What do Healthy Aquatic Habitats Crave? Fish Sticks!

People are drawn to Michigan’s lakes for many reasons – the opportunity to go fishing, boating, wildlife viewing. The natural beauty of inland lakes also makes shoreline properties highly sought-after for many landowners. As landowners, we want to develop and modify the land we have to fulfill a specific purpose. We may clear shoreline vegetation,…

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MUCC Staff Attend MDNR’s 5th Annual Nature Center Summit

On Friday, February 10, 2023, a few of MUCC’s staff members attended the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Nature Center Summit at North Higgins Lake State Park. The Nature Center Summit was established five years ago as an opportunity to connect nonformal educators from organizations like nature centers and nonprofits to the science behind…

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On the Ground Partners with National Wildlife Federation’s Artemis Program to Host a Women’s Hunter Education and Habitat Day in Clinton County

Congratulations to our 14 newest hunter safety graduates! On Saturday, February 4, 2023, On the Ground teamed up with National Wildlife Federation’s Artemis Sportswomen program with funding from The Abrams Foundation to host our first Women’s Hunter Education and Habitat Day at Rose Lake Shooting Range and Wildlife Area. The purpose of this program was…

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Invasive Species Spotlight: Invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

A new location of invasive hemlock woolly adelgid has been found in Benzie County, 50 miles north of what was believed to be the northern edge of infestation in Mason County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed that a sample taken from the site was positive for hemlock woolly…

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Enjoyable State Game Areas

Michigan is in full bloom, everything is green, and the weather is wonderful. Summer is the perfect time to explore the outdoors. There are many ways to enjoy nature, such as bird watching, hiking, foraging, fishing and boating. The presence of protected wildlife areas gives us access to these activities and protects wilderness for years…

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The History of Earth Day

Earth day was created as a community-based change confronting pressing environmental concerns. In 1970, the year of the first Earth Day, the Cuyahoga River caught on fire due to the high concentration of pollutants, the coast of Santa Barbra was covered in oil, DDT was reducing the population of songbirds and raptors and whales were…

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The Great Grasslands of Michigan

Grasslands provide many amazing ecological functions. A wide range of different grassland community types is found across Michigan. Sadly, due to a misguided viewpoint from the 60s, fires as a management tool have been suppressed across the region. This lack of fire has allowed trees and woody vegetation to take over many grasslands. Common culprits…

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Staff and Volunteers Wanted

As April begins, preparation for the summer 2022 season at the Michigan Out-of-Doors Youth Camp is beginning to kick into a higher gear. Camp Director Ashley Carmichael has been busy recruiting new staff at college job fairs and working through the hiring process. She has a few more to attend this week, but we still…

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Camp Scholarships Available

As camp registration rolls on, we wanted to share two scholarship opportunities available for children to join us down at Cedar Lake this year. The Riley Wilderness Youth Camp scholarship and the Connor Shea Memorial Scholarship both provide full scholarships for one week at camp. Applications for either scholarship can be found here. Riley Scholarship Opportunity:…

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Michigan Out-of-Doors Youth Camp is Hiring!

As we announced a few weeks ago, The Michigan Out-of-Doors Youth Camp is back for the 2022 season.  We are currently registering campers for six weeks of conservation education and fun down at Cedar Lake in Chelsea.  To learn more about the programs and to sign up a child in your life for a week…

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