Advocacy Corner
Welcome to the Advocacy Corner, where regular updates on Environmental Advocacy Initiatives/Legislation of interest to MBS members will be posted!
MBS Membership in MEC
Michigan Botanical Society (MBS) is a member of the Michigan Environmental Council (MEC), an environmental policy and advocacy organization. MEC acts as an organizing body to coordinate policy and legislative initiatives among over 100 participating environmental and conservation groups in Michigan. Their policy priorities focus on the following seven critical areas: Climate and Energy, Water, Land and Wildlife, Health and Justice, Transportation, Waste Reduction and Democracy and Good Governance.
Currently, MEC is working on the following environmental campaigns: Affordable Healthy Homes, Comprehensive Climate and Energy Reform, Statewide Septic Code, Rulemaking Restoration for EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy), Polluter Pay regulations, Cumulative (Industrial) Impacts Assessment, Transportation GHG (Green House Gas) Reduction, Michigan Bottle Deposit Reform and Critical Dunes protections.
Link to MEC website: Home - Michigan Environmental Council
Planned Activity
The Advocacy Corner will be reviewing and reporting on MEC activities of relevance to MBS and any “calls to action” that may prompt participation in initiatives or show of support for legislation via communications with our State Government in Lansing.
Other Organizations
Updates from other environmental organizations and initiatives will be highlighted to keep MBS informed and engaged as stakeholders in protecting our native plant communities. Land Conservancy, Natural Areas Preservation organizations, educational institutions and government organizations, among others, operate within the HVC area and statewide to preserve, protect, restore and provide educational opportunities for natural areas.
Current Issues of Interest:
Save the Arb! No Monorail impacting Nichols Arboretum!
The University of Michigan is proposing an elevated monorail (Campus Connector) that would facilitate commuting between Central, North and the Medical campuses in Ann Arbor. A proposed location of the monorail through and over areas of the Nichols Arboretum would have adverse effects on its ecological and historical significance as well as impact the experience of its users.
UPDATE (JUNE), GOOD NEWS!: Good news received in a recent communication from the University of Michigan (June 6, 2025) regarding their position on impacts to the Arboretum from the proposed Automated Transit System (Campus Connector). See Link below to UofM update including “What about the Arb?” Please read!! To quote:
“…U-M plans to only consider potential routes that would not pass through the Arb.”
UofM Automated Transit System Update
The Michigan Botanical Society, Huron Valley Chapter, submitted a letter to Santa J. Ono, President, University of Michigan expressing concern regarding the proposed Campus Connector project impacting the Nichols Arboretum. See the letter (Dated 4/4/25) from Neal Billetdeaux, our Chapter President, via the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xDp9y7tao59UYuLycRFxFq39uTORiP2K/view?usp=drive_link
Below is a link to a petition currently being circulated in order to add your voice to the request to reconsider this plan:
For additional information and background on this issue, please see the letter written by the former Director of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum and professor emeritus, Bob Grese, to the President of the University of Michigan:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hIEIokzgacvh2TvleqGyZtLSF_PMp8aj/view
Neonicatinoid (Neonics) Pesticide Impacts
Neonicatinoid Pesticide (Neonics) use in U.S. Agriculture has been identified as having major impacts on insect populations and in particular, our pollinator species, effecting both agricultural crops and native plants. They have been described as one of the most ecologically destructive pesticides of our times and pose those same impacts here in Michigan. Information and action items on impacts of use of neonics on our State’s pollinators and the public health are included herein. Background information is provided via this link:
UPDATE (June):
A new report, “Neonicotinoid Pesticides in Michigan: Surface Water Contamination and Threats to Aquatic Ecosystems” has just been released on a study further illustrating the impacts to Michigan’s Ecosystems by these pesticides. Please see the link below to the MEC website page on this topic which includes a link to the full report:
Please consider signing a letter to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARP) expressing your concerns:
Tell MDARD: Protect Our Health, Pollinators, and Water from Toxic Neonic Pollution
Thanks!!
“Better Bottle Bill” proposed by the MEC:
The Michigan Environmental Council (MEC) is proposing an update to Michigan’s current bottle bill to address the significant amount of non-carbonated beverage containers that are not covered by the current bill. Water bottles and containers for sports drinks, juices and others would be added to the bottle deposit and refund approach to keeping bottles and cans from littering our landscapes and ending up in landfills. Review of the current allocation of funds from unclaimed deposits as well as proposals to improve the return process are addressed.
You can add your name to the petition below to communicate to our legislators the need to update and improve the existing law:
Bottle Bill Petition - Michigan Environmental Council
For additional information you can visit the MEC website dedicated to this issue:
Better Bottle Bill - Michigan Environmental Council
- 6/24/25