Improve Game Habitat on Michigan Public Land Feb. 22 & 23
OutdoorHub 02.14.14
Join the Outdoor Life award-winning On the Ground program by volunteering to improve game habitat on public land February 22 and 23. We’re organizing two volunteer habitat improvement projects at state game areas that will improve both large and small game habitat by making brush piles and opening canopies to improve mast-bearing tree growth.
On Saturday, February 22, we’re meeting at Gratiot-Saginaw State Game Area at 8:00am to cut autumn olive and scotch pine to create brush piles for cottontail rabbits. This will also open up canopies so that existing crabapple trees can access more sunlight to grow and provide food for deer, turkeys and other game species. We’ll work until noon, then enjoy a delicious barbeque in the parking lot with plenty of time left in the afternoon for rabbit hunting! We’ll meet at the parking just north of the area field office on Meridian Rd, just south of the intersection of Meridian and Burt Roads.
On Sunday, February 23, we’re meeting at Sharonville State Game Area, south of Grass Lake, at 1:00pm to cut red and scotch pine to create rabbit habitat (rabbitat) brush piles, while opening canopies for oak trees that provide acorns for deer, turkeys and small game species like gray squirrels. We’ll work until 5:00pm, then barbeque and learn about Operation Freedom Outdoors from area biologist Kristen Bissell. We’ll meet at the parking area on Norvelle Road.
Reply to this email to volunteer, or call Drew YoungeDyke, MUCC Grassroots Manager at (517) 346-6486. Volunteers will receive a free t-shirt, an online subscription to the digital edition of Michigan OutofDoors Magazine, a delicious barbeque, a better understanding of wildlife habitat needs, and a tremendous sense of accomplishment.
On the Ground is a partnership between Michigan United Conservation Clubs and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to build a conservation community through volunteer fish and wildlife habitat projects. It won the inaugural Open Country award from Outdoor Life magazine in 2013 for projects which improved public land habitat for deer, turkeys, waterfowl, small game and hunter access.
