What started out as a tradition to hunt and kill as many birds as possible, turned into something much different 125 years ago. People decided instead to count the birds.

In Michigan, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count is taking place at about 80 sites across the state. There are more than 70 sites in Ohio. There are thousands of sites around the world.

Stephanie Beilke is senior manager of conservation science with Audubon Great Lakes. She said it’s not too late for you to get involved too. You can start at the group’s website.

“It’ll show a map of where counts are happening near you. And then you find your nearest circle. It’s a seven-mile-radius circle and it’ll tell you who is leading the count, who to be in touch with, and you would just email that person and they’ll get you set up and where you can help out.”

This season’s count is already underway. If you want to get participate, you should look into it right away.

The data gathered helps determine how well populations of different species are doing and if climate change affects where they spend the winter.

“Because it’s been going on for so long, it’s contributing to a massive data set that can give us an idea of, you know, a trend of populations for birds over the winter,” Beilke said.

The count ends on Jan. 5.

Thousands of people set out to explore Michigan’s woods and water at the end of 2023.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the outdoor industry brought in nearly $14 billion in economic activity. That’s an 8 percent increase compared to 2022.

While the amount of growth is less than 2022 numbers, advocates and business owners say outdoor industries have potential to be powerful economic drivers in the future.

The data

The latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) highlighted the growing impact of outdoor industries in Michigan in 2023:

• $13.9 billion in economic activity
• 118,000+ jobs supported
• $6.4 billion in wages earned
• Outdoor recreation’s value to Michigan’s economy grew 8.1% since 2022.
• Industry wages increased 7.3%, totaling $6.4 billion.
• Boating/Fishing led the way, generating $1.2 billion.
• Climbing/Hiking/Tent Camping grew to $206 million.
• Hunting/Shooting Sports added $330 million to the state’s economy.

Heart of the Lakes — an advocacy group for Michigan’s land conservancies — said the figures reflect “a vibrant and growing outdoor economy, driven by a deep connection to Michigan’s natural resources.”

Executive Director Jonathan Jarosz called Michigan’s outdoor industries a “sleeping giant” because of its range of activities and manufacturers.

“We’re not just stuck on watercraft, we’re not just stuck on skiing, we’re not just stuck on hunting and fishing,” Jarosz said. “Any possible activity you can think of — even ice climbing — you can do in Michigan.”

The growth path comes after a major spike in outdoor recreation during the pandemic. Michigan’s success is only part of a new wave of outdoor adventurers.

Nationally, outdoor economies contributed $1.2 trillion in gross output and supported 5 million jobs.

Jarosz noted that Michigan is still “middle of the pack” compared to other states with large outdoor recreation markets.

“It’s like in a 5k, you have your crazy athletes running six minute miles, you have the people who just want to walk for fun, then you have the weekend warriors that are shooting to do their best,” he said. “That’s where Michigan is compared to others – we have room for improvement.”

Hope for the future

Meanwhile, outdoor advocates are celebrating the passage of the EXPLORE Act, a federal bill package meant to improve recreation on public lands and waters.

The U.S. Senate passed the legislation on Thursday and it will now go to President Joe Biden’s desk for final approval.

The package would streamline permitting for outdoor guides, provide federal grants to create and improve parks in urban communities, increase youth recreation and veterans access to federal lands, among many other initiatives.

“It’s like a year-end gift,” Jarosz said. “This gives us an opportunity to unify the outdoor movements. The number of bills that fall under it will only help to increase access to the outdoors and continue to raise Michigan and our country as an outdoorsman’s paradise.”

On the state level, advocates and business owners are similarly optimistic but say there is still work to be done.

Crystal Mountain Resort President Chris McInnes says growth trends show the outdoors could be both an economic driver and a marketing asset for people to move to Michigan.

“We’re seeing that it’s sustained. So, many more people have been exposed and have fallen in love with the outdoors,” she said.

The Michigan Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry was created in May 2019 by Governor Gretchen Whitmer with a goal to “identify and grow outdoor businesses.”

Both McInnes and Jarosz, who sit on the office’s advisory council, say they’d like to see funding and staffing increase.

“We want lawmakers to really look at the outdoor recreation economy as a focus sector in our overall economic strategic plan to help Michigan thrive in the future,” McInnes said.

On the latest episode of the Detroit Evening Report Weekends, Sascha Raiyn spends some time with Garrett Dempsey of Detroit Outdoors.

Detroit Outdoors is a collaboration between the Sierra Club, the city of Detroit and the YMCA, focused on exposing Detroit youth to the outdoors.

This summer, the organization took a group of students to Yosemite National Park to camp, hike and rock climb. But the trip was centered around the history of the Buffalo Soldiers in the National Parks, and the Detroit native who is the park service’s foremost expert on that history, Shelton Johnson.

Garrett Dempsey is the program director for Detroit Outdoors. He spoke to WDET’s Sascha Raiyn about the trip and the organization’s work to get Black and brown youth into the great outdoors.

Listen to the episode using the media player above.