Montcalm Conservation District

09/03/2026

Join Montcalm Conservation District and Flat River Community Library on Saturday, September 26 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM for a preview of what a forestry site visit would be like with our District Forester! We will meet at the library’s front entrance and then go across the street to Black Field to learn how to identify and manage invasive and native species we see on our walk. Our District Forester will also cover tree & shrub care, as well as which species to plant based on your planting goals.

RSVPs preferred. To RSVP, visit https://www.montcalmcd.org, email [email protected], or call 989-831-4212 x 2136.

09/02/2026

Check out this adorable eastern newt our staff found! The eastern newt is the only species of newt native to Michigan. Adults are covered in tiny black spots and have a greenish or reddish brown back, along with a yellow belly and throat. Some may also have a row of red spots on each side, like the one pictured.

Eastern newts live in small bodies of freshwater and woodlands, often taking shelter under leaf litter, logs and boards. Eastern newts eat whatever insects they can find, including mosquitos, so they are great pest controllers! Eastern newt populations face threats like habitat loss and collection for the exotic pet trade. A great way to support newts and other amphibians is by responsibly managing fishless ponds, vernal pools, and their surrounding woodlands. As long as it is safe to do so, you can also leave fallen trees and boards and fallen trees for the newts to use as cover.

Fun fact: Compared to other species in the salamander family, eastern newts have a unique juvenile stage where they are bright red and live on land, compared to other salamanders who have aquatic juvenile stages and large gills. This difference often results in juvenile newts getting mistaken for completely different species.

Information credits:
Herpetological Resource & Management - https://www.herprman.com/species/salamanders/eastern-newt/
National Zoo - https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/eastern-newt

Juvenile eastern newt photo credit: Herpetological Resource & Management

08/31/2026

Thanks to the overwhelming interest in Forester Field Trip: Foraging, we have reached capacity and have closed RSVPs for Wednesday, September 16 but will offer a second day of this event! Registration is now open for Forester Field Trip: Foraging Day 2 on Thursday, September 17 at 5:00 p.m. The same species will be covered on both days, so there is no need to sign up for both.

RSVPs preferred. To RSVP, scan the QR code on the flyer, visit https://www.montcalmcd.org, email [email protected], or call 989-831-4212 x 2136

08/29/2026

It’s often a misconception that hay fever allergies, like the ones going around this month, are caused by goldenrods. It’s easy to understand why goldenrods get the bad reputation, as their vibrant flowers are in bloom everywhere at the same time the pollen count is ridiculously high. However, the culprit is actually a different group of native plants called ragweeds!

How to tell the difference? Goldenrods’ plumes of fuzzy yellow or white flowers are easy to see! Ragweeds’ green flowers are not nearly as easy. Ragweeds also have lobed leaves, like tomato plants, while goldenrods have thin leaves without lobes.

The main reason ragweeds are so allergenic and goldenrods are not, is that ragweeds are pollinated by the wind instead of insects! This means ragweeds produce a lot of lightweight pollen that is easily carried by the wind to recipient plants as well as humans. Not so fun fact: one ragweed plant can produce about a billion grains of pollen. Meanwhile, goldenrods are insect pollinated, so they have dense pollen that is not easily spread by the wind. A more fun fact: goldenrods are essential food sources for hundreds of wildlife species and are also deer resistant!

Goldenrods are available for purchase in our fall native plant sale! Orders can be placed by mail, in person, over the phone, or through our online store at https://www.montcalmcd.org

Information credits:
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America - https://aafa.org/allergies/types-of-allergies/pollen-allergy/ragweed-pollen/
The Spruce - https://www.thespruce.com/pictures-of-ragweed-2131861

Photo credits:
Ragweed - Bruce Leander, iNaturalist
Goldenrod - Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

08/27/2026

Check out this culver’s root our staff found! This native perennial blooms multiple thin stalks of tubular white flowers in late summer and early fall. Together, all the blooms look like a candelabra! Culver’s root lives in areas with moist soil like streambanks, wetlands and roadsides, making it a great choice for streambank and rain garden plantings. Culver’s root also grows well in pollinator gardens and attracts diverse species of bees, butterflies, and moths. Fun fact: Culver’s root was historically used by Native American tribes to relieve pain, coughs and fever.

