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Michigan is a special place. More than 100 state wildlife and game areas across 340,000 acres are home to hundreds of bird species. It is up to us to care for our natural areas, which are critical for birds and communities.

Public lands need our help. Despite their benefits for recreation and refuge—providing ideal habitat for birds and other wildlife—their survival is under threat in a time when they are more important than ever. This is particularly true in Michigan, where the conservation of public lands is at a crossroads. 

Historically, hunters have supported the conservation and management of the state’s 100+ wildlife and game areas. Hunting license fees and the excise taxes on firearms and ammunition funds up to 90 percent of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division budget each year. These funds are used to purchase, restore, and maintain Michigan’s public lands for wildlife and recreational opportunities. As the popularity of hunting declines, so too has the Wildlife Division budget. Loss of funding poses a threat to the conservation of Michigan’s public lands and waters, as well as the more than 450 bird species who rely on them for food, shelter, and breeding grounds. Though hunting is declining, birding is on the rise, and it’s up to those who care about wildlife to engage with these spaces to provide essential support for them to thrive.  

Through the efforts of MI Birds Ambassadors across the state, this program has made strides, not only to engage more people with public lands through immersive bird walks, public events, and stewardship activities, but also to connect diverse interest groups in a common cause. This is particularly true in the case of birders and hunters, who have seldom crossed paths even though they share similar concerns for conservation. MI Birds has worked to bridge the gap between these two groups to further protect the state’s public lands and birds.