Mason-Lake Conservation District

06/12/2026

Thanks to all who ignored yesterday's forecast and joined us for a beautiful night BrixStone Farms! We learned about the carbon storage capacity of biochar and use in apple orchards, witnessed production of biochar in action, saw a cover crop get roller crimped for termination and learned about safe chemical storage and the assistance and cost share opportunities available through NRCS and MAEAP.

06/10/2026

The Mason-Lake Conservation District has recently acquired a brand new roller crimper, and you can see it here in action! Crimpers are used to terminate cover crops by breaking (crimping) their stalks and laying them flat on the ground to create a thick bed of natural mulch that maintains soil moisture, suppresses w**d growth, and shields your soil from wind and water erosion. All of this is done WITHOUT needing to use herbicides. Here you can see the results from Carl Merkey's property where the crimper was used to terminate a very healthy rye field. If you are interested or have questions about renting the roller crimper, please call the Mason-Lake Conservation District at 231-613-4507!

06/10/2026

06/06/2026

Interested in water quality, local rivers, or the future of the Lincoln River Watershed?

Join us Friday, June 13 from 9:00–11:00 a.m. at Victory Township Hall for the first stakeholder meeting for the formation of a Lincoln River Watershed Council.

Community members and stakeholders are encouraged to attend and be part of the conversation!

Please contact the main office at 231-613-4511 to RSVP.

05/22/2026

A big thank you to West Shore Bank who showed their kindness this week by hosting a car wash to benefit the Household Hazardous Waste Collection day! They helped to raise over $1300, which will allow us to safely dispose of over 1 TON of hazardous materials this August. Thank you!

05/20/2026

For local farmers and landowners: helpful information on rotational grazing and its benefits for soil health and water retention.

I grew up on a dry lot system of raising cow calf pairs and would never go back to that system or continuously grazing.

05/19/2026

Give your car a little TLC while helping local conservation, West Shore Bank's car wash is TODAY in Scottville (5:15–7pm)!

Soap, suds, and support for our local environment! 🫧🚘

Head to West Shore Bank’s Community Car Wash on Tuesday, May 19, from 5:15–7:00 PM at our Scottville Branch.

🌿 Donations will be accepted to benefit the Mason-Lake Conservation District
📍 107 W State St.

05/17/2026

Turns out “spending a day at the lake” and “collecting long-term environmental data” are not mutually exclusive!

The MiCorps Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP) is currently enrolling volunteers for the 2026 monitoring season. Volunteers help collect important long-term data on lake health including water clarity, phosphorus, shoreline, and vegetation.

If you have ever been curious about what is going on beneath the surface of your favorite lake, MiCorps provides training opportunities and monitoring guidance to help volunteers get started. No scientific background is required!

Though some enrollment deadlines and trainings have passed, interested volunteers are still encouraged to reach out to MiCorps staff.

The next training deadline is August 21, 2026 for Exotic Aquatic Plant Watch and Score the Shore. There is also an Aquatic Invasive Species Detection Blitz happening June 29 - July 12.

For more information, visit: www.micorps.net