Hi First name / friend! Thank you for taking the time to read through this months edition of the Muskegon Conservation District Newsletter! 

 

This month you can read about our New Stormwater page on the MCD website, turtle surveys, secretive marsh birds, invasive species treatments and much more!

 

As always MCD thanks you so much for your continued support throughout this spring with the seedling sale, perennial sale and numerous workshops that have taken place throughout the spring! Be on the lookout for future events and opportunities to be involved at MCD!

 

 

We're excited to announce that MCD now has a dedicated Stormwater page on our website! It’s a quick and easy way to learn about the important MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) work we do throughout the Muskegon area.

 

On this page, you’ll find:

Whether you’re curious about MS4, concerned about water quality, or looking for ways to protect our lakes and streams, this page is a great place to start.

 

The MCD team is growing for the summer with the addition of two awesome seasonal staff members—Cody and Lauren!

 

Welcome back, Cody! (pictured left)

If Cody looks familiar, it’s because he was part of the MCD team last summer. We're thrilled to have him back for another field season! With his deep knowledge of gear and equipment, Cody plays a key role in keeping everything running smoothly during treatment season.

 

Introducing Lauren! (pictured right)

This is Lauren’s first field season with MCD, and we’re excited to have her on board! She recently graduated from Michigan Tech University with a Bachelor of Science and will begin her master’s degree in environmental science this fall. Lauren brings fresh energy and enthusiasm to the team!

 

Be sure to say hi if you see them out in the field!

With warmer weather already here and outdoor activities in full swing—from hiking and biking on trails to fishing in our local waterways—spring is a wonderful time of year to enjoy renewed energy and take in the beautiful sights of wildflowers and natural spaces!

 

This season also marks the ideal time for many invasive species treatments throughout the Muskegon area. These efforts target species such as invasive knotweed, garlic mustard, bittersweet, poison hemlock, and more. Treating these plants is crucial for preserving native ecosystem functions, supporting the health of native fish and wildlife, and protecting vital infrastructure.

 

To manage these invasive species, the Muskegon Conservation District (MCD) uses a variety of methods, including chemical treatments and mechanical removal. Chemical treatment, in particular, is a cost-effective approach that provides the most reliable path to achieving long-term control—and in some cases, local or even statewide eradication.

 

All MCD field staff are certified commercial pesticide applicators and work diligently to ensure that every treatment is safe and effective. Armed with knowledge, specialized tools, and a passion for the outdoors, MCD crews use science-based methods to control invasive plants. Whether they’re applying targeted treatments or removing invasive species by hand, their mission remains the same: to protect native ecosystems and support long-term environmental health.

 

Safety is always a top priority. The team follows strict best management practices to ensure that all treatments are environmentally responsible and community-friendly. So if you see folks in MCD gear working along trails, roadsides, or near water, give them a wave—they’re out there protecting the natural places we all love.

 

If you have any questions about invasive species treatments please reach out to our invasive species manager Sabrina Huizenga at Email address / sabrina.huizenga@macd.org. She would be more than happy to answer your questions! 

Turtle Season is Underway!

 

The MCD team has just wrapped up the first phase of our turtle survey season—population surveys! These surveys are essential for identifying and marking new turtles while also checking in on those we've tracked in the past. We assess their location, health, and behavior to better understand and protect these incredible creatures. This important work is made possible by two grants from the Ice Mountain Environmental Stewardship Fund, facilitated through the Fremont Area Community Foundation.

 

Next up? Nesting surveys!

In June, our team will be out—mostly at night—searching for turtles as they begin nesting and looking to establish new nest sites. Nighttime is when these shy reptiles are most active in their nesting routines, so we’ll be out there, flashlights in hand, keeping a careful watch.

 

The turtle pictured above is a male wood turtle, estimated to be around 20 years old. He had never been captured before, so he was given a unique marking code to help us identify him in future sightings. We noticed some old damage to the lower left part of his shell (carapace), but we’re happy to report that it has fully healed.

 

Stay tuned—there’s much more to come as turtle season continues!

MCD will be spending the next few weeks getting into the field a little earlier than we would normally be. This is in attempt to monitor the presence of secretive marsh birds during the dawn chorus which is considered to be from 30 minutes before sunrise to 2 hours after sunrise. These species of birds are considered "secretive" as it is atypical for them to be highly vocal, especially when compared to common marsh songbirds such as a red-winged blackbird. Additionally, they nest within emergent aquatic vegetation such as cattail and rushes, which aids in obscuring them from view. This group of species is comprised of birds such as the least bittern, common gallinule, sora, Virginia rail, and pied-billed grebe (pictured). 

This secretive marsh bird monitoring is in collaboration with Saving Our Great Lakes (SOGL) and is especially critical in areas that previously had or currently do have established populations of invasive plants such as invasive knotweed and phragmites. 

FUN FACT: The word "pied" refers to having two or more patches of different coloration. So a "PIED-billed grebe," though it is its own species, refers to a grebe that has a bill consisting of two patches of color, that being black and white. 

If you have any questions about secretive marsh bird monitoring you can contact Stephen Brillinger at stephen.brillinger@macd.org. 

