Here's why experts say you should consider leaving the leaves this fall.

Demolition is underway for the old abandoned Belle Isle Zoo.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources set up 200 trail cameras as part of a research study to determine the most accurate and cost-effective way to manage the state's elk population.

Belle Isle is entering a new chapter, and the Michigan DNR along with the Belle Isle Conservancy wants visitors and community members to help shape its future.

Morning 4 is a quick roundup of stories we think you should know about to start your day.

The Michigan DNR's annual land auction is set to begin next month.

A Michigan bear had a plastic lid stuck around its neck for two years, but now it had finally been freed of that burden.

A Michigan bear is feeling much, much better.

State wildlife biologists recently removed a plastic lid from a young black bear's neck after it had been stuck for two years.

Michigan DNR is working to improve recreational boating across 12 communities through the Waterway's Grant Program.

Washtenaw County officials’ decision to euthanize a family of beavers at Leslie Park Golf Course has sparked controversy among residents and animal advocates.

The beloved Giant Slide on Belle Isle has finally reopened this summer.

A Michigan man is facing felony charges in connection with stealing from payment collection sites at state campgrounds, officials said.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has one piece of advice on how to help baby wildlife this spring—leave them alone.

The beloved Giant Slide on Belle Isle will reopen later than anticipated this summer.

Thirteen Michigan counties, including Macomb and Oakland, received grant funding for projects on lakes and streams that will help benefit fish and aquatic systems.

The iconic fountain in Detroit’s Belle Isle Park will temporarily close amid a $6 million renovation project to ensure it maintains its functionality for years to come.

The plan passed 6-1 on Monday

Michigan DNR raises firewood limit for residents in historic ice storm area in northern Michigan.

Fishing season begins April 1, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is reminding anglers of some new regulations taking effect.

Saugatuck Brewing Company and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources are partnering again to raise funding for lake sturgeon habitat restoration efforts across the state.

After Michigan saw a more “normal” winter this season, people may notice more dead fish than in the past few years.

Cougar cubs were discovered living in Michigan for the first time in more than 100 years.

Cougar cubs were discovered living in Michigan for the first time in more than 100 years.

As cases of avian influenza continue to be reported across the U.S., the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reminding late-season goose hunters about how to protect themselves and domestic animals from the virus.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) urges outdoor enthusiasts to stay safe as fluctuating winter conditions continue across Michigan.

Cougars are known to be solitary and secretive animals, rarely seen in the wild. They’re known for their strength, agility, and ability to jump. Cougar attacks on humans are extremely rare.

Morning 4 is a quick roundup of stories we think you should know about to start your day.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking people with eastern hemlock trees on their property to take time this winter and check them for signs of hemlock woolly adelgid.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced that 14 communities across the state will share $1,896,700 in grants for local park and trail improvement projects.

The projects set to receive the funding are located in Berrien, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Gogebic, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Ottawa, Saginaw, Washtenaw and Wayne counties.

Michigan’s regular firearm season ended on Nov. 30, and hunters harvested fewer deer than in previous years, according to current data from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

A 59-year-old Michigan man has been charged, again, for hunting-related violations in Otsego County.

Oakland County residents passed a millage in the 2024 General Election focusing on improving and renewing parks. With the increased taxes, residents can soon see benefits from the county parks.

After 50 years of removing and relocating Canada geese from communities around Michigan, the state is changing course.

After 50 years of removing and relocating Canada geese from communities around Michigan, the state is changing course.

After 50 years of removing and relocating Canada geese from communities around Michigan, the state is changing course.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will expand the Upper Falls day-use area at Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

The Michigan DNR says it has confirmed a deadly disease affecting deer in at least 11 counties in the state this year.

A funding request has been submitted to study wildlife patterns with the goal of preventing animal vs. vehicle crashes in Michigan.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has started removing swim buoys from many state park beaches.

Michigan's Department of Natural Resources approves proposal to allow certain e-bikes on state-owned land.

It originally opened in 1967 and has since left its mark on Detroit culturally and also on several people physically.

A giant Smokey Bear hot air balloon will visit Michigan this week.

Wildlife experts have hit a dead end in their quest to determine how a gray wolf arrived in southern Michigan for the first time in more than 100 years.

The slide originally opened in 1967 and has since left its mark on Detroit and also on several people.

There are prescribed burns scheduled to take place in Michigan across four counties on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

Two men were arraigned in Kalkaska County court on charges that they illegally killed deer and inhumanely killed a porcupine.

Saugatuck Brewing Company is teaming up with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources during trout season to raise awareness and money for habitat restoration.

The MiCorps Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program is looking for volunteers to help gather information about water quality and fish habitat conditions in Michigan lakes.

According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, there is some interest in saving the Belle Isle Boathouse in Detroit.

