Hi First name / Subscriber! I hope you take the time to read through the April Edition of the Muskegon Conservation District Newsletter! 

 

Spring has officially arrived in West Michigan, and with it comes the return of vibrant wildlife, blooming native plants, and longer days to enjoy the outdoors. As the landscape wakes from its winter rest, it’s a perfect time to reconnect with nature and think about ways we can support the environment right here at home.

 

In this month’s newsletter, you'll find helpful tips for living more sustainably, updates on upcoming programs and events—including our popular Native Perennial Plug Sale—and insights into how you can make a difference in your yard and community this spring.

 

Thank you for being a part of our conservation family. Let’s grow something great together this season!

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunity!

 

Springtime is a wonderful season to witness bursts of color—vibrant blues, yellows, purples, and even greens. Many of these colors come from ornamental flowers planted in yards and gardens. While these landscaped spaces can serve as pleasant green areas and help beautify a home, they often provide limited benefits to wildlife, including pollinators, songbirds, insects, and amphibians.

 

Another drawback of heavily manicured landscapes is their limited ability to absorb and retain stormwater. Native grasses and forbs are much more effective at filtering and absorbing water thanks to their deep, robust root systems. These plants are better adapted to handle heavy, fast-moving rainfall and can stabilize the soil more effectively than shallow-rooted turf grass.

 

That said, native plant landscapes don’t have to look wild or unkempt—though there's certainly nothing wrong with a natural look. Many native species are strikingly beautiful in their own right. For example, big bluestem develops a rich reddish-purple hue in late summer, while Indiangrass takes on a pale teal tint when fully grown—unlike most traditional grasses. Native forbs like Black-eyed Susan, Indian Blanket, and various aster species not only brighten wet areas with spring and summer blooms but also support critical pollinators.

 

In addition to their beauty and ecological value, native plants are generally more drought-tolerant than non-native species such as turf grass. This means they require less watering during the heat of summer, making them a sustainable choice for homeowners. Even small riparian or garden areas planted with natives can serve as important microhabitats for pollinators and songbirds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Among homeowners and native plant enthusiasts, there is a range of how much tolerance we have for introduced species. Regardless of your feelings about Dame's Rocket, Cleavers, or Dandelion, you'll learn how to identify and harvest pervasive plants for food. Together, we'll find edible value in many species often disregarded or despised. Participants will taste simple recipes using wildcrafted food with the earliest spring greens and flowers.

 

This class will be led by Lea Sevigny. She connects with nature in many ways, but especially enjoys foraging for items to make food, herbal remedies, and artistic creations. Through her business, Joyful Wildcrafting, Lea guides others to embrace the natural world as well. As a Wild Ones member, Master Naturalist, Certified Environmental Educator, and Place-based Educator, Lea has years of land stewardship experience behind her. She is a member of the Native Plant Guild and the West Michigan Conservation Network.

 

Handouts will be given to all class participants and at the end of the class there will be a  short walk exploring edible spring plants."

 

As spring unfolds and nature bursts back to life, it's not uncommon for people to encounter young wildlife in unexpected places. While these moments can be heartwarming and give a glimpse into the  they often lead to well-meaning but misguided interventions. Two animals that frequently raise concern this time of year are whitetail deer fawns and killdeer—both of which may appear vulnerable or "abandoned," but usually aren't.

 

In late spring, it's common to find a white-tailed deer fawn curled up alone in tall grass, under a tree, or near the edge of a yard. Instinctively, many people assume it’s been abandoned and needs help. In reality, mother deer often leave their fawns hidden for hours while they forage. The fawn's spotted coat and natural stillness act as camouflage to protect it from predators. Unless the fawn is visibly injured or in immediate danger, the best action is to leave it where it is. The mother is likely nearby and will return when the area is quiet. Additionally, a good indication of whether a fawn has truly been abandoned is if the ears are curled at the tips - showing that the fawn is dehydrated. If this is the case please call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. 

