OTG Jr. Kicked-Off at Denmark Twp State Game Area Last Week

Kristina Kennedy • April 21, 2022

Students from Reese High School’s Out-of-Doors Club participate in a grassland restoration project in Denmark Twp with OTG Jr.

MUCC’s On the Ground Junior (OTG Jr.) kicked off last week at the Denmark Township State Game Area (SGA) with two groups of students from Reese Middle and High School’s Out-of-Doors Club. Student volunteers worked in teams to remove invasive woody vegetation and stack brush into piles that will serve as “rabbitat.” The ultimate goal for this SGA is to restore healthy grassland habitat to benefit upland wildlife such as pheasants, songbirds, white-tailed deer, and rabbits.

The project site cannot be accessed by large machinery like brush mowers due to a county dam that runs through the SGA so students completed all of the brush removal work by hand using loppers and hand saws. In total, students impacted about 7 acres of wildlife habitat on public land.

On Tuesday April 12, 20 high school students completed their OTG project in the morning and spent the second half of the day participating in their annual highway clean-up in Reese. On Thursday April 14, 38 middle school students spent the first half of the day completing their grassland restoration project and then participated in educational wildlife-related activities after lunch. These activities ranged from archery lessons to wildlife ID and an active predator-prey game.

Students from Reese Middle School’s Out-of-Doors Club participate in a grassland restoration project in Denmark Twp with OTG Jr.

If you would like to get involved in MUCC’s On the Ground (OTG) volunteer wildlife habitat improvement program, you can find information on upcoming projects, volunteer registration, and an interactive project map at  mucc.org/on-the-ground.

Our next OTG project will be planting native shrubs at Potterville State Game Area (SGA) on Saturday, April 30, 2022. Join MUCC OTG and the Eaton Conservation District at 10:00am to plant 200 shrubs within the SGA to benefit wildlife like pheasant, cottontail rabbit, white-tailed deer, and wild turkey. All necessary equipment will be provided. Volunteers will receive free lunch, as well as a volunteer gift. To view more details or to register, please click here.

 

Recent Posts

On the Ground: Brush Piles and Invasive Species at Denmark Township Mini State Game Area

By Olivia Triltsch • May 21, 2026
On Friday, May 15, 2026, high school students who are part of the Reese High Outdoors Club joined MUCC’s On the Ground Junior program and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at the Denmark Township Mini State Game Area. Students completed a wildlife habitat improvement project by clearing a grassland habitat of invasive woody growth maintained for pheasants. Using the cut vegetation from the area, students constructed several large brush piles throughout the site to benefit small mammals and other wildlife in the area. Maintaining open grassland habitat is important for supporting species that rely on early successional cover for cover or feeding. Due to suppression of natural disturbances, active management helps to control woody vegetation from gradually overtaking the areas and reducing habitat quality for species that rely on the grassland. The project area is near fields planted by the DNR to provide both habitat and food sources for wildlife, making these improvements part of a larger habitat management effort on the property. In total, students directly improved 10 acres of wildlife habitat through this project. Beyond the on-the-ground impact, the event also allowed students to try a hands-on conservation experience and the ability to contribute to habitat management and public land stewardship in Michigan. Projects like this continue to demonstrate the value of engaging the next generation in Michigan's outdoor heritage and wildlife conservation efforts.

On the Ground: Jack Pine Planting Day 2026

By Olivia Triltsch • May 7, 2026
On Saturday, May 2, 2026, a group of dedicated volunteers joined Kirtland's Warbler Alliance, Huron Pines, Saginaw Children’s Zoo, and MUCC's OTG program in planting approximately 4,800 jack pine saplings within the Grayling Forest Management Unit in Crawford County. Jack pines are a critical nesting habitat feature for the once-threatened Kirtland’s warbler. In total, volunteers directly impacted about 7 acres of land were prepared by the Michigan DNR for this planting to allow volunteers to maximize their efforts across the land. This is one of our annual events that is perfect for helpers of all ages and interests.

MUCC Announces Dissolution After Nearly 90 Years of Conservation Advocacy

May 4, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) announces its decision to dissolve after nearly 90 years of conservation advocacy, citing ongoing financial challenges and outlining next steps in an orderly wind-down process.
More Posts