Posts by Americorps
Peace out Rainbow Trout: My last week of service.
My AmeriCorps service with MUCC is coming to an end this week. I’ve met a lot of wonderful and passionate people through On the Ground, outreach days and MUCC’s Out-of-Doors Youth Camp. The OTG Program hosted 28 events this year during my term. It was extremely gratifying to help improve wildlife habitat across the state…
Read MoreNerves of Stihl: On the Ground Volunteers Participate in Chainsaw Safety and Stewardship Day
Last Saturday, November 4th, 2023, MUCC’s On the Ground program partnered with Fenner Nature Center and Daisy Tree Care to host a Chainsaw Safety and Stewardship Day on FNC’s grounds. In total, 14 volunteers learned basic chainsaw maintenance and then got some hands-on experience cutting unwanted logs and trees in Fenner’s Maple Grove. The course…
Read MoreHaving a Hard Time Identifying Woody Invasives in the Winter? On the Ground has your Back
As the leaves begin to fall and winter approaches, the need to remove woody invasives continues. Removing woody invasives during the wintertime is ideal as the species becomes dormant and easy to get access. The big issue then becomes how you can distinguish a woody invasive from a native plant when it’s just the bark.…
Read MoreDon’t Make a Rash Decision, Watch out for Poisonous Plants in the Winter
The thought of encountering a plant like poison ivy isn’t always on our minds when we’re recreating outdoors during the fall and winter months. I mean why would it? All the other plants are dormant or dead so why is a poisonous plant any different? The danger comes from the oil urushiol, which can remain…
Read MoreOn the Ground: more than 4,000 volunteers engaged through statewide habitat improvement efforts
The final day of September marked the end of MUCC’s 2023 fiscal year. Last year’s volunteer turnout brought a lot of excitement for the On the Ground team as 771 volunteers joined us out in the field, marking the most volunteers in a single year since the program’s inception in 2013! On the Ground…
Read MoreOn the Ground Junior: Students from the Mecosta-Osceola Career Center braved the rain to help improve wildlife habitat in their community
On Tuesday, October 10, 2023, high school students and instructors from the Mecosta-Osceola Career Center participated in MUCC’s On the Ground Jr. program in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to improve wildlife habitat at Haymarsh Lake State Game Area. During the morning portion of the project, students were divided into teams and…
Read MoreOn the Ground Junior: High School Students Build Brush Piles and Deploy Trail Cameras for Wildlife with MUCC and The Nature Conservancy in Luce County
On September 27, 2023, high school students and instructors from Lake Superior State University’s Career in Technical Education program participated in MUCC’s On the Ground Junior program in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to improve wildlife habitat in the Two-Hearted River Forest Preserve north of Newberry. During this stewardship project, students cut down overgrown…
Read MoreVolunteer with On the Ground to Help Restore One of Michigan’s Most Endangered Habitats: The Oak Savanna
Habitat improvement projects are always gratifying work, especially when they benefit rare habitats such as oak savannas. We often hear about how habitat restoration efforts impact charismatic species like white-tailed deer or wild turkeys, but many lesser-known species benefit from these projects just the same. Rare insects such as the dusted skipper, grizzled skipper, monarch…
Read MoreOn the Ground: Volunteers helped deFENd unique habitat at Gourdneck State Game Area
On Saturday, September 9, 2023, 26 On the Ground 21 volunteers gathered at Gourdneck State Game Area in Kalamazoo County to remove woody invasives from a unique prairie fen habitat. In total, 2 acres of public land were improved by the removal of woody invasives like glossy buckthorn, autumn olive, and honeysuckle. Volunteers split up…
Read MoreOak Savannas are more than OAK-ay: Volunteer with On the Ground in Kent County to Help Restore One of our State’s Rarest Habitat Types
Join MUCC’s On the Ground (OTG) program in partnership with Kent Conservation District for an oak savanna habitat restoration day at Cannonsburg State Game Area. Oak savannas can be defined as groups of scattered oak trees, acting as a transition system between prairies and woodland habitats. The scattered trees allow plenty of sunlight on the…
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