Hi First name / Subscriber! Thanks for taking the time to read the December edition of the Muskegon Conservation District Newsletter.
This month, we're looking back on a handful of grants that have reached completion, smart salting techniques, and an opportunity to support the Muskegon Conservation District by donating this holiday season.
In 2023, MCD received funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Sustain Our Great Lakes program to remove a long-closed section of Roberts Road in Muskegon Township. The road had been shut down since 2020 after a culvert failure and washout caused by high water. The goal of the project was to remove the defunct culvert and the road above it, opening the stream back to a natural condition and effectively daylighting more than 100 linear feet of stream channel.
Earlier this fall, our partner, the Muskegon County Road Commission and their contractor Terra Contractors, began removing the old infrastructure and re-grading the slopes to restore a more natural stream corridor. MCD staff followed with extensive restoration plantings, installing trees, seedlings, native perennial plugs, and native seed throughout the project area. These plantings will help stabilize the slopes, support wildlife habitat, and bring back a natural look over the coming seasons.
We’re already seeing exciting results. Shortly after construction wrapped up, a local resident and contractors spotted late-season salmon swimming upstream to spawn—a promising sign that the restored channel is functioning as intended.
We’re thrilled to watch this project continue to take shape and look forward to seeing how the restored stream grows in the next year.
Thanks to the support of this grant, the project achieved significant ecological restoration and monitoring outcomes across West Michigan. Muskegon Conservation District conducted extensive bird surveys, documenting 4,905 individual birds, which helps track ecosystem health and species presence over time. Habitat restoration efforts were strengthened with the planting of 16,400 dune grass columns and 9,110 native tree seedlings, rebuilding critical shoreline stability and long-term forest structure.
To combat Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA), the project successfully treated 1,037.87 acres, protecting vulnerable hemlock stands. Crews also assessed 16,881 trees, representing 116,497 total inches in diameter measurements, providing essential data for ongoing forest health monitoring and future treatment planning.
If you laid all those inches end-to-end, they’d stretch for over 1.8 miles—longer than 31 football fields.
Overall, the grant made it possible to advance large-scale restoration, enhance biodiversity, and protect key natural resources for years to come.
Stormwater
As winter sets in, many of us reach for road salt to keep driveways and sidewalks safe. But while salt is effective at melting ice, even small amounts can have big impacts on our local waterways. When snow and ice melt, excess salt is carried by stormwater into nearby rivers, streams, and lakes. Over time, this can increase chloride levels, which harms aquatic plants and animals, degrades habitat, and reduces overall water quality.
The good news is that a little salt goes a long way. You only need about one coffee-cup’s worth of salt to treat a standard-sized driveway. Spreading salt evenly—never in piles—and only applying it when temperatures are warm enough for it to work (generally above 15°F for regular rock salt) also reduces waste and improves effectiveness. And whenever possible, start with a shovel: removing snow before it becomes packed reduces the need for salt altogether.
By using salt sparingly and responsibly, we can keep our walkways safe while protecting the health of our rivers, streams, and wetlands. Small changes at home make a big difference for clean water all year long. For more information, visit our website.
MCD would like to kindly remind the public that MCD-owned parcels open to hunting are currently closed to the public. This closure will remain in effect until January 13th, 2025. This is a safety measure, as we have active hunting taking place on these properties. Additionally, it is a legal requirement per the lease agreement signed by the hunters.
As a reminder, after January 12th, small game access permits will be available for these parcels. This will allow those interested in hunting small game during late winter on MCD properties the opportunity to do so. Furthermore, spring turkey permits will also be available. These permits will grant access rights to all parcels open to hunting. To obtain your permit, feel free to come into the office during our hours of operation (7:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Tuesday to Friday).
If you have questions please contact our office at 231-828-5097 or by email at muskegoncd@macd.org.
