Mason-Lake Conservation District

08/31/2026

Earlier this month, the Mason County HHW Collection Day brought out hundreds of residents looking to safely dispose of old paint, batteries, chemicals, and more. None of that happens without a lot of support behind the scenes.

From financial support to hands-on partnership, this event runs on community backing. We'd like to thank everyone who helped make it happen this year:

🥇 Gold Sponsor: Hamlin Lake Preservation Society, Greater Bear Watershed Alliance, West Shore Bank, Pausing Matters LLC, The Fin & Feather Club of Mason County, Little Manistee Watershed Conservation Council, OxyChem Calcium Chloride

🥈 Silver Sponsor: Morton Salt, A Few Friends for the Environment of the World (AFFEW), Pere Marquette Lake Watershed Council

We're also grateful to the counties, townships, cities, and villages who help fund this event every year.

We also want to recognize: Mason County MI Sheriff's Office, Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP), Mason County Road Commission, Gourmet Mushrooms Inc. / Mycopia and the Clean Sweep program, their support, together, helped make this event possible

08/29/2026

We're hiring!

Mason-Lake Conservation District is looking for a full-time Conservation Biologist to work one-on-one with local landowners on forestry, habitat restoration, invasive species, and water quality projects.

Apply by September 14 for best consideration, click below for the full job description and how to apply.

Explore exciting career opportunities at Mason-Lake Conservation District. We offer a variety of positions that make a difference in the community and the environment. Apply today to become part of our dedicated team!

08/28/2026

In case you haven't heard about this yet, or just missed it the first time, the Pere Marquette Scrap Tire Collection Event kicks off this Wednesday, September 2nd. This weekend's a great time to round up any old tires you've been meaning to get rid of!

Pere Marquette Scrap Tire Collection Event
September 2nd through September 9th
8am – 5pm Daily

The scrap tire collection trailer will be available to Mason County Residents at 1040 S. Pere Marquette Highway, behind the Pere Marquette Fire Department building. If residents are not able to place the tires in the trailer due to the trailer being full, please do not leave the tires.

This is an event for Mason County Residents only.

No business or commercial use is allowed. Passenger-sized tires will only be allowed: No over-sized or tractor tires will be allowed. No rims will be allowed.

If you have any questions, please contact our Township Office at 231-845-1277 or email [email protected].

08/27/2026

August is Tree Check Month!

This month is one of the best times to look for signs of Asian longhorn beetle (ALB), an invasive insect that attacks hardwood trees such as maples, elms, and willows.

ALB has not yet been detected in Michigan, so early detection is key. Keep an eye out for large, shiny black beetles with white spots and long black and white antennae, along with round exit holes or sawdust around trees.

Think you found one? Take a photo and report it Michigan.gov/ALB or use the MISIN app.

And remember: don't move firewood!

08/21/2026

UPDATE: The Manistee County session on 8/27 has been canceled — Leelanau County session on 9/2 is still happening as scheduled

🍂 Autumn-Olive Info Session – Save the Date!

Want to learn about the invasive shrub autumn-olive, the problems it causes, how to control it, and cost share options that can help pay for treatment?

📋 Register at: https://northwestisn.wufoo.com/forms/m1q5n271tlngft/

08/20/2026

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day 2026 is in the books, thank you to everyone who came out!

This year, we welcomed 308 vehicles, representing 353 households, with 47% attending for the first time. It's always great to see returning faces alongside new ones learning about the program for the first time.

None of this happens without our volunteers. This year, 34 volunteers (including support from local sheriffs and township trustees) gave over 150 hours of their time to keep the day running smoothly.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to properly dispose of hazardous materials, together, we're keeping our rivers, lakes, and groundwater a little safer.

08/19/2026

We know tires come up a lot around HHW Collection Day, unfortunately, they're not something we're able to accept. So when we saw this scrap tire collection event for Mason County residents, we wanted to help spread the word!

Pere Marquette Scrap Tire Collection Event
September 2nd through September 9th
8am – 5pm Daily

The scrap tire collection trailer will be available to Mason County Residents at 1040 S. Pere Marquette Highway, behind the Pere Marquette Fire Department building. If residents are not able to place the tires in the trailer due to the trailer being full, please do not leave the tires.

This is an event for Mason County Residents only.

No business or commercial use is allowed. Passenger-sized tires will only be allowed: No over-sized or tractor tires will be allowed. No rims will be allowed.

If you have any questions, please contact our Township Office at 231-845-1277 or email [email protected].

08/14/2026

Good turnout at the Mason County Fin & Feather Club meeting this week, thanks to Rep. Curt Vanderwall for stopping by, and to our staff for sharing an update on the district's work.

08/13/2026

HHW Collection Day is almost here! If you haven't gathered your items yet, you've only got a few days left!

📅 Saturday, August 15th | 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
📍 Mason County Road Commission

This event runs on community support, a huge thank you to our sponsors:

🥇 Gold: Hamlin Lake Preservation Society, Greater Bear Watershed Alliance, West Shore Bank, Pausing Matters LLC, The Fin & Feather Club of Mason County, Little Manistee Watershed Conservation Council

🥈 Silver: Morton Salt, A Few Friends for the Environment of the World (AFFEW), Pere Marquette Lake Watershed Council

We're also grateful to the counties, townships, cities, and villages who help fund this event every year.

And a big thank you to: Mason County MI Sheriff's Office, Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP), Mason County Road Commission, Gourmet Mushrooms Inc. / Mycopia, and the Clean Sweep program for their continued support.

Bringing items? Check what we accept here: mason-lakeconservation.org/hhw

See you Saturday!

Household Hazardous Waste Safely disposing of household hazardous waste—like pesticides, batteries, electronics, and more—not only protects our environment but also reduces risks to community health. This program ensures hazardous materials are properly managed and kept out of landfills, waterwa...