On The Ground
On the Ground: Volunteers Planted 100 Mast-Producing Trees in Kalkaska County
On Saturday, October 22, 2022, we continued our partnership with Gib King of Land Ethic, LCC to once again host volunteers at a mast-producing tree planting and brush pile building event in the Traverse City Forest Management Unit (Kalkaska County). In total, 17 volunteers planted one-hundred 5-6 foot trees including various crabapple, hawthorn, and serviceberry…
Read MoreJoin OTG at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
The last OTG volunteer event of 2022 is on Saturday, October 29. If you enjoy improving the habitat for multiple native species, consider joining MUCC at the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. Imperiled species, such as the eastern massasauga rattlesnake and the eastern box turtle, rely on the habitat provided by Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. Unfortunately,…
Read MoreReptiles of Peirce Cedar Creek Institute
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is an amazing nature center focused on public education and environmental protection. On the 850 acres are native reptiles such as the eastern massasauga rattlesnake and the eastern box turtle. Learn more about these species below. The Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake The eastern massasauga rattlesnake is Michigan’s only venomous snake. It occurs…
Read MoreVolunteer with OTG at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute this Month
Join MUCC’s On the Ground (OTG) program in partnership with Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in removing invasive woody vegetation that is encroaching on rattlesnake and box turtle summer breeding and nesting habitat in Hastings. The project unit is about 1.5 acres of oak woodland where invasive autumn olive is encroaching on rattlesnake and box turtle…
Read MoreOn the Ground: A Year in Review
During the 2021-2022 fiscal year, On the Ground volunteers showed up to improve wildlife habitat and recreational access on Michigan’s public lands. Through 22 OTG projects, 546 volunteers spent more than 1,515 hours improving 255 acres of wildlife habitat throughout the state! In 2022, grade schools participated in 6 habitat improvement projects, making students a…
Read MoreOctober Volunteer Events
Countless amazing volunteers have joined the OTG program to improve habitat across Michigan allowing the On the Ground Program to celebrate many successful events of the fiscal year. With the help of over 500 volunteers, 22 projects affecting recreation, habitat availability, and wildlife health improved Michigan’s outdoor areas. Even though the fiscal year is complete,…
Read MoreOn the Ground: Students from Reese High School Improve Habitat In and Around the Cass River
On Wednesday, September 21, 2022, juniors and seniors from Reese High School joined MUCC’s On the Ground (OTG) program in cleaning-up public access sites along the Cass River in Vassar Township. Conservation students picked-up multiple bags of litter and removed large items of trash from the Cass River and surrounding access sites including tires, vehicle…
Read MoreVolunteers of the Gratiot-Saginaw Bridge Repair Event
Thanks to the wonderful volunteers at the September 17th Gratiot-Saginaw OTG event, the access bridge on the property is fixed. On Saturday morning, four volunteers took on the challenge of rebuilding the outdated access bridge. Armed with crowbars and power tools the crew removed and replaced the old wood planks. In total, the project lasted…
Read MoreOn the Ground: Year-to-Date Impacts and What’s to Come
With only about one week left until autumn, MUCC’s On the Ground (OTG) program is prepping for it’s short but sweet fall field season. This October, we’ll be planting mast-producing trees in Kalkaska County and then putting our rubber boots to the ground at Pierce cedar Creek Institute in Hastings to remove invasive woody vegetation…
Read MoreOn the Ground: Volunteers Celebrate the Life and Legacy of Dean Barnum by Improving Wetland Habitat at Kellogg Community College
On Friday, September 2, 2022, 41 volunteers joined MUCC’s On the Ground (OTG) program in partnership with Kellogg Community College to clean up the Linear Path and improve pollinator habitat on campus. Volunteers removed trash from Spring Lakes wetland area and performed trail maintenance around Linear Path at Kellogg Community College (KCC). Joining in on…
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