Michigan’s fiscal year 2027 budget includes $2 million for the Department of Natural Resources to acquire and conserve wetlands across the state.
Leaders of Audubon Great Lakes say that’s a $1 million increase from last year and a critical investment in the health of birds across Michigan.
Funding fell short of the historic $3 million budgeted in fiscal year 2025, but environmental leaders are pleased that wetlands conservation remained a priority for lawmakers.
They say Michigan has lost 50 percent of its historic wetlands, and the Black Tern—a species that depends on wetland habitat—has lost nearly 99 percent of its state population since 1966 and was added to the state threatened and endangered species list in 2024.
2026 funding included partnering with other sources to support major projects int eh Seneca State Game Area that reduce sediment flowing into Lake Erie, and a landmark expansion of the Pigeon River State Forest in northern Michigan.
Environmental leaders say wetland conservation also addresses the growing issue of flooding, as wetlands provide a natural defense by absorbing and holding floodwater, releasing it slowly back into the environment when conditions improve.
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