OTG Reaches Volunteer Milestone at Event in Gwinn

lschultz • May 23, 2019

Over 25 volunteers braved the cold and rain in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to complete a habitat improvement project in the Gwinn State Forest on Saturday, May 18th. In collaboration with MUCC, RGS, and the MDNR, these volunteers planted 85 crab apple trees and 250 fruit shrubs in the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

We began the day by meeting at the DNR Field Office in Gwinn, MI. Once everyone was introduced, we were in route to the project site off Highway M-35. Since the road leading to the planting area was a muddy two-track, volunteers and staff equipped with four-wheel drive vehicles allowed fellow volunteers to carpool into the forest with them. It wascertainly a noteworthy four-mile trek into the Gwinn State Forest, and there are very few individuals who can claim  their vehicle was not stuck at least once throughout the day!

Despite the poor road conditions, OTG volunteers persevered and eventually made it to the DNR’s selected planting locations. The trailers were unhooked, gear and equipment was passed out, and before long we had our shovels in the dirt and began placing crab apple trees in the ground.

There were four planting sites included in this project. The DNR had prepped the openings and distributed fencing, stakes, and zip ties at each location where trees wereto be planted. This increased the efficiency of the task, and before we knew it each tree and shrub was in the ground. As one can imagine, the journey back out to the highway was just as eventful and the journey into the forest. However, between the teamwork displayed and the promise of lunch waiting for us, we were able to get everyone through the mud and back to Gwinn.

However, the excitement wasn’t over yet. During lunch, it was revealed that this event marked an important day for MUCC’s OTG program. As volunteers had been signing in, one of them had been our 2,500th volunteer. This is a very important milestone for theOTG program, which began in 2013 with only six projects and 130 volunteers.

Ricky Eckloff, of Skandia, Michigan was our 2,500th volunteer! As a thank you for his dedication to conservation in Michigan and to commemorate the event, Eckloff was given a one-year free membership to MUCC and other MUCC gear.

“As a scoutmaster and outdoorsman, I understand the importance of volunteers and the positive impact they can have,” Eckloff said. “OTG events like this give like-minded people the opportunity to work together in the name of conservation, and I’m happy to be a part of that.”

A big thank you to all of our great volunteers and partner organizations who are responsible for making this accomplishment possible. I look forward to continuing to grow the program and engaging Michiganders in their outdoor heritage.

To view the official press release for this event, please click HERE.

If you are interested in becoming involved with our OTG program and want to spend time with like-minded people in the great outdoors, please contact me, Makhayla LaButte at mlabutte@mucc.org.

Recent Posts

New Partnership: Certified Wildlife Habitat with National Wildlife Federation

By Olivia Triltsch • October 23, 2025
Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) is proud to announce a new partnership with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to bring the Certified Wildlife Habitat ™ program to communities across Michigan. This collaboration connects MUCC’s long-standing commitment to conservation with NWF’s national effort to create, restore, and certify habitats that provide food, water, cover, and places to raise young. Together, the organizations aim to inspire individuals, schools, and communities to take action in their own backyards to support native species. Through this initiative, MUCC will help expand awareness of the Certified Wildlife Habitat program, integrate it into its volunteer network, and provide resources to landowners interested in enhancing habitat on their property. One of the greatest benefits for volunteers comes from the knowledge gained in understanding wildlife habitat enhancement, allowing for the application to private land habitat enhancement. In addition to this, much of the work we do for habitat can apply to a variety of species, from rabbits to wood ducks, even birds of prey. The partnership will also promote community engagement opportunities through educational events, workshops, and collaborative restoration projects. In coordination with efforts like the certified wildlife habitat, MUCC hopes to expand conservation efforts across Michigan. Our award-winning, statewide volunteer habitat program, On the Ground (OTG), works to conserve, protect, and enhance wildlife habitat. In 2025 alone, OTG worked with 739 volunteers across 27 habitat projects, from invasive species removal to river clean-ups. Through the hard work contributing over 2,900 volunteer hours, habitat stewards were able to improve 423 acres of land for wildlife conservation in Michigan. Although OTG projects are not active year-round, we encourage Michigan residents to continue land stewardship on both public and private lands. To qualify for certification through the Certified Wildlife Habitat program, a property must include: Three natural food sources One water source Two places for shelter Two places to raise young Two sustainable practices To determine if your habitat qualifies, visit the NWF website and take the habitat quiz or download the checklist. If your habitat needs native plants, check out Garden for Wildlife to find species native to your area. The $25 application fee includes a personalized paper certificate, a 1-year NWF membership, and the option to purchase lawn plaques and garden flags. Habitats located on school grounds do not have a fee to get certified, so check to see what you might need to qualify today. If you are interested in joining our On the Ground program for the 2026 season, stay connected through our Facebook , Instagram , and OTG webpage for upcoming events.

On the Ground Junior: Fall Event Recap

By Olivia Triltsch • October 16, 2025
In 2025, the On the Ground program conducted 8 junior projects with schools involving 316 students from across the state. From tree plantings to invasive species removal, these students worked to enhance 39.3 acres of public land after contributing over 200 volunteer hours. Visit our website to learn more information about our On the Ground program and On the Ground Junior . To wrap up the 2025 field season, the On the Ground program worked with two classrooms to enhance wildlife habitat and recreational access. Junior programs like these allow teachers to get their students out of the classroom and into hands-on learning about the importance of habitat work while meeting individuals in the field.

October NRC Recap

By Justin Tomei • October 9, 2025
The Natural Resources Commission met today, Thursday, October 9th for their October meeting. The commission reaffirmed its intent to allow for lethal year-round coyote management on public and private land via a unanimously passed resolution before passing fisheries orders, and tabling more for consideration in November. The commission passed Fisheries Orders 210.26 , and 254.25 before tabling 206.26, 219.26 , and 253.26 . Commissioner John Walters provided an amendment to the fisheries order to expand underwater spearfishing opportunities to most of the Great Lakes, allowing for some spatial closures for the protection of particularly sensitive areas. The commission took steps to make good on their promise to allow year-round coyote management, unanimously passing a resolution more clearly stating their intent and what the pending wildlife conservation order will look like. The next meeting is Thursday November 6 in Lansing.
More Posts