Weekly Volunteer Stewardship Workdays

Expect extreme satisfaction when you see the difference you and your team have made!

The Weekly Stewardship Volunteers are an essential group who have been helping to keep SWMLC’s preserve habitats healthy for more than 20 years! Though the faces may change from week to week, people enjoy each other’s company and often linger after work sessions to talk, laugh, and enjoys snacks together.

Want to know more? Click this icon for Volunteer FAQ’s

upcoming weekday volunteer stewardship opportunities

SWMLC Weekly Volunteer Workday
get the details!
SWMLC Weekly Volunteer Workday
get the details!

Click these icons to read last week’s Tales from the Field and more!

Sailin’ with the Privateers

Last Week’s Wrap with the Wednesday Warriors

Crew’s News

Click to get weekly locations sent directly to your inbox. Use subject line “volunteer stewardship email list.”

Privateers Workday
Monday, October 5
9 am – 12 pm
Myers Nature Preserve, Comstock

>> This SWMLC Refuge Preserve is usually only open to the public by appointment, making this a perfect time to see it and help restore the extra-sensitive habitat it protects!

>> This preserve has no public access and no parking area so volunteers must park on the shoulder of a very busy road. Please consider carpooling to reduce the number of vehicles and follow the special parking instructions below.

 WHAT
Please join the ‘Privateers’ weekly stewardship volunteers when they will be right back at Myers Nature Preserve, determined to finish the patch they’ve been working on! Fen worthy footwear will definitely be in style.
BRING
•  Work gloves and your favorite cutting tools if you have them (we also have tools you can borrow). Eye protection is good to have on hand (safety glasses if you don’t already wear prescription glasses).
•  Don’t forget the creature comforts: sunscreen if you’re prone to burning, drinking water, snacks in case you get hungry, and a bandana for mopping up sweat.
DRESS
As usual, wear comfortable clothes that you don’t mind potentially getting dirty, stained, or ripped – and dress in layers that you can shed when you get hot. Sturdy boots or shoes are a must – no open-toed shoes. Waterproof footwear will make this workday more comfortable.
MOSQUITOES
They’re highly likely in the natural habitats where we work so bring your favorite insect repellant. Head nets are helpful – they may look funny but they’re way better than a squeet in the eye!
TICKS! Don’t let them keep you indoors! Just take sensible precautions like tucking your pants into your socks, applying insect repellant to your clothing, and thoroughly checking your body for hitch hikers when you get home. If you have access to a dryer, run your clothes at high heat for 10 minutes to kill the little buggers.
RESTROOMS
Just so you know and can be prepared, there are no restrooms at this preserve.
SPECIAL PARKING INSTRUCTIONS
The preserve is on East G Avenue, between 31st and 32nd Streets, approximately 2.4 miles east of the roundabout at Gull Road (M-343). There is no parking lot, so we will park along the south side of G Avenue just after the east end of the guardrail above the wetland. Approach from the west so you can park on the south side of the road – please do not park on the north side. After crossing 31st Street, you will pass under a power line in a quarter mile. After the power line, a guardrail appears on the right (south) side of the road. Pull over right after the end of the guardrail (42.33267, -85.45602) and park well off the road. Please be very careful pulling off and onto the road, and while exiting/entering your car, as the traffic on G Avenue is very fast.
GPS
42.33267, -85.45602

Wednesday Warriors Workday
Wednesday, October 7
Spirit Springs Sanctuary, Marcellus

