Michigan Mixed Bag: Audubon invites volunteers to celebrate 125 years of the Christmas Bird Count

New York — For the 125th year, the National Audubon Society is organizing the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC).

Between December 14 and January 5, tens of thousands of bird-loving volunteers will participate in counts across the Western Hemisphere.

The twelve decades’ worth of data collected by participants contribute to one of only two large existing pools of information notifying ornithologists and conservation biologists of what conservation action is required to protect birds and the places they need.

When combined with other surveys like the Breeding Bird Survey, the Audubon CBC provides a picture of how the continent’s bird populations have changed in time and space during the past hundred years. The long-term perspective is vital for conservationists. It informs strategies to protect birds and their habitat and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well. For example, in 2019, the journal Science published a study using decades of Audubon CBC data and other datasets to describe a grim picture: a steady loss of nearly three billion North American birds since 1970.

Over the years, Audubon CBC data have been used in more than 300 peer-reviewed articles.

For more information and to find a count near you, visit www.christmasbirdcount.org.

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DNR Conservation Officer Academy on Tap in January

Lansing — The DNR’s next crop of CO recruits is getting ready to start Conservation Officer Training Academy No. 13, which begins Sunday, Jan. 5, in Lansing.

Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect residents through general law enforcement and conducting lifesaving operations in the communities they serve.

Learn more about Michigan conservation officers at Michigan.gov/ConservationOfficers.

Register for this Winter’s Becoming an Outdoors Woman Weekend Workshop

Marquette, Mich. — Registration is open for this winter’s “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” program, which is set for Feb. 21-23, 2025, in Marquette County.

This winter will mark the 24th annual winter BOW gathering for women, 18 and older, who are seeking an opportunity to improve their outdoor skills in a relaxed, noncompetitive atmosphere.

The BOW program is sponsored by the DNR and offers instruction in two dozen different types of indoor and outdoor activities, including cross-country skiing, archery, snowshoe, ice fishing, wilderness first aid, resource roadkill, photography, snowshoe along with several new features, such as wild game butchering, wild game cooking, and sausage making.

The $300 registration fee includes all food and lodging, as well as most equipment and supplies, except as noted in the registration materials. Scholarships are also available on a limited basis.

Class information, registration materials and scholarship applications, are available online to print at Michigan.gov/BOW.

For more information on the winter BOW program, e-mail DNRBOW@michigan.gov.

To keep up with the latest on BOW, sign-up for email notifications at Michigan.gov/BOW. You can also follow BOW on Facebook or Instagram.

Bass Fishing HOF Opens Nomination Season for 2025 Class

Springfield, Mo. — Fresh off its 2024 induction ceremony, which highlighted the careers of five inductees, the board of directors of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame has opened the nomination process for the next class of inductees.

Starting immediately, any interested person may nominate deserving individuals for induction into the hall. Nominees should have made a major impact on the world of bass fishing and brought honor and credit to the sport of bass fishing. In order to be considered for the Class of 2025, nominations must be completed by Jan. 15, 2025.

More information about the process can be found on the “Road to Induction” page of the Hall’s website: www.BassFishingHOF.com

Interested in Trails? Apply for Spot on Snowmobile Advisory Workgroup

Lansing — The DNR is accepting applications for an opening on the Snowmobile Advisory Workgroup, which consists of seven volunteers each serving four-year terms. Travel expenses to and from meetings are eligible for reimbursement. The application deadline is Jan. 15.

The group, which works closely with the Trails Advisory Council, meets quarterly at varying locations around the state. The ideal candidate will fill a member-at-large position.

The Snowmobile Advisory Workgroup works alongside the DNR Trails Program staff to discuss and implement the sound management of recreational snowmobiling throughout the state.

Topics may include snowmobile safety and education; balanced relationships with the environment and wildlife; the collection, development and dissemination of snow trail information; and collaboration with other trail user groups.

For more information, contact Jessica Roehrs at (517) 331-3790.