Kent Conservation District

09/02/2026

🍄 Mushroom Workshop 🍄

KCD is partnering with Great Lakes Mushroom Company for a hands-on Mushroom Workshop.

During the workshop, you’ll learn four different ways to grow mushrooms, inoculate your own grow kit to take home, sample mushroom coffee, and enjoy delicious gourmet mushroom food. 🍄☕️

💲 Cost: $40 per person
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 28th
⏰ Time: 6–8 PM
📍 Location: Trinity Lutheran Church

Registration is required to attend this workshop. For more information and to register, click the link below:

At Great Lakes Mushroom Company, we're thrilled to be your guides into the captivating world of fungi! Embark on a journey with us as we delve into the…

09/01/2026

Last week, Kent County Parks Department and KCD teamed up to care for our native pond. A huge SHOUT OUT to the Calvin University students who rolled up their sleeves and helped us get the job done! 🌱

Every year, the freshmen students participate in Streetfest and volunteer their time to make a difference in the community. We’re grateful they chose to lend a hand with this project. 💪

This effort was made possible through the support of Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and provided a great opportunity to bring partners and students together to make a meaningful impact. We’re proud of what we can accomplished together! 🙌

08/31/2026

Land Stewardship Workshop Partnership with Dominican Sisters Grand Rapids

Friday, September 11th from 10am-1pm

This hands-on workshop will include a walk into the woods for an up-close look at invasive trees and shrubs and will finish in the prairie where participants will be shown how invasive species impact that ecosystem. We will do some removal as well as spread native seed. Location: under tent, on south side of the Marywood building.

Open to the public so drop by any time during the event!

Please register for the event at:

Friday, September 11th from 10am-1pm, Invasive plant species educational workshop with community partner Kent Conservation District. This hands-on workshop…

08/28/2026

Caring for Native Perennials in Michigan

Michigan weather can keep us guessing, but our native plants are built for it. Once established, native perennials are adapted to our cold winters, summer heat, and changing seasons. The first year or two, though, they still need a little help getting settled.

💧 Water while they get established. Keep an eye on new plantings during dry stretches, especially during their first growing season. Deep watering is better than a quick sprinkle.

🌤️ Plant them where they belong. Pay attention to sun, soil, and moisture. A plant naturally found in a wet area will have different needs than one that grows in dry, sandy soil.

🍂 Don't be too quick to clean up in the fall. Leaving stems and seed heads standing through winter provides food and shelter for birds and insects. Those stems can also provide nesting sites for some of our native bees.

🌱 Skip the extra fertilizer. When they're planted in the right conditions, Michigan natives generally don't need much added fertilizer.

✂️ Save some cleanup for spring. Cut back old growth when temperatures begin to warm, but consider leaving some stems behind for insects that may still be using them.

And give your plants some time. The first year might not look like much above ground—that's okay. They're busy establishing the roots that will help them handle Michigan's seasons for years to come.

A little less cleanup and a little more patience can go a long way toward creating a yard that works with our Michigan environment and provides habitat along the way. 🐝🌼

08/27/2026

Looking for something fun to do with the whole family this weekend? Look no further! Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is hosting the Bioblitz at Riverside Park and we are excited to be apart of it!

For more information and registration, please go to Friends of Grand Rapids Parks website: https://friendsofgrparks.org/events/bioblitz/

The event calendar for BioBlitz 2026 in Riverside Park just dropped!

Join us (and a bunch of science friends) on August 29 for a day filled with ecology and conservation activities, species identification, citizen science, and of course, community. 👩‍🔬

We hope you'll join us! Learn more and register: friendsofgrparks.org/bioblitz

Huge shout out to our event partners making a robust day of science in Riverside Park possible! Grand Valley State University, MSU Extension, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Encompass Socio-Ecological Consulting, GR Bug Club, John Ball Zoo, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds - Grand Valley Metro Council, Kent Conservation District, Grand Rapids Audubon Club, GR Outside, Giwewat Gteganek Gteganek, Calvin University, and members of Friends' very own Forestry Team!

