Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Lansing, Michigan 48909 | |
Employees | 1,400 Permanent 1,600 seasonal |
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Annual budget | $307.4 million (2010)[1] |
Department executive |
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Child agencies | |
Website | michigan |
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the agency of the state of Michigan fo9unded in 1921, charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, state forests, and recreation areas. It is governed by a director appointed by the Governor and accepted by the Natural Resources Commission. Since 2023, the Director is Scott Bowen. The DNR has about 1,400 permanent employees, and over 1,600 seasonal employees.
History
In 1887, the
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources was created in 1965 as a part of the constitutionally required reorganization of the executive branch via Executive Organization Act of 1965.
21st century
In 2009, Governor
In 2010, however, Governor elect Rick Snyder named Rodney Stokes as the new DNR director, and chose to divide the DNRE into the original designations of Natural Resource Commission and the DNR divisions. Rodney Stokes said his first priority was to reverse the decline of hunting in Michigan, by eliminating the extended seasons, reducing the amount of antlerless licenses in Northern Michigan, improving habitat and removing license requirements for coyote and wolf.[7] On January 4, 2011, Governor Rick Snyder issued Executive Order 2011–1, which eliminated the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) and created the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).[8]
Directors
Director | Tenure | Governor(s) |
---|---|---|
John Baird | 1921–1926 | Groesbeck
|
Leigh Young | January 1927 – October 1927 | Green |
George R. Hogarth | October 1927 – October 1934 | Green/Brucker/Comstock |
P. J. Hoffmaster | October 1934 – March 1951 | Comstock/Fitzgerald/Murphy/Dickinson/ Van Wagoner/Kelly/Sigler/Williams |
Gerald E. Eddy | April 1951 – April 1964 | Williams/Swainson/Romney |
Ralph A. MacMullan | May 1964 – September 1972 | Romney/Milliken |
A. Gene Gazlay | October 1972 – June 1974 | Milliken |
Dave Jenkins* | July 1974 – December 1974 | Milliken |
Howard A. Tanner | January 1975 – June 1983 | Blanchard
|
James Cleary* | June 1983 – August 1983 | Blanchard
|
Ronald O. Skoog | September 1983 – June 1986 | Blanchard
|
Gordon Guyer | July 1986 – May 1988 | Blanchard
|
David F. Hales | May 1988 – May 1991 | Blanchard/Engler
|
Delbert Rector** | May 1991 – September 1991 | Engler |
Rollie Harmes | September 1991 – October 1995 | Engler |
Michael D. Moore | October 1995 – March 1996 | Engler |
K.L. Cool | April 1996 – May 2004 | Engler/Granholm |
Rebecca A. Humphries | May 2004 – January 2011 | Granholm |
Rodney Stokes | January 2011 – July 2012 | Snyder |
Keith Creagh | July 2012 – December 2018 | Snyder |
Dan Eichinger | January 2019 – December 2022 | Whitmer |
Shannon Lott* | January 2023 – September 2023 | Whitmer |
Scott Bowen | September 2023 – present | Whitmer |
* - denotes acting director
** - denotes interim director
Mission statement
"The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the State's natural resources for current and future generations." [1]
Funding, budget
The DNR is funded by the state general fund revenues, federal funds and a variety of restricted funds. Federal funding consists mainly of special purpose categorical grants from various Federal agencies, such as the
Commissions and boards
Natural Resources Commission
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) is a seven-member public body whose members are appointed by the governor to a term of four years and subject to the advice and consent of the Michigan Senate. The NRC conducts monthly, public meetings in locations throughout Michigan. Citizens are encouraged to become actively involved in these public forums. The NRC establishes general policies for the Department of Natural Resources and hires the department's director. Voter adoption of Proposal G in November 1996, vests exclusive authority in the Natural Resources Commission to regulate the taking of game.[2]
Waterways Commission
The Michigan State Waterways Commission is responsible for the acquisition, construction, and maintenance of recreational
Natural Resources Trust Fund Board
