Help Improve Upland Bird Habitat with On the Ground and Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Barry County

Americorps • June 21, 2023

MUCC’s On the Ground (OTG) program will be collaborating once again with Pierce Cedar Creek Institute (PCCI) to improve wildlife habitat by planting native wildflower plugs on active restoration units on PCCI’s grounds.

Volunteers are needed on Saturday, June 24, from 9am to noon. Please arrive 5-10 minutes early to sign-in. 

In 2021, the Institute was awarded an Oak Ecosystem Restoration Grant in collaboration with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) with funding from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Wildlife Habitat Grant Program (WHGP). The upcoming plug planting project will support 24 acres of prairie restoration on the Institute’s property and the installation of native plant plugs will benefit wild turkey and other upland bird habitat. 

Last year, OTG and PCCI partnered-up to help improve critical reptile habitat in Barry County. The invasive vegetation removal project helped improve habitat for reptiles such as the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake and the Eastern Box Turtle.

If you are interested in volunteering with OTG and PCCI, please view more details and register here HERE

All necessary equipment will be provided and registered volunteers will receive free lunch and a volunteer appreciation gift.

Please contact AmeriCorps Engagement Specialist Tyler Lancaster at americorps@mucc.org with any questions regarding this event or the OTG program.

Recent Posts

By Katelyn Helsel April 30, 2025
As spring gets fully underway and the warmer weather hits, many birds are in the process of migrating back to Michigan. One migratory species you might see (if you live in northern Michigan) is the rare Kirtland’s warbler. This bird has a long and detailed conservation story, coming back from the brink of extinction with the help of strong conservation efforts. 
By Olivia Triltsch April 24, 2025
Historically, Michigan experienced a lumber era in which the state was a leading producer for 50 years starting in 1860.
By Katelyn Helsel April 23, 2025
Rochester Hills, MI — On the Ground, MUCC’s volunteer stewardship program, celebrated its 250th habitat improvement project in Oakland County this past weekend. In partnership with Metro-West Steelheaders and the Clinton River Watershed Council , 62 volunteers removed more than 460 pounds of trash from the Clinton River watershed and surrounding areas, restoring more than 80 acres of fish and wildlife habitat. Volunteers focused on picking up trash and other debris in the river near Yates Park and along various walking trails near the Yates Cider Mill. Many different items were collected, including a couple of tires, fishing line, old cans, a sign, and even a car bumper. “We definitely wanted to clean up as much trash as possible because that's going to help the watershed as a whole, and it’s going to clean up the river for both humans aesthetically, and also the animals that live in it, and create safer drinking water” said Olivia Triltsch, MUCC’s Habitat Program and Partnerships Coordinator.
More Posts