Mark Your Calendar for 2020 Chainsaw Safety Training

By lschultz | December 5, 2019 |

Written by Makhayla LaButte, MUCC Habitat Volunteer Coordinator In March 2020, MUCC’s On the Ground (OTG) program will once again host its annual chainsaw safety training. Please see below for dates, locations, and general class information. These classes are designed for beginners wishing to improve their skills, and there is no sawyer certification provided. Priority…

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Happy Thanksgiving from the OTG Program

By lschultz | November 21, 2019 |

Written by Makhayla LaButte, MUCC Habitat Volunteer Coordinator It’s that wonderful time of year when family and friends gather to celebrate and give thanks, and I am looking forward to going home to the Upper Peninsula to do exactly that in the coming week. However, before I depart from the office, I want to take…

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OTG Program Reaches 3,000 Volunteers

By lschultz | November 6, 2019 |

Written by MUCC Habitat Volunteer Coordinator, Makhayla LaButte Following an On the Ground (OTG) Jr. event with Morrice Elementary on Wednesday, October 30, the OTG program has reached another volunteer milestone. To date, more than 3,000 volunteers have improved wildlife habitat on public land across the state of Michigan. This milestone comes less than six…

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OTG Jr: Morrice Elementary Volunteers at Rose Lake SGA

By lschultz | November 1, 2019 |

Written by MUCC Habitat Volunteer Coordinator, Makhayla LaButte On Tuesday, October 29 and Wednesday, October 30, two groups containing 53 fifth grade students, teachers and chaperones from Morrice Elementary removed large groves of invasive autumn olive and other woody brush from a portion of the Rose Lake State Game Area. The project site was the…

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Grand Traverse Academy Volunteers for Wildlife with OTG Jr.

By lschultz | October 24, 2019 |

By Makhayla LaButte On Wednesday, October 23, 70 students, teachers and chaperones from the Grand Traverse Academy improved wildlife habitat in the Traverse City State Forest by planting native shrubs in select openings. DNR Wildlife Biologist Steve Griffith began the project by providing students with an introduction to the history and management of the state…

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Behind the Scenes of MPHI

By lschultz | October 17, 2019 |

Pheasant season opens in the Lower Peninsula on Sunday, October 20, and thanks to the Michigan Pheasant Hunting Initiative (MPHI), there will be rooster releases at 11 Southern Michigan state game areas throughout the fall season in 2019 and 2020. The legislation that made this pheasant release possible was Public Act 618 of 2018, which…

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How OTG Benefits Sportsmen and Sportswomen

By lschultz | October 3, 2019 |

Are you a hunter, trapper or angler in Michigan? If so, then be sure to thank an On the Ground (OTG) volunteer for the time and hard work they have dedicated to ensuring your favorite game species or sportfish has the quality habitat it needs to thrive. This year, the OTG program impacted 512 acres…

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MUCC names Kirk Riley deputy director

By lschultz | September 30, 2019 |

Riley takes over as operations, fiscal manager for nation’s largest state-specific conservation organization. Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) named Kirk Riley its new deputy director Sept. 23 following a nine-month, countrywide search. Riley’s role will include operations management, budget and donor development, fundraising, staff oversight, executive board recruitment and succession planning for MUCC. Prior to…

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MUCC, Nugent face off over baiting white-tailed deer and HB 4687

By lschultz | September 17, 2019 |

Baiting deer took center stage this morning as Ted Nugent passionately and candidly claimed he was not a scientist or biologist on the subject — but someone who lives with deer — in front of the House Committee on Government Operations. Nugent, who testified next to Rep. Michelle Hoitenga (R-Manton) and Sen. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington),…

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