 

   There are too many essentials in our individual lives, and collective economy, to become informed and fluent about all of them.  This is part of the reason we rely on experts to perform their respective functions as part of society.  However, experts sometimes disagree to an extent, which can appear confusing to the public dialogue. 
   Wood and wood products are areas of specialization that fit among this matrix of interdependency.  Wood stands large among those raw materials that we cannot live without, things such as metals, minerals, petroleum, food, and so many others. 
    The media frequently focus on non-timber aspects of forests and forestry, most of which are good and beneficial.  However, we disregard the indispensable role of wood production at our peril. 
          Wood has qualities that distinctly set it apart from other raw materials.  It is renewable.  Forests produce far more benefits than wood only.  Wood manufacturing consumes the least amount of inputs, leaving the smallest environmental footprint. 
   We should be using more wood, where it makes sense to replace other materials, to the extent of biological and economic potential. 
   Wood is good.  Wood products are smart.  Lakes States forest management ranks among the best in the world.  It grows better all the time.  Far less wood is extracted from forests than the forests can accommodate.  Forest area and forest volumes are increasing.  Nearly all harvested areas regenerate well, except perhaps those that are over browsed by deer. 
   A robust forest industry provides markets for the wide and full diversity of harvested products.  This means that we can better manage our forests, as management cannot occur without markets.  A less robust forest industry translates to fewer management options, often followed by lower quality forests with more health challenges. 
   Forest industry is good.  Across the Lake States, its economic role exceeds 83 billion dollars.  Compared to the region’s 1.3 trillion-dollar GDP, the forest industry might not seem large, but it ranks among the top employers and economic contributors in each state.  There is plenty of room for growth, and wise use, across the region. 
   Forestry is good.  To some, the critical environmental role of forestry appears counter intuitive.  Our forest resource is the legacy from our great-grandfathers of the historic logging era.  It is a significantly different and disturbed heir of what it once was.  This is an important theater to understand as we work to protect and enhance water quality, habitat, soil integrity, carbon issues, and other values. 
   Altered ecological dynamics and new pressures threaten forests in ways inconceivable a century ago, or even half that amount of time.  Management is required to deal with phenomena such as climate change, exotic species, overabundant deer, ownership parcelization, benign neglect, and others.  And, of course, to maintain a stable supply of wood products.  Additionally, there are reasons for concern about our wood supply that have little to do with the availability of wood. 
   Forestry is far more complex than “just cutting trees”, although logging, alone, is also far from a simple set of operations. 
   Consider the volumes of natural mortality that exceed what is harvested.  This imbalance is new over the past decade, as our forests age and average tree diameters increase.  A portion of this mortality might better be used to drive a more vibrant wood-based industry, with outputs such as better forest health, increased economic activity, and substitution for raw materials that possess much higher environmental footprints. 
   Like so many elements of our massive and convoluted economy, decisions made about forestry and the wood products industry should consider the expertise of those who build careers in the various aspects of the sector, from foresters and loggers, to industry leaders.  We commonly depend on the recommendations of experts from many other fields, from financial advisors and medical professionals, to those that repair our homes and build our cars. 
   Unfortunately, skewed public opinions, especially among legislators, too often color how forestry and logging are carried out.  But, this is not unique to the forest industry.  One of the many threads that appear to run through the public psyche is that cutting trees is bad, for a myriad of beliefs.  In fact, just the opposite is far more commonly true, especially when looking at the big picture and employing full life cycle analyses. 

MCD Participates in Spotlight on Ag Readers 2025 at Holton Elementary

 

We were thrilled to participate in the Spotlight on Ag Readers 2025 program! Our Director, Melanie Knapp, had the pleasure of reading The Tree Farmer to Mrs. Sundberg’s and Mrs. Fowler’s third-grade students at Holton Elementary.

 

Following the reading, the students eagerly asked questions about trees and tree planting, showing particular interest in the size of White Pine trees. Many of these students attended the Water Festival in October, where they received a White Pine seedling. It was exciting to see them connect their small seedlings to the towering trees they will one day become!

 

In addition to the story, students engaged with educational activity sheets about Michigan’s various fruit trees and played a fun game exploring the many products made from trees.

 

We extend our gratitude to Holton Elementary, Mrs. Sundberg, Mrs. Fowler, and West Michigan Works for the opportunity to be part of this engaging and educational event!

Oak wilt season is here!

 

From April 15 to July 15, oak trees are at high risk for oak wilt infection, a serious fungal disease that impacts red oak trees (Northern red oak, black oak, and Northern pin oak), typically killing them within a few weeks. White oaks can be weakened but it is seldom fatal. Recent research at Michigan State University indicates that in Michigan, oak infection risk peaks in May and June.  

 

During this time of year, flying beetles can carry spores of the fungus from tree to tree. The fungus enters the tree through wounds that are often a result of pruning or storm damage. Private forest Landowners need to exercise caution during the high risk period, and if possible, delay timber harvests in oak forests until after July 15.  

 

If you have an oak tree that gets damaged during this high-risk period, immediately cover all wounds with tree-wound paint or latex-based paint. This can help stop the beetle from being attracted to the fresh wound.  

 

Symptoms most often appear from late June through September. Affected trees will suddenly begin to wilt from the top down, rapidly dropping leaves. Spore pads like the one above typically form one year after a tree has been killed by the disease. Finding these is reliable proof of the disease.  

 

For more information click here or contact MCD's District Forester, Rod Denning at 231-861-5600 or email him at rod.denning@macd.org.