than investing these resources into our rivers and streams or into educating our timbermen of tomorrow.”

The Mason-Griffith Founders Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a Northern Michigan conservation nonprofit, would receive $2.5 million under the budget plan. Since the Michigan Department of Natural Resources shifted priorities nearly 2 decades ago and has since further reduced fishery field staff, local conservation nonprofits have conducted all stream habitat restoration activities. While these groups have gotten by through a hodgepodge of various funding sources, local leaders say more funding is needed to keep pace with local restoration needs.

Recipients say the funding will then be reinvested into local cooperative conservation groups, including Anglers of the Au Sable, Au Sable North Brand Area Foundation, and the Upper Manistee River Association. State dollars would then be used for stream habitat restoration and maintenance, excess sand/sediment management, temperature and flow monitoring, and nuisance beaver management.

Kirtland Community College would receive $100,000 under the budget plan for the purchase of a timber harvester simulator, enhancing the already stellar Michigan Forest Products Institute based at Kirtland. The simulator would allow students to gain practical skills without the associated risks or costs of operating real machinery in the field.

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