Restoring & Maintaining Native Plant Landscapes

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Kent Conservation District

Kent Conservation District promotes sustainable land use and conservation practices to protect natural resources. They educate the community on native plants, soil health, and biodiversity, fostering environmental stewardship for a healthier ecosystem.

Join us in the field 🌿 for a hands-on look at how cover crops support healthy soil and farm resilience across Kent County. During this Cover Crops Field Day, you&rsquo;ll walk real fields, see practical demonstrations, and hear directly from local producers and conservation staff about soil health, regenerative agriculture, and how cover crops fit into this picture. Please complete this form to help Kent Conservation District plan materials, field access, and refreshments for all participants 🌎. Photo Credit: NRCS/SWCS photo by Lynn Betts

Cover Crops Field Day

See how native plants can thrive in urban and suburban residential yards while growing wildlife, improving our air and water, and inspiring us with their beauty. 🌿 This self-guided tour of 11 yards on the west side of Grand Rapids will illustrate many creative ways to use native plants, including alongside and with traditional gardens, food, and lawns. The owners / stewards will be on-site to provide highlights and answer your questions. The tour is rain or shine. Please plan accordingly. Net proceeds from the Tour will benefit our partner organization Kind Hearts Bloom and help support similar programming in the future from Kent Conservation District. FAQsAre children allowed on the tour?Absolutely! Children 17 and under are welcome and FREE to attend with a parent or guardian who purchased a ticket. Can I bring my dog?Please leave your pets at home. The tour hosts and the other registrants will appreciate it. Will bathroom facilities be available?We do not encourage our tour hosts to open their HOUSES to registrans. Please plan accordingly. Are the landscapes fully accessible for people with limited abilities?A few might be considered fully accessible. Most all the rest are partially accessible...very much like most residential yards.

West Michigan Native Plant Yard Tour

*Registration ends April 13th, 2026 at 5pm. Please register to secure your spot, as walk-in attendance is not guaranteed* Join the Kent Conservation District &amp; industry friends for a day that will be packed with apple focused fun! We will be hosting a Field Day focusing around regenerative agriculture in orchard settings. There will be a roundtable discussion with Bel&rsquo;s Pilot Program growers, sessions that cover sap analysis, in-field monitoring devices, compost, produce safety, drone &amp; other equipment demos, and more. At the end of the event, there will be a raffle to give away soil health assessment toolkits to producers in attendance! Photo Release Information: I hereby irrevocably authorize the Kent Conservation District to edit, alter, copy, exhibit, publish, or distribute photos or videos taken during the program experience for purposes of publicizing the organization&rsquo;s programs or for any other lawful purpose. I hereby waive the right to inspect or approve the finished product, including written or electronic copy, wherein my likeness appears. Additionally, I waive any right to royalties or other compensation arising or related to the use of the photograph.

Regenerative Orchards Field Day

Come join Kent Conservation District, Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds and Michigan Natural Features Inventory for a day of exploration and discovery at the Rogue River State Game Area.&nbsp; This MNFI led Vernal Pool Patrol Field Training is a hands-on opportunity to learn about the unique ecosystems that are vernal pools while helping gather data for the statewide effort. Get your hands dirty as we collect samples and observe the fascinating organisms that call these pools home.&nbsp; It is required to complete the Vernal Pool Virtual Training Series with instructions on how to join the Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol prior to attending any vernal pool field training. The training series&rsquo; recorded <a fr-original-style="" href="https://vernal-pool-patrol-mnfi.hub.arcgis.com/pages/trainings" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">webinars can be accessed here</a>.You must register to attend this field training on Saturday, March 28th. &nbsp;If registration fills up, you may find additional field training opportunities in West Michigan <a fr-original-style="" href="https://vernal-pool-patrol-mnfi.hub.arcgis.com/pages/trainings" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: initial; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a>. We will meet at the Howard Christensen Nature Center and carpool to the field sampling site. Howard Christensen Nature Center will be hosting and providing parking at no cost; Donations are highly encouraged! The group should park in the main Welcome Center parking lot. It is the first of two driveways on Red Pine Drive, as you travel north. Weather appropriate outerwear and watertight boots are highly recommended. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. Questions? Email kcd.striketeam@macd.org or call (616) 365-5771 Don&#39;t miss this chance to contribute to citizen science while getting hands on training experience from the experts!

Vernal Pool Patrol Field Sampling at Rogue River State Game Area

Join us at the Annual Kent Conservation District Showcase 🌿 to explore practical ways our district is caring for Kent County&rsquo;s land, water, and wildlife through the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program and regenerative agriculture. Meet staff, partners, and neighbors who are putting conservation into action. Use this form to register, and reach out if you have any questions!🌎

Annual Kent Conservation District Showcase

Eco-Stewardship Invasive Control Workday &ndash; Rogue River State Game Area Join the Kent Conservation District for an invasive species control workday on Saturday, March 14, from 10:00 AM&ndash;12:00 PM at the Rogue River State Game Area. Volunteers will help control woody invasive species that threaten native plant communities and wildlife habitat. This hands-on effort supports long-term ecosystem health and restoration within the game area.We will meet at the NCT 20 Mile Rd Parking Lot, located at 1099 20 Mile Rd NW, Kent City, MI 49330. All tools and protective equipment will be provided, and staff will be on site to guide volunteers through the process. Please dress for the weather and bring a positive attitude. If you have questions, please email us at: kentstriketeam@gmail.com

Eco-Stewardship Invasive Control Workday - Rogue River State Game Area

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Friday, September 11th&nbsp;from 10:00-12:00,&nbsp;Invasive plant species educational workshop with community partner Kent Conservation District. This hands-on workshop will include a walk into the woods for an up-close look at invasive trees and shrubs and will finish in the prairie where participants will be shown how invasives impact that ecosystem. We will do some removal as well as spread native seed. Location: under tent, on south side of the Marywood building

Dominican Sisters Eco-Stewardship Workshop

Join us at Crahen Valley Park for an eco-stewardship workday 🌿&nbsp; Kent Conservation District is asking for volunteers Saturday, September 12th from 10am-12pm at Crahen Valley Park. We will be meeting at the Northeast end parking lot, which is off Knapp Court NE (42.99769, -85.56462). The workday will consist of woody cut-stump treatment from the invasive bittersweet.&nbsp; Invasive bittersweet is an aggressive vine that smoothers trees and outcompetes native plants and shrubs. If left alone, invasive bittersweet will destroy the tree canopy and become a monoculture. Our goal is to target the berry producing mature vines with cut-stump treatment and poodle cut away for the trees.&nbsp;

Kent Conservation District

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Dominican Sisters Eco-Stewardship Workshop

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Crahen Valley Park Eco-Stewardship Workday

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