SPRING 2017 WILDLIFE HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
With the warmer temperatures and frequent rains that come along with the spring season, it’s the perfect time to start planting trees for wildlife! Volunteers with MUCC’s Wildlife Habitat Program aren’t hesitating to get started and will be planting mast-producing trees and shrubs this Saturday in the Barry-Middleville State Game Area. Then, next week on Wednesday, volunteers in the Northeast region will be removing invasive Scotch pine from a Jack pine plantation to improve wildlife habitat and the native tree species growth. Also coming up on April 1st, volunteers in the Southeast region will be building brush piles for rabbitat in the Chesterfield Mini State Game Area in Macomb County; see more details and RSVP here. See what other three planting projects are scheduled for April 2017 and RSVP to volunteer for wildlife at an event near you at www.mucc.org/ontheground
While most of the upcoming events involve planting trees to improve wildlife habitat, next week’s event will involve removing Scotch pine to improve the growth of native Jack pine in the area. On Wednesday, March 29th, from 9am-4pm we will be removing concentrated areas of Scotch pine from a Jack pine Plantation near Tomahawk Floodwaters in the Atlanta State Forest. MUCC’s Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program is partnering with Huron Pines AmeriCorps member Jason LaPointe on this large-scale service project that he has organized during his service as a Resource Protection Technician with the Atlanta DNR. This project will improve habitat for the areas deer, turkey, and small game as it will provide thermal cover. This project will also improve quality habitat for the Kirtland’s Warbler as they often nest under the low lying branches of Jack pines.
While there are concentrated areas of Scotch pine in the 20 acres site, there are also Jack pines dispersed throughout the site. Proper tree identification is very important for this habitat project to ensure we are not removing any of the Jack pines. The major visual differences between a Jack pine and a Scotch pine can be seen on the buds at the ends of the branches; the Scotch pine buds have a star pattern of 5 buds (below: left photo) whereas, the Jack pine has just one bud and currently has a white, powder-like coating (below: right photo). The Scotch pines do not currently have any pine cones on them whereas, the Jack Pines and other varieties do. See more project details and RSVP to volunteer in the Atlanta State Forest here!
Coming up on April 1st, volunteers will be building brush piles for rabbitat in the Chesterfield Mini State Game Area just before we get into several tree planting projects. See details for that event and RSVP to volunteer here. Check out the links below to see what events are scheduled for April 2017!
COMING UP NEXT:
March 29, 2017 Tomahawk Floodwaters-Atlanta
April 1, 2017 Macomb-Chesterfield Mini State Game Area
We will be building brush piles for rabbitat in the Chesterfield Mini State Game Area.
April 15, 2017 Gourdneck State Game Area
April 21, 2017 Tuscola State Game Area
We will be teaming up with the Reese High School Out-of-Doors Club complete a wildlife habitat project in the area.
April 22, 2017 Crane Pond State Game Area
MUCC’s On The Ground Program is supported by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division