The State Park Volunteer Steward Program Steve Powell and Nancy Roggers Conservation Stewards

1. The State Park Volunteer Steward Program Steve Powell and Nancy Roggers Conservation Stewards March 11, 2013

2. Volunteer Stewards Program - SE Michigan State Park Stewardship Unit Mission: Monthly Volunteer Workdays at: • Algonac SP • Bald Mountain RA • Brighton RA • Highland RA • Island Lake RA • Pinckney RA • Waterloo RA Occasionally at: • Sterling SP Preserve, protect and restore the natural and cultural resources present within Michigan State Parks for this and future generations

3. Resources in Michigan State Parks • 87,000 acres of designated natural areas • 64 parks with significant natural features • 265,000+ acres in 100 parks and recreation areas • 200 different species of endangered, threatened, or special concern species • 147 exemplary occurrences of • 43 different natural community types • 633 known historical and archaeological sites in Michigan State Parks

4. How do we manage our high quality natural areas with limited resources? • Prioritize where we work • Involve the community

5. Volunteer Stewards Program – SEstarted in January 2006 Monthly Volunteer Workdays at: • Algonac SP – St. Clair Co. • Bald Mountain RA – Oakland Co. • Brighton RA – Livingston Co. • Highland RA – Oakland Co. • Island Lake RA – Livingston Co. • Pinckney RA – Washtenaw Co. • Waterloo RA – Washtenaw and Jackson Co. Occasionally at: • Sterling SP – Monroe Co.

6. Volunteer Stewards Program – SWstarted in October 2011 Volunteer Workdays at: • Fort Custer RA – Kalamazoo Co. • Grand Mere SP – Berrien Co. • P.J. Hoffmaster SP – Muskegon Co. • Ionia RA – Ionia Co. • Muskegon SP – Muskegon Co. • Saugatuck Dunes SP – Allegan Co. • Warren Dunes SP – Berrien Co. • Warren Woods SP – Berrien Co. • Yankee Springs RA – Barry Co.

7. A Typical Workday: Sign in and mingle

8. A Typical Workday: Learn task for the day, how-to, importance

9. A Typical Workday: Gather tools, walk to work site

10. A Typical Workday: Learn plant identification on site

11. A Typical Workday: Work on task

12. A Typical Workday: Gather tools and hike back

13. A Typical Workday: average turn out

14. Occasional special workdays with large groups

15. Workday Activities: Invasive Shrub Control(winter, summer)

19. Workday Activities: Invasive Species Pulling (spring, summer)

21. Workday Activities: Native planting (mid May – mid June)

22. Workday Activities: Native Seed Collecting (October – mid November)

25. Volunteer Stewards Program Individual Volunteer Projects: • Invasive Plant Mapping • Invasive Plant Removal • Galerucella Beetle Redistribution • Native Planting • Photo-monitoring • Native Seed Collection • Rare Native Insect Monitoring • Forest Health Monitoring • Animal Surveys

26. Galerucella Beetle Redistribution (purple loosestrife biological control)

27. Photographic Monitoring

28. Insect Monitoring

29. For More Information www.michigan.gov/dnrvolunteers “Current Volunteer Opportunities” • Calendar of Volunteer Stewardship Workdays • Volunteer Steward Program Sign up for our email list! Laurel Malvitz-Draper malvitzl@michigan.gov 248-359-9057