Wolves. Deer herd management. Invasive species. Trail access.

Those are just a few of the difficult and sometimes controversial issues that Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff must deal with in the Upper Peninsula.

To its credit, the agency doesn’t try to isolate itself from the public on such topics.

The DNR is currently soliciting applications for open volunteer positions on the Eastern and Western Upper Peninsula Citizens’ Advisory Councils.

The councils are designed to advise the DNR on regional programs and policies, identify areas in which the department can be more effective and responsive, and offer insight and guidance from members’ own experiences and from the public.

A Nov. 25 deadline has been set to apply for membership to the councils and several vacancies are available.

The councils meet every other month, with meeting agenda items set by members. Council recommendations are forwarded to the DNR for consideration in policy-formation and decision-making processes.

John Pepin, a DNR deputy public information officer, says the councils are an opportunity for members and the public to learn about, and have input into, DNR issues, programs and decisions.

“Since their creation, the U.P. citizens’ advisory councils have drafted over 100 recommendations on a wide variety of topics, the wide majority of which have been approved by the DNR,” Pepin stated in a news release.

Council members are required to have their primary residence in the U.P.’s five eastern or 10 western counties. They are selected for the councils based on a variety of factors Each council includes roughly 20 members representing a wide variety of natural resource and recreation interest groups or the citizenry at large.

Application forms and more information about the councils are available online at Michigan.gov/UPCAC or by calling the DNR’s Marquette Customer Service Center at 906-226-1331.

Completed applications may be emailed to dahlstromk@michigan.gov, or dropped off at or mailed to DNR, Attn: CAC, 1990 U.S. 41 South, Marquette, MI 49855.