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Ottawa County Parks & Recreation offers programming and volunteer opportunities year-round! Visit the Program and Events Calendar for details and registration. Call our Nature Center at Hemlock Crossing Park for more information: 616-786-4847.
 ☃️ December ☃️
Scroll down to find information about ways to get outside this winter, as well as upcoming programs, events, and much more. Thank you for reading!
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December 8 • 5-7 pm • Hemlock Crossing
Join us for this year’s annual Holiday Luminary Event as Hemlock Crossing is transformed into a beautiful winter wonderland. There is no charge for attending, so bring your families and enjoy this magical evening! Hot cider and hot cocoa will be waiting. If able, bring any hats or mittens you are willing to donate to our mitten tree! All donations will go to the Boys and Girls Club of Holland.
This event is hosted by the Friends of Ottawa County Parks.
Registration is appreciated but not required.
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 Curtis Dykstra and Jeanne Stoddard hold the 2024 Mug Club member mug featuring Jeanne's photo of a Cape May Wabler.
Announcing the Winner
Congratulations to our Coffee with the Birds Mug Club Photo Contest winner, Jeanne Stoddard, who took home the grand prize with her striking capture of a Cape May Warbler. Her photo will be featured on the limited-edition 2024 Mug Club member mug, which can be purchased for $25 online or at the Nature Center.
The Gift Shop at the Nature Center has been closed due to issues with our credit card machines. In-person sales are possible but may take longer than usual. We strongly recommend purchasing your membership online (especially on a Coffee with the Birds day). If you purchase online, all you’ll need to do when you arrive is swing by the front desk to pick up your mug. Keep reading to learn how to purchase your Mug Club Membership...
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Mug Club Membership
2024 Mug Club Memberships are now available for sale! Members receive a limited-edition mug and fun birding perks throughout the year. Membership supports the Coffee with the Birds programs and feeding the birds at the Nature Center. The mugs and membership make great gifts.
Perks for members include…
- Exclusive, limited-edition mug with photo contest winner
- Event reminder magnets
- Membership Card for free hot drinks at the Nature Center
- Entry into a door prize drawing for prizes!
- Member-Only Bird Walks
- Picnic with the Birds event
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The Sledding Hill Livestream at Pigeon Creek Park is now available on our newly launched Parks YouTube channel.
The lower parking lot at Grand Ravines - North will be closed January-February.
All trails have been reopened at Pigeon Creek Park.
Not only have all the trails been reopened at Pigeon Creek Park, but the trail lights are also back on for the season! Don't let the shorter days keep you indoors...the park offers three miles of lit trails which are open until the park closes at 10 pm.
Reminder: Pigeon Creek Park winter operations will begin as soon as we have enough snow. When winter operations begin, the park will no longer be accessible to hikers, bikers,and dogs.
NOTICE: Equestrian trails close to horses on December 1.
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Invasive pest now confirmed in seven Michigan counties. Infestations of hemlock woolly adelgid have been confirmed in Allegan, Benzie, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana, Ottawa, and Washtenaw counties.
According to a michigan.gov article:
"The Michigan departments of Natural Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development encourage those who have eastern hemlock trees on their property to take time this winter to inspect the trees for signs of hemlock woolly adelgid. Anyone taking to the woods also can help by looking for signs of this invasive insect while hunting, hiking or enjoying other outdoor activities.
Winter is the best time to look for evidence of an infestation, according to Robert Miller, MDARD’s invasive species prevention and response specialist.
“Cooler temperatures trigger feeding activity,” Miller said. “As hemlock woolly adelgid feeds, it secretes a white, waxy material that creates ovisacs. The presence of these small, round, white masses make it possible to identify infested trees.”
As they feed, these tiny, soft-bodied insects consume a hemlock’s stored nutrients, slowly sucking the life from the tree. These insects are considered invasive because they are not native to the state and can cause significant harm to Michigan’s estimated 170 million hemlock trees."
Read the full article to learn how to identify hemlock trees, hemlock woolly adelgid, and more!
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Report Your HWA Findings
There are many ways you can report HWA (and other forest pests)!
Identify the location of infested trees and, whenever possible, take one or two pictures of infested branches to help confirm identification. To avoid spreading the insect, do not collect sample branches or twigs.
