On the Ground: Spring Tree Planting Projects

It certainly hasn’t looked or felt like Spring yet here in Michigan, but it looks like warmer temperatures are just in time for this weekend’s upcoming tree planting events with MUCC’s On the Ground program! On Saturday, volunteers will be planting trees for wildlife at the Crane Pond State Game Area. Then, on Sunday, volunteers will be actively celebrating Earth Day by planting trees in the Huron-Manistee National Forest near Baldwin. This will be the fourth year in a row that OTG has hosted a tree planting event in the Crane Pond SGA, but the first for the Huron-Manistee National Forest area. See more details about these events and other OTG upcoming events below!

 

April 21, 2018 Crane Pond State Game Area

On Saturday, April 21st from 10am-2pm, volunteers will be planting 300 tree seedlings in 3-gallon pots at the Crane Pond SGA DNR Field Office. These trees will be monitored and cared for until they are large enough to plant in wildlife openings in the area to provide browse and thermal cover for the area’s wildlife-see more details and RSVP to volunteer here!

 

 

April 22, 2018 Huron-Manistee National Forest: Baldwin

On Sunday, April 22nd from 9am-3pm, volunteers will be planting mast producing trees in openings and along roads in the Huron-Manistee National Forest near Baldwin, MI. This project is partnered with the National Wild Turkey Federation. See more details and RSVP to volunteer here!

 

 

MORE UPCOMING OTG EVENTS:

 

April 28, 2018 Keeler State Game Area

On Saturday, April 28th from 9am-2pm, volunteers will continue wildlife habitat improvements in the area by building brush piles for rabbitat. This project has been completed in the region each year since the start of the program in 2013!

 

May 2, 2018 Elmwood Twp Mini-State Game Area (OTG Jr)

On Wednesday, May 2nd from 9am-2pm the Reese Out of Doors Club will be completing a wildlife habitat program for the fifth year in a row with OTG Jr. The group will be planting shrubs along a roadway in the Elmowwod Twp Mini SGA. The 600 dogwood and highbush cranberry trees were generously donated by Cold Stream Farms to make this project possible!

 

May TBD, 2018 Gwinn State Forest

On Saturday, May (date to be determined) from 9am-3pm we will be planting mast-producing trees in the Gwinn State Forest. Volunteers will meet by 9am at the Gwinn Department of Natural Resources office located on Highway M-35. The project site is located about 20 miles south of Gwinn off of County Rd 557, we will caravan from the field office. Fencing structures will also be placed around the newly planted trees. See more details and RSVP to volunteer here!

 

May 15, 2018 Tobico Marsh/Bay City State Rec Area (OTG Jr)

On Tuesday, May 15th from 9am-3pm, students from the Cramer Jr High Service Club will be pulling garlic mustard and treating glossy buckthorn in the Tobico Marsh area. This group removed over 30 bags of garlic mustard and other invasives from the area last year! The students will enjoy an afternoon of fishing after the habitat work is complete.

 

May 19, 2018 Grayling State Forest

On Saturday, May 19th from 9am-3pm, volunteers will be pruning apple trees in a state forest land orchard. These trees will produce soft mast (apples) for the areas wildlife including deer, bear, turkey, grouse and small game. See more details and RSVP to volunteer here.

 

May 30 & 31, 2018 Rose Lake State Game Area (OTG Jr)

On Wednesday, May 30th and Thursday, May 31st, we will be building brush piles and pulling garlic mustard with 100 students from Murphy Elementary in the Haslett public schools.  This project is coordinated with Zsa Mahon and her 5th-grade classes with our On the Ground Jr program!

 

June 2, 2018 Pigeon River Country State Forest

On Saturday, June 2nd from 9AM-4PM we will be partnering with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) for their annual habitat workday in the Pigeon River Country State Forest. This year, volunteers will be planting trees as well as removing some fencing from a newly acquired property near the Johnson’s Crossing area. Please see more details and RSVP to volunteer here!

 

June 9, 2018 Pigeon River Country State Forest

On Saturday, June 9th from 9AM-2PM we will be improving wildlife habitat in the Pigeon River Country State Forest. Volunteers will be cutting encroaching timber to open up an area with an oak understory to allow better regeneration of the mast-producing species. The project location will be near Pickerel Lake. See more details and RSVP to volunteer here!

 

June 22, 2018 Gladwin Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS)

On Friday, June 22nd from 10AM-2PM, we will be kicking off MUCC’s Annual Convention by improving hunter walking trails in the Gladwin GEMS Lame Duck Foot Access Area. Volunteers will be building a boardwalk in the area. See more details and RSVP to volunteer here!

 

MUCC’s On The Ground Program is supported by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division