MidMichigan Environmental Action Council

10/09/2026

Interested in a river clean-up? https://www.facebook.com/GLRC4stormwater/posts/pfbid0JxQRewMHLpgJw1BM5LMktthbRzRUfeyWc6gu9RShz26b3mh3peBB1or16E9mHaenl

Do you love the ? You can help protect the river on October 16th! Take a lunch break and join MSU Infrastructure Planning and Facilities behind the Brody Neighborhood to protect one of the university's most iconic natural features. will remove litter and debris along the riverbank to , with all equipment provided. Learn more at mywatersheds.org/events.

10/08/2026

https://www.facebook.com/ReLeafMi/posts/pfbid0QfRKVzK5PgMnHFg8zsvsFW5DA84PsrhVHuAqaABKYPwH3YiY1AFFw2HQjntK44Ndl

🏆 This Big Tree Hunt winner is officially a Michigan State Champion! 🌳

🌳 BIG TREE HUNT COUNTY WINNER 🌳

This week, we are celebrating the Big Tree Hunt winner for Isabella County!

🏆 Tree Species: Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
📏 Circumference: 321.6 inches
📍 Location: Weidman
🌱 Nominated by: Adam Thering

This eastern cottonwood was identified as the largest tree submitted in Isabella County during our 2023–2025 contest. At 321.6 inches around—that’s nearly 27 feet in circumference! ...

But its recognition didn’t stop there. Adam submitted this tree to both the Michigan Big Tree Hunt and the Michigan Botanical Society’s Big Tree Program. Through the Michigan Botanical Society’s separate review and verification process, it was officially recognized as the Michigan State Champion eastern cottonwood!

Trees like this show why documenting Michigan’s biggest trees matters. You never know when the giant tree you’ve been admiring could be exceptional for its species.

The next Michigan Big Tree Hunt is now open! Michigan’s next big tree could be hiding in plain sight. Find it. Measure it. Enter it at BigTreeHunt.com.

10/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/USGeologicalSurvey/posts/pfbid0yDLKjoVkbepqKWmYqcH6wNHEgXYDM7mNk8hkFnmWo3M86qRuwC97TqnkA9BPtsqul

09/25/2026

https://www.facebook.com/mlive/posts/pfbid02dSWbuqXimDKq4UyYWsyxe4F55aq2dwKsk18YU2CVnDYC2mpUPUdtzXhFVcN9sywEl

Rescue efforts were spurred by hikers who reported three lake sturgeon stuck in low-water conditions on the Ontonagon River.

09/17/2026

Catch up with MidMEAC at BealFest today

09/13/2026

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ontario-great-lakes-sturgeon-lifespan-study-9.7329250

New research suggests Great Lake sturgeon may live more than 400 years — far longer than previously thought. The discovery is forcing scientists to rethink the already-generations-long effort to bring the giant fish back from the brink of extinction.

09/12/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FyQDR6PKA/

Late summer is a great time to take a closer look at what’s growing in Michigan lakes, rivers, and wetlands.

Michigan State University Extension has created a series of illustrated aquatic plant identification cards to help people tell the difference between invasive aquatic plants and similar native species. Each card highlights key features to look for and includes information on how to report a suspected invasive species.

The series includes common aquatic plant look-alikes such as Eurasian watermilfoil and native watermilfoils, curly-leaf pondweed and native pondweeds, hydrilla and common waterweed, starry stonewort and muskgrass, European frog-bit and white water lily, and water lettuce and water hyacinth.

Learning what to look for is an important part of slowing the spread of aquatic invasive plants in Michigan waters. Organizations can also request packs of the cards for distribution while supplies are available.

Read the full article with link to cards here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/is-this-aquatic-plant-invasive

09/01/2026

Cornell BirdCast - for those interested in bird migration

During periods of seasonal bird migration, "live" migration maps show where nocturnal bird migration is occurring in near real-time, as detected by the U.S. weather surveillance radar network between local sunset to sunrise. The maps show how many birds are present and in what direction they are mov

08/27/2026

Bats provide massive benefits to humans by controlling harmful pests, pollinating essential food crops, and helping regenerate damaged forests.
https://www.facebook.com/BatCon/posts/pfbid0csjVSZLmcy3RS4ooPiiVjDva6YgbbQDYToq1fDbzGN3mrv1ua3C2156uBit8WiGsl

If you love bats like we do, here's a few tips to attract more bats to your yard:

🪰 Plant a bat garden. Many bats eat night-flying insects, so you’ll want to plant flowers that either stay open through the night or bloom through the evening.
🌸 For a tasty, long-lasting buffet, choose 2-3 plants that bloom in spring, summer, and fall.
🌱 Use native plants that match your region and site conditions, as they have evolved to attract native insects. Remember: native plants attract native insects that in turn provide bat food!
🪵 For many bat species, dead trees are a comfy place to call home!
🛖 Bat house curious? Bat houses are complicated to get right, and can even harm bats if installed incorrectly. thoughtful construction and placement can increase their chances of being occupied.

For more information on bat gardens and bat houses, visit our website. Link in comments!

08/18/2026

https://www.earth.com/earth-science/scientists-determine-the-great-lakes-are-nonrenewable/

The Great Lakes hold about 21 percent of the planet's surface fresh water, yet less than one percent of that volume renews each year. That second number, not the first, sets the limits on everyone who drinks from the basin.