Peggy Kusnerz is the last living relative in the Borkowski lineage to own the family land in the heart of Northern Lower Michigan. Passed down through four generations, Peggy is determined to keep their legacy alive by ensuring the land will be cared for long after she is gone. … More Welcome to Peggy’s Place, an Ecosystem Being Restored
New grant funding from state agencies is assisting Huron Pines’ two Invasive Species Networks (ISNs) in efforts to prevent, detect and manage invasive plants on land and water across 11 counties of Northeastern Lower Michigan. … More Invasive Species Networks Awarded $120k in State Support
Invasive phragmites, a reed grass capable of reaching 15 feet in height, can’t grow in water more than a few feet deep. Now that Lake Huron water levels are falling from record highs in 2020, dormant roots from drowned phragmites are coming back to life and sending up their towering shoots once more. … More Take on Invasives: Phragmites
Join Huron Pines and Otsego Conservation District to learn how to identify invasive shrubs like autumn olive and Japanese barberry and the proper ways to remove them from your property. … More How to Identify and Remove Invasive Plants
Japanese knotweed was brought to the United States more than a century ago as an ornamental plant. Its yellow-white spike flowers bloom in late summer and fall, making this time of year the best opportunity to identify it and report infestations. … More Take on Invasives: Japanese Knotweed
Huron Pines teamed up with Consumers Energy Aug 19 for a day of hands-on stewardship and education at Mio Pond on the Au Sable River, including hand-pulling about 100 pounds of invasive purple loosestrife from the shoreline. … More Huron Pines, Consumers Energy Partner to Remove Invasive Plants at Mio Pond
The pink and purple spikes sprouting from roadside ditches right now might look pretty, but behind their floral facade lurks the potential for millions of seeds that can ride the wind and spread this highly invasive plant across Northern Michigan. … More Take on Invasives: Purple Loosestrife
A tiny, floating plant that can dominate entire shorelines of ponds, lakes and slow-moving rivers is here in Northern Michigan — and it is spreading fast. Mats of frog-bit make it difficult or impossible for fish, waterfowl and other wildlife to move through infested areas. … More Take on Invasives: European Frog-Bit
Picture a carpet of vegetation so dense that your legs become lost in a sea of green as you wade through the forest. The woodland wildflowers that used to bloom here are no more, lost to a flood of invasive plants. Gone too are the diverse insects that once clamored over every blossom and propagated those beloved native flowers. What’s left are trees and an understory of nothing but garlic mustard. … More Take on Invasives: Garlic Mustard
When students gain a deeper understanding of the natural resources in the places they live and have connections to, it sets the groundwork for lifelong stewardship. Giving students ownership to drive projects and have a direct and positive impact on their environment strengthens their sense of place and responsibility for their community’s natural resources now and into the future. … More Student-Led Stewardship Builds Community Connections