 WHAT
Please join the ‘Wednesday Warriors’ weekly stewardship volunteers at Spirit Springs Sanctuary where we will go for another run at the spur trail peninsula. We will also check on planted oaks and beaver proofed oaks of course, and Mitch asked us to check to see if we can find more Sweet Gum trees. Turns out there is some research suggesting that they might do well under some climate change projections.
BRING
•  Work gloves and your favorite cutting tools if you have them (we also have loppers you can borrow). Eye protection is good to have on hand (safety glasses if you don’t already wear prescription glasses).
•  Don’t forget the creature comforts: sunscreen if you’re prone to burning, drinking water, snacks in case you get hungry, and a bandana for mopping up sweat.
DRESS
As usual, wear comfortable clothes that you don’t mind potentially getting dirty, stained, or ripped – and dress in layers that you can shed when you get hot. Sturdy boots or shoes are a must – no open-toed shoes.
MOSQUITOES
They’re highly likely in the natural habitats where we work so bring your favorite insect repellant. Head nets are helpful – they may look funny but they’re way better than a squeet in the eye!
TICKS! Don’t let them keep you indoors! Just take sensible precautions like tucking your pants into your socks, applying insect repellant to your clothing, and thoroughly checking your body for hitch hikers when you get home. If you have access to a dryer, run your clothes at high heat for 10 minutes to kill the little buggers.
NO RESTROOMS
Just so you know and can be prepared, there are no restrooms at this preserve.
Tap to learn more about the preserve
APPROXIMATE STREET ADDRESS
10000 block of Dutch Settlement Rd., Marcellus, MI 49067
Slow down, the driveway is easy to miss!
GPS:
41.98371, -85.76795

a few reminders

AVOID SPREADING INVASIVE SPECIES – CLEAN YOUR BOOTS!
Seeds, rootlets, and other stuff from invasive plants can get trapped in the treads of work boots or shoes, then transferred to clean areas – like a SWMLC preserve! Please be sure to fully clean the boots or shoes you plan to wear for the workday in advance.
COVID
Please stay home if you feel ill, are exhibiting symptoms, or have had recent exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID.

Sailin’ with the Privateers
Monday, September 28, 2026

Text by David  |   Photos by Dan & David, Stewardship Volunteers
A plucky dozen Privateers made their way back into the far fen at Myers this Monday. We started off with cider and donuts from Bradley, and wrapped up with brownies from Virginia, and enjoyed the chance to talk with Alice. Oh yes we also did some work: Virginia led a group to treat and cart out Purple Loosestrife. Joe laid into the bigger buckthorn with his special brush saw (followed at a safe distance by the roller brigade), and the rest of us methodically cut and daubed buckthorn. David did in a small cluster of phragmites near the stream (gotta get them while they are small).

Wednesday Warriors’ Last Week’s Wrap
Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Text and photos by David , Stewardship Volunteer
Six Warriors welcomed Mya to our group at Jeptha this week. It was so great to have a real live botanist and mycologist to help us with all the plants and mushrooms: thank you Mya, many happy returns! Chuck led us right back to the stream at the SE edge of the preserve and we continued to do selective cutting on that line of shrubs. There are plenty of  glossy buckthorn stems, but it is all mixed in with all sorts of wonderful native shrubs and roses. Once we chase out the buckthorn, all that buttonbush, etc. can take over, including the alderleaved buckthorn (aka the good buckthorn, a plant we haven’t seen that much of).

We enjoyed so many beautiful flowers, including this montage of White Marsh Bellflower, Purple False Foxglove, and Grass Leaved Goldenrod. Mya showed us this splendid mushroom (maybe Peppery Bolete? please correct us Mya).

After carefully taking care of almost a  tenth of an acre we followed Chuck over to his  place for our post game party of wine and cheese and tall tales (everybody wanted to impress our new recruit). Thanks for everything Chuck.

Crew’s News

Report from Collin Klute, SWMLC Stewardship Coordinator
 Thursday, 09/24
The crew (minus Collin due to illness) visited Augusta Floodplain Forest to monitor. An effort was made to visit some larger barberry patches that folks from MNFI had identified while conducting an ecoscore assessment. The patches themselves were extensive! It’s going to take some serious determination to get some equipment back there to treat them.

Monday, 09/28
Orchard Road Bog finally got some TLC! The crew managed to clear 0.33 acres of dense glossy buckthorn and daylight some old growth blueberry!

