Environment
Drought's impact on fall foliage tourism still unknown
|
By MATTHEW HALL
Capital News Service
LANSING – Will a drought-shortened color season blunt the impact of Great Lakes fall tourism? Stress induced by the dry summer may have leaves starting to fall a week or so earlier than normal, said Bert Cregg, a professor at Michigan State University’s Department of Forestry. The truncated season has some tourism officials concerned. The fall colors attract a lot of visitors and money to the state, said George Zimmermann, vice president for Travel Michigan, a public-private partnership that encourages tourism. It is featured in the state’s promotional advertisements.