The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) has been in place since 1976 and provides financial assistance to local governments and the Department of Natural Resources to purchase land or rights in land for public recreation.[3] It also assists in the appropriate development of land for public outdoor recreation. The MNRTF is supported by annual revenues from the development of State-owned mineral resources, largely oil and gas. The program is administered by the MNRTF Board of Trustees and the Grants Management office of the DNR. The MNRTF Board of Trustees meets six times a year and all meetings are open to the public. MNRTF projects provide for natural resource protection and outdoor recreation. [4]
Mackinac Island State Park Commission
The Mackinac Island State Park Commission is an appointed board of the
Divisions
Fisheries
The Fisheries Division works to
Forest Resources Division (FRD)
The Forest Resources Division administers 6,300,000 acres (25,000 km2) of mineral estate ownership and leasing rights to explore for oil, gas and other minerals on state-owned lands which contributes nearly $20–$30 million each year in
Law enforcement
Wildlife
The Wildlife Division manages and protects nearly 400 species of game and nongame
Parks and Recreation
The DNR Parks and Recreation Division (PRD) is the largest division, by far, in the Michigan DNR with about 550 division employees (Including career Seasonal Park Rangers). It manages all 103
Land and Facilities
The Land and Facilities Division assists with the overall administration of approximately 4,500,000 acres (18,000 km2) of publicly owned lands, 25,000,000 acres (100,000 km2) of Great Lakes bottomlands and 130,000 platted lots under the jurisdiction of the DNR. This includes land ownership records on all department land transactions, activities related to the acquisition and disposition of land or rights in land, and resolves title and boundary issues. Land and Facilities Division also deals with and department purchases, gifts, exchanges, sales, and easement transactions. This division also provides design and construction services for the department and provides administrative and facility operational support to program staff located at DNR Operations Service Centers and other field offices.
Administration
The importance of utilizing customer-friendly service technologies, sound accounting principles and best business practices, proper contract administration and educational outreach efforts in the management of Michigan's natural resources cannot be overstated. DNR's Financial Services; Budget and Support Services; Grants, Contracts and Customer Systems; Program Assistance and Review; and Human Resources, all play vital roles in supporting the department's conservation mission.
DNR Law Academies & Orientation
Annually the DNR will hold two law academies focused on training new officers. The first academy is for all newly hired Michigan Conservation Officers and consists of training in Precision Driving, Legal Issues, Watercraft, Search & Seizure, Snowmobiles, Survival Tactics, Off Road Vehicles, Use of Force, Firearms, Communication, Writing, Organization, Public Relations, Forensics, and Technology. The academy has strict Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) physical standards that each recruit must meet, and lasts 22 weeks. The second academy is for all newly hired Park Rangers and consists of mainly a classroom setting where each ranger becomes familiar with the laws governing the state parks. Additional emphasis is placed on survival tactics, report writing, handling abnormal people/complaints, and issuing appearance tickets. Michigan State Park Rangers are not sworn police officers and as such DO NOT carry a firearm, but are held to the same MCOLES physical standards as conservation officers. The duration of the academy is 7 weeks.
Every month the DNR holds a New Employee Orientation (NEO) in
See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in Michigan
- List of State Fish and Wildlife Management Agencies in the U.S.
References
- ^ "The 2010 Michigan State Budget" (PDF). michigan.gov.
- ^ "History of Conservation Officers in Michigan". Michigan Conservation Officer Association. Retrieved 2018-07-31.
- ^ "DNR - DNR". www.michigan.gov.
- ^ EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION ACT OF 1965 (EXCERPT) Act 380 of 1965. State of Michigan Legislature.
- ^ MICHIGAN IN BRIEF: 1998–99 Chapter 2: About State Government (PDF). Public Sector Consultants, Inc. 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2004-10-25.
- Detroit News. Detroit, Michigan. November 13, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
- ^ "Michigan United Conservation Clubs | hot-button". Archived from the original on 2010-12-21.
- ^ "State of Michigan EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2011-1" (PDF). michigan.gov.
- ^ 147 Mich. App. 444 (1985)