Barry Conservation District Hastings

06/08/2026

And just like that our second rain garden has been installed!
This garden was paid for by a generous grant from the Evenson Foundation to the Thornapple River Watershed Council in partnership with the Barry Conservation District and Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds - Grand Valley Metro Council
Thank you to our amazing staff, volunteers, and the City of Hastings Michigan for making this possible!

This rain garden is filled with native plants and will help to slow down, soak up, and filter storm water runoff before it enters the Thornapple River.
Native species in this garden include:
Black eyed Susan,
Nodding wild onion,
Canada anemone,
New England aster,
Sensitive fern,
Prairie dropseed, and
Wild Columbine.

06/08/2026

Please join us August 13, 2026!!!

06/06/2026

BCK CISMA in the news and a big thanks to WWMT for helping us bring awareness to mile a minute w**d!

A local environmental organization will take natural avenues to control the spread of an invasive plant species this summer.

06/05/2026

Lots of great learning opportunities for ag producers and professionals this summer!

Field days and workshops highlight research-based ideas to maximize return on investment and solve problems on the farm.

06/04/2026

BCK CISMA coordinating great work with partners to use the tools nature has given us + good science in the fight to eradicate mile a minute w**d from Michigan! Learn more about the project below 👇

New biological control will target invasive mile-a-minute w**d in Michigan Michigan Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 06/04/2026 08:25 AM EDT Share or view as webpage | Update preferences News Release June 4, 2026 Contact: Sara Rahn (BCK CISMA), 269-908-4136 or Katie Grzesiak (DN...

06/04/2026

Come out and see us Saturday, June 6th! 🌱

The sign over State Street is incorrect. The Very Barry Family Event is taking place on Saturday, June 6 from 9-Noon. Please share widely!

06/03/2026

Yesterday we installed a new rain garden at the Hastings Secretary of State office (which is also the BCD office) with the Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds - Grand Valley Metro Council

A rain garden is a bowl shaped garden filled with native plants that help to capture, absorb, and filter storm water runoff. 🌧️ 🌱🌼

Plants in this garden include:
Nodding Wild Onion (Allium cernuum),
Spikenard (Aralia racemosa),
Fox Sedge (Carex vulpinoidea),
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpura),
Prairie Alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii),
Blue Flag Iris (Iris virginica),
Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis), Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum),
Zig Zag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis), and
Sky Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense).

This garden was made possible through a generous grant from the Evenson Foundation to the Thornapple River Watershed Council and our wonderful volunteers!
Tomorrow we will be installing another garden at Tyden Park in Hastings at 9am!

06/03/2026

Join BCK CISMA and the SW Michigan FAP Forester at Kellogg Forest to learn about invasive species, their impact on forest health, and get some hands on experience managing them!

Register for this event through MSU Ag Bio Research here:
https://events.anr.msu.edu/event.cfm?eventID=19457F3A961B2FD427BB232F47CC2ABA9CB2F653FDC7DE37F53FACE0757890F8