Forests

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order allowing farmers and loggers to use dyed diesel, which is untaxed, on public roads as diesel prices hit record highs.

More than a year after the devastating ice storm, some landowners and foresters said they're frustrated with the lack of movement on work they say is important for the future of northern Michigan's forests and the economies that depend on them.

Tens-of-millions of acres of National Forest lands could be subject to timber activities if a proposed Trump-administration-rollback is passed. About 16,000 of those acres are in Michigan.

Budget contraints stemming from the tax-cap has left Saginaw's 80,000 trees on the backburner. In Midland and Bay City, urban forests are getting more attention and funding despite being smaller in size.

They're the first and only city in the state of Michigan to incorporate artificial intelligence into maintaining its urban forest, which consists of over 40,000 trees.

The latest forest health highlights report published by Michigan's Department of Natural Resources states the forests are in overall good health.

A 124-acre wildfire in the Huron-Manistee National Forest is 80% contained and some near Mio were evacuated from the area.

The state was on the verge of finishing its 10-year forest management plan when the ice storm hit in March 2025. Officials say they plan on revising the plan to account for the damage from the ice storm in 2026.

For the last 30 years, the Cadillac Area Land Conservancy has worked to protect and preserve land across the state of Michigan. The conservancy partners with landowners to preserve their land for future generations. The nonprofit provides landowners with the resources they need to identify the value of their land and protect it.

The Trump administration’s forest policy initiatives are being promoted as a way to reduce wildfire risks, but some critics say they put too much focus on economics and not enough on the environment.