UPCOMING EVENTS

Thursday, May 16
Tuesday, May 21
Wednesday, May 22

Garlic Mustard Removal Days
11:00am - 3:00pm

The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Natural Resources Department will be hosting three garlic mustard volunteer removal days at the Bear River Recreation Area on May 16, 21, and 22 from 11:00am - 3:00pm. Garlic mustard is an aggressive invasive species that spreads into high quality woodlands and floodplain forests altering the habitat suitability for native plants and insects. Your help, whether for the whole time or for an hour or so are greatly appreciated. Meet at the end of the turnaround at the Petoskey Mineral Well Park (upstream of the dam near the restroom building). Feel free to pop in any time, grab a garbage bag, and look for us - we'll be scattered about the area. Garbage bags will be picked up and properly disposed of each day. Bring gloves, a water bottle, sun screen and anti-bug juice. Some folk like to use garden spades. If you bring any tools, please make sure you remove any soil before and after the event so you don't bring new things in or inadvertently take seeds out/spread them.

For more information about the volunteer garlic mustard removal days, please contact Jacqueline Pilette at 231-242-1684 or jpilette@ltbbodawa-nsn.gov.

Click here for a complete Petoskey Rocks! summer events schedule.

Friday, June 21
Science Rocks! - Petoskey
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council office, Downtown Petoskey
Explore the wild and wacky world of science as Downtown Petoskey closes the streets for a community wide Science Rocks! event. The Watershed Council will offer free watershed model demonstrations, tours of our on-site stormwater management systems, activities for children, and more! FUN for all ages!

Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug
Collection Events

Click here to learn more about the concern of pharmaceuticals in our waters.

Saturday, July 27, 2013
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon
Emmet County Drop-Off Center
(7363 Pleasantview Road, Harbor Springs)

Saturday, September 7, 2013
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Boyne City Road Commission Garage
(Located just east of the Boyne City Public School football field.)

Saturday, October 24, 2013
7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
McLaren Northern Michigan, Petoskey Campus
(Hospital Circle Driveway, Entrance off Mitchell Street across from Johan's Bakery.)
They will also be accepting sharps, cell phones, shoes, eyeglasses, and hearing aids for proper disposal/recycling.

We will be accepting:

Prescription Drugs: Charlevoix County Residents: It is illegal to transport controlled substances if not in your name, please contact the Charlevoix County Sheriff’s office at (231)547-4461 to notify them that you will be transporting the medicines to be disposed of.
Over-the-counter (OTC) Medicines
Pet Medicines
Nutritional Supplements and Vitamins
Skin Care Products and more

Join the V-Team!

2013 Summer Volunteer Monitoring Events

Saturday, May 11, 2013
Stream Monitoring TRAINING DAY
9:00am - 1:00pm
Training consists of presentations about various aspects of the program and general macroinvertebrate biology, equipment and field data sheet review, and a hands-on practicum on the Bear River, so that volunteers can “get their feet wet”. Coffee and snacks provided. Break taken for lunch on your own. To register for this training, please contact Dan Myers at 231-347-1181 or email dan@watershedcouncil.org

Saturday, May 18, 2013
Stream Monitoring FIELD DAY
9:00am - 2:00pm
Volunteer teams collect a representative sample of the aquatic macroinvertebrate population for later identification and also note general stream conditions. Each team monitors two sites on the same river or stream. For stream assignment or to join a stream team, please contact Dan Myers at 231-347-1181 or email dan@watershedcouncil.org.

Friday, May 24 2013
Lake Monitoring TRAINING DAY
10:00am - 12:00 Noon
Inland Waterway Museum ~ Downtown Alanson
Learn about water quality monitoring and take a moment to learn about the history of the Inland Waterway. During the indoor session of the training we will review the lake monitoring program and go over methods for data collection. Afterwards, volunteers will have an opportunity to practice monitoring procedures during a pontoon boat ride on Crooked Lake. At the completion of the training you will receive the necessary equipment and supplies to get you through a complete season of volunteer monitoring. To register for this training, please contact Kevin Cronk at kevin@watershedcouncil.org or call 231-347-1181 ext. 109.