Tuesday, 09/29
We revisited Orchard Road for our second day of glossy buckthorn removal! We pushed even closer to the bog and removed another 0.25 acres. Doesn’t sound like much, but trust us, it was A LOT.

Wednesday, 09/30
Last day of FY26! The crew spent the first half of the day at the office and joined the all-staff meeting. The second half of the day the crew chose to continue annual monitoring due the rain.

Weekly Warrior volunteer FAQ’s

What will we be doing?
Activities often include cutting invasive shrubs with handtools and spot-applying herbicide to the stumps. More info can be found in the specific workday details.
I have no experience . . . can I still come?
Yes! No previous experience, special skills, strengths, or talents are needed. We will be very happy to show you what plants to work on and exactly what to do to them (certainly the most important and satisfying thing we do). It’s just plain old grunt work – but essential to keeping habitats healthy!
What should I bring?
Please dress in layers that you can remove if you get hot. Wear comfortable clothes that you don’t mind potentially getting dirty, stained, or ripped. Long pants are encouraged. Wear sturdy shoes or boots – no sandals please! Check specific work day details to see if waterproof boots/shoes are suggested. Sunglasses or safety glasses are highly recommended. Don’t forget the creature comforts: hat, bandana for mopping up sweat, sunscreen if you’re prone to burning, insect repellant, and personal drinking water and snacks.
Do I need to have my own tools?
Bring your own work gloves and hand tools if you have them. SWMLC usually has loppers that you can borrow if you need them.
Can I volunteer with both the Monday and Wednesday groups?
Absolutely! Many people come to both groups, or just attend one or the other when their schedule allows.
Do the Monday and Wednesday groups do the same things?
Pretty much! The two groups often work on different projects, but the type of stewardship field work they perform is much the same.
Am I committed to coming again, or on some schedule?
No way! Come when you can or feel like it – the group will be glad to see you if and when you come again!
What if the weather forecast is bad?
Volunteer leaders often choose to go forward with the workday if the forecast calls for light rain, light snow, moderate cold, or relatively high temperatures. Workdays are usually cancelled or postponed if high winds, thunderstorms, heavy rain, blizzards, extreme cold, or treacherous ice are expected. Please check the forecast and make your own decisions about driving and working in the predicted conditions. And please remember that many of SWMLC’s preserves are located in rural areas where snow may not be removed as quickly in town. If a workday has been canceled or postponed, we will do our best to get the information on this page and on social media as quickly as possible. Please check these platforms for updates.
Will there be bugs?
Probably. It’s Michigan, which means mosquitoes could be fierce and ticks are looking for prey (that’s us)! Please be sure to bring your favorite insect repellant, consider tucking long pants into socks, and doing a self-exam “tick check” when you get home. Click here for more tick tips on the Volunteers’ forum created by Volunteer David. And remember – mosquitoes and ticks are just another part of nature: they’re bird food!
Will there be a bathroom?
Probably not. Most SWMLC preserves are rustic natural areas without bathroom facilities. Please keep this in mind before drinking a lot of liquid before the work session – or be prepared to “rough it.”
Can kids come?
Yes, there will be tasks for all sizes! Kids are welcome to help but must be supervised by their caretakers. Volunteering is a great way for children to learn valuable lessons about community and sharing.
Can I bring my dog?
No. Though short-leashed dogs are usually welcome at SWMLC’s public preserves, we ask that you please leave your four-footed friends home on workdays for their safety.
I don’t see many people in the photos that look like me. Will I be welcome? 
Absolutely! SWMLC is committed to making our preserves welcoming, safe places for everyone – and we expect all volunteers to understand and support this. Aggressive behavior or language of any sort will not be tolerated. If you ever attend a SWMLC volunteer workday and experience anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, please let us know immediately.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT SWMLC

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conservation easement monitoring

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