2017 Wetlands Conference Field Trips

Pigeon River Country Tour 

Tour the Pigeon River Country (PRC) with Michigan Department of Natural Resources Staff, including:

• Song of the Morning – Visit the site of the dam removal on the Pigeon River and hear the story of its removal. This privately owned dam had failed 3 times in the last century, each time causing a catastrophic loss of fish. Now after a lawsuit and agreement by the parties, the dam has been removed, which has restored the Pigeon River to its natural free flowing state.
• PRC State Forest Headquarters and Discovery Center – We will visit the building complex built by the CCC in 1935, which houses the offices and visitor center. There we will learn a little of the history of the PRC and its significance in the history of conservation in Michigan. We will also tour the PRC Discovery Center, which is still under development, and learn about the latest initiative to tell the story of the PRC and introduce a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts to the “Big Wild”.
• Sinkhole Lakes – We will venture out past the Pigeon River to the scenic sinkhole lakes to learn about their unique geology and the challenges of managing these small gems.
• After wrapping up at the PRC, we can head into the thriving town of Gaylord and visit Snowbelt Brewery on our way out of town for a cold beverage.

Bog and Brew

Come out and take a walk through a diverse northern Michigan forest that is filled with wildlife, multiple forest types and has diverse range of wetlands, at Johannesburg Lewiston Schools. The walk will start off stopping by a bog full of birds and wetland plants, then wander off into an aspen clear cut and then into an old growth maple forest with vernal pools and depressional wetlands. The walk will finish up by traveling through a thick black spruce wetland forest and ends with an ice cold brew only blocks away. Attendees will meet at entrance of conference building before heading over to site to go over site and parking details.

Trout Fishing

MWA is gauging interest in the number of people interested in a guided fly fishing trip on Friday afternoon. If there is enough interest, local fly fishing guides will take small groups to local streams to fly fish. Cost is dependent on the number of people to cover the cost of the guide services. Fly fishing equipment may be provided for additional costs. Participants are required to have proper fishing licenses. If you are interested, check the Fly Fishing box when you register for the conference.