By The St. Clair County Parks and Recreation Commission
Discover the wild side of county parks and give back to nature this summer! St. Clair County Parks and Recreation Commission is offering a series of free activities, programs and volunteer opportunities to enhance and explore our unique plant and wildlife habitats. The series begins Monday, June 26 at 6:00 p.m. at Woodsong County Park, 5980 Rynn Road, Clyde Township with Hike the Hills, a guided hike and kids’ scavenger hunt with nature-themed prizes.
Ready to dive deeper and get your feet in the river? Join us for Monday Mussel Mania on July 10 at 6:00 p.m. at Columbus County Park, 1670 Bauman Road, Columbus! Regional scientists know this area for the diversity of freshwater mussel species that live in the Belle River, which runs through the park. Discover the unique lifecycles of mussels and how you can help protect their habitats with local ecologist and freshwater mussel expert David Dortman. Kirsten Lyons, St. Clair County Parks’ Naturalist – Invasive Species Specialist said, “This event will offer local families a chance to learn about important and threatened species as well as a chance to get right into the river to search for the creatures that live there!”
If you like to have fun in the field, learn, and protect the environment all at the same time, consider joining one of our weekly volunteer field sessions at Goodells County Park on Thursday mornings or Columbus County Park on Friday mornings. We are working with volunteers at both parks to map native and invasive plant species, restore butterfly gardens, collect native seeds, monitor wildlife activity, and more.
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Take it to the next level! Registration is now open for the Michigan Conservation Stewards Program in St. Clair County. Learn about local conservation heritage, Michigan’s natural communities, and community science projects. This 10-week program from MSU Extension and partner organizations is a hybrid virtual/in person course for learning and applying science-based ecosystem management. Learn more and register at canr.msu.edu/csp. Registration closes when the class is full or August 30 and classes begin the week of September 11.
For more information on these and other upcoming programs and volunteer opportunities in St. Clair County Parks, contact Kirsten Lyons, Naturalist-Invasive Species Specialist, klyons@stclaircounty.org, 810-989-6317. Reach St. Clair County Parks at (810) 989-6960, visit St. Clair County Parks on the web at www.stclaircountyparks.org and like us on Facebook.
