Volunteers make impact at state park

Just four volunteers undaunted, seemingly small in the tall grass in the dry sand prairie, heads down, surrounded by a field of invasive purples flowers on Sunday morning, Aug. 2, 2026, at Saugatuck Dunes State Park, 6575 138^th Ave. in Laketown Township.

“We’re not going to get it all today. Don’t get discouraged,” said Natural Resource Steward Tyler Lidgard of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources after she explained how to properly pull the spotted knapweed and dispose of it in garbage bags so seeds don’t spread.

The work was the first of two volunteer stewardship events this month to knock down the invasives one plant at a time.

For a video of the work, visit here.

Another chance to volunteer

The next spotted knapweed removal event is Sunday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon at the state park. Meet at the parking lot adjacent to the Felt Mansion, 6597 138^th Ave. Dress for outdoor work. Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirt, work boots, and have sun protection. Dress for the weather. Bring water and a snack.

Work gloves, eye protection, and hand tools are provided.

No experience necessary.

Youth under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, who must sign a liability waiver for the minor. Organized youth group leaders may sign this waiver instead.

Volunteers will be walking off trail on uneven ground and bending over to cut and treat or pull invasive species. Expect to get dirty and to have potential exposure to poison ivy, poison sumac, ticks, mosquitos, and stinging insects.

For more information, contact Lidgard at lidgardt@michigan.gov or (517) 388-8517.

To register for Aug. 16, click here.

If the workday is canceled, registered participants will receive an email notice at least two hours before the scheduled meeting time.

In the fields

Spotted knapweed is poisonous to other plants, creating barren areas where only knapweed grows, according to a state website. It is a threat to pastures and dry ecosystems including prairies and dunes. It can be a skin irritant.

Frank and Joan Kearney of Zeeland stopped for a water break among shrubs and patches of Eastern prickly pear cactus, a few still holding on to their yellow blooms.

“We love this park. We hike it a lot,” said Frank about why he and his wife volunteered to pull the knapweed on Aug. 2.

“I love this place,” said David Siroonian who made the trip to the lakeshore from Greenville. “I care about this.”

Lidgard did not hesitate when asked if the volunteer work has made an impact.

“Yes! Absolutely. It does make a difference,” she said. “We are seeing change.”

She said the DNR maps the concentrations of invasives so the impact of the volunteer work can be seen.

The 1,000-acre Saugatuck Dunes State Park includes hiking trails of varying difficulty through dunes to Lake Michigan with 2.5 miles of lake front. The park’s 300-acre Patty Birkholz Natural Area contains a coastal dune system and three endangered plant species.