Management of HWA in Ottawa County Parks
Ottawa County Parks staff, volunteers, and interns initiated surveys and treatments for hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) in 2019. Since then, OCPR has treated roughly 3,000, and surveyed nearly 7,000 of the most imperiled hemlock trees in the Parks system. During surveys, each individual tree receives a tag with a unique ID and surveyors record the tree’s diameter, GPS coordinates, and presence or absence of HWA and elongate hemlock scale — another harmful insect pest that infects hemlock trees. This data is used to streamline treatments and assess the efficacy of treatment strategies over time. Using a systemic insecticide that will protect each hemlock for 5-7 years, parks staff prioritize treatment for hemlock populations that are already infested or are in close proximity to known infestations of HWA.
Lakeshore parks are considered the highest priority due to their proximity to Lake Michigan which is a major flyway for migratory birds and has consequently become a significant vector for HWA. The OCPR Stewardship Crew recently completed surveys at the last remaining properties along the lakeshore and will continue moving inland during future surveys and treatments throughout 2024.
 Park Stewards completed 33 workdays in 2023. This dedicated group of volunteers play a vital role in supporting various natural resource management projects, including removing invasive species and harvesting native seeds. Their efforts help to improve the health of our parks. THANK YOU!
Want to get involved volunteering? Learn more: miottawa.org/volunteer
 
Click on a program date to be redirected to our registration page for that program!
NATURE JOURNALING: COUNTING, MEASURING & ESTIMATES
Registration required; $5/person (ages 10+)
Gather each month to learn new drawing and writing techniques specific to the theme while enjoying community connection with fellow journalers. *Journals are not provided.
FIRESIDE YOGA
Registration required; $10/person (ages 18+)
Come practice yoga fireside at the Nature Center! All levels of experience are welcome. *Yoga mats not provided.
Into Nature
COFFEE WITH THE BIRDS
Registration appreciated
Enjoy a hot cup of coffee and some baked goodies as you watch the birds at the feeders and discuss various birding topics with a naturalist. Bring your bird questions, curiosities and stories, and don't forget your favorite mug!
*There are 2 sessions of Feeder Watching to choose from: 9:30 and 11:10 am.
Schedule:
9:30 - 10:20: Feeder Watching Session 1
10:30 - 11:00: Birding Tidbits
11:10 - 12:00: Feeder Watching Session 2
Kids & Families
TUNED INTO NATURE
Registration required; $5/child (ages 2-4)
Kids ages 2-4 can bring their favorite grown up to sing songs, dance, and learn about nature together. We'll spend time making and moving to music based on a nature theme and go outside for a walk to explore it outdoors. Adult must stay with child for duration of program.
STORYWALK
We’re collaborating with local libraries to continue providing StoryWalks this winter! Walk through the pages of a book as you make your way along a park path. These are self-guided programs, and the stories are available during park hours. Brought to you by Herrick Main Library, Loutit District Library, and Herrick North Branch Library.
❄️WINTER NATURE BUDS ❄️ - Sign up NOW open!
Registration required; $10/child (ages 6-9)
This winter version of our summer Nature Buds Day program will be offered at Hemlock Crossing Park. Children will experience outdoor adventures and investigate wildlife and habitats through the lens of winter. Register for one, two or all three, but do come out and enjoy our Michigan winter season! For ages 6-9.
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$8/person; all lessons offered at Pigeon Creek Park. Ski rentals are available, rental fee is not included.
Beginner: Learn about equipment and basic techniques. Ages 10+; one adult must accompany every two children.
The observatory at Hemlock Crossing Park will be open to the public on Fridays. These events are weather dependent and will be cancelled if overcast. *Please be aware that the park gate closes automatically at 8 pm, therefore visitors must arrive before 8 pm to enter the park.
Make sure to check the calendar for cancellations on this page before you head out to the park: holland-saaa.org
- Dec 1, 7 pm - Public Observing
- Dec 8, 7 pm - Public Observing
- Dec 15, 7 pm - Public Observing
- Dec 22, 7 pm - Public Observing
- Dec 29, 7 pm - Public Observing
For more details: miOttawa.org/observatory
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