Encompassing about 25,000 acres across five counties in southeast Michigan, the Huron-Clinton Metroparks contains some of the largest and most diverse greenspaces in our area. Open prairies, shady forests, and lively wetlands are home to an incredible array of plants and wildlife and provide prime opportunities for hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, nature study, and a host of other outdoor activities.
The Metroparks Natural Resources Department oversees and manages undeveloped land throughout the 13 Metroparks. The goal of the Natural Resources Department is to protect and restore significant elements of natural diversity while balancing ecological stewardship with compatible recreational uses.
The natural diversity of the Metroparks is reflected in the number of unique habitats, animals, and plants found throughout the parks. For example, Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie are home to remnants of the disappearing Great Lakes coastal marshes; Kensington, Stony Creek, and Indian Springs host healthy populations of the rare Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake; and a population of mullein foxglove at Oakwoods is one of only two known in the state of Michigan. The Natural Resources Department actively protects and manages these precious resources, often calling upon volunteers to lend a helping hand.
Learn more about land, water, and stewardship at the Metroparks.
Natural Resouces Documents
Natural Resource Projects
This list contains medium and large scale projects exclusively. Normal maintenance activities such as small scale garlic mustard control are not listed in an effort to keep the list manageable.
| Metropark | Project | Description | Timeline |
| Delhi | Early Detection Rapid Response | Purple Loosestrife, Japanese Stilt Grass, and Japanese Hedge Parsley monitoring and removal | March – July 2019 |
| Delhi | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | West Delhi and river corridor | June – December 2019 |
| Dexter-Huron | Prescribed Burn | Oxbow Prairie | March – May 2019 |
| Dexter-Huron | Early Detection Rapid Response | Purple Loosestrife, Japanese Hedge Parsley, Tree of Heaven monitoring and removal. | March – July 2019 |
| Dexter-Huron | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Ballfield Wetland, Main Park Woods, Oak Barrens, Floodplain Forests. | June – December 2019 |
| Hudson Mills | Early Detection Rapid Response | Japanese Hedge Parsley, Dames Rocket, Japanese Knotweed, Flowering Rush, Purple Loosestrife monitoring and removal. | March – July 2019 |
| Hudson Mills | Habitat Restoration | Improving habitat for protected species. | May – August 2019 |
| Hudson Mills | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Nature Trails, East Boundary, Group Camp. | June – December 2019 |
| Hudson Mills | Oak Wilt Remediation | East river Hike-Bike Trail | November – December 2019 |
| Huron Meadows | Prescribed Burn | Maltby Lake Dry-Mesic Forest | March – May 2019 |
| Huron Meadows | Early Detection Rapid Response | Japanese Hedge Parsley, Sericea, Tree of Heaven, Oregon Grape monitoring and removal. | March – July 2019 |
| Huron Meadows | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Maltby Lake Shore, Ore Lake Swamp | June – December 2019 |
| Huron Meadows | Phragmites Control | Maltby Lake | August – October 2019 |
| Huron Meadows | Oak Wilt Remediation | Maltby Lake Dry-Mesic Forest | November – December 2019 |
| Indian Springs | Prescribed Burn | EDC Prairies | March – May 2019 |
| Indian Springs | Early Detection Rapid Response | Black and Pale Swallow-wort, Sericea, Birdsfoot Trefoil monitoring and removal. | March – July 2019 |
| Indian Springs | Habitat Restoration | Improving habitat for protected species. | May – August 2019 |
| Indian Springs | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | EDC Prairies, Lower Pond Hibernacula. | June – December 2019 |
| Indian Springs | Phragmites Control | Hike-Bike Trail, Timberland Swamp Complex | August – October 2019 |
| Indian Springs | Oak Wilt Remediation | Hike-Bike Trail | November – December 2019 |
| Kensington | Prescribed Burn | Wildwing Fen, Tamarack Fen, Milford Rd. Grassland. | March – May 2019 |
| Kensington | Early Detection Rapid Response | Black and Pale Swallow-wort, Japanese Hedge Parsley, Japanese Knotweed monitoring and removal. | March – July 2019 |
| Kensington | Habitat Restoration | Improving habitat for protected species. | May – August 2019 |
| Kensington | Aquatic Nuisance Species Control | Kent Lake | June – August 2019 |
| Kensington | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Administrative Woods, Wildwing Dry-mesic forest, Nature Center Trails, Tamarack Fen, East Border. | June – December 2019 |
| Kensington | Phragmites Control | Kent Lake, Farm Center. | August – October 2019 |
| Kensington | Goose Management | Use of trained dogs to discourage Canada Geese from utilizing beach and public recreation areas. | Year round |
| Kensington | Oak Wilt Remediation | North Windfall, Flagstaff. | November – December 2019 |
| Lake Erie | Early Detection Rapid Response | Japanese Hedge Parsley, Flowering Rush, Water Hyacinth, monitoring and removal. | March – July 2019 |
| Lake Erie | Aquatic Nuisance Species Control | Marina | June – August 2019 |
| Lake Erie | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Nature Center Viewshed, Erie Woods, Erie Marsh. | June – December 2019 |
| Lake Erie | Phragmites Control | Throughout park. | August – October 2019 |
| Lake Erie | Shoreline Softening and Marsh Restoration. | 1.6 million dollar grant awarded for shoreline naturalization and marsh restoration. | September 2018 – September 2021 |
| Lake St. Clair | Early Detection Rapid Response | Japanese Hedge Parsley, Flowering Rush, Water Hyacinth, monitoring and removal. | March – July 2019 |
| Lake St. Clair | Shoreline Softening and Marsh Restoration. | $170,000 Grant awarded to naturalize shoreline in North Marsh. | May 2019 – September 2020 |
| Lake St. Clair | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Nature Center Prairie, Parking Lot Swales. | June – December 2019 |
| Lake St. Clair | Phragmites Control | Throughout park. | August – October 2019 |
| Lake St. Clair | Goose Management | Use of trained dogs to discourage Canada Geese from utilizing beach and public recreation areas. | Year round |
| Lake St. Clair | ADA Accessible Fishing Dock Installation | Floating dock at Boat Launch to provide fishing opportunities for people of all types of abilities | March-September 2019 |
| Lake St. Clair | Marsh Bird Surveys | Conduct surveys in the restored North Marsh and Point Rosa Marsh for habitat dependent species. | Performed yearly in June. |
| Lower Huron | Prescribed Burn | Fox Woods Ravine, Bobwhite Wetland. | March – May 2019 |
| Lower