Join the DNR and Belle Isle Conservancy for Stewardship Saturdays. Our summer projects will include cutting invasive, non-native shrubs and stump treating them with herbicide to restore the wet mesic flatwoods. We will focus on scattered shrubs throughout the woodland. The site may be wet or muddy so please bring appropriate footwear or wear old shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Meet at the Belle Isle Nature Center parking lot. GPS coordinates: 42.3471816,-82.964199
Come help us protect our precious dunes and forest systems by taking out harmful invasive species that can alter habitat for native birds and plants! Volunteers will be trained to identify and remove these unwanted plants to help protect our native forests. We will be traveling on and off trail and hiking up some steep dunes so please be prepared to spend the day in the woods in some tough terrain! Join in by meeting at the Homestead Trail trailhead at the Gillette Visitor Center (located at the east end of the parking lot). GPS coordinates: 43.121436, -86.265354.
We will continue to remove invasive shrubs to restore these prairie remnants. Join us for the fun! Our shrub cutting efforts will give the native, sun-loving prairie plants more room to grow. Meet on Waterloo Road just west of M-52. GPS coordinates: 42.34670,-84.04250
***This site has been known to have ground-nesting, stinging insects; please bring your sting relief kit if you are allergic.
***This site has been known to have ground-nesting, stinging insects; please bring your sting relief kit if you are allergic.
Glossy buckthorn, a non-native wetland invader, doesn’t stand a chance to take over if we keep removing it from this fen. Please join us in this effort! Meet at the East Graham Boat Launch parking lot on the north side of Predmore Road in the park’s North Unit. GPS coordinates: 42.786267, -83.190904
***Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for this site, but not necessary. Rubber boots are available to borrow, upon request. Old boots that you don’t mind getting muddy will work too.
***Waterproof boots, either knee-high rubber boots or hip waders, are recommended for this site, but not necessary. Rubber boots are available to borrow, upon request. Old boots that you don’t mind getting muddy will work too.
Help keep our critical dunes free of invasive plants! Volunteers will help remove common privet, Japanese barberry, non-native honeysuckle and other misfit plants from the nature trail before they spread to the high dunes. No experience is necessary and volunteers will be trained to identify target species. Meet at the picnic area south of the campground. Travel past the park headquarters towards the campground; the picnic area will be on the left. Please arrive on time as we will be hiking to the work location. GPS coordinates: 41.907001, -86.591755.
Let’s keep invasive shrubs out of our beautiful dunes by removing pesky Japanese barberry and other unwanted plants like privet and autumn olive from the forest! Volunteers will learn to identify these unwanted shrubs and will join in the effort to restore our native forest type by cutting and removing them. Please meet on time at the trailhead near the entrance to the Felt Mansion. We’ll hike about a mile to the work location along the South Trail. GPS coordinates: 42.69606, -86.19442.
Celebrate National Public Lands Day with us! We will likely be collecting native prairie seed from grasses and wildflowers to restore lakeplain prairie. Meet at the park headquarters at 2800 State Park Road, Monroe, MI 48162. GPS coordinates: 41.92390,-83.3455
This neat sand prairie and oak barrens needs ongoing removal of invasive plants to keep it in good condition! Our spring prescribed burn helped set back many of the invasive shrubs, but let’s go after any that remain! Removing invasive shrubs will allow all of the neat native grasses and wildflowers to thrive. Meet at the Halfmoon Lake parking lot to help out. From North Territorial Road, take Hankerd Road north until you see the entrance on the left. GPS coordinates: 42.416555, -83.998425.
Help us collect native wildflower and grass seeds that will be replanted throughout the park! This is a great activity for the family to enjoy the outdoors. No experience is necessary and instruction on plant identification will be provided. Meet at the Whitford Lake parking area and we’ll take a short walk to our plant propagation area. Please dress to be in an open prairie area and be sure to bring along some water. GPS coordinates: 42°18'40.7"N 85°21'37.9"W.