June 2, 2013
Stream Monitoring IDENTIFICATION DAY
Noon - 3:00pm
Volunteer teams gather in room 262 of the Science Building on the North Central Michigan College Campus in Petoskey to sort and identify aquatic macroinvertebrate specimens collected in the field. For complete details contact Dan Myers at 231-347-1181 or e-mail dan@watershedcouncil.org.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Beach Ranger TRAINING DAY
Time/Location TBD
Property owners and interested volunteers are invited to join us for a free workshop on monitoring the autumn bird die-off on our Lake Michigan shoreline. We will explain why it is important to understand the conditions that lead to avian botulism and the corrective actions that can help reduce the epidemic, which now claims thousands of birds each year. Monitoring kits and instruction for volunteers are provided. For more info about our Beach Ranger program, please contact Dan Myers at 231-347-1181 or e-mail dan@watershedcouncil.org.

Pre-registration for all tours is required.
Please call (231) 347-1181 to reserve your spot. Trips fill quickly so reserve today.

Wednesday, June 19
Black River Solstice Paddle
5:00pm - 7:00pm

The Upper Black River has long been considered one of Michigan’s finest brook trout fisheries. Ernest Hemingway fished and wrote about this Northern Michigan treasure. The Black River, situated in Cheboygan, Montmorency, Otsego, and Presque Isle counties upstream of Black Lake, is the only river in Michigan’s lower peninsula exclusively managed for brook trout. Join Kevin Cronk for a late athernoon paddle down the Black River and discover the beauty, diversity, and fragility of this unique gem.

Limit: 15 participants
Experience Level: HIGH
Fee: $20 member/$25 non-member

NOTE: The Black River is fast in some areas, meandering, and full of obstacles (primarily overhanging or downed trees). Participants MUST BE EXPERIENCED canoeists/kayakers! ere are challenging sections of the river that could be dangerous for inexperienced paddlers.

Wednesday, July 10
Wycamp Lake Paddle
10:00am - 1:00pm

Wycamp Lake is a quiet, scenic, undeveloped lake in northern Emmet County with a maximum depth of only 7 feet. Many standing or fallen trees in its waters are relics of what was once above the surface. Join Dan Myers on an exploration of this shallow lake’s submerged cedar swamps, flat vegetated islands, and busy beavers.

Limit: 15 participants
Experience Level: Easy (Basic paddling experience needed.)
Fee: $20 member/$25 non-member

Wednesday, July 24
Horton Creek Exploration
A joint adventure with Little Traverse Conservancy
10:00am - 2:00pm

Horton Creek is one of Lake Charlevoix's most important tributaries. The Creek and its corridor remain largely a wild and beautiful area. It also has a lot of historic significance in that it was the stomping ground of a young Ernest Hemingway and is mentioned in some of his novels and short stories.

Lately, it has become a focus area for land protection. With an acquisition last December, Little Traverse Conservancy (LTC) now has six preserves on or near the Creek, totaling 284 acres and 12,045 feet (or about 2.25 miles) of stream frontage.

Join Jen Gelb from Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council and Doug Fuller from LTC on an ecological exploration of Horton Creek from headwaters to mouth, with special focus on LTC nature preserves. This will be an overland trip (driving and hiking, but not paddling). Bring a picnic lunch and come prepared to walk in some squishy areas.

Limit: 30 participants
Experience Level: Moderate (Hiking on uneven ground, some squishy areas.)
Fee: No Charge

Wednesday, August 7
Ellsworth Lake Paddle
6:00pm - 8:30pm

Join Dave Clapp, Manager of the DNR Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station, and Water Resource Specialist, Dan Myers, on an adventure on Ellsworth Lake, located in the upper Elk River Chain of Lakes. Explore Ellsworth Lake’s natural features including fish, wildlife, evidence of glaciers, and cool plants in the warm glow of a summer evening sky.

Limit: 15 participants
Experience Level: Easy (Basic paddling experience needed.)
Fee: $20 member/$25 non-member

Wednesday, August 21
Paradise Lake Pontoon Cruise
4:00pm - 6:00pm

Paradise Lake is a large (>1900 acres), shallow (maximum depth = ~17 feet) lake just south of Mackinaw City. During the last 20 years, the Watershed Council has worked closely with the Paradise Lake Association to safeguard water quality and the lake ecosystem, addressing issues such as nutrient pollution and nuisance aquatic plant growth. Join Kevin Cronk and Grenetta Thomassey on this pontoon trip to discuss lake management efforts and soak up a little bit of “paradise.”

Limit: 15 participants
Experience Level: Easy
Fee: $20 member/$25 non-member

Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council • 426 Bay Street, Petoskey, MI 49770

PH: (231) 347-1181 • Fax: (231) 347-5928 • www.watershedcouncil.org

Events

UPCOMING EVENTS

Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Collection Events

Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug
Collection Events