 

Killdeer, a type of shorebird distinguished by its double-banded breast, often lay their eggs on gravel surfaces—including driveways, trails, and parking lots. Their nests are just shallow scrapes in the ground, and with rock-colored eggs make them easy to overlook. When people or pets get too close, killdeer perform a dramatic "broken-wing" display to lure threats away from their eggs or chicks. While it may seem like the bird is injured or the nest is in danger, this behavior is a normal and effective defense strategy.

 

If you spot a killdeer nest in a high-traffic area, consider marking it off with small cones or signs to help others avoid disturbing it.

 

In conclusion, if you’re ever unsure about a young or injured-looking wild animal, the best choice is usually to leave it alone. Wild animals are remarkably resilient and have evolved to survive in challenging environments. While it’s natural to want to help, intervening can sometimes do more harm than good. Let nature take its course unless there’s clear evidence the animal is injured or in danger.

 

 

This month, the Muskegon Conservation District (MCD) had the opportunity to take part in a grant-funded restoration effort. This collaborative project involved the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and MCD.

 

The project focused on the removal of small trees and shrubs from an area approximately one acre in size. This was accomplished using a forestry mulcher—a large rotating drum equipped with heavy-duty carbide teeth often attached to the front of a skid-steer. The mulcher is highly effective at mechanically removing woody vegetation and can also act as a rototiller, disturbing the soil in the process. During clearing, large trees were intentionally left in place to serve as shelterwood and provide essential habitat for songbirds and insects. The resulting open understory with a patchy canopy is characteristic of oak savanna habitat, which is known to support nesting by wood turtles and eastern box turtles.

 

Once vegetation was cleared, approximately 320 cubic yards of clean sand—equivalent to 15 semi-truck loads—were delivered to the site. MCD staff used a loader to spread and grade the sand into a large, flat nesting area.

 

The goal of this project is to create a high-quality, large-scale nesting habitat suitable for all turtle species native to the area. This is the first time a nesting site of this magnitude has been attempted by the project partners, making it an experimental effort. The ultimate success of the site remains to be seen.

 

MCD is currently working under two grants awarded by the Fremont Area Community Foundation through the Ice Mountain Environmental Stewardship Fund. One grant supports the implementation and monitoring of the nesting site restoration mentioned above. The other focuses on monitoring wood turtle populations along the Muskegon River, including studies of population dynamics, nesting activity, and hatchling success from April through October.

 

The first phase of monitoring involves population surveys at six different locations along the Muskegon River during May. These sites are surveyed annually to gain insight into local wood turtle population trends. When turtles are encountered, data such as weight, sex, age, and size are recorded when possible. If a female is found, a radio transmitter is attached to the rear of her shell. These transmitters enable researchers to locate the same individuals during nesting season.

 

Nesting surveys will be conducted in June, primarily during nighttime hours when turtles are actively nesting. Female turtles found during this time will be temporarily collected and relocated to either known or newly established nesting sites. This relocation technique has shown promise in encouraging successful nesting at target sites. Once placed on the site, each female will be monitored until she either lays her eggs or leaves. Monitors will record the number of eggs laid, mark the nest location, and install a protective cage over the nest to deter predators.

 

From August through September, the nests will be regularly checked to ensure hatchlings are able to emerge safely. When necessary, cages will be removed, and hatchlings may be assisted to nearby water sources, where they are less vulnerable to predation.

 

The final stage of the project involves continued radio tracking of adult turtles until they return to lakes, rivers, and streams in October for hibernation.

 

Interested in saving on your property tax bill? If so, the Michigan Qualified Forest Program (QFP) is something to consider. If you have property that is not receiving the Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) that exempts a residence from the tax levied by a local school district for school operating purposes, the QFP could be something to consider. The parcel also needs to be a minimum of 20 acres and at least 80% productive forestland, or if the parcel is 40 acres or larger, it must be at least 50% productive forestland.

 

Once enrolled in the QFP you can save up to 18 mills on your property taxes, however there is a 2 mill annual program fee that is collected, making your savings a net of 16 mills. The exact dollar amount is based on the parcel’s taxable value of the land not including structures. It is common to see a savings of approximately $200 to $1200 annually. To enroll you need to have a forest management plan developed by a Forester. This is needed as part of the application process. Deadline to apply is Sept. 1. For more information see www.michigan.gov/qfp and/or call your District Forester for help.

