Topics This Month -

• Fall Native Plant Fundraiser // Plants & Pints Festival

• Regenerative Agriculture Field Day - How did it go?

• Adopt - A - Highway

• July Household Hazardous Waste Collection

• Haehnle Sanctuary Monthly Workdays

• Invasive Species Spotlight

• …and more!!

Upcoming Events -

• July 15th - Adopt-A-Highway, meet at the JCCD office on 211 W Ganson St, Jackson MI 49201 at 9:30am, collecting from 10:30am to ~1:00pm, email me if interested in volunteering, more information below!

• July 16th - Haehnle Sanctuary Monthly Workday, from 9am to 12pm, volunteers wanted, more information below.

• July 23rd - Household Hazardous Waste Collection #2, at the Jackson County DOT Lot on Chanter Road, from 1pm to 6pm, RSVP here, email me if interested in volunteering, more information below!

• Each Friday in July- Grand River Farmers Market, in the Grand River Brewery Parking lot, from 9am to 2pm.

• Each Saturday in July- Grand River Farmers Market, at the River & Rail Food Hub, 137 W North St, from 9am to 2pm.

• August 1st - Recycling Jackson, 1401 N Brown Street, open from 9am to 1pm. Visit their Facebook or website for more information.

• Keep an eye on our events page on our website for the most up-to-date information!

You might be thinking, “It’s almost half of the way through July, why am I just now getting the monthly JCCD newsletter?” Well, it’s because we have been hard at work to bring back a Fall Plant Fundraiser!!

To purchase from a wide selection of native plants, head to - www.jacksoncd.org/plant-fundraiser/fall-plant-sale

We are partnering with BirtleBee, a native plant nursery out of Concord, to provide you low-cost native plants. A portion of the proceeds will go directly to the JCCD for general operational funds, just like our Spring Tree Fundraisers!

During this year’s Spring Tree Fundraiser, we had ~20 native plant species available. Now, this year we have over 60!! If you purchase from our website, you will be able to pick up your plants at the Plants & Pints festival at the Grow Jackson Farm Stop / Old Armory on September 26th, at 137 W North St, Jackson, MI 49202.

Also, mark your calendars for a FREE NATIVE PLANT INFORMATIONAL WORKSHOP will be held on Saturday, August 22nd from 12:00pm to 1:30pm at the Grow Jackson Farm Stop / Old Armory, at 137 W North St, Jackson, MI 49202.

Thank you to both BirtleBee and Grow Jackson for partnering with us for this Fall Plant Fundraiser and Plants & Pints festival! More on Plants & Pints as we get closer to September!

The Jackson County Conservation District recently held a regenerative agriculture field day in Rives Junction hosted by the Sanfords at Maple Crest Farm.

We had great weather, five regenerative agriculture stations for attendees to rotate through, a delicious lunch catered by Gene Davis and Sons, and a keynote speaker, Brian Dougherty from Understanding Ag. In total, we had 48 people come to the event.

The five stations covered a wide variety of regenerative agriculture topics - the principals of soil health, tests to show at a glance your soil health, how invasive species effect soil health, a demonstration of the impact rainwater erosion has on covered vs non-covered soils, and a talk from Greg Sanford on how he is implementing regenerative agriculture on his operation.

Our attendees said the event was valuable and they all took something away! We plan to bring this event back next year as long as we receive the same funding from MDARD. We hope to see you there!

JCCD Staff and Volunteers will clean up the stretch of M-50 between Wells Rd. and Napoleon Rd. in Napoleon this coming Wednesday, July 15th!

Lunch to follow for all of those who participate at the Napoleon Cafe.

If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please meet us at the office on 211 W Ganson St, Jackson, MI 49201 at 9:30am to carpool / drive to the site following a safety meeting.

For more information, email colten@macd.org.

The collection will be held at the Jackson County DOT in the lot on the corner of N. Elm and Chanter (next to the County Jail). PLEASE USE THE CHANTER RD ENTRANCE.

This event is for JACKSON COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY (proof of residency is required)! NO BUSINESS WASTE!

RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED AND CAN BE DONE HERE!

Participants must sign up for an available appointment slot to attend the event. Please review the available slots and click on the button to sign up.

The cost is $20/vehicle (Please bring exact change or a check made out to "JCCD"). There may be additional fees for large volumes of fluids (>50 gallons). 

Latex paint WILL be accepted at this collection. Thank you to our partners at Recycling Jackson for making this possible.

Tires, electronic waste, radioactive materials and explosives WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! For more information email colten@macd.org.

Click here for a list of accepted items. (Latex and water-based paint is accepted at this collection!!)

This collection has been made possible thanks to funding provided by Jackson County. 

Monthly workdays continue in support of habitat restoration and general maintenance. These are scheduled for the 3rd Thursday of each month. Chad Machinski from Michigan Audubon and Steve Jerant from Jackson Audubon will lead the work. Volunteers can assist from 9am to 12pm in the warm seasons and 1pm to 4pm in the cool seasons. Tools and materials are provided. Wear sturdy work boots.

Registration is required so we are able to plan work type and location in the sanctuary. To register for the upcoming workday on July 16th, from 9am to 12pm, email jacksonaudubon@gmail.com.

Haehnle is located at the intersection of Seymour Rd & Fairlane Dr, Grass Lake. Meet at the Wing Overlook kiosk on Seymour Road.

