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DNR Get Involved – September 2021
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Here are a few ways to get involved in taking care of Michigan’s natural resources in September. For more opportunities to volunteer, contribute and provide input, visit Michigan.gov/DNRVolunteers.
 Several state parks in southern Michigan have volunteer stewardship workdays coming up in September. Volunteers are needed to help remove invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems in the parks.
Please note that registration is required for all volunteer workdays.
Workdays will take place:
- 8:30 to 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 3, at Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County).
- 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 11, at Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland County).
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, at Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County).
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12, at Algonac State Park (St. Clair County)
- 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12, at Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County).
- 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 18, at Belle Isle Park (Wayne County).
- 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 18, at Warren Woods State Park (Berrien County).
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, at Waterloo Recreation Area (Washtenaw County).
- 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, at Hoffmaster State Park (Muskegon County).
- 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 25, at Grand Mere State Park (Berrien County).
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, at Island Lake Recreation Area (Livingston County).
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26, at Pinckney Recreation Area (Washtenaw County).
- Noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26, at Ludington State Park (Mason County).
More details about each workday and how to register can be found on the DNR volunteer events calendar. |
 The DNR responsibly manages 3.9 million acres of state forest land using techniques such as timber harvests, planting and prescribed burns to keep forests thriving and healthy.
To make the work more efficient and easier to oversee, the DNR divides those millions of acres into 15 forest management units, which are further divided into compartments. Management activity in each forest management unit is finalized two years in advance. This summer and fall, recommendations for 2023 are being presented.
Open houses for 2021 are virtual, and you can give input by email, phone or mail during the designated time frame. This is a great opportunity to offer input to foresters, wildlife biologists and other DNR professionals regarding forest plans.
After the end of each comment period, a public compartment review meeting will take place, where foresters present the DNR’s final decisions on management activities. The DNR reviews 10% of the state forest annually. That equates to about 400,000 acres or roughly 220 compartments.
For more information, including a link to the interactive forest map showing details of all forest management activities, visit Michigan.gov/ForestInput.
Below are the comment periods taking place in September and the related compartment reviews. Contact the area unit manager to make arrangements to view the compartment review meeting online or listen over the phone.
- Crystal Falls: Comments through Sept. 16; compartment review is Oct. 28. Contact Dan McNamee, 906-875-6622.
- Grayling: Comments Sept. 7-Oct. 7; compartment review is Oct. 21. Contact Thomas Barnes, 989-348-6371, ext. 7440.
- Gwinn: Comments through Sept. 21; compartment review is Oct. 12. Contact Kristen Matson, 906-346-9201.
- Newberry: Comments Sept. 14-Oct. 14; compartment review is Oct. 26. Contact Keith Magnusson, 906-291-0120.
- Sault Ste. Marie: Comments through Sept. 15; compartment review is Oct. 5. Contact Karen Rodock, 906-875-1039.
- Shingleton: Comments Aug. 31-Sept. 30; compartment review is Oct. 14. Contact Bob Burnham, 906-420-1645.
See a full comment period schedule. |
 On the Ground – Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ volunteer wildlife habitat improvement program in partnership with the DNR – is looking for volunteers for the following projects in September.
Prairie Restoration at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings (Barry County)
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11
Help remove woody vegetation to begin restoring a prairie located on publicly accessible Pierce Cedar Creek Institute land. To prepare the field for a prescribed burn and other ecological restoration efforts, a hedgerow and other woody shrubs need to be removed from a 5-acre field. This project will benefit a variety of native wildlife and pollinator species. All necessary equipment, including personal protective equipment, will be provided, although volunteers are encouraged to bring their own work gloves. All registered volunteers will receive a free lunch and volunteer appreciation gift.
Register for prairie restoration event.
Tree Planting in the Escanaba River State Forest (Menominee County)
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18
Help plant and fence more than 100 native trees and shrubs to improve wildlife habitat throughout openings within the Escanaba River State Forest near Daggett Township. These native, mast-producing trees will benefit a variety of wildlife including ring-necked pheasant, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, golden-winged warbler and American woodcock. Shovels and all necessary equipment will be provided, although volunteers are encouraged to bring their own work gloves if possible. All registered volunteers will receive a free lunch and volunteer appreciation gift.
Register for tree-planting event. |
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The beloved Pigeon River Country State Forest in the northern Lower Peninsula recently added two new properties, and we need your input on how outdoor enthusiasts will access this land to hike, fish, hunt, view elk and more. Share your thoughts via two short surveys, available now through Sept. 17, and help us shape the type of recreation opportunities and access, including motorized access, offered in each area. |
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Check out new NotMISpecies webinar series sessions for an abundance of information, resources and field experiences to help identify and manage invasive species in Michigan. Sept. 15, it’s “Fowl play,” exploring the work of protecting managed waterfowl hunt areas from the threat of invasives. Oct. 21, learn about how volunteering for a state park stewardship workday can help manage invasive species with “Just Do it!” |
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