Snowmobile club members and the Department of Natural Resources are busy preparing for the 2009-2010 snowmobile season. This includes preseason trail vegetation brushing and signing on more than 6,500 miles of Michigan's designated snowmobile trail system.

"The last few years have been excellent for snowmobile trail riding, and we anticipate another great year on the designated snowmobile trail system in Michigan," said Steve DeBrabander, DNR's State Trails Operations and Construction supervisor.

There will be some administrative changes this season with the recent announcement of the Michigan Trails Advisory Council absorbing the responsibilities of the Snowmobile Advisory Committee, as a result of Governor Jennifer M. Granholm's Executive Order No. 2009-45.

"We do not anticipate any changes that may impact what the trail user will see for maintenance of the trail system," said DeBrabander. "Grants are currently being prepared for the 68 snowmobile clubs, and trails will be ready for the upcoming season."

Over $6.6 million in grants are being issued by the DNR to cover grooming equipment and repair, trail brushing, signing and grooming, and parking lot plowing of staging areas for this coming season, which begins Dec. 1 and ends March 31, 2010. Funding to support the snowmobile trail improvement fund comes from the annual $35 Michigan Snowmobile Trail Permit, a portion of the snowmobile registration fee, and a portion of state gas tax revenue. The snowmobile trail improvement fund is constitutionally protected and can only be used for the snowmobile trails program.

The 6,500-mile designated snowmobile trail system is a statewide network of signed and groomed trails that extends from Southwest Michigan, up the west side of the Lower Peninsula, in the thumb area and throughout the Northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula. This network of trails is on both public and private lands. According to snowmobile industry estimates, snowmobiling in Michigan is a $1 billion economic impact to the state.

Questions about the program may be directed to Steve DeBrabander at (517) 241-3687. For more information on Michigan's snowmobile program, please go to www.michigan.gov/dnr, click on Recreation, Camping and Boating, and then click on Snowmobiling.