As we approach the holiday season, we would like to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks to each of you for your continued support of the Muskegon Conservation District. Your involvement and dedication to protecting the natural beauty of our region play a key role in the success of our conservation efforts.
Throughout this year, we have witnessed firsthand the positive impact of our shared commitment to preserving Muskegon’s natural resources. Whether you’ve participated in local programs, supported environmental education, or simply made mindful decisions to care for the land around you, you’ve made a difference. Your collective efforts help ensure that our community remains a vibrant place for future generations to enjoy.
As we reflect on the progress made this year, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible support from residents, landowners, volunteers, and local organizations. Together, we continue to improve water quality, restore habitats, and promote sustainable practices that benefit both people and wildlife alike.
On behalf of the Muskegon Conservation District, we extend our deepest thanks and wish you and your loved ones a joyful and peaceful holiday season. We look forward to working together in the year ahead to continue our mission of conservation and stewardship.
Warmest wishes, The Muskegon Conservation District Team
As winter settles over Muskegon, the staff at the Muskegon Conservation District shifts gears from the busy fieldwork of warmer months to a season of strategic planning, project preparation, and behind-the-scenes work that will lay the foundation for a successful spring.
One of the primary focuses during the winter months is securing funding through grant writing. The staff dedicates a significant amount of time to researching, writing, and submitting grants that will fund important conservation projects throughout the year. These grants support efforts such as habitat restoration, water quality improvement, and the management of invasive species, ensuring that the district’s conservation programs continue to thrive.
In addition to grant writing, the team also works on quoting and finalizing details for upcoming projects. This includes gathering estimates, coordinating with contractors, and organizing the logistics needed to hit the ground running once the warmer months arrive. Whether it's planning for tree planting, stream restoration, or invasive species removal, winter is a time to ensure everything is in place for successful execution in the spring.
If you or someone you know has a project in mind for the coming spring, now is a great time to reach out to us! You can call the office at 231-828-5097, and we will be sure to schedule a free site visit to your property. We would be happy to discuss any projects you have in mind for your property!
Forestry Assistance Program Available for Private Landowners
The Forestry Assistance Program (FAP) is an initiative of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Environmental Stewardship Division. Nineteen regions cover 47 counties in the State. Here in west Michigan, Region 15 covers Oceana, Newaygo, and Muskegon counties. Throughout the State, District Foresters work out of the local Conservation District office in each of the respective counties.
The primary objective of the program is to assist private forestland owners with anything forestry related. Providing outreach and technical assistance to landowners to help them make good decisions about caring for their woodlots is the top priority.
Scheduling a free site visit is the best way to obtain help. During a typical site visit the forester can help landowners understand if a timber harvest is needed, and explain how that could be a good strategy for the property. Also, the forester can identify insect or disease issues, if any, and discuss management options. Other common questions commonly addressed include, is the timber of high value? Are there invasive plants that need removal? Would the landowner benefit from enrolling into a program like the Qualified Forest Program to provide property tax relief? Are there other programs like the Forest Stewardship Program or the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) that would benefit the landowner?
The Forestry Assistance Program is careful not to compete with private sector business. For example, the District Foresters do not write forest management plans, administer timber sales, or provide any other service that could otherwise be provided by the private sector. When additional help is desired, the District Forester can provide a referral service to identify a private consulting forester to write a forest management plan, or administer a timber sale.
To schedule a site visit with the District Forester here in Newaygo County contact Rod Denning at 616-920-9775 to talk with him directly, or email him at rod.denning@macd.org.
EPA Meeting Summary: Bofors-Nobel Site Water Discharge Date: November 13, 2024 Location: Egelston Township Hall
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted a public meeting to provide updates and address community concerns regarding water discharge activities at the Bofors-Nobel Superfund site. This 85-acre former chemical production facility has been a focus of remediation efforts due to significant groundwater contamination caused by unlined sludge lagoons.
Attendees
The meeting included representatives from key organizations involved in the site’s cleanup and management. The EPA was represented by Caitlin McIntyre (Community Involvement Coordinator) and Daniel Rodriguez (Scientist). Mark Reisman, Bofors Clean-Up Manager from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), also participated. Local stakeholders included Anthony Chandler, Norton Shores City Manager, Joel Jarvis from MLWC, and Emily Cooper of the Muskegon Conservation District (MCD). Contractors from Tetra Tech and SKEL Consulting were also present to support technical and communication efforts.
