On 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 from a wetland area that encompasses critical reptile breeding and nesting habitat.

Since we’re also about two weeks away from the upcoming fiscal year, it’s the perfect time to reflect on everything that OTG volunteers have accomplished over the past year. Since October 2021, OTG volunteers have participated in 20 habitat improvement projects impacting about 250 acres of wildlife habitat. This year alone, our OTG community has racked-up 1,462 volunteer hours and counting (we still have a couple events to complete this month, so stay tuned for a final report at the end of the year)!

OTG projects take place all throughout the state and we’re excited to explore new areas as we look into the next fiscal year. Keep an eye out for exciting new habitat improvement projects in the Manistee National Forest, Port Huron State Game Area, and even some new locations in the UP! Where would you like us to host an OTG event? Leave us a comment below!

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