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There are several birds that are very picky about what kind of habitat they require, and one of the pickiest is the Kirtland’s warbler. This little bird requires very young, dense stands of jack pine for their breeding habitat. Due to the suppression of wildfires, this type of habitat became older, which resulted in the Kirtland’s Warbler not having suitable breeding habitat and almost going extinct back in the 1970’s. Due to active conservation efforts, the population has since recovered and it was removed from the endangered species list in 2019. This bird is a conservation success story to show that the Endangered Species Act works. However, the work for this warbler isn’t done yet. Since young jack pine forests naturally need fire to be kept in a young state, and humans now suppress wildfires, we need to replace that with active forest management.

Photos by Kevin Dunham .

Now and again, I am asked for my opinion about “radical environmentalists,” which is a legitimate question to put to any forester. However, it is often a loaded question with an air of conflict already built in, presented almost as a challenge.

Like cherries, which we discussed in an earlier article, Michigan ranks among the top states in the U.S. for blueberry production, and its blueberries are known for their exceptional quality and flavor.

The Peter Jonas Community Band performed their first concert back in 2001. Since that time they’ve continually blessed Munising and the surrounding areas with their concert band style performances.