Michigan Environmental Report

Becky Humphries' most remarkable qualities were acquired at a tender age. Patience and perseverance were instilled during idyllic summer days at her father's side, fishing with an old-fashioned cane pole.

When a massive shopping mall proposal threatened to undermine Traverse City's small town feel in the mid-1980s, Ken Smith showed up at an activists' meeting to help fight it.

A new coalition aimed at transportation policy reform scored its first important victory in May when the Michigan Legislature agreed to maintain current funding for public transportation in the 2012 budget.

Each year the Michigan Environmental Council honors a pair of outstanding environmental leaders by awarding the Helen and William G. Milliken Distinguished Service Award and the Petoskey Prize for Environmental Leadership. Once again, we have two great honorees: Becky Humphries and Ken Smith, respectively.

Michigan’s public transportation and passenger railroad service both got good news in May. The public transportation budget recommended by Gov. Rick Snyder and passed by the legislature retained existing funding levels—good news in a budget that otherwise cut natural resource protection budgets.

Michigan has the best fly fishing in the nation. Better than legendary Western destinations like Idaho, Wyoming and Montana according, to the “Best 12 States for Fly Fishing” rankings from Fly Talk, the fly fishing blog of Field & Stream magazine.

North Carolina didn’t make Field and Stream’s list of the top ten fly-fishing states, but its mountainous western flank has a wealth of tumbling streams with names like Whitewater River, Raven Fork and Rough Butt Creek.

Field and Stream magazine recently named Michigan the top fly-fishing state in the country for its smorgasbord of angling opportunities on world-class streams and its rich history in the sport. How much do you know about the Great Lakes State’s fly fishing heritage?

MEC Community Outreach Director Sandra Turner-Handy addressed attendees at the Detroit Works project’s May 5th Environmental Summit, telling them that they have the power to create a blueprint for Detroit’s future that is sustainable, healthy and environmentally conscious.