 The 2025 lake sturgeon fishing season on Black Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan, will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. All anglers must register online to participate in the season. The 2025 lake sturgeon fishing season on Black Lake in Cheboygan County, Michigan, will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. All anglers must register online in advance to participate in the fishing season, and those age 17 or older must have a valid Michigan fishing license. The harvest limit for the 2025 season on Black Lake is six lake sturgeon. Officials will close the season when one of two scenarios occurs:
Fishing hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day of the season. The season will end either at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, or when one of the above scenarios is met, at which point anglers will be notified via text message and on the ice by DNR personnel that they must immediately stop fishing for lake sturgeon. Anyone who wants to participate this year must register online by Jan. 31. Get more registration and season information at Michigan.gov/Sturgeon. Participating anglers must bring their own bright red flags (1-foot diameter or larger) to hang on their fishing shanties. Season officials emphasize that anglers are required to hang one or more flags in highly visible locations on their shanties so DNR personnel can readily identify which anglers are sturgeon fishing. Anyone harvesting a lake sturgeon must immediately contact DNR personnel on the ice. Official registration of each harvested fish will take place at a DNR trailer located on or near the ice at the end of Zollner Road in the northwest part of Black Lake. Harvest registration may include an examination of the fish's internal organs and removal of a piece of fin tissue for DNA analysis or aging. Lake sturgeon rehabilitation efforts in Black Lake over the last two decades have been a successful collaboration between the DNR, Sturgeon for Tomorrow, tribal agencies, Michigan State University and Tower-Kleber Limited Partnership. This population has increased in the past 20 years due to lake sturgeon rearing and stocking efforts and research and protection of spawning adults, and this trend is expected to continue. Ice conditions may vary greatly, and anglers should always use extreme caution when ice fishing. The Black Lake sturgeon season start date will not be postponed due to weather or other conditions. The season may be canceled up to 48 hours prior to the start of the season if circumstances pose a significant safety risk to anglers and staff (per Fisheries Order 240). The DNR will post any updated information to the department website and notify anglers via text message and email if any changes occur. Visit Michigan.gov/IceSafety for tips to stay safe on the ice.
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 Firewood permits for the 2025 calendar year are now available. Firewood permits can be obtained by phone, mail, or in-person at any of the five HMNFs offices between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. “You will need to provide your full name, address, license plate number and the amount of firewood desired, up to the number of cords specified on the permit,” says Customer Service Representative Tony Beals. Personal use firewood permits remain free and authorize the holder to collect up to eight cords per calendar year. Free personal use firewood permits do not allow for the resale of firewood collected on the HMNFs. Individuals who require more than eight cords, or want to harvest firewood to sell, may purchase a commercial firewood permit at a rate of $60. Commercial firewood permits authorize the holder to cut and gather up to 20 cords. According to Beals, “Permits cannot be re-issued, so it is important to keep track of your permit through its expiration on December 31, 2025.” Firewood maps will accompany each permit. Permit holders can cut and gather firewood in areas shown as open to firewood collection on the provided maps. All firewood cutters are responsible for reviewing the map of the designated cutting area and adhering to the rules and restrictions inherent to the permit. Permit holders must always have their current permit on them while cutting and transporting wood from the HMNFs. Firewood maps and regulations can be reviewed on the HMNFs Forest Products web page. Personal and commercial firewood permits are available via phone, mail, and in-person at the following times and locations: Supervisors Office, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. M-F 1755 S. Mitchell St., Cadillac, MI 49601 Phone (231) 775-2421 Baldwin/White Cloud Ranger Station, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. M-F 650 N. Michigan Ave, Baldwin, MI 49304  Repurposing milknjugsb into miningreenhouses  Sarah Pregitzer Free Workshop features native seed sowing Get ready for spring gardening with this Native Plant Winter Seed Sowing & Seed Ball Workshop. The Newaygo County Environmental Coalition (NCEC) will host this “Make It & Take It” event on Saturday, January 11 from 10am – 12noon. It will take place at the NCEC office located at 432 Quarterline St, Newaygo, 49337, in the United Church of Christ building. Everyone who has pre-registered will be able to make and take home native plant “seed balls” and/or mini-greenhouses. The event is free – however donations will be welcomed to help cover costs of the supplies. Eventbrite registration links can be found at the NCEC Facebook Event page; by scanning the QR Code; or by visiting the NCEC website calendar: www.nc-ec.org. Questions can be emailed to [email protected]. The workshop will be led by Sarah Pregitzer, Master Naturalist, Conservation Steward and NCEC Board Member. “Winter is the best time to plant your native plant seeds to be ready for spring gardening,” stated Sarah. “We will sow native plant seeds in milk-jug mini-greenhouses or other containers. These will be set outside during the winter months. The temperature and moisture changes are needed for many native plant seeds to sprout when the weather begins to warm up. Then in spring the plants are ready to put into your garden!” “We will also be making Seed Balls at the workshop,” adds Sarah. “Native plant seeds are set into balls of clay and dirt which protects them until spring. If you have a larger area to plant, these Seed Balls can then be tossed into the desired area in early spring. The seeds have a much better chance to sprout and grow than if you broadcast them on top of the soil.” The Newaygo County Environmental Coalition is a local non-profit organization dedicated to bringing environmental awareness and activities to community members. Their Healthy Habitats programs are supported in part by the Fremont Area Community Foundation and other generous donors. To learn more, visit www.nc-ec.org.
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