The Michigan DNR stocked 2,800 large adult trout in Southeast Michigan.

Trenton, a Downriver city, is one of only 13 locations deemed a Trail Town in Michigan due to its commitment to its trails and community.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has canceled the 2024 Black Lake sturgeon fishing season due to a lack of safe ice on the lake.

Over the next few weeks, it’s coyote breeding season, which means you may see more than usual. I

Michigan Department of Natural Resources officer Ryan Cox, 22, has been charged in the 77th District Court in Mecosta County on one charge each of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder (10-year felony) and felony firearm.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants to know where black bear dens are and they need help from people who spend the most time outdoors.

In Michigan and many other areas in the United States, the bird population has been on a rapid decline.

The Michigan DNR is hosting a public hearing to discuss a proposed update to a rule regarding leashed and off-leashed dogs on state-managed land.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is now offering interactive hunter education and boater safety courses online.

Cougars are known to be solitary and secretive animals, rarely seen in the wild. They’re known for their strength, agility, and ability to jump. Cougar attacks on humans are extremely rare.

Many in Michigan have voiced their concerns about fire danger due to the extreme heat the past week.

The Wilderness Trail Fire that burned an estimated 2,400 acres in Northern Michigan is now contained, according to Michigan DNR.

If you have recently planted new trees, make sure to give them some extra TLC as the hot weather can impact their growth.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has added more nuisance animals to the list of critters property owners can kill without first obtaining a permit.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is urging people to take action now to prevent problems with wildlife this summer.

Morning 4 is a quick roundup of stories we think you should know about to start your day.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants to add more nuisance animals to the list of critters homeowners can kill without first obtaining a permit.

Nearly 60 new species have been added to Michigan’s list of threatened and endangered plants and animals.

The Becoming an Outdoors Woman program costs $300 and runs from June 2 through June 4 at the Bay Cliff Health Camp in Marquette County. This is the 26th annual summer BOW gathering for women 18 and older.

Oak trees are at high risk for oak wilt infection between April 15 to July 15. Oak wilt is a fungal disease that can weaken white oaks and kill red oak trees within just a few weeks.

The dry conditions sparked a fire warning from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, as even the slightest mistake could quickly become a disaster.

Six men from Colorado have pleaded guilty to poaching fish from the Manistee River in October.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said a Schoolcraft man recorded himself on video shooting at sandhill cranes from a bedroom window.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is hiring about 1,300 seasonal park workers throughout the state for 2023.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has some advice for anyone planning on heading out on frozen lakes for ice fishing this winter.

A Macomb Township man pleaded no contest after shooting three young Cooper’s hawks out of a tree because a utility company refused to cut it down, according to the DNR.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is asking people with eastern hemlock trees on their property to take time this winter and check them for signs of hemlock woolly adelgid.

The DNR answered some frequently asked questions about the new reporting system for deer hunting in Michigan.

Starting Tuesday morning, more than half-a-million hunters will head out into the woods for dear season. It’s estimated that hunting contributes more than $2 billion to the state’s economy yearly. But a shift is happening as both numbers have trended down for years.

The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle will undergo $10 million in renovations in mid-November.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants to know where bear dens are and they need help from people who spend the most time outdoors.

Algal blooms can hurt wildlife and make water too dangerous to drink.

Invasive beech leaf disease was first confirmed in Michigan in St. Clair County in July. Since then, it has been detected in Oakland and Wayne counties.

Deer hunting regulations in Michigan have become less restrictive over the last few years.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division created a quiz to help people learn how to tell when a deer is sick.

Michigan hunters are expected to report a successful hunt within 72 hours of harvesting a deer.

Michigan Trails Week celebrates the state’s 13,400 miles of state-designated trails.

This year celebrates 50 years of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ deer management cooperation patch.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources personnel will be conducting walleye recruitment surveys through early October.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said it is seeing good indicators that a modest stocking increase of Chinook salmon populations is needed in Lake Michigan.

Last month, photographs were taken of what appeared to be a large, black cat in Manistee County.

Many of Michigan’s hunting seasons kick off in September.

Deer hunters in Michigan are now required to report a successful harvest within 72 hours or before transferring possession of the deer.

There is a new birding trail in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that covers more than 400 miles and includes 40 birding stops.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will pay you $100 per bushel of red pine cones during the month of September.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is urging bird hunters to keep an eye out for signs of bird flu (H5N1).

The Giant Slide at Belle Isle Park is set to re-reopen Friday -- and Local 4′s Nick Monacelli was there early to test it out.

Know where to find Red pine trees? If you collect a bushel of red pine cones next month you could earn $100 and help the Michigan Department of Natural Resources plant trees in state forests.

Riders were absolutely flying down the Giant Slide on Belle Isle on Friday.