OTG in the Pigeon River Country

lschultz • August 22, 2019

On Saturday, August 17, 14 volunteers came out to the Pigeon River Country State Forest to improve wildlife habitat near the Pickerel Lake State Forest Campground. The goal of the project was to perform an “oak release” by clearing out early successional tree species (4 inch DBH or less) that were crowding the canopy and preventing oaks fromdeveloping in the understory. Oaks are a hard mast-producing species that benefit an abundance of wildlife, but often have stunted growth when disturbance-adapted species like maple and aspen outcompete them for resources.

To resolve this issue in a 19-acre plot of forest, volunteers used a mixture of hand saws, pruning shears and chainsaws to remove some of the early successional species that were crowding out the abundant oak seedling and saplings found throughout the stand. Volunteers were spread out across the project site, each being mindful of the trees they were taking as they went.

If you are walking along the Pickerel Lake trail where the project was completed, you will notice the project site due to the open canopy and remaining slash. Habitat work does not always result in the most aesthetically-pleasing scenes, but our volunteers partnered today to work for wildlife and set this patch of forest on the right ecological track for enhanced native wildlife habitat for years to come.

We would like to thank all of our great volunteers that donated their Saturday for wildlife habitat. We had localconservationists, an MUCC Past President and Board Member, DNR staff, Huron Pines AmeriCorps members, a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation member, Consumers Energy staff and Ruffed Grouse Society members that helped make this project a success. No matter how you celebrate your outdoor heritage, OTG is a great way to get outdoors and make a difference for wildlife in Michigan.

As the summer season winds down, so does our OTG field season. Our last event is on Friday, September 6 at the Gratiot Saginaw State Game Area. If you would like to attend this event, please register here (free lunch and t-shirts provided). All are welcome to join us for a great day outdoors practicing conservation before the long winter sets in.

If you have questions about the On the Ground program, please contact MUCC Habitat Volunteer Coordinator Makhayla LaButte at mlabutte@mucc.org.

Recent Posts

Species Spotlight: The Kirtland's Warbler

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. 

The Legacy of Michigan Logging

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.

MUCC celebrates a successful Clinton River Cleanup

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