Extra hands will be on deck at Oakland County Parks, Oakland Township and Six Rivers Regional Land Conservancy properties this spring.

The three agencies were awarded a work group of young men and women for 2,100 hours of service on land stewardship projects from early-May through mid-June by AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps).

The students will assist with wildlife species surveys, invasive species control and vegetation monitoring, Brittany Bird, GIS tech/natural resources technician, said. At Addison Oaks and Independence Oaks county parks, they will also assist with butterfly counts and survey for Eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes to determine which areas of the park the snakes use.

AmeriCorps NCCC is a team-based residential program for men and women age 1824. The mission of AmeriCorps NCCC is to strengthen communities and develop leaders through direct, team-based national and community service. The work group is based in Denver, Colorado.

The students also receive an educational experience each day as part of their program, Bird said. Having the group here to help with field work allows us to move more quickly toward ecological restoration.

For more information, contact Bird at 248.858.1726.