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

 

This month you can read about upcoming workshops, current projects, new grants and much more! 

 

Thank you for your continued support of the Conservation District! Be sure to stay tuned for upcoming events, project updates, and other important news throughout the month!

 

Whether you have a patio garden or a few acres to manage, the Rooted & Resilient Workshop is designed to help you make the most of your land in practical, sustainable ways. This collaborative event will take place on Sunday, September 7th, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at Woven Trifecta, 2731 Todd Rd in Whitehall, MI. The workshop is open to homeowners, renters, and anyone interested in creating a healthier relationship with the land they live on—no matter the size.

 

Hosted at the beautiful Woven Trifecta farm, this interactive afternoon will feature a variety of guest speakers, each offering insight into the "closed-loop" approach to daily living. Samantha Otto, owner of Woven Trifecta, will share how she integrates conservation practices into her farming operation through support from local, state, and federal programs. Evert VanderBerg, North American Sustainability and EHS Lead at HiLite International, will highlight how HiLite partnered with the Muskegon Conservation District to transform traditional turf grass into thriving native habitats that support pollinators and reduce irrigation. Andrew Booher, a technician with the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP), will offer valuable guidance on improving soil health and establishing native plants.

 

This is a great opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, learn from real-world examples, and discover actionable steps to create a more resilient and sustainable space—right where you live.

 

Curious about invasive species and how they impact our environment? Join the Muskegon and Oceana Conservation Districts for a free, hands-on workshop designed to help you identify and manage these unwanted invaders. The event will take place on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM at the Oceana Conservation District office, located at 1064 Industrial Park Drive, Shelby, MI.

 

This one-hour workshop is a great opportunity for landowners, gardeners, outdoor enthusiasts, and concerned residents to learn more about the species currently threatening our local landscapes. You’ll get an up-close look at new invaders on Michigan’s Invasive Species Watch List, discover how to properly identify them, and find out what to do if you come across them on your property or in the wild.

 

In addition to identification, we’ll share effective treatment strategies and control methods to help manage the invasive species already taking hold in our region. Whether you’re dealing with troublesome plants or simply want to be part of the solution, this workshop will give you the knowledge and tools you need.

 

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged so we can plan for materials and seating. Come be part of the effort to protect Michigan’s natural resources!

 

Did you know that August is National Water Quality Month? It’s the perfect time to pause and reflect on how our actions, both big and small, impact the water around us. Whether it's the streams in your neighborhood, the lake where you swim, or even your drinking water source, water quality affects us all. This month is an opportunity to assess what you're doing to protect our water and consider new steps you can take to make a positive difference.

 

 

You might be wondering why water quality is such a hot topic in August. The answer lies in the season itself. Warm summer temperatures and the potential for drought conditions combine to create the ideal environment for water quality issues to arise and become more visible.

 

When water levels drop and temperatures rise, pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus (often from lawn fertilizers, pet waste, or agricultural runoff) become more concentrated. This can trigger a process called nutrient loading, or eutrophication, where an overload of nutrients enters a water body.

 

 

Eutrophication sets off a harmful chain reaction in aquatic ecosystems. Here's how it works:

 

 

In addition to oxygen depletion, the decomposition process also releases carbon dioxide into the water. This can shift the water's pH level, making it more acidic. Since different aquatic species have specific pH ranges they can tolerate, this acidification further limits what life can thrive in these conditions.

 

 

The good news is that individual actions really do make a difference. Here are some simple yet impactful ways to help protect water quality in your community:

 

Water quality is not just an environmental issue. It is also a public health and community concern. National Water Quality Month is a reminder that our daily choices affect the health of our watersheds. Whether you're conserving water, reducing pollution, or educating others, every action helps ensure clean, safe water for generations to come.

 

The Muskegon Conservation District (MCD) is proud to announce that it has been awarded funding through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Habitat Grant Program. This highly competitive grant supports large-scale habitat restoration projects across the state, benefiting state agencies, nonprofits, local communities, and landowners alike.

 

While the DNR has the resources to manage many of Michigan’s natural areas, staffing shortages often limit their ability to carry out large-scale restoration work. That’s where conservation partners like MCD step in. With this funding, MCD will lead significant habitat restoration efforts on state-managed public lands, right here in West Michigan.

