For more information about seed collecting visit our  Native Prairie Seed Collection webpage.  To register for all seed collection workdays  click here. To register for all other workdays  click here.

We have a picasa web page.  Click here for viewing.

Workday dates, activities, and locations are listed below. Workdays are scheduled and posted quarterly. Please check this site to make sure you have the most up-to-date information since meeting locations may need to change.  

Volunteer workdays are sponsored by the State Park Stewardship Unit to help protect and restore natural areas in our state parks and recreation areas.

Monthly workdays are held at:

Algonac State Park , Bald Mountain Recreation Area , Brighton Recreation Area , Highland Recreation Area , Island Lake Recreation Area  , Pinckney Recreation Area ,   Waterloo Recreation Area .

Occasional workdays are also held at:

Fort Custer Recreation Area , Grand Mere State Park , Seven Lakes State Park , Sterling State Park , Warren Dunes State Park , Warren Woods State Park .                                        

Please scroll  below the calendar for more information.  To register for all work days  click here. 

For more information about seed collecting visit our Native Prairie Seed Collectionwebpage.  To register for all seed collection workdays click here.  To register for all other workdays click here . 

.   

December 2009   

Saturday, December 5, 2009 ,

Island Lake Recreation Area , 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Assist in clearing out invasive shrubs that will otherwise take over this savanna and crowd out native grasses and wildflowers. Meet at the Riverbend Picnic Area park lot.

Sunday, December 6, 2009 ,

Brighton Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Removing invasive shrubs from this fen will allow the native grasses and wildflowers to thrive.  Want to help? Meet at the Little Appleton Lake parking lot.  Head north from Bishop Lake Road toward Appleton Lake, stay to the left for Little Appleton.  ***Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for this site.

Saturday, December 12, 2009 ,

Bald Mountain Recreation Area , 9 a.m. to noon

The Graham Lake Fen Complex needs your help!  Come cut and pile the glossy buckthorn and other invasive shrubs that threaten this unique ecosystem.  Meet at the East Graham Boat Launch parking lot on the north side of Predmore Road in the park's North Unit.  ***Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for this site.   

Saturday, December 12, 2009 ,

Highland Recreation Area , Silo Field Trial Area, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Join ongoing efforts to restore this area to open grassland.  Volunteers will be hauling and piling brush and stacking fire wood.  Meet at the Silo Field Trial Area parking lot off Livingston Road, between Pettibone Lake and Beaumont Roads.

Sunday, December 13, 2009 ,

Pinckney Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Come out and help remove shrubs and trees that don't belong in this dry sand prairie. This will make room for neat native plants.   Meet at the Halfmoon Lake parking lot closest to Hankerd Road. From North Territorial Road, take Hankerd Road north until you see the entrance on the left.

January 2010

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Bald Mountain Recreation Area , 9 a.m. to noon

Aid restoration efforts at the Graham Lake fen complex by cutting and piling the worst wetland invasive shrub - glossy buckthorn.  Meet at the East Graham Boat Launch parking lot on the north side of Predmore Road in the park's North Unit. ***Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for this site.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Island Lake Recreation Area , 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

