April 16th, 2008
Spring is finally here! If you are looking for an opportunity to get outside and make a difference, please read about several upcoming volunteer opportunities below.
And, don’t forget about the Huron Pines AmeriCorps Spring Service Project on May 10th. For more information, visit www.huronpinesamericorps.org/Events.html or email volunteer@huronpines.org.
Below is the 4/16/08 biweekly update for Huron Pines.
Thank you!
Huron Pines
SPECIAL
With the increasing role that non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations are having in their communities, a great opportunity for groups to have a bigger impact and expand their services is now available. Through a partnership between the Michigan Community Services Commission and Huron Pines, nonprofit conservation groups can obtain some much needed help through the Huron Pines AmeriCorps Program.
The Huron Pines AmeriCorps Program is preparing for its
second full year and applications are now being accepted from organizations
interested in participating. The program is based on the philosophy of helping
northern
Host sites involved with the program will be selected on a competitive basis by Huron Pines. Applications are available at: http://www.huronpines.org/project/65.
For more information about Huron Pines or this program, please visit: www.huronpinesamericorps.org or contact Lisha Ramsdell: lisha@huronpines.org or (989) 344-0753 x 29.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO PROTECT
The nonprofit group Sturgeon
for Tomorrow is looking for volunteers to assist with the sturgeon
spawning habitat conservation projects on the
Sturgeon are the longest lived of Michigan's fish species and
can attain ages of up to 100 years old. They can grow to over 8 feet in length
and weigh up to 800 pounds. Each spring lake sturgeon come
to spawn in the clean, upstream riffles of the upper
At this time a large percentage of the adult sturgeon in the system are concentrated in a small area. When the sturgeon are spawning along the rocky riverbanks, they are fairly oblivious to nearby human activity and susceptible to illegal harvest. This is why volunteers, conservation officers and others guard these sites 24 hours a day throughout the spawning season.
If you are interested in participating in this project, please visit: www.sturgeonfortomorrow.org/
Or, contact Sondra Shephard (231) 625-9232 or Brenda Archambo (231) 625-2776.
HELP
You can help. Each spring, volunteers statewide take to the field to listen for the calling of frogs and toads. While the chirps and croaks are a true harbinger of spring, the data the volunteers collect help to determine the status of these declining species.
Volunteers
monitor established routes which consists of ten wetland sites. They are
visited three times annually – the survey period is currently underway
and runs through mid July. At
each site, the observer identifies the species present on the basis of their
breeding season calls or songs, and makes a simple estimate of abundance for
each species. Miscellaneous observations can also be made from locations other
than the permanent survey routes.
For more information, go to: www.michigan.gov/frogsurvey.
Or, contact Lori Sargent, at SargenL2@michigan.gov.
To subscribe, send an email to: enewsletter-subscribe@lists.huronpines.org
To unsubscribe, send an email to: enewsletter-unsubscribe@lists.huronpines.org
For questions about
this email or if you are unable to automatically subscribe/unsubscribe,
contact
Casey Ressl: info@huronpines.org
Huron
Pines is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to
conserve the
forests, lakes and streams of
Huron Pines
Phone 989.344.0753
Fax 989.348.7945