Site Overview
EPA’s Caitlin McIntyre opened the meeting by listening to attendees’ concerns before outlining the site’s history and operations. Groundwater contamination is being addressed by a 100-foot-deep retaining wall, which collects contaminated water that is then pumped to an on-site treatment plant.
Historically, treated groundwater was discharged directly into Black Creek through a flow system established in 1990. From the 1990s until 2021, Sun Chemical used treated effluent in its production processes. However, starting in September 2024, treated water was redirected to Black Creek at a rate of 300,000 gallons per day via a 6-inch pipe flowing over riprap.
Key Updates
Infrastructure Condition: The EPA shared images and video scoping results to confirm the structural integrity of the cement discharge culvert used in the current system.
Regulatory Standards: EPA representatives explained that the discharge meets state water quality standards and does not require an EGLE permit. However, many attendees expressed concern over the lack of public awareness about these operations. The EPA highlighted the ongoing Five-Year Review (FYR), required under CERCLA, to assess the performance of the cleanup and ensure it protects human health and the environment.
Community Concerns: Local residents raised questions about transparency and engagement regarding site operations. Many felt insufficiently informed about the site's activities, prompting a discussion about improving communication with the public.
Communication Plan: To address these concerns, attendees agreed on the need for a fact sheet summarizing the site’s history, cleanup activities, and current status. This document will be distributed through local media outlets like MLive to reach a broader audience.
Action Points and Next Steps
The meeting concluded with a set of actionable steps to enhance transparency and ensure ongoing compliance:
Public Communication: The EPA will develop and distribute a fact sheet to improve community understanding and awareness.
Monitoring and Compliance: Daily assessments will continue to ensure treated water meets state quality standards.
Regulatory Oversight: EPA will maintain Superfund compliance and address remaining contamination concerns through further investigations.
This meeting underscored the importance of maintaining open communication with the community, adhering to regulatory requirements, and continuing efforts to manage the site effectively.
There are many nasty actors in our forests. Two of the worst are buckthorn and autumn olive. Both hail from Europe and were introduced as ornamentals in the 1800s. Autumn olive was once also promoted by the Soil Conservation Service as a “conservation” species.
To be clear, as common names can be confusing, I’m referring to Frangula alnus as glossy buckthorn and Elaeagnus angustifolia as autumn olive. I might throw in Rhamnus cathartica, European buckthorn, for good measure. All are common and pernicious in many parts of the Lake States.
Buckthorn tends to grow on moister soils, often in swamps and swamp edges. Autumn olive is more of an upland and old field invader. Both are commonly found under powerlines, where overhead birds like to congregate and do their thing.
These are good species for forest lovers to learn to identify. After all, killing the right shrub is important. Know your enemy! Buckthorn, especially, can be mistaken for cherry. I once had a grouse hunter chastise me for killing “cherries”. I’ve even run across folks who call buckthorn “tag alder”, which is odd, as there is almost no similarity other than habitat. With a little practice, spotting these shrubs species is easy.
Once established, these alien shrubs require persistence to eradicate. They stump sprout well, so cutting and burning simply makes them happy. Additionally, their seeds remain dormant in the soil for years and can regenerate a stand just when you think you’ve gotten the upper hand. You can cut and hack almost forever with only disappointment to show for all the hard work.
Killing these alien shrubs is a really good reason to use herbicides, even if you’re not fond of chemical treatments. Early in the growing season, glyphosate works reasonably well on the fresh foliage. This may be the easiest strategy but doesn’t always get a great kill. The mature leaves of both buckthorn and autumn olive develop waxy surfaces on their leaves which can block foliar herbicides.
Strategy number two, cutting and stump application, is more effective but far more tedious. Working in these shrub tangles can be frustrating. You need to lug along cutting tools and a container of brush killer, triclopyr is one good choice. Once the stem is cut, or a few stems, one must stop, remember where the stumps are, and then treat them. This doesn’t sound too difficult, until you actually try it in one of these shrub thickets.
