Michigan communities are investing hundreds of millions to restore rivers, remove dams and transform waterfronts into places people want to visit. One study suggests such projects can deliver big economic benefits, but many communities only know the environmental and quality-of-life returns.
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
Isle Royale wolves inbred but likely to survive, study says
A recently published study followed Isle Royale wolves five years after they were introduced to the island. Researchers expect them to survive 20 years but warned that isolation and inbreeding could complicate things.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Dozens of deer found dead in Saginaw area, disease suspected
Earlier this week, an angler found deer after deer lying dead in a river in Saginaw County with no visible gunshot wounds. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources suspects a viral disease that is transmitted from a small biting fly.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Groups fight to keep 16,000 acres of national forest in Michigan road-free
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.
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.