Around 16,000 acres of national forests in Michigan are for the most part protected from permanent-road construction and logging, but that could change under a USDA proposal.
Laura Herberg
Laura Herberg covers outdoor recreation, wildlife and the natural environment for Bridge Michigan as the Outdoors Life reporter on the environmental team. She came to Bridge from Outlier Media and built her career at WDET, where she produced talk shows, anchored the news and hosted podcasts. Named the Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter for Radio Broadcasting four times, Laura holds a master's degree in urban planning from Wayne State University.
A Pacific Northwest native who has also lived in West Virginia and Scotland, Laura has called Detroit home since 2010.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Michigan dam removal prompts relocation of thousands of Huron River mussels
Around 3,000 mussels were relocated below the Peninsular Paper Dam to help them better survive temporary sediment expected to kick up after the dam is removed. The dam is currently decommissioned and expected to be taken down as early as 2027.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Petoskey to prepare for trial to fight for Miracle Mile trail access
The Petoskey City Council on Tuesday rejected a proposed settlement agreement that could have resulted in the public losing access to a popular lakeside trail that collapsed in 2020.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Frog songs tell nonprofit some species may be declining in southeast Michigan
Volunteers have been monitoring calls from eight amphibians in the Rouge River watershed for decades. Four frogs appear to be declining while three frogs and one toad may be increasing in numbers.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Feds issue Line 5 tunnel permit, call it ‘not contrary to the public interest’
The US Army Corps of Engineers approved construction of Enbridge Energy’s proposed Line 5 tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac despite expected adverse effects on endangered species and archaeological sites. The project remains tied up in court, with opponents promising new lawsuits.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Bridge readers list Au Sable among Michigan’s best rivers. Who else won?
Bridge Michigan asked you to tell us which rivers are the best in the state. The results are in and one river dominated, but a handful of others also rose to the top.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Michigan bill legalizing backyard deer feeding passes, but bans could remain
Deer baiting and feeding has been banned in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula since 2018 to prevent disease spread. A new bill aims to change that, but even if it’s signed by the governor, feeding deer may not be allowed everywhere.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Michigan would allow hunters to kill ‘bonus’ buck under proposed pilot program
Deer hunters who go out in the Lower Peninsula during the 2027 season will be limited to ‘one buck,’ but if the earn-a-second-buck program is implemented, they could potentially kill an additional antlered deer.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Which rivers are Michigan’s best? Vote for your favorites now
Help us decide the most underrated river, the best to camp along, the best to float down and more as part of the Bridge Michigan River Awards.
Posted inOutdoors Life
E-motos, sometimes mistaken for e-bikes, causing trouble on Michigan trails
E-bikes are allowed on Michigan trails. E-motos are not. But confusion about the two types of bikes is causing friction in Michigan woods.