Several state parks in southern Michigan will host volunteer stewardship workdays in October. Volunteers are needed to help with removing invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems in the parks or collecting native wildflower and grass seeds.

Please note that registration is required for all volunteer workdays.

Workdays will take place:

• 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 8, at Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland County).
• 10 a.m. to noon Saturday Oct. 8, at Grand Mere State Park (Berrien County).
• 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 15, at Belle Isle Park (Wayne County).
• 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 15, at Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County).
• 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct. 16, and Sunday, Oct. 30, at Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County).
• 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County).
• 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 22, at Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County).
• 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at Waterloo Recreation Area (Jackson County).
• 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at Island Lake Recreation Area (Livingston County).

More details about each workday and how to register can be found on the DNR volunteer events calendar.

Pitch in to plant trees, build brush piles and remove invasive species to benefit a variety of wildlife with On the Ground. This volunteer program, coordinated by Michigan United Conservation Clubs in partnership with the DNR, aims to improve fish and wildlife habitat and increase public access to lands throughout the state.

Mast-producing tree planting and brush pile assembly in Kalkaska County

Saturday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Come out and enjoy the beautiful fall weather and scenery while improving wildlife habitat with fellow conservationists. Join On the Ground and Land Ethics, LLC in planting mast-producing trees and constructing brush piles in the DNR?s Traverse City Forest Management Unit, Camp Grayling Parcel in Kalkaska County. Lunch and all necessary equipment will be provided.

Volunteers will be planting trees producing fruits, seeds or nuts that act as an important and consistent food source for a wide variety of wildlife, particularly in fall and winter, when other food sources become scarce and animals need to prepare for a long, cold winter. Mast-producing trees like oak, crabapple, hazelnut and serviceberry not only provide nutrients to wildlife like deer and turkeys, but also serve as year-round cover and nesting habitat for a variety of songbirds and small mammals.

We will also be constructing brush piles, an excellent addition to forest and grassland habitats, using downed limbs, logs and brush. Brush piles provide small mammals with a safe place to hide from aerial predators like hawks and falcons and serve as a good habitat for ground-nesting species like rabbits and even some reptiles like the common garter snake.

Register for Kalkaska County event.

Invasive vegetation removal to benefit critical reptile habitat in Barry County

Saturday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to noon

Help remove invasive woody vegetation that is encroaching on rattlesnake and box turtle summer breeding and nesting habitat at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings. Lunch will be provided around 11:30 a.m.

We will be removing invasive woody vegetation from an oak woodland site where autumn olive is encroaching on critical reptile habitat. The eastern massasauga rattlesnake, listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act, and the eastern box turtle, considered a species of special concern in Michigan, are two species that use this site in the summer for breeding and nesting. The populations of these two species have historically been in decline due to fragmentation and loss of suitable breeding and nesting habitat, and you can help improve habitat quality within their range.

Register for Barry County event.

If you have any questions about these events, please contact MUCC habitat volunteer coordinator Kristina Kennedy at [email protected].

As you?re out enjoying the outdoors this fall, whether hunting or hitting the trail, you can help protect Michigan's natural areas from the threat of invasive species.

Nearly 50% of endangered or threatened species are at risk due to invasive species, which people unintentionally spread with their boots, tires, boats, firewood, pets, horses and more. By taking a few easy steps, you can be part of the solution, reducing the spread of invasive species.

What you can do:

• Remove plants, seeds and mud from boots, pets, vehicles and gear before leaving a recreation or hunting site.
• Stay on designated trails or access areas.
• If possible, park in nonvegetated areas to avoid carrying seeds on your vehicle to new locations.
• Clean your gear thoroughly before heading to a new site.
• Don?t bring firewood with you, and don?t take firewood home.

Make these simple steps a part of your routine:

• Pack a boot brush or scrub brush in your vehicle so you can easily clean shoes before you move on.
• Make it a habit to check clothes and gear before leaving a recreation area.
• Wash your bike or ORV before the next trip.

Learn more at Michigan.gov/Invasives/Take-Action.