OurMichiganParks.org

Yesterday the Michigan State Senate gave a Special Tribute to the Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee, which replaced the now-defunct Citizen’s Committee for Michigan State Parks. The latter was a result of the DNR and DEQ department consolidation.

The Committee received the White Pine Award for Environmental Excellence for over five years of work to make our state parks better. This work culminated with the recent passage of the Recreation Passport.

The White Pine Award is actually a white pine — Michigan’s state tree — which will likely be planted in a Michigan state park. Senator Patricia Birkholz, Chair of the Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee presented the award and hinted that the tree could be planted in her district.

OurMichiganParks.org has just been updated to incorporate two major changes.

First, the Citizen’s Committee for Michigan State parks was dissolved during the consolidation of the DNR and DEQ. A new NRC subcommittee has been formed in its place. This web site will continue to operate under the auspices of this new committee.

Second, the Recreation Passport has been signed into law. We have removed our Recreation Passport advocacy  pages and are directing viewers to the DNRE web site for more information on this exciting new program.

The Recreation Passport legislation, Senate Bills 388 & 389 , were adopted by the full Senate this morning with a vote of 24-11 and  23-12 respectively. Now these bills go to the full House for a vote in the near future.

This is a BIG step forward for sustainable state park funding!

It is expected that Senate bills 388 and 389 for the Recreation Passport will be voted on by the Michigan Senate and House this Thursday, November 12th, 2009.

There is a summary analysis on-line as well. This analysis provides all the details of what these bills would do if passed and signed into law.

We urge you to please contact your state senator and state representative and ask that they support these bills to help fund our state parks.