 

One of the primary goals of this grant is the restoration of rare Oak Savanna habitat within the Muskegon State Game Area. Oak Savannas, once widespread, are now limited to scattered pockets across the region. This project will focus on selective tree thinning, helping to reduce canopy cover and give native oak trees, grasses, and prairie plants the space and sunlight they need to thrive. By expanding and connecting these fragments of habitat, MCD hopes to support the long-term health and resilience of this unique ecosystem.

 

The grant will also support the enhancement of current prairie areas, particularly on lands that were once used for agriculture but have since been converted back to natural habitat. These areas will undergo invasive species treatment followed by the planting of native warm-season grasses and wildflowers (forbs) to promote biodiversity and soil health.

 

Another exciting aspect of this project includes work in the interdunal wetlands, an incredibly rare and sensitive ecosystem found within the State Game Area. To preserve the natural hydrology of these wetlands, MCD will remove encroaching trees that threaten to dry out the area. This work will help ensure the wetlands remain intact and continue to provide habitat for specialized plant and animal species.

 

This restoration work is a critical step toward protecting and enhancing West Michigan’s natural heritage. With support from the Michigan DNR Wildlife Habitat Grant, MCD is excited to help steward these valuable public lands for the benefit of wildlife, biodiversity, and future generations.

The Muskegon County Water Festival is excited to welcome all 3rd grade classrooms across Muskegon county to participate in this hands-on, educational event focused on one of our most vital natural resources: water.

 

We’re inviting 3rd grade teachers to apply now for this unique opportunity to help their students explore the science, importance, and local impact of water systems in a fun, engaging way.

 

Third grade is a crucial time in a child’s learning journey; it's when students start to connect classroom knowledge to the real world. At this age, they’re naturally curious, eager to explore, and ready to grasp big ideas about how their environment works.

By introducing water-related topics now, we help students build a foundational understanding of:

 

These early lessons can inspire lifelong respect for nature, responsible behavior, and even spark interest in future careers in science, engineering, or environmental stewardship. 

 

The Water Festival is not just an event, it's an educational resource. By participating, teachers will gain access to:

We believe that by equipping teachers with quality resources and immersive learning experiences, we empower them to shape environmentally aware, curious, and responsible students.

 

Spots are limited, so we encourage 3rd grade teachers to apply early!

 

If interested please contact Sabrina Huizenga  

sabrina.huizenga@macd.org

 

Together, let’s help Muskegon County’s next generation understand, respect, and protect the water systems that support us all.

The Muskegon County Water Festival is made possible by these amazing partners!

 

As summer winds down, Muskegon Conservation District (MCD) staff are still hard at work conducting threatened turtle surveys across the region. These surveys focus on monitoring turtle nests identified earlier in the season during the nesting and egg-laying period.

 

Staff are now visiting these nests daily to track their progress and ensure successful hatching. This close monitoring will continue through late fall, allowing our team to evaluate nest success and give hatchlings the best possible chance of survival. When hatchlings emerge, they are carefully collected, assessed, and released with minimal stress.

 

 

Before release, each turtle hatchling goes through a quick biological check-up. This includes:

 

 

These codes are essential for future population monitoring, allowing staff to track survival rates and better understand how these threatened species are doing over time.

 

These ongoing surveys are an important part of protecting vulnerable turtle populations and contributing to broader conservation efforts in our region. Stay tuned for updates as hatchlings make their way into the wild!

Rod Denning, Newaygo, Oceana, Muskegon District Forester 

 

Are you noticing the webbing in trees nearby this late summer? I’ve noticed some hotspots around the Newaygo, Muskegon, Oceana County region. The unsightly web nest on the outer ends of tree branches where young caterpillars feed is the fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), a native moth. It will feed on lots of different tree species. They like trees especially in open areas like roadsides and yards.

 

The webs are unsightly, but the defoliation that they cause typically does not harm the tree it is on. Because the defoliation is in late summer, when most of the yearly photosynthesis is complete, the tree does not lose a significant amount of energy reserves or nutrients. It should be fine in the spring.

 

Fall webworm is attacked by many natural enemies of parasitic and predatory insects. These enemy insects help keep the fall webworm populations in check. If fact, this late season food source is very important for them. So, give the good insects time to do their feeding on the webworm, this will help them survive to be available for next year’s outbreak.

 

When the webs are on ornamental or landscape trees you can try to prune out the webbing. Or tear out the web with a rake and give them a strong blast of water from the hose. If you remove the nest, make sure to destroy them (burn, bury, soak in soapy water).

 

If you would like more information about this, see the District web site for how to contact the District Forester.