We've been chipping away at the invasive shrubs in this area of the park.  We will continue to reconnect parts of this oak barrens ecosystem.  Help us by cutting and piling autumn olive, honeysuckle and buckthorn.  Meet at the Riverbend Picnic Area parking lot.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Algonac State Park , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Want to take part in restoring lakeplain prairies and oak openings? Help us cut and stack invasive shrubs that threaten to take over these beautiful areas and enjoy a short winter hike.  Meet on Roberts Road where the county drain crosses.  From the headquarters, head north on M-29 and turn left onto Roberts Road.  Roadside parking.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Highland Recreation Area , Silo Field Trial Area, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Join ongoing efforts to restore this area to an open grassland.  Volunteers will be hauling and piling brush and stacking fire wood.  Meet at the Silo Field Trial Area parking lot off Livingston Road, between Pettibone Lake and Beaumont Roads.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Waterloo Recreation Area , 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Help us haul and stack invasive shrubs that are inundating this prairie.  We will hopefully see a lot of change in just 3 hours of invasive shrub removal at this workday!  The native plants will thank us.  Meet on Waterloo Road just west of M-52.  Roadside parking.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Pinckney Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Come out and help remove shrubs and trees that don't belong in this dry sand prairie and oak barrens. This will make room for neat native plants.   Meet at the Halfmoon Lake parking lot closest to Hankerd Road. From North Territorial Road take Hankerd Road north until you see the entrance on the left.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Brighton Recreation Area , 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Removing invasive shrubs from this fen will allow the native grasses and wildflowers to thrive.  This winter we want to make a big push to get rid of scattered clumps of glossy buckthorn, an aggressive wetland invader. Meet at the Little Appleton Lake parking lot.  Head north from Bishop Lake Road toward Appleton Lake and stay to the left.  ***Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for this site.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Highland Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The high quality woodlands at Highland need your help!  Please join us as we remove invasive shrubs like buckthorn and autumn olive at this workday!  Meet at the Goose Meadow parking lot just south of the park entrance on M-59.

February 2010  

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Island Lake Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Lend a hand in restoring this oak barrens by cutting and hauling invasive shrubs.  This area should have scattered trees and shrubs but non-natives like buckthorn, honeysuckle and autumn olive threaten to shade out native species. Meet at the Riverbend Picnic Area parking lot.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Bald Mountain Recreation Area , 9 a.m. to noon

The Graham Lake Fen Complex needs your help.  Come cut and pile the buckthorn and autumn olive that threaten this unique ecosystem.  Meet at the East Graham Boat Launch parking lot on the north side of Predmore Road in the park's North Unit. ***Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for this site.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Algonac State Park , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Join us as we cut and stack invasive shrubs to keep them from shading out native plants in this beautiful prairie remnant.  Meet on Roberts Road where the county drain crosses.  From the headquarters, head north on M-29 and turn left onto Roberts Road.  Roadside parking. 

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Highland Recreation Area , Silo Field Trial Area, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Join ongoing efforts to restore this area to an open grassland.  Volunteers will be hauling and piling brush and stacking fire wood.  Meet at the Silo Field Trial Area parking lot off Livingston Road, between Pettibone Lake and Beaumont Roads.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Waterloo Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

You will see a lot of change in just 3 hours of invasive autumn olive removal at this workday!  We will be hauling and stacking invasive shrubs that are inundating this prairie.  Our efforts will give the native plants more room to grow.  Meet on Waterloo Road just west of M-52.  Roadside parking.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Pinckney Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Invasive shrubs are moving in to this oak barrens.  Meet at the Halfmoon Lake parking lot closest to Hankerd Road to do something about it.  From North Territorial Road, take Hankerd Road north until you see the entrance on the left.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Highland Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Haven Hill Natural Area needs your help!  Help us remove invasive shrubs that are moving into the area and crowding out native species.  Meet at the Goose Meadow parking lot just south of the park entrance on M-59.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Brighton Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Help! Glossy buckthorn and other invasive shrubs are growing in this beautiful fen.  Meet at the Little Appleton Lake parking lot to tackle these invaders head-on.  Head north from Bishop Lake Road toward Appleton Lake and stay to the left.  ***Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for this site.

March 2010

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Island Lake Recreation Area , 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Assist us in clearing out invasive shrubs that could take over this savanna and crowd out native grasses and wildflowers. Meet at the Riverbend Picnic Area park lot.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

AlgonacState Park , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Help us keep special lakeplain prairie remnants open and free of invasive shrubs.  If left to reproduce, these shrubs could take over this unique area and crowd out a lot of neat flora and fauna.  We hope to reconnect a series of smaller prairies.  Join us and be part of this great accomplishment!  Meet on Roberts Road where the county drain crosses.  From the headquarters, head north on M-29 and turn left onto Roberts Road.  Roadside parking. 