Bill Cook

 

   For tree species such as maples and apples, particularly those with darker thin bark, dead tissue might be seen sloughing-off come late April or into May.  This appears as some sort of disease.  More commonly, it is the latent impact of sunscald.  Frost-cracking is another term for this phenomenon.
    Earlier, often in February and March, the tissues are killed.  However, the damage is not noticeable at that time.  On bright sunny days, with a blanket of snow on the ground, solar insolation (not insulation!) can wreak a bit of havoc on the south and southwest sides of saplings with thin bark, and about three or four feet above the ground.  The process is an unfortunate combination of tree physiology and physics.
    The thin bark surface, especially darker bark, absorbs energy directly from the sun and that which is reflected off the snow.  The bark temperatures can rise to 60 or 70 degrees, even when the ambient air temperatures are below the freezing mark.  This microclimate warms the cambium, those living tissues under the bark. 
    The cells become “faked-out” by thinking spring is at-hand and absorb water which has been safely residing between the living cells as ice.  Forcing water out of living cells and into those interstitial spaces is part of the strategy that trees use to survive cold winters.  Warmed and re-hydrated, the cellular machinery begins to do what it’s designed to do. 
    However, a major problem occurs when the sun sets or shadows fall on the young tree trunks.  The time frame of this rapid temperature drop is too short for the cell metabolism to force the water back into the safe interstitial areas.  Without that warm microclimate, the temperatures quickly fall below the freezing mark and water trapped inside the living cells turns to ice.  The expanding ice ruptures the cell walls, killing the fragile tissues. 
    Normally, the loss of a few cells, here and there, won’t cause serious damage.  Yet, under the right circumstances, large portions of the cambium can be killed.  These conditions don’t happen every year.  When they do, sunscald and frost-cracking occur. 
    For the remainder of the winter, the young stems appear unaffected.  When spring arrives, the resource-rich tree juices flow and the cambium begins to construct a new transport system.  However,  if winter burn has killed patches of the cambium, this process does not happen.  As time passes, the dead tissues dry-out and begin to separate from the interior wood.  This is when people usually note the damage. 
    Nothing can be done to remedy sunscald.  However, it can be easily prevented by shading young trees from the sun.  A burlap wrap works just fine, or leaning a board on the south side of the tree.  The ideas is to keep the trunk out of direct sunlight. 
    If trees do suffer sunscald, do not paint the wounds.  Let the tissues dry-out and fall-off, and then hope that the tree is healthy enough to eventually grow-over the wound.  Unfortunately, large patches of sunscald will disfigure the tree and invite germination of fungal spores, which can lead to heart rot.  This, too, may not cause tree death but it will weaken the tree and leave it more vulnerable to a range of pests. 
    Conifers suffer from a somewhat similar malady called “winter burn”, which is a bit of a misnomer, not having little to do with temperature.  Rather, on warm winter days, with temperatures above freezing, the needles slowly photosynthesize, which use liquid water.  Normally, when nearby water sources are exhausted, the conifer will draw more water from the soil via the root system. 
    However, if frost remains a couple of feet into the ground, the frozen water is locked and not available to the tree.  So, the needles dry-out and tissues begin to die, similar to what may happen during a drought.  Those warm, breezy days of mid or late winter can result in winter burn. 
    With timing similar to sunscald, the needles don’t turn yellow, then brown, until spring.  When the dead needles are noticed, once again, it’s common to incorrectly assume a disease agent at work.   Winter burn also does not happen every winter.  And, conifers, especially young conifers, that are more exposed are somewhat more vulnerable. 
    Winter burn usually does not affect  the lifespan of a conifer, but it can cause major problems for Christmas tree growers.  The appearance of the tree is all-important.  Dead spots certainly detract from marketability. 
    As winter gives way to spring, especially after a winter with several warm periods when snow still covers the ground, evidence of sunscald and winter burn may become clear.  Neither condition is usually fatal, but any damage to a tree can lead to other problems.