The best time to perform this carnage may be in June, when the shrubs have translocated a good share of their reserves for the recent leaf-out process. The fresh leaves work hard to move goodies to the roots, including the Trojan horses. However, this is also the mosquito and black fly season, an important consideration. And, swamps have more water in them in the spring.
Various cutting tools may be needed. Small, thin sprouts are easy to hit with a foliar spray but challenging to cut and find the thread-like “stumps”. On the other extreme, both buckthorn and autumn olive can grow to several inches in diameter. In these cases, a chainsaw and stump treatment might be best.
Cutting buckthorn during the winter will produce a nice knee-high canopy in the spring, or the next spring. This canopy serves as a great surface for effective glyphosate application, with minimal “collateral” damage.
Buckthorn practices allelopathy, which means it uses its own chemicals to kill competition, partly explaining the loss of native vegetation in buckthorn stands. I don’t know if autumn olive is allelopathic but would not be surprised if it is.
Folks who like to sweat a lot will herald other eradication techniques, which work well, if you’re dealing with only a few plants. A number of grubbing tool styles exist and most work well, although you’ll work much harder when dealing with hundreds, if not thousands, of stems.
Neither buckthorn nor autumn olive are good for wildlife. Sure, the birds will eat the berries, but there is little nutrition and the birds might actually get the “runs” as a result. Think of those power lines. However, I have to admit that the autumn olive flowers have a delicious aroma and the red berries are quite tasty. I suspect they would make a good jam.
The shrubs will offer structural diversity in a forest stand, which will please a suite of nesting birds, but nesting success is not as high as that in native shrubs.
Few animals browse either buckthorn or autumn olive, although both can be nibbled from time to time, or if an especially cold winter grows long.
Unfortunately, large parts of the Michigan forest are undergrown with buckthorn, and upland areas covered with dense stands of autumn olive. Statewide eradication may be impossible from a cost standpoint. However, on your own property, you may find some satisfaction, along with some good exercise, and some quality time in the woods.
If you are interested in reading more articles from Bill you can access them at his website by clicking the button below!
As snow melts, it is considered stormwater runoff, transporting road salt, sand litter, and other pollutants into surface water or through soil leading to groundwater, polluting waterways and drinking water supplies. But of course, making walking and driving areas safe is of high importance. Is it possible to maintain stormwater runoff quality while at the same time sustain safe conditions for pedestrians and vehicles? It is through a combination of using deicing alternatives and managing snow melt runoff.
Salt and sand are the most common and least expensive materials for de-icing outdoor surfaces. However, they do have a negative environmental impact. Salt depletes the oxygen supply in waterways, leaches into the ground and changes soil composition, leaches into groundwater which may affect drinking water supplies, and deteriorates paved surfaces, building, and the environment. Sand can collect on aquatic floors, filling in habitats and clouding the water; erode stream banks; cause premature deterioration of floor surfaces as it is tracked into buildings; enters catch basins, storm drains, and surface waters; and contributes to plugged storm drains, potentially causing flooding.
Municipalities and private industry often have to remove snow from their premises and find a place to dispose of the collected snow. When selecting a site for snow disposal:
Avoid dumping snow into any waterbody, including rivers, reservoirs, ponds, lakes, wetlands, bays, or the ocean.
Do not dump snow within wellhead protection areas of a public water supply or within 200 feet of a private well.
Avoid dumping snow in sanitary landfills and gravel pits, where there is little opportunity for filtration.
Avoid disposing of snow on top of snow drain catch basins or in stormwater drainage swales or ditches, where sand and debris in the melting snow may block a storm drain, causing localized flooding.
Simply being aware of where you are piling your snow and using as little salt as possible when trying to de-ice your driveway or sidewalk is a good step to take. Having green infrastructure would also help in preventing stormwater pollution. If you have any questions feel free to give our office a call!
Come join our Invasive species manager Sabrina and the Newaygo Conservation District for an evening of learning more about the basics of invasive species. This is a FREE event and will take place at the Fremont Area District Library from 5:30-6:30 PM on January 30th.
If you have questions about the event or would like more information, feel free to call the office at 231-828-5097 or to email Sabrina at sabrina.huizenga@macd.org.