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Bald Mountain Recreation Area , 9 a.m. to noon

Glossy buckthorn and autumn olive, invasive, non-native shrubs, continue to slowly move into the Graham Lake Fen area.  Let's stop them in their tracks and protect this rare type of wetland.  Meet at the East Graham Boat Launch parking lot on the north side of Predmore Road in the park's North Unit. ***Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for this site.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Waterloo Recreation Area , 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

We will remove shrubs from this area to reconnect many prairie remnants.  This site is one of our native seed collection sites, so we hope our shrub cutting efforts will give the native plants more space.  Meet on Waterloo Road just west of M-52.  Roadside parking.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Pinckney Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Want to help remove invasive shrubs that threaten this oak barrens?  Help us cut autumn olive and others to make room for native plants.  Meet at the Halfmoon Lake parking lot closest to Hankerd Road. From North Territorial Road, take Hankerd Road north until you see the entrance on the left.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Highland Recreation Area , Barn Course Field Trial Area, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Join ongoing efforts to restore this area to open grassland.  Volunteers will be hauling and piling brush and stacking fire wood.  Meet at the Barn Field Trial Area parking lot on the north side of Cooley Lake Road between Duck Lake and Beaumont Roads.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Brighton Recreation Area , 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Stop invasive shrubs from invading this wonderful fen.  This workday will be our last chance to keep glossy buckthorn from producing more seeds during the coming growing season.  We really need your help!  Meet at the Little Appleton Lake parking lot.  Head north from Bishop Lake Road toward Appleton Lake and stay to the left.  ***Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for this site.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Highland Recreation Area , 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Want to help protect woodlands at Highland?  Then join us as we continue removing the non-native shrubs that threaten to take over Haven Hill Natural Area. Meet at the Goose Meadow parking lot just south of the park entrance on M-59.

Workday Details

Registration

Please complete a  volunteer registration form  or contact Laurel Malvitz at 248-359-9057 or malvitzl@michigan.gov   to let her know which workdays you plan to attend.  Registering helps us plan the workdays more effectively so we have enough equipment and so we can divide into groups and assign tasks more easily.

Workday Cancellation

If a workday must be cancelled due to inclement weather or for any other reason, a voice mail message saying so will be posted at 248-359-9057 at least two hours before the scheduled workday start time. If there is no message the event will continue as planned.

 If there is no cancellation message, the workday will go on as planned.

Park Map and Directions

Click on the name of the park or recreation area above to view the park's webpage.  From the park webpage you can print a "Unit Map" and get directions to the park.

What to Wear and Bring

Please remember to wear appropriate clothing for outdoor work, including long pants and work boots.  Please also bring drinking water, work gloves, and eye protection (especially prescription safety glasses).  Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for fen and other wetland sites.  If you don't have waterproof boots and would like to borrow a pair, please note that when you register and we will try to provide them.

What NOT to Bring

Be sure your outerwear, gloves, and boots are free of mud and hitchhiking seeds before coming to the workday. We don't want to inadvertently spread invasive plant seeds into these high quality natural areas.

Stewardship Announcements

Would you like to receive workday reminders and general stewardship information via email? Please email Laurel Malvitz, malvitzl@michigan.gov , a list of the parks that you are interested in. Please choose from the parks listed at the top of this page.

Motor Vehicle Permit

Please support Michigan 's state parks and recreation areas by purchasing a Motor Vehicle Permit (MVP).  Resident annual ($24) and daily ($6) permits are available at all parks and recreation areas.  The Motor Vehicle Permit requirement has been waived for these volunteer stewardship workdays, but purchasing an MVP will help support our state parks and recreation areas.

Want to get more involved?

The Core Volunteer Steward Program provides volunteers with additional ways to get involved and make a unique commitment, both individually and as part of a team.

Questions?

Please contact Laurel Malvitz, Resource Steward for the Stewardship Unit, at 248-359-9057 or malvitzl@michigan.gov  with any questions. 

Top of Page