outdoor activities

The popular Potawatomi Trail is about to get an environmental facelift. The hiking and biking trail connects Washtenaw and Livingston Counties and is about to get about $500,000 in upgrades. WEMU's David Fair spoke with Pinckney Recreation Area park manager, Chuck Dennison, to learn what that is going to look like.

Ann Arbor residents are being reminded that, beginning June 1st, the gas-powered leaf blowers will need to stay in the garage when they are doing yard work. We hear more from WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert.

May is great time to head outdoors and learn about some of the native species of birds and plants in and around Washtenaw County. As Kevin Meerschaert reports, Superior Township is holding an event on Saturday to do so.

A lot of kids get excited at the prospect of spending a part of the summer at sleepaway camp. The sheer number of activities and the opportunities to make new friends and have a life experience outside the home has a number of benefits. Unfortunately, there are a lot of families that can’t afford to provide that experience. That’s where Washtenaw Camp Placement comes in. Its mission is to help youngsters with less access find their way to the camp experience. WEMU's David Fair talks with executive director Matt Tarver-Wahlquist about how to get connected and the kinds of differences it is making.

Golf courses take up a lot of land, and the well-manicured grasses require a lot of maintenance and have traditionally been treated with materials detrimental to the health of the environment. Yet, efforts to reduce environmental impacts have taken great strides. The City of Ann Arbor owns two golf courses, and WEMU's David Fair talked with parks manager Josh Landefeld about where it’s come and where it’s headed.

Disc golf is a sport that received a boost in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to grow. WEMU's Josh Hakala and Concentrate Media's Rylee Barnsdale take a look at how to play and where to play in the Ypsilanti area with Jen Trombley. She's a member of the Professional Disc Golf Association and head of the Grit and Grace Ladies League.

The number of people camping has exploded since the onset of the pandemic. And, there are numerous benefits to getting out in nature. However, sleeping in your tent isn’t one of them. Tents are covered with cancer-causing, fire-retardant chemicals. Ann Arbor Democrat Jeff Irwin has successfully pushed a measure through the Michigan Senate to make it legal to sell tents without that toxic coating. He joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss that issue and the ongoing fight to get a better legislative handle on more of the chemicals that pollute the environment and impact public health.

The number of people camping has exploded since the onset of the pandemic. And, there are numerous benefits to getting out in nature. However, sleeping in your tent isn’t one of them. Tents are covered with cancer-causing, fire-retardant chemicals. Ann Arbor Democrat Jeff Irwin has successfully pushed a measure through the Michigan Senate to make it legal to sell tents without that toxic coating. He joined WEMU's David Fair to discuss that issue and the ongoing fight to get a better legislative handle on more of the chemicals that pollute the environment and impact public health.

Plans are moving forward on how to best utilize the Library Lane parking lot in downtown Ann Arbor. We get the details from WEMU’s Taylor Pinson.

Although founded in 1849, Homecoming celebrations did not begin at Eastern Michigan University for many years after that. This year, Eastern is…