Mecosta and Osceola-Lake Conservation Districts

05/29/2026

Applications are open for Michigan’s Qualified Forest Program, which offers tax exemptions for eligible private forestland owners.
Click the link in the comments 👇️

05/28/2026

Join us tomorrow for a Fun Friday from 10-12 at Hemlock Park in Big Rapids Our Invasive Species Team will lead an invasive plant identification walk, with a restoration planting after! North Country Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area

The public is invited to join us for native restoration planting at our invasive species management site at Hemlock Park, in Big Rapids, on May 29. Volunteer help will be appreciated as we plant several dozen shoreline natives on a patch of soil where NCCISIMA removed Japanese knotweed. Restoration planting like this is an important step in ecosytem remediation to reduce the risk of other invasive species establishing in the disturbed area. We will be meeting in the parking lot near the tennis courts and hope to see you there!

05/28/2026

Huge Thank You to our partners Cargill for supporting our mission to be your resource for natural resource management and education. These funds will help us create amazing impact right here in our community!

Cargill Salt of Hersey has awarded the Mecosta Conservation District grant funding for education and outreach.
Click the link in the comments 👇️

05/21/2026

We have extended the deadline! great summer program to learn about local conservation!

05/21/2026

Today the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development voted to approve the regulation of six invasive plants.

Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) will be added to the state's prohibited list with regulations going into effect this summer.

Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) will be added to the restricted list with regulations going into effect on January 1, 2028.

If a species is prohibited or restricted in Michigan, it is unlawful to possess, introduce, import, sell or offer that species for sale as a live organism, except under certain circumstances.

05/20/2026

We will be at Senior Enrichment Day !! Join with us as we share our expertise and experience working with fabulous native plants to create peaceful havens for pollinators (and yourselves!) 🐝 We can't wait to learn and grow with you 🌸

Senior Enrichment Day forms are available throughout Mecosta County at Jordan Balkema Law Office, Lake Osceola State Bank and at area churches, just to name a few locations. If you need a registration flyer mailed to you, call the Mecosta County Senior Center at 231-972-2884. Registration is also available online: www.seniorenrichmentday.com

05/20/2026

Our Native Plant pre-orders have officially closed, but there is still an opportunity to shop native plants during the our Browse & Buy Native Plant Sale on Friday, June 5 from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. at the Big Rapids Community Library. We will also be offering a free presentation at 11 a.m.

Native plants play an important role in supporting healthy ecosystems. They help improve water quality, reduce stormwater runoff, stabilize soil, and provide valuable habitat and food sources for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Because native species are naturally adapted to Michigan’s climate and soils, they also tend to require less watering, fertilizer, and long-term maintenance once established.

Whether you are hoping to create pollinator habitat, add beauty and biodiversity to your landscape, or simply learn more about native plants, we encourage you to stop by and browse the available selection. Plants will be available on a first come, first served basis while supplies last.

📍 Big Rapids Community Library
426 S. Michigan Ave, Big Rapids, MI 49307

🗓 Friday, June 5
⏰ 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
**presentation at 11 a.m.**

05/19/2026

The public is invited to join us for native restoration planting at our invasive species management site at Hemlock Park, in Big Rapids, on May 29. Volunteer help will be appreciated as we plant several dozen shoreline natives on a patch of soil where NCCISIMA removed Japanese knotweed. Restoration planting like this is an important step in ecosytem remediation to reduce the risk of other invasive species establishing in the disturbed area. We will be meeting in the parking lot near the tennis courts and hope to see you there!