On the Ground: Volunteers Improve Small Game Habitat at Gourdneck SGA

Kristina Kennedy • March 31, 2022

OTG volunteers stack limbs and brush to create rabbitat within Gourdneck SGA.

Last Saturday, March 26, 2022, a group of 15 volunteers joined MUCC’s On the Ground program (OTG) and Kalamazoo Conservation District in a day of assembling brush piles to enhance wildlife habitat in Gourdneck State Game Area (SGA). Brush piles, also known as “rabbitat” (rabbit habitat), provide a variety of wildlife with shelter, nesting and denning sites, and protection from predators. Species that are positively impacted by the presence of brush piles specifically at Gourdneck SGA include cottontail rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, foxes, garter snakes, and songbirds, just to name a few. In total, volunteers assembled 10 large brush piles which will enhance wildlife habitat on approximately 7 acres of land within Gourdneck SGA for years to come.

Volunteers construct the base of a brush pile at Gourdneck SGA.

A properly assembled brush pile can provide year-round habitat for a variety of species. The base of a brush pile, typically built with large logs, limbs and stumps, provides natural tunnels and nesting sites for small mammals. Once a sturdy base is constructed, smaller brush and limbs can be stacked on top. A typical brush pile is about 4-8 feet high with enough materials on top to provide animals with shelter and protection from predators, but loose enough around the edges for access to the tunnels inside. For more information on the importance of brush piles, click here.

MUCC values its volunteers and would like to extend our gratitude to all volunteers who participated in this event. If you are interested in volunteering with OTG, you can find information on upcoming projects, volunteer registration, and an interactive project map at  mucc.org/on-the-ground. Our next OTG project is the Clinton River Clean-Up on Saturday, April 7, 2022 at River Bends Park in Shelby Township. Join MUCC OTG, the Metro-West Steelheaders, and the Clinton River Watershed from 8:50am to 1pm in a day of trash clean-up to improve fish and wildlife habitat in and around the Clinton River. All necessary equipment will be provided (trash grabbers, gloves, waders, trash bags, etc.). Volunteers will receive free breakfast and lunch, as well as a volunteer gift. To view more details or to register, please click here.

Recent Posts

MUCC Submits Public Comment in Support of Line 5 Tunnel Project

By Justin Tomei • June 30, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MUCC Submits Public Comment in Support of Line 5 Tunnel Project Lansing, MI — Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), the nation’s largest statewide conservation organization, has submitted formal public comments urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to approve the Enbridge Line 5 Tunnel Project. In a letter submitted today, MUCC emphasized the need to move this critical infrastructure forward to protect the Great Lakes while maintaining safe, reliable energy transportation. “MUCC supports the tunnel project as the best available alternative to reduce the risk of an environmental disaster in the Straits of Mackinac while continuing to deliver essential energy products to Michigan families and industries,” said Amy Trotter, CEO of MUCC. “We believe the tunnel project strikes a balance between protecting the environment and maintaining energy security.” MUCC’s position is backed by a formal resolution passed by its membership, which includes thousands of hunters, anglers, trappers, and outdoor enthusiasts across Michigan. The resolution supports the tunnel as a long-term solution that replaces the aging and exposed pipeline segment currently crossing the Straits, offering greater environmental safeguards through secondary containment. The organization cited the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which acknowledges the tunnel’s benefits, including reduced spill risk and a controlled, buried environment for transporting light crude oil and natural gas liquids. MUCC also rejected the "no action alternative," which would allow the existing line to remain in operation without any new protective infrastructure. “Other alternatives, like transporting fuel by truck or rail, are inefficient and carry greater environmental and safety risks,” Trotter added. “Allowing the current line to operate exposed on the lakebed indefinitely is simply not acceptable.” MUCC’s comment stresses that the organization is not weighing in on the type of energy transported, but rather on the environmental risks and safety benefits of the tunnel itself. Originally approved by the Michigan legislature and governor in 2018, the Great Lakes Tunnel Project represents a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure and environmental protection. MUCC urges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue the necessary permits and move forward with construction without further delay. For Media Contact: Justin Tomei jtomei@mucc.org 517-346-6488 #####

Michigan Wildlife Conservation Month: MUCC's Impact

By Olivia Triltsch • June 26, 2025
Since its inception, MUCC has made great strides in the conservation of natural resources through advocacy, habitat, youth education, and communications.

On the Ground: Native Plug Planting at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

By Katelyn Helsel • June 25, 2025
On Saturday, June 21, 2025, MUCC’s On the Ground program partnered with the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute (PCCI) for a native plug planting day in Barry County. Located on 850 acres, the institute offers both environmental education opportunities and serves as a biological field station for conducting research. Many diverse native communities from wetlands to prairies are present at PCCI, and many rare or threatened species in Michigan like the eastern box turtle call the institute home. 
More Posts