Michigan Mixed Bag: Skyline Trail work begins next month

Ludington, Mich. — Starting in September, work kicks off on a long-awaited reconstruction project of Ludington State Park’s Skyline Trail, designed to protect fragile sand dunes and enhance safety and overall usability.

Originally built in 1980, the half-mile elevated boardwalk rises 100 feet above the park’s forested southern dune, offering panoramic views of Lake Michigan and, on clear days, the dunes at Silver Lake State Park.

The reconstruction project will enhance safety and overall usability by replacing the aging structure to meet modern construction standards and better protect the dunes. Key improvements include:

• Raising most of the boardwalk a few feet to restore natural sand flow and safeguard fragile dune ecosystems from erosion and foot traffic.

• Using modern, long-lasting materials, such as treated lumber and steel support posts.

• Constructing several larger viewing platforms.

• Replacing both large flights of stairs on the east and west ends.

The contractor for the project is Mimh Enterprises of Hamilton, Mich.

“You can really feel the community’s excitement for a project that balances enhanced public access with vital dune protection,” said Jim Gallie, park manager at Ludington State Park in Mason County. “The Friends of Ludington were the spark that moved the project along, and we can’t thank them enough.”

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DNR CREWS ASSISTING IN MINNESOTA WILDFIRES

Lansing — Michigan’s DNR was deployed to Minnesota last month to assist fighting wildfires burning near Voyageurs National Park. The DNR was assigned to help contain 13 smaller fires in the area. The agency was also required to respond to any new fires that started within its designated section of land during a response window of more than two weeks.

Despite a reduced fire threat, the DNR’s wildfire incident coordinator said smoke could still drift into Michigan.

“If the weather changes and we get those west winds or northwest winds, we will be smelling smoke for a while now,” said Keith Murphy, DNR Wildfire Incident coordinator. “I don’t think it’ll be as significant as it was there a few weeks ago. I wasn’t here, I was up there, but we are going to smell smoke for a while from time to time.”

Crews from Wisconsin and the Northeast were also assisting in the containment effort in Minnesota.

MILE-A-MINUTE WEED CONFIRMED IN JACKSON CO.

Concord Township, Mich. — Mile-a-minute weed, a highly invasive vine that can smother trees and vegetation, has been confirmed in Jackson County following a landowner’s report to the Michigan Invasive Species Program through an online reporting system. The report was verified in a site visit by staff members from the Jackson, Lenawee, Washtenaw Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area who found several established patches of the plant on the property.

Mile-a-minute weed was first detected in Michigan in 2020 at Albion College’s Whitehouse Nature Center in Calhoun County. Since then, the Barry, Calhoun, Kalamazoo Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area has been conducting outreach, surveys and treatment of infested properties in the vicinity of Albion and Homer in eastern Calhoun County.

The new detection in Jackson County is in Concord Township, approximately 4 miles from the Whitehouse Nature Center and less than 2 miles from the nearest known mile-a-minute weed site in Calhoun County.

Mile-a-minute weed can be removed by hand, but seeds can persist in the soil for up to six years, so infested sites need to be monitored regularly for regrowth. New shoots can be mowed or tilled in the spring or early summer before fruiting, as even immature, green fruits can carry viable seeds and create new plants.

BEGINNER BACKPACKING AT THE PORKIES OFFERED

Lansing — A “Beginner Backpacking at the Porkies” class is scheduled for Sept. 18-20 at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park Set in the picturesque Porkies.

The class is designed to teach the basics of backpacking and introduce participants to the wilderness experience. Instructors will help develop a gear list, teach how to plan a trip and stay safe in the backcountry, and introduce people to Leave No Trace principles and basic wilderness problem-solving.

Those participating will be expected to provide and carry their own gear.

The activity includes a two-day, 5.6-mile scenic hike through the woods, including the chance to take in the views from the highest point in the park.

Cost is $105 per person, which includes meals for the trip.

Registration is required by Aug. 14.

DREDGING AT ONTONAGON SET FOR FALL

Ontonagon, Mich. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to dredge Lake Superior harbors at Ontonagon, Michigan; and Port Wing and Cornucopia, Wisconsin, this summer through fall.

The contract was awarded May 27 for $1.6 million to Viking Marine Construction LLC of Holland, Mich., to address sediment buildup in the critical Great Lakes harbors. Ontonagon Harbor is scheduled for hydraulic dredging from in mid-September through October. This harbor was last dredged in 2024.

“This dredging work is essential for maintaining safe and reliable navigation channels for commercial and recreational boaters,” said Monica Anderson, Corps of Engineers project engineer. “By removing accumulated sediment, we ensure these harbors remain accessible and continue to support the local economies.”