 

 Forest carbon’s role in climate change mitigation is a hot topic these days, at least in the forestry world. As with many issues, a confusing miasma of information floats around the media.

 The planet possesses a beaded string of inter-connected cycles involving many atmospheric components.  The carbon cycle is one of them.  In the atmosphere, carbon exists married to oxygen.  Carbon dioxide contains one carbon molecule and two oxygen molecules.  CO2 makes up about 0.04 percent of the atmosphere.  Oxygen, in the form of O2, comprises about 21 percent, but there is additional oxygen in CO2, water, and other forms.  However, enough about chemistry.

  The Earth’s carbon cycle consists of four major pools, each with a described amount of carbon: the air, the biota, the waters, and the soil.  Carbon circulates among these pools in amounts well-measured by scientists.  The flow rates vary with seasons, biomes, and other factors.  All is well and good, until fossil carbon enters the picture and inflates the size of the pools, especially that in the air.  Fossil carbon has been latent for many millions of years and does not belong in the carbon cycle.  This is an important fact when considering climate change and forest management.  

  Focusing more narrowly on forests, trees and associated forest vegetation “sequester” a lot of carbon.  However, the rate of sequestration greatly varies depending upon several factors, especially the season and the age/health of the forest.  

  Forests both sequester carbon and release carbon through processes called photosynthesis and respiration.  Photosynthesis (PNS) captures carbon in sugar molecules, among other functions.  Respiration (RSP), the same process as in humans and animals, releases carbon in the form of CO2.  The balance between the two processes is a ratio, the PNS:RSP ratio.  Why does this matter in forestry?  Good question, and here it goes.

  This forest-based PNS:RSP ratio can be measured and has been repeatedly done by scientists.  A young forest has a high ratio, meaning a lot more PNS is happening than RSP.  This is good in that it draws greater volumes of carbon from the atmosphere, something considered critical in many quarters.  

  As a forest ages, the ratio declines and, sometimes, can become negative, meaning more carbon is released than captured.  Changes in this ratio, over decades, can be expressed as a simple curve.  The line gradually rises, then ascends sharply, flattens out, then declines, sometimes rapidly.  The upshot is that older forests generally have lower carbon sequestration rates than middle-aged forests.  This is an important consideration if forests are managed with carbon as a high priority.  

  However, there’s another curve, and that’s the one that depicts the gross amount of carbon stored in a forest system.  That curve also starts out slowly, picks up speed, then flattens out.  Carbon storage, keeping more carbon out of the atmospheric pool of the carbon cycle, is an objective in using forests as climate mitigation tools.  But wait a moment!

  That carbon does not necessarily need to be stored in a slowly sequestering forest.  When trees are harvested, they’re manufactured into products that also have long storage potential, such as houses and other buildings.  Even disposable wood products, such as paper, wind up being stored in landfills.  Now, landfills may not be the wisest endpoint for this carbon, but that’s where much of our long-term forest carbon resides.  

  Additionally, wood products have the smallest environmental footprint of any raw material.  

  If forests are to be managed for carbon sequestration, or the long-term removal of carbon from the atmosphere, then forests ought to be managed where sequestration rates are highest, rather than when they are low, or even negative.  And if we, as a society, want to be strategic, we should schedule more acreage of forestland to reach this sequestration peak around the year 2050, when climate scientists predict the need will be greatest.  That means we should be harvesting more today, socking-away that carbon into wood products, and then letting the forest machinery remove as much atmospheric carbon as possible.

        The best part of this process, perhaps, is that it doesn’t cost money.  In fact, it generates revenue far down the supply chain.  

  What might this mean for forestowners, both public and private?  Well, if the forest is aging into the senescent phase of succession, where sequestration rates and the PNS:RSP ratios are low, then that forest is not doing much to advance climate mitigation efforts.  As monetary carbon programs are offered on the market, consider whether they’re better serving Wall Street or climate mitigation.  If carbon program protocols push forests into that flat-line, senescent phase, then something fishy might be going on.  

  Of course, carbon management, and revenue, is only one objective in forestry.  There are many others, all of which are better served through active management of the forest, rather than benign neglect.  

  And, the 20+ million acres of Michigan forest is highly diverse in terms of forest types, ages, and ecological conditions.  The issues surrounding forest carbon are best considered on a large managed landscape basis, which means most ownerships ought to look beyond their personal boundaries, as well as into their own inventories.  After all, our individual forestlands are a part of the much larger ecosystem community, whether we like it or not.