08/26/2026

It’s National Dog Day!

Today we’re giving a shoutout to the four-legged friends who keep us company in the garden, on the trail, and everywhere in between.

We want to see the dogs of Kent County! Drop a photo of your pup enjoying the backyard, garden, or great outdoors in the comments.

And while your dog may be more interested in digging the hole than what goes in it… fall is a great time for us to plant. Check out our pre-order shrubs and trees available for sale here: https://www.kentconservation.org/category/all-products.

Our Fall Tree & Native Plant Sale is a chance to add native trees, shrubs, and perennials to your yard and create a little more habitat close to home.

Happy National Dog Day from Kent Conservation District!

08/24/2026

Featured Native Shrub of the Week: Downy Serviceberry.

This week we’re highlighting Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), a Michigan native that brings something different to the landscape throughout the year.

In early spring, serviceberry is covered in clusters of small white flowers—often while much of the landscape is still waking up. Those flowers are an early food source for pollinators.

By early summer, the plant produces dark purple fruits that look a little like blueberries. They’re edible for people, but don’t be surprised if the birds get to them first!

Come fall, the leaves turn shades of yellow, orange, and red.

Downy Serviceberry can grow as a large shrub or small tree, usually reaching around 15–25 feet or more. It does well in sun to partial shade and is a good fit for woodland edges, naturalized areas, and home landscapes.

If you’re looking to add more native plants and wildlife value to your property, this is a good one to consider.

Downy Serviceberry is available through the Kent Conservation District Fall Sale. Pre-order them here: https://www.kentconservation.org/category/all-products

08/22/2026

Myth vs. Fact: Common Tree Myths

We hear a lot of advice about trees, and not all of it is good advice. Here are a few common myths worth clearing up—especially for those of us planting and caring for trees here in Michigan.

MYTH: You should plant a tree as deep as possible so it won’t fall over.
FACT: Too deep is actually a problem. The root flare—the spot where the trunk begins to widen at the base—should be visible at or just above the soil line.

MYTH: A newly planted tree needs to be staked.
FACT: Not always. Many trees establish just fine without staking. If a tree does need support, stakes should generally be temporary and removed once the tree can stand on its own.

MYTH: Pile mulch around the trunk to protect the tree.
FACT: Keep mulch away from the trunk. Those “mulch volcanoes” we see around trees can hold moisture against the bark and cause problems. Think donut, not volcano. 🍩

MYTH: Fall is too late to plant trees in Michigan.
FACT: Fall can be a great time to plant! Cooler air temperatures mean less stress on the tree, while the soil can stay warm enough for roots to continue growing. Just remember to keep newly planted trees watered until the ground freezes.

A healthy tree starts with good planting and care. Getting those basics right now can make a big difference years down the road.

Planning to add a tree to your property this fall?

Check out the Kent Conservation District Fall Sale for native trees and shrubs suited to our Michigan landscape. https://www.kentconservation.org/category/all-products

08/20/2026

Join the KCD Strike Team at Speciation Cellars. Explore our interactive booths featuring native habitat, invasive species, and landscape restoration. Stop by to learn more, ask questions, win prizes, and connect with our team!

08/20/2026

Featured Tree of the Week. Eastern Redbud

If you’ve ever noticed a tree covered in pink flowers in early spring, before most trees have even leafed out, there’s a good chance you were looking at an Eastern Redbud.

Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a small native tree that typically reaches 20–30 feet tall. Its pink flowers appear right along the branches in spring, followed by distinctive heart-shaped leaves.

Redbuds are a great choice for smaller yards, woodland edges, or anywhere you’d like a little spring color. They do well in full sun to partial shade and prefer well-drained soil.

One of our favorite things about redbuds? Those early flowers are more than just pretty—they provide an early source of food for bees and other pollinators when relatively few other trees are blooming. 🐝

And fall is a great time to get one in the ground. Cooler weather means less stress on the tree while the roots have a chance to begin settling in before winter.

Eastern Redbuds are available through the Kent Conservation District Fall Sale.