OurMichiganParks.org

From the Grand Rapids Press:

Cross-country skiers, hikers and horseback enthusiasts can expect their favorite state forest trails to be rougher next year.

State officials said there is no money to maintain 60 non-motorized pathways on 4.9 million acres of state forest land.

“We’re going to have to go in a different direction,” said Lynn Boyd, chief of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Forest, Mineral and Fire Management division. “We had another cut in general fund. They took $300,000 out of the forest recreation budget. We’re down to $240,000 for the program. That money went to ski trails and non-motorized trails with no funding source, plus campgrounds.”

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[Note that these are state forest campgrounds and are not part of the state park system. However, the Recreation Passport proposal would provide funding to help keep these campgrounds open.]

From Howard Meyerson of the Grand Rapids Press:

Twelve state forest campgrounds are slated for closure this month, according to Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials.

The closures come in response to budget cuts sought by Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Her executive order this week cut state funding by $221,864,600. The DNR’s budget was cut by $572,900. Granholm sought to trim general fund programs. Only 4 percent of the DNR’s budget comes from state tax dollars.

“No one likes to make cuts, but we have to live in our time,” said Brenda Curtis, the DNR state forest campground program manager. “Everyone is impacted.”

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