Montcalm Conservation District

06/22/2026

Did you know it's National Pollinator Week? 🐝🦋

Pollinators are an essential part of the life cycles of over 75% of flowering plants and over 1200 varieties of crops! Native pollinators are especially crucial for pollinating crops and maintaining healthy ecosystems. However, many pollinating insects, birds and mammals are in decline due to factors like habitat loss and improper chemical usage. A great way you can support native pollinators is by providing quality habitat through planting native, managing invasive and using pesticides/herbicides responsibly.

Learn more about native pollinators and how to build habitat by visiting: https://pollinators.msu.edu/resources/pollinator-planting/index.aspx

Information credit: Pollinator Partnership
Photo credit: Michigan Natural Features Inventory

06/19/2026

06/18/2026

Thank you to everyone who supported the FRWC Float Fundraiser last Saturday!

06/17/2026

Last Wednesday was our Reptile & Amphibian Adventure at the Comden-Towle Model Forest! After learning how to handle reptiles & amphibians with care, we hit the trails to begin our search. We found wood frogs, redbacked salamanders, a ribbon snake, and some crayfish (not a reptile or amphibian but a crustacean special guest)! Thank you to our attendees for being curious and respectful of the wildlife at the Model Forest. A special thank you to our presenters, Autumn Baker from Chippewa Watershed Conservancy and Bekah, for sharing their expertise on ethical herping.

06/05/2026

Join us for a fun float next weekend!🚣‍♀️

Don’t forget to sign-up by tomorrow, Saturday, June 6 for our Float Fundraiser at Double R Ranch!

Help the FRWC raise funds for conservation work in the Flat River Watershed by taking a leisurely float down the Flat River on Saturday, June 13. Attendees can rent kayaks from Double R Ranch for $45 or bring their own for $25. All attendees and equipment will be transported from Double R Ranch up to Water Street Park in Belding.

RSVPs preferred, as spots may be limited. Day-of registration may be available. To register, please fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1boNgE1UyDjMmEqjsEzOGyIhTUW2Y3vTe-4FRYxt0KlA/edit

06/03/2026

There are still spots available for our Reptile & Amphibian Adventure next Wednesday, June 10 at 10:30 a.m. at the Comden-Towle Model Forest! This outdoor, family friendly event will cover how to safely search for, handle, and identify reptiles and amphibians.

RSVP required. To RSVP, visit https://www.montcalmcd.org/event-details/reptile-amphibian-adventure, email [email protected], or call 989-831-4212 x 2136.

Join us Wednesday, June 10 at 10:30 a.m. for a Reptile & Amphibian Adventure led by Chippewa Watershed Conservancy’s Autumn Baker and MCD staff! Learn how to find and safely handle the reptiles and amphibians of the Comden-Towle Model Forest. We will walk the trails rain or shine, so please dress for the weather!

RSVP required. Limited spots available. To RSVP, visit https://www.montcalmcd.org/event-details/reptile-amphibian-adventure, email [email protected], or call 989-831-4212 x 2136.

05/29/2026

Check out this moon poo our staff found at the Comden-Towle Model Forest! 🌕✨
Moon poo, also called false puffball, is a slime mold that grows on dead trees in damp areas of forests throughout the world. Although they can resemble fungi and grow in similar habitats, slime molds are actually formed by groups of amoebas. Moon poo starts out looking like a cluster of small, white eggs before it transforms into a smooth, pearlescent white mass about half the size of a golf ball, like the one pictured. It later becomes silvery and papery as brown spores develop inside. After the spores have dispersed, the moon poo disappears and leaves behind a dark stain on the tree bark. Fun fact: The name moon poo comes from its common name in Mexico, “caca de luna,” which translates to "moon’s excrement."

Learn more about slime molds:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/the-sublime-slime-mold

Learn more about moon poo:
https://ultimate-mushroom.com/slime-molds/480-enteridium-lycoperdon.html
https://www.mushroom-appreciation.com/false-puffball.html

05/26/2026

Congratulations to our 2026 Montcalm Conservation District Scholarship recipients, Kenzie Karcher of Montabella High School and Ian Mark of Lakeview High School. We wish you both the best in your agricultural, environmental and natural resource studies!