“In addition to all those structures, we’ve got miles and miles of trails with culverts and bridges and about 200 dams that we own,” says Michelle Crook, DNR senior project engineer.

The Customer Service Center was built with cross-laminated timber panels and glulam columns.
Photo courtesy of Walbridge

Asset Management Plan

The dams represent a new way in which the department is managing infrastructure priorities. Many were built with an average design life of 60 years and are now reaching or exceeding that mark. In response, the DNR recently developed a formal asset management plan for dams and is working to expand similar systems across parks and buildings. The shift is part of a larger effort to move away from a more fragmented approach in which individual DNR divisions advocated for projects independently and, as a result, success sometimes depended on which department made the best sales presentation.

“We’ve gone to a more structured asset management system to track the age and condition of structures and prioritize funding as it becomes available,” Crook says.

The department’s responsibilities are spread across multiple divisions—including parks and recreation, forest resources, fisheries, wildlife, finance and operations, marketing and outreach and an executive division—each with distinct infrastructure needs. Fish hatcheries require specialized water systems and energy-intensive pumps. Wildlife offices are often in remote locations. Meanwhile, the parks must accommodate millions of annual visitors whose expectations have increased over time.

Campgrounds are a prime example.

“It’s not the tents and little pop-ups like you used to see 20 years ago,” Crook says. “Now you have big motor homes. Our electrical systems were out of date and not able to keep up.”

As a result, the DNR has invested in upgrading electrical, water and sewer hookups to meet modern demands.

The DNR Customer Service Center was also built to serve as a command center during emergencies.
Photo courtesy of Walbridge

Supporting Mass Timber

In recent years, a surge of federal pandemic relief funds accelerated construction. As of mid-2025, the department had identified more than 150 improvement and construction projects at state parks, with most either underway or complete. Annual infrastructure spending has expanded from around $50 million annually into the hundreds of millions of dollars during peak investment years.

Among the most visible recent projects is the DNR Customer Service Center in Newberry, located in the heart of the Upper Peninsula’s timber country. The building, which was named an ENR Midwest Best Project in 2025, is Michigan’s first fully mass timber state building constructed with Michigan-harvested red pine.

The project was designed not only to replace an aging and outdated rented facility but also to serve as a demonstration of timber’s environmental and economic potential.

Detroit’s Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory earned an ENR Midwest award of merit in the renovation/restoration category in 2025.
Photo by Ideal Contracting

“We wanted to help the timber industry, and we’d really like to get a mass timber supplier in Michigan,” Crook says. “This was a way to show its value and beauty.”

The timber used in the project was harvested in Michigan but had to be shipped to the Pacific Northwest for processing before returning for installation—a logistical challenge that nonetheless yielded environmental benefits.

“Our architect ran the calculations and showed it was still a carbon benefit compared to concrete and steel,” Crook says. “It holds onto that carbon.”

Jason Kuckuk, project manager for Walbridge, the project’s general contractor, praised the DNR for its efforts in sourcing the timber.

“MDNR worked with the design and construction team to identify Michigan red pine as the suitable wood fiber for the project,” he says. “They traveled with the team to a local saw mill and the mass timber manufacturer’s plant to review materials and ensure that their goal was being met to their standards. This initiative was the first-ever use of Michigan red pine for mass timber construction in the state.”

The new “building demonstrates their commitment to advance mass timber use in Michigan,” he adds, “and they have proven that it can be done with Michigan wood fiber.”

In addition to housing DNR staff, the Newberry center includes community space that can serve as a command center during emergencies, such as forest fires —a practical addition in a wildfire risk region.

The DNR oversees maintenance of more than 2,000 buildings, including the Tawas Point Lighthouse in East Tawas, Mich.
Photo courtesy of the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources

Environmental Sensitivity

The DNR also contributed to the renovation of the historic Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle in Detroit, which earned an award of merit in the renovation/restoration category in ENR Midwest’s 2025 Best Projects contest.

While the conservatory is operated in partnership with local groups, the DNR helped fund improvements to the century-old greenhouse—one of the oldest continually operating conservatories in the U.S. The project required careful coordination given the building’s age and its role as a botanical landmark.

Environmental sensitivity is a constant thread in DNR construction. At Tahquamenon Falls State Park in the state’s Upper Peninsula, a recent renovation included installing an aluminum truss bridge in a remote, ecologically sensitive area. Rather than risk damage from heavy ground equipment, the department used a helicopter to place the bridge components—a costlier but less disruptive solution.

“When we have those unique situations, that always increases the cost,” Crook says. “But we have archaeologists and resource groups review every project.”

Teams assess risks to threatened and endangered species, plant communities and habitat concerns before work begins. On dam projects, for instance, crews avoid certain erosion-control materials that could trap snakes or amphibians, and construction timing is adjusted to protect wildlife.

The DNR is working to install renewable energy technologies such as solar panels.
Photo courtesy of the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources

Public Engagement

Zane Hyrkas, project engineer for OHM Advisors, worked on the Tahquamenon Falls project and says the DNR provides contractors with clear guidelines.

“Each project is structured with a team from the DNR who is responsible for that project,” Hyrkas says. “Expectations are delivered and established during design, bidding, and construction. Templates for how each project is managed and contracted are standardized so professional service contractors and construction contractors know what to expect.

“Alongside management of project construction, the DNR also proactively engages with the public,” he notes. “So many of their projects are for public use and within areas of our public lands. Their forward-facing staff responsible for communications with the public care about listening and hearing what the public wants, while balancing those wants and uses with conservation and protection. It is often a fine line that requires care and consideration on each project.”

Recent climate trends are also shaping projects. At fish hatcheries in the Upper Peninsula and Kalamazoo, the DNR has added or refurbished outdoor ponds and incubation buildings to transition from cold-water to cool-water species to adapt to rising temperatures. In addition, five of the state’s six hatcheries now have solar arrays, offsetting roughly 17% of their energy use.

“We’re not going to get 100%,” Crook says of solar generation. “But it helps.”

The DNR employs roughly 1,200 full-time workers, supplemented by seasonal staff who support parks and wildlife operations during peak months. For Crook, who has worked in four state departments, the variety of her DNR job is appealing.

“No two days are the same,” she says. “We do a lot of neat projects. Our project teams are large, but everybody is invested and excited. I’m continually amazed at how dedicated and passionate everyone is about the work.”