What is it? Garlic mustard (GM) is a herbaceous invasive plant from the mustard (Brassicaceae) family. It is a biennial plant that has small kidney bean shaped basal leaves during the first year of growth (are low to the ground), and then grow up to 3 ft tall in the second year (leaves are more triangular). It has tiny white flowers, and when the leaves and stems are crushed, they emit a strong garlic like scent.

How did it get here? Due to its many uses, European settlers brought this plant with them in the mid-1800s. GM was used for both culinary and medicinal purposes in Europe. Some culinary uses included putting it in salads, making pesto, eating with lamb, and using seeds for seasoning. Medicinally, it was historically used to treat asthma, ulcers, open wounds, and itch relief. It was also introduced to help with erosion control. Because each plant can produce thousands of seeds, it can quickly become established in the area as seeds are easily dispersed via wind, water, and wildlife.

What does it do? Once GM gets established in the area, it can take over, eventually replacing many native plant species such as native ginger, trilliums, and bloodrot. It is allelopathic, meaning it releases chemicals that prevent other species from growing nearby. This can lead to food sources for some insects to be reduced, and in the case of the West Virginia butterfly, as they are toxic to larvae.

What can you do? Prevention is the best strategy, and this means making sure your shoes and clothing do not have seeds on them. Inspect and remove seeds and plant matter from all clothing and gear. Management is a multi-year process as seeds can remain viable in the soil for five years or so. You can hand pull plants, mow plants prior to them going to seed, or use systemic herbicides for large infestations. If you are only able to perform management activities once a year, it is best to wait until plants emerge and then remove prior to it flowering. Pulling too early in the season can allow a second plant to grow, and thus will re-seed the soil if not subsequently pulled.

Photos courtesy of Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org.

If you find Garlic Mustard in Michigan, note the location and take photos to aid in verification. Report your find to:

• Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, MDA-Info@Michigan.gov.

• Or - the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) online reporting tool.

• Or - download the MISIN smartphone app and report from your phone.

Check out these sites to learn more about invasive species:

• Michigan Invasive Species Program

• MISIN

If you have a smartphone, download the MISIN (Midwest Invasive Species Information Network) App. This will allow you to learn about invasive species and report them on your phone. 

If you have any questions about invasive species, contact the JLW CISMA Coordinator Shikha Singh via email (shikha.singh@macd.org) or call the office at 517-395-2089. Don't forget to check out the official JLW CISMA website here.

Click here to sign up for the JLW CISMA monthly newsletter.

Soil testing information can help you develop a proper fertilization strategy and prevent over-fertilizing. Test results will include lab recommendations and consultation with JCCD staff, if needed, to answer questions you may have.

Soil sample materials and information are available at the district office at 211 West Ganson Street, Suite 200 in Jackson. The cost is $25/sample for one to four samples or $20/sample for 5 samples or more. Free soil probe rental is also available by appointment.

Contact Joselyn via email at joselyn.ralph@macd.org or call 517-395-2082 with questions. You can also visit our website or Facebook page for more information about the Conservation District. 

Michigan's Hunting Access Program (HAP) was originally created in 1977 to increase public hunting opportunities in southern Michigan where 97 percent of the land base is privately owned. It has now expanded to include the Northeast Lower and Eastern Upper Peninsulas. HAP is one of the oldest dedicated private lands public access programs in the nation.  

HAP provides access to quality private hunting lands with a focus on agricultural regions and disease management areas. Providing more hunting opportunities is critical for attracting new and retaining current hunters and supporting Michigan’s strong hunting tradition. Click here to find a list and maps of HAP properties around the state.

HAP provides financial incentives to private landowners who allow hunters access to their lands. Using funds from a USDA/VPA-HIP federal grant, the DNR has significantly expanded the number of acres and properties available within the HAP program.  Click here if you are interested in finding out more information on how to enroll your land in the Hunting Access Program.

The Jackson County Conservation District participates in HAP, if you are interested in learning more about the property, please email colten@macd.org.

This information was taken directly from the Michigan.gov website. 

Recycling Jackson provides recycling drop-off on the first Saturday of every month from 9 am-1 pm. They are located one block behind Home Depot next to the Jackson Public Schools Bus Garage at 1401 N Brown St. Find out more information on their Facebook page or website.

Latex paint is now accepted! Paint must be in a good container; must be liquid; must be latex paint.

See this Facebook post for further details and materials they do not accept.

Plantskydd is a 100% all-natural animal repellent for use around your trees, shrubs, garden, or farm. The active ingredient is blood (recognized by the EPA as a safe ingredient exempt from pesticide registration).

How does it work? Plantskydd repels by emitting an odor that browsing animals, such as deer and rabbits, associate with predator activity. The odor is not unpleasant to applicators or planters.

Is it safe? Plantskydd contains no synthetic additives, is non-toxic, and is not harmful to animals or the environment when used as directed. 

Powder Concentrate  
1.1 pound - $32
2.2 pounds - $53

Pre-mixed
1 quart - $23
1.3 gallons - $64

Granular
3-pound shaker jug - $33

Mosquito Barrier is effective against mosquitoes, ticks, and black flies. It is safe for humans, plants, and pets and lasts up to a month with each application. The effective ingredient is garlic, and the odor dissipates immediately after application. 

Mosquito Barrier
1 quart - $26.50 (covers 1.25 ac.)
1 gallon - $82 (covers 5 ac.)

Please call 517-395-2082 or email colten@macd.org to schedule an appointment to purchase and pick up your Plantskydd or Mosquito Barrier!

Check out our website and Facebook to stay up to date with our latest news and events!!