Forestry, Trails, History, UP Matters and More at DNR March Meetings

February 26, 2026
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Michigan's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is firing up a series of public meetings this March, spotlighting everything from sustainable forestry practices to trail expansions, historical preservation, and regional input from the Upper Peninsula's Eastern and Western Citizens Advisory Councils. The Board of Foresters will dive into timber management strategies, the Michigan Trails Advisory Council will map out new recreational paths, and the Michigan Historical Commission will unpack ways to safeguard the state's rich heritage sites. Plus, there's a call for applicants to fill the northwest Lower Peninsula slot on the Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee— a prime chance for locals to shape park policies. These aren't just bureaucratic check-ins; they're open forums where everyday Michiganders can steer the future of our wildlands. For the 2A community, these gatherings pack hidden firepower. Public lands like state forests, trails, and parks are ground zero for concealed carry, hunting seasons, and self-defense scenarios—think bear country in the UP or remote trail hikes where seconds count. With forestry boards influencing access to millions of acres prime for hunting leases and the Trails Council plotting multi-use paths that could integrate shooting ranges or family-friendly plinking zones, pro-2A voices need to show up. Historical commissions might even spotlight forgotten frontier forts tied to Michigan's armed militias, reinforcing our Second Amendment roots. Imagine advocating for right-to-hunt clauses amid timber talks or pushing back against anti-gun access restrictions in new park developments—the implications ripple straight to your holster. Don't sleep on that State Parks vacancy; it's a direct pipeline to influence rules on firearms in high-traffic recreation areas, where overzealous regs could crimp family outings with sidearms. Michigan's outdoor heritage is intertwined with self-reliance and the tools that enable it—grab your calendar, mark these meetings (check DNR's site for dates and links), and turn passive curation into active participation. Your input could mean the difference between expansive, 2A-friendly wilds and locked-down green spaces. Who's packing their public comments?

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Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is firing up a series of public meetings this March, spotlighting everything from sustainable forestry practices to trail expansions, historical preservation, and regional input from the Upper Peninsula’s Eastern and Western Citizens Advisory Councils. The Board of Foresters will dive into timber management strategies, the Michigan Trails Advisory Council will map out new recreational paths, and the Michigan Historical Commission will unpack ways to safeguard the state’s rich heritage sites. Plus, there’s a call for applicants to fill the northwest Lower Peninsula slot on the Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee— a prime chance for locals to shape park policies. These aren’t just bureaucratic check-ins; they’re open forums where everyday Michiganders can steer the future of our wildlands.

For the 2A community, these gatherings pack hidden firepower. Public lands like state forests, trails, and parks are ground zero for concealed carry, hunting seasons, and self-defense scenarios—think bear country in the UP or remote trail hikes where seconds count. With forestry boards influencing access to millions of acres prime for hunting leases and the Trails Council plotting multi-use paths that could integrate shooting ranges or family-friendly plinking zones, pro-2A voices need to show up. Historical commissions might even spotlight forgotten frontier forts tied to Michigan’s armed militias, reinforcing our Second Amendment roots. Imagine advocating for right-to-hunt clauses amid timber talks or pushing back against anti-gun access restrictions in new park developments—the implications ripple straight to your holster.

Don’t sleep on that State Parks vacancy; it’s a direct pipeline to influence rules on firearms in high-traffic recreation areas, where overzealous regs could crimp family outings with sidearms. Michigan’s outdoor heritage is intertwined with self-reliance and the tools that enable it—grab your calendar, mark these meetings (check DNR’s site for dates and links), and turn passive curation into active participation. Your input could mean the difference between expansive, 2A-friendly wilds and locked-down green spaces. Who’s packing their public comments?

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