TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A fight is brewing in the Michigan Legislature over management of state forest land, as an Upper Peninsula senator tries to derail a plan aimed mostly at nurturing a diverse mix of animal and plant life.

The Senate Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes Committee has scheduled a Thursday hearing on a bill that would prohibit state regulators from classifying sections of land specifically to achieve or maintain biological diversity. It also would delete “biological diversity” from the Department of Natural Resources’ list of forest management duties and order the department to balance management activities with economic values.

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