Michigan Shields Public Park Volunteers from Lawsuits

Volunteers can help the Michigan Department of Natural Resources with more activities such as improving wildlife habitat, preserving wetlands and grooming trails under a bill Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law.

Under the new law, volunteers will be able to use DNR equipment and machinery at the department’s discretion and be protected from lawsuits resulting from their work.

Snyder said before signing the bill that volunteers now are allowed to help with state parks operations and maintenance, but not with other DNR activities. Expanding the work volunteers can do will help the state use the DNR budget more efficiently and maximize conservation efforts, Snyder said.

“We have so many wonderful places beyond our parks in terms of wetlands, in terms of wildlife opportunities, and opportunities where people really do want to give and share and help,” the Republican governor said at a bill-signing ceremony. “It just shows . . . how we can work better together.”

Snyder recalled that, as a youth, he helped stock fish at Gun Lake west of Hastings where his family had a cottage.

Michigan United Conservation Clubs Executive Director Erin McDonough said hunters, anglers and trappers will be able to help maintain public lands now being neglected. She’s pleased the DNR can form partnerships with volunteers to handle tasks the agency is having trouble staffing because of shrinking budgets and employee retirements, such as restoring stream banks, removing invasive species, operating deer check stations and grooming trails.

“We have already started to see a new sort of partnership taking place that pairs the general public with state government. This is no small accomplishment because that relationship has not been healthy in the past,” McDonough said. “With new partnerships . . . Michigan’s outdoors community can truly take even more ownership of the heritage we treasure.”

Topics Lawsuits Michigan