Oakland County Parks is focused on environmental leadership, action and practice in the community. Staff is available as a resource for local governments and the public to advise in their areas of expertise and assist homeowners, municipal employees, non-profit organizations and educational institutions in implementation of best practices.

Our community engagement efforts include:

• Aquatic Invasive Species Cleaning Stations
• Citizen Science
• Community Habitat Improvement Grant Program
• Native Plant Event
• Nest Box Monitoring
• Oakland County Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (OC CISMA)

Stewardship Days

Help restore park land and understory for native spring flowers during Stewardship Days. Join Natural Resources staff to learn what to look for and how to assist with efforts to pull the invasive garlic mustard and other invasive species in our parks.

You'll gain hands-on experience working on invasive species and habitat improvements while learning more about what OCCISMA and Oakland County Parks does to restore natural communities, why we manage invasive species, how we work to prevent future invasives and what we can do to reduce their impacts.

Stewardship Days are scheduled as follows:

• April 21 from 10 a.m.-noon at Oak Park Woods in Oak Park. The focus will be wintercreeper pulling.
• April 23 from 10 a.m.-noon at Wint Nature Center in Independence Oaks County Park, Clarkston. The focus will be hand pulling garlic mustard and motherwort.
• April 29 from 10 a.m.-noon at Lyon Oaks County Park in Wixom. The focus will be pulling garlic mustard.
• May 13 from 10 a.m.-noon at Waterford Oaks County Park. The focus will be pulling garlic mustard.
• May 27 from 10 a.m.-noon at Oak Park Woods in Oak Park. The focus will be pulling woody winter creeper and garlic mustard.
• June 2 from 10 a.m.-noon at Turtle Woods in Troy. The focus will be brush clearing and pulling periwinkle and garlic mustard.
• June 16 from 10 a.m.-noon at Oak Park Woods in Oak Park. The focus will be pulling woody winter creeper.

Participants should expect to be off-trail on uneven ground and should dress appropriately for the weather. Bring a water bottle and boots/shoes that you don't mind getting muddy.

Please register online so organizers know how many volunteers to expect. Email Patrick Canniff at canniffp@oakgov.com with any questions about the events.

Register Now

View the calendar below for ways you can get involved.