Culver’s root, and other native plants, are available for purchase in our fall native plant sale!
Orders can be placed by mail, in person, over the phone, or through our online store at https://www.montcalmcd.org

Information credits: USDA, MSU
Credit for second image: George H. Bruso, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

08/25/2026

MCD is looking for volunteers to help with MiCorps macroinvertebrate sampling in the Flat River Watershed! Macroinvertebrate sampling is the process of collecting aquatic invertebrates to assess stream health. We have two events coming up this September and October!

1. Leader/Collector Training: 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM on Saturday, September 12, 2026 at Jackson’s Landing Park in Greenville.
Join us at the leader/collector training to become a leader for the official MiCorps sampling!

2. Sampling Day: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
We will meet at Jackson's Landing Park in Greenville, then separate into pre-assigned teams and disperse to assigned sites. Those trained on September 12 will lead the collection process aided by additional volunteer pickers. No experience required for pickers. All ages welcome. Each team will go to a site either in Greenville, Belding, Gowen, or Lowell. Teams will be created based on volunteer preference and site needs.

Please dress for the weather. Waders may be available to borrow.

RSVPs preferred. To sign up and request waders or choose your preferred sampling sites, scan the QR code on the flyer, visit https://www.montcalmcd.org, or reach out to Program Technician, Lauren Hirschfield at [email protected] or 989-831-4212 x 2136.

08/21/2026

Our Fall 2026 Tree and Native Plant Sale is now open! 🌲🌼

For order forms, stop by our office or visit our website at https://www.montcalmcd.org. For those on our email list, they have already been sent to you! For those subscribed to our physical mailing list, you will be receiving order forms in your mailbox within the next few days. Orders can be placed by mail, in person, over the phone, or through our online store.

Native Plant Pre-Orders Due: Friday, September 18
Native Plant Pickup: Friday, September 25
Tree Pre-Orders Due: Wednesday, September 30
Tree Pickup: Friday, October 16

https://www.montcalmcd.org/

The Montcalm Conservation District was organized in 1948 as a local unit of government to help solve soil and water problems. Technical assistance is provided with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The district’s programs are directed toward erosion control, efficient land use, ma...

08/20/2026

Thank you to everyone who helped us identify some of the species living in the Model Forest at our Bioblitz on Tuesday, August 18! Mushrooms in particular were abundant, especially several kinds of bolete. Some of our most notable finds were cornflower bolete, a spined micrathena spider, New Jersey Tea, fruiting blackberries and raspberries, as well as wildflowers like great blue lobelia and spotted jewelweed.

08/17/2026

Join us for our first Forester Field Trip on Wednesday, September 16 at 6:00 p.m. to learn the basics of foraging in the Comden-Towle Model Forest! Our forester will help you identify edible and medicinal mushrooms, plants, shrubs, and trees, as well as how and when to harvest. Please come dressed for the weather.

RSVPs preferred. To RSVP, scan the QR code on the flyer, visit https://www.montcalmcd.org, email [email protected], or call 989-831-4212 x 2136

08/14/2026

Lately, our staff has been noticing lots of green herons! This stocky heron is best identified by its dark green back, cap, and wings. The deep chestnut color and white streaks on the center of the neck are main features as well. The first one pictured is likely a juvenile because it has additional white streaks on the side of its neck! Green herons hunt fish, amphibians, and other aquatic wildlife by stalking along the edges of wetlands. Although they are common and considered to be of low conservation concern, green herons face widespread population decline due to loss of wetland habitat.

A big reason why this bird is a favorite among our staff is how surprisingly (and hilariously) long its neck is. Most of the time its neck is scrunched up, giving the appearance of a short neck and a puffy chest. But when it strikes at prey, you see the bird is approximately 60% neck. 😮

Fun fact: Like corvids, the green heron is one of a few bird species in the world known to use tools! It cleverly lures fish by tossing twigs, insects, feathers, or bread crumbs onto the water’s surface.

Information credit:
Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Green_Heron/lifehistory

Photo credit of adult heron: Great Bird Pics