Weyerhaeuser Co. requests state metallic mineral lease in Marquette County

This map shows the parcels in Wells Township nominated for metallic mineral lease. Click on map for larger version. (Map courtesy Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources)

LANSING --Weyerhaeuser Company, of Seattle, Washington, has requested four direct metallic mineral leases from the State of Michigan covering Department of Natural Resources (DNR) metallic mineral rights located within Wells Township, Marquette County, containing a total of 1,476.46 acres, more or less. For a full description of the parcels requested for lease, please visit the Weyerhaeuser Company Public Notice.

The parcels are currently being reviewed by resource experts to determine the most appropriate level of surface use that should be allowed for development activities. To learn more about State of Michigan metallic minerals leasing, click here.

Written comments from interested parties, relative to the request to lease the specified minerals, may be submitted to DNR, Office of Minerals Management, P.O. Box 30452, Lansing, MI 48909 or DNR-Minerals@michigan.gov.  All comments must be received no later than May 10, 2019.

Click here for more information on mineral leasing and links to additional maps.

Lake Superior Celebration is TONIGHT, April 11, at Great Lakes Research Center

 Poster courtesy Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative.

HOUGHTON -- All Are Invited to the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI)11-Year Celebration from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 11, at Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC). The event is FREE, family-friendly, and open to all.*

The Lake Superior Celebration will highlight the work of the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI), which brings schools and communities together in the stewardship of Lake Superior and its watershed. Displays and presentations by Barkell Elementary School, Washington Middle School, Dollar Bay-Tamarack City High School, and Copper Country ISD, in addition to informative displays by community organizations, local growers, and non-profits will be offered. Jerry Jondreau and Katy Bresette of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community will have traditionally harvested and processed maple sugar and manoomin (wild rice) products.

At 6:30 p.m., LSSI school teams will offer presentations (Washington Middle School, Dollar Bay High School, CCISD Special Education). At 7 p.m., Dr. Valoree Gagnon, director, University-Indigenous Community Partnerships at the Great Lakes Research Center and Research Assistant Professor, Social Sciences, and Rachael Pressley, assistant regional planner, Western UP Planning and Development Region, will present on the Western UP Food Hub. Presentations are in 202 GLRC.

Students will get in on the fun and learning with a variety of hands-on activities including Tomato Planet, Making Butter, Posy Poetry, How Trees Grow.

The event will also feature LIVE Music with Handful of Humans with Sue Ellen Kingsley, Eric Munch, Norm Kendall and Shawn Oppliger, and the World Water Day art exhibit "Wilderness" featuring artists Daniel Hill, Josh Jaehnig and Jonathan Soper.

Light refreshments, including snacks, cake, lemonade and coffee will be provided.

The event is sponsored by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan Tech Center for Science and Environmental Outreach, and the WUP MiSTEM Network with funding from the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative.

For more information: contact:  Emily Gochis, Director, WUP MiSTEM Network at the Copper Country ISD at 482-0331 or egochis@copperisd.edu or Joan Chadde, Director, Michigan Tech Center for Science and Environmental Outreach, at 906-487-3341 or jchadde@mtu.edu .

Visit the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative on the web here or on Facebook.

*Editor's Note: Joan Chadde has confirmed that this event will take place definitely in hopes that the winter storm waits.

Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District to hold Annual Meeting, Election April 10 in Hancock

This map shows parts of the Bete Grise Preserve, outlined in blue, in Keweenaw County. Stars indicate county public parks. In recent years, federal grants, private foundations and conservation organizations, including The Nature Conservancy and Keweenaw Community Forest Company, helped the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District acquire the areas that now comprise the Bete Grise Preserve. Click on map for larger version. (Map courtesy Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District)

HANCOCK -- The Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) will hold its 67th Annual Meeting and Election from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2019, at The Orpheum in Hancock.

On the Agenda will be the HKCD Election of two board members for four-year terms. Residents of Houghton or Keweenaw Counties 18 years or older are eligible to vote. To vote via absentee ballot, please call (906) 482-0214 for instructions.

Candidates for the board election are Lydia Lytle, Rachel McDonald and Gina Nicholas.

Following the election, will be the HKCD Year-in-Review and presentations on Trout of Lake Superior:

Henry Quinlan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will speak on "Prioritization of Brook Trout Habitat Conservation and Restoration in Western UP Tributaries of Lake Superior."

Casey Huckins, Michigan Tech University professor, will present "History and Ecology of Coaster Brook Trout in Lake Superior."

A light pizza buffet will be provided. Questions? Please call Sue Haralson, HKCD Volunteer, at (906) 482-0214.

The mission of the Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District is to advise and assist the people of Houghton and Keweenaw Counties to wisely manage and use our natural resources through education, information, technical assistance, and land stewardship. Learn more about HKCD and see photos on their updated Web site.