The Leelanau Conservation District collaborated with Dave Barrons and the Leelanau County Parks Committee that oversees Veronica Valley Park, to host a work bee to maintain some native tree and shrub plantings. For the past several years, we have been planting bare root seedlings to help restore the park to a more native, diverse and healthy landscape. Turning the old golf course into a passive park with native habitat is a huge job made easier with the help of volunteers.  

We had 12 volunteers join us on Wednesday, July 24, from 9 am to noon to clean out planting tubes, weed around seedlings, and apply mulch. The trees will now be able to grow better and help us with our goal of providing a learning landscape for county residents. Our goal is to use the park to help landowners learn the importance of native species for insects, birds and wildlife, how non-native species need to be controlled (a YouthCorp crew was also out there this week removing autumn olive), how planting of native species from southern Michigan will help mitigate the challenges of climate change by filling in the gaps where our elm, ash, hemlock, oak are threatened by non-native pathogens, and provide good water protection for Meebert Creek and the fishing ponds. All such a huge asset to the county.  

Make-Up Work Bee at Veronica Valley Park
We were rained out for one of our scheduled work bee dates at Veronica Valley Park and have rescheduled it for Tuesday, July 28, 9:00 am to noon with a rain date of July 29th in case it happens again! We need to continue to support the native tree and shrub plantings at the park by weeding, spreading mulch, repairing planting tubes and watering. Please bring a hoe or rake, gloves and drinking water and let Kama Ross know that you are planning on attending. We can safely spread out but I want to make sure we think safety first. Contact 231-256-9783 or kama.ross@macd.org. If these dates don't work for you but you'd like to hear about future volunteer opportunities at this park or at others, let me know. Thank you!

We're working to restore a native habitat.Volunteers are needed for two work-bee mornings scheduled to help maintain native tree and shrub plantings at Veronica Valley Park. Join a small group of local residents, District staff and volunteers on Tuesday, June 23 or Wednesday, June 24, from 9:00 am to noon. The park is located at 4243 S Lake Leelanau Dr, which is the corner of Co. Rd. 641 and South Maple Valley Road.  

The Leelanau Conservation District is working with the County Park Committee to help restore this former, nine-hole golf course back to native habitats. If you are not familiar with this county park, it is a gem. The property has a fishing pond, 2000' of Mebert Creek winding through, cedar forest, hiking/cross country ski trail and lots of recent plantings that need TLC to be successful at bringing back native habitat for insects, birds, mammals and our county residents to fully enjoy.

Contact Kama Ross, District Forester, at 231-256-9783 or kama.ross@macd.org to sign up. Volunteers are asked to bring their own hoes, gloves and water bottles. We'll need hand pulling of weeds and hoeing around the seedlings, cleaning out of planting tubes, watering the newly planted bare root seedlings, and repairing the exclosure fencing. We have three areas of concern and we'll be able to space ourselves safely.  

Not able to join us on those two dates? Let Kama know and we'll invite you to the next one or you are welcomed to check out the park project on your own anytime. Thank you for helping make our community a healthier place for all.