On the Ground Volunteer Highlight: Zachary Dalton

Dozens of brush piles were created during the April 22 stewardship workday in partnership with Mark Kenyon’s Working for Wildlife Tour.

Meet Zachary Dalton, local hunter, angler, outdoor enthusiast, and avid On the Ground (OTG) volunteer!

Zachary is from Saginaw, but he has participated in six OTG volunteer events throughout Michigan during the past year. He attended his first OTG project back in October of 2022, where he worked alongside other volunteers to plant and fence one hundred mast-producing trees for wildlife on public land in Kalkaska County.

“I wanted to get involved with MUCC because I thought it would be a great way to get more involved in conservation,” he said. “I see volunteering with OTG as an opportunity to give back to nature, wildlife, and public lands.”

Zachary earned a degree in Wildlife Biology from Central Michigan University in 2021 and has been working seasonal wildlife gigs since then. He recently started a new position with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division at the Shiawassee River State Game Area.

Using a dibble bar, Zachary preps holes for a wildflower plug planting proejct at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Barry County.

One of his favorite On the Ground projects was the Kalkaska County stewardship workday in partnership with Mark Kenyon’s Working for Wildlife Tour that took place this past spring. During the habitat project, volunteers created brush piles throughout five wildlife openings to enhance horizontal ground cover for small game habitat. “One of the highlights for me was seeing the large impact that we made in just one day of work,” he said.

Not only do these volunteer events help folks explore public land throughout the state, but Zachary agrees that volunteering has also allowed him to connect with people who share a similar love for the outdoors.

“My favorite part about volunteering is getting my hands dirty with a project and feeling like I made a difference at the end of the day, Zachary continued. “I encourage anyone who enjoys the outdoors whether that be bird watching, hiking, hunting, or fishing to get out and give back to the public lands that we collectively enjoy.”

Thank you, Zachary, for your volunteer stewardship with the OTG program! We greatly appreciate your dedication to improving wildlife habitat in Michigan.

Would you like to be our next volunteer steward? Visit  mucc.org/on-the-ground/  to register for upcoming projects!

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