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Conservation Milestone- PROTECTING OVER 4,000 ACRES

2/14/2022

Little Forks Conservancy is pleased to announce the completion of two conservation projects at the end of 2021. This takes our total of protected lands over 4,000 acres. We are grateful for the landowners that helped make this possible.

A 42-acre property in Bay County, just 10 minutes from Downtown Midland was donated by Tom and Barbara VanderKelen to Little Forks and will become a natural area open to the public. This property is already well-loved by the local community with social trails throughout and fishing on the three man-made ponds on the property.

"This is the first property we've acquired that has ponds and we are thrilled about the new opportunities to engage with the community," says Sara Huetteman, Preserve and Volunteer Manager.

Secondly, the protection of 172 acres of land through a conservation easement along the Cedar River, north of Wiggins Lake. This conservation easement has 113 acres of forestland and 5400 feet of waterway. We accomplished this easement under our Preserving Land in the Cedar River Watershed project with funding provided by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

For over 15 years we have been working with landowners in the Cedar River Watershed to protect and improve this amazing resource. Stay tuned for more details on these exciting new conservation projects.

Head over to the Land Protection page to learn more about conservation options in your area.

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Bird Feeder Best Practices

2/4/2022

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□ from Flickr User Likeaduck

Keeping a bird feeder or bird bath is one of the easiest ways to enjoy and support the wildlife in your backyard. In 2021 birds in several states around the country, including Ohio and Indiana, started to show signs of illness. Luckily cases weren’t reported in Michigan, but cleaning your bird feeders and baths and observing the birds using them is critical to keep them healthy.

Regularly clean bird feeders and baths. This is a good practice even when diseased birds aren’t reported in your area. Clean your bird feeders and baths about once a week using a 10% bleach solution. Thoroughly rinse them with water and let them dry completely before adding seed to the feeder and water to the bath. If a bird feeder remains full for multiple weeks clean and replenish with fresh seed and/or consider putting out a smaller feeder to match the demands of your area.
Monitor and report potential disease outbreaks. If you suspect that the birds using your feeder are sick, then you can report it through the DNR’s website “Eyes in the Field” https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/ORS/Home, or call their Wildlife Disease Lab at 517-336-5030.

Remove bird feeders and baths (temporarily). Clean the bird feeders and baths and remove them for a couple weeks when you see birds that are sick. This will encourage them to spread out to look for new food sources.

To learn more about bird disease in our area and the latest news visit https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/animals/diseases/avian/avian-influenza

Martha from Nature Niche did an in depth video about this topic - watch the Mondays with Martha episode below.

Written by Erin Dodd of Huron Pines AmeriCorps, Supported in part by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Michigan Community Service Commission. Huron Pines and contributions from host sites. Huron Pines is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and an equal opportunity provider.

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Conservation Milestone- ​PROTECTING OVER 4,000 ACRES

Bird Feeder Best Practices

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Conservation Milestone- PROTECTING OVER 4,000 ACRES