Several state parks in southern Michigan will host volunteer stewardship workdays in August. Volunteers are needed to help with removing invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems.

Please note that registration is required for all volunteer workdays.

Workdays will take place:

• Friday, Aug. 12, 10 a.m. to noon and Friday, Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to noon at Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County).
• Saturday, Aug. 13, 10 a.m. to noon at Grand Mere State Park (Berrien County).
• Saturday, Aug. 13, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Waterloo Recreation Area (Washtenaw County).
• Sunday, Aug. 14, and Sunday, Aug. 28, 10 a.m. to noon at Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County).
• Saturday, Aug. 20, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Highland Recreation Area (Oakland County).
• Saturday, Aug. 20, 10 a.m. to noon at Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County).
• Saturday Aug. 27, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County).

More details about each workday can be found on the DNR volunteer events calendar.

It’s time to talk about your state forests.

Prescribed burns, timber harvests and other activities are carefully planned to keep Michigan’s nearly 4 million acres of state forest healthy and thriving.

Plans for these activities are currently being made for 2024, but public comment is welcome now, before those plans are finalized. In-person open houses were suspended during 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many forest management units are returning to in-person open houses this season; you may also comment online or in writing.

To find out what activities are planned for the forest, choose the geographic area you are interested in and take a look at the planned activities on the interactive map. Submit online comments through the map during designated 30-day periods. If you’d prefer to attend an open house in person, scheduled dates are listed below.

Once public comment has been received, a meeting called a compartment review is held. That’s where plans are finalized. Contact the unit manager for details on how to attend an in-person open house or compartment review. The DNR’s Forest Resources Division welcomes public comment on all forest activities.

Units with comment periods in August are:

• Crystal Falls: Comment period is through Sept. 6; open house is Sept. 6; compartment review is Sept. 27. Contact Dan McNamee, 906-875-5025.
• Escanaba: Comment period is through Aug. 9; open house is Aug. 9; compartment review is Aug. 30. Contact Eric Thompson, 906-789-8231.
• Gwinn: Comment period is Aug. 20-Sept. 20; open house is Sept. 20; compartment review is Oct. 11. Contact Kristen Matson at 906-346-9201, ext. 103.
• Roscommon: Comment period is through Aug. 17; open house is Aug. 17; compartment review is Sept. 13. Contact Doug Bates, 989-275-4622.
• Sault Ste. Marie: Comment period is Aug. 15-Sept. 15; open house is Sept. 14; compartment review is Oct. 4. Contact Karen Rodock, 906-477-6048, ext. 2040.
• Shingleton: Comment period is Aug. 23-Sept. 22; open house is Sept. 22; compartment review is Oct. 13. Contact Bob Burnham, 906-452-6227, ext. 240.

See all scheduled comment periods, open houses and compartment review meetings for the 2022 season.

Staff recommendations on whether to keep, exchange or sell land in the fifth set of 10 counties in the DNR’s state land review process are nearing DNR director approval, but there’s still plenty of time to review and share feedback via the interactive web map or by email to DNR-StateLandReview@Michigan.gov by Oct. 12.

The counties under review include Delta, Kent, Livingston, Menominee, Montcalm, Oakland, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Saginaw and Tuscola. The updated web map reflects the latest staff recommendations since the initial public comment period closed, making it easy for people to see what has changed. The state land review was implemented as part of the 2013 managed public land strategy and involves the review of DNR-managed lands that are 200 acres or less in size or that, due to an irregular boundary, may be difficult to manage.

“This county-by-county review process provides us the opportunity to evaluate and make decisions about how well the current land portfolio supports our mission of protecting natural resources while providing broad public access to quality outdoor recreation opportunities,” said DNR forest land administrator Kerry Heckman. “It’s critical that people who enjoy and use these lands are a part of the discussion, and we appreciate everyone who has taken the time to get involved so far.”

All feedback received now through Oct. 12 will be compiled and provided to the DNR director. A final decision on recommendations is expected at the Oct. 13 meeting of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission.

Follow the latest updates on the state land review process at Michigan.gov/PublicLands.

Help improve wildlife habitat and hunting access at state game and wildlife areas with On the Ground, Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ volunteer wildlife habitat improvement program in partnership with the DNR. All registered volunteers will receive free lunch and a thank-you gift.

On the Ground volunteer opportunities coming up in August:

Brush-clearing project to benefit sharp-tailed grouse habitat (Schoolcraft County)

Saturday, Aug. 20, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at MDOT rest area off M-28, west of Seney

Join us to clear brush and invasive vegetation such as spotted knapweed at the Shingleton Management Unit of Bullock Ranch State Wildlife Management Area, a site being managed for species that thrive in large, open areas. These open-land species include sharp-tailed grouse, merlin and upland sandpiper. This project will especially benefit sharp-tailed grouse lekking and nesting habitat.

Register for Bullock Ranch event.

Accessible hunting blind repair and shooting lane clearing at Maple River State Game Area (Gratiot County)

Saturday, Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to noon Meet near the Maple River State Game Area parking lot just north of the intersection of West Maple Road and South Smith Road

Help increase access for hunters with limited mobility by repairing accessible hunting blinds and clearing shooting lanes in the Central Unit of Maple River State Game Area. Necessary equipment like loppers, hand saws and work gloves will be provided. One chainsaw will be available for experienced volunteers to use, or you are welcome to bring your own. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own work gloves and reusable water bottle.

Register for Maple River event.

If you have any questions about these events, please reach out to MUCC habitat volunteer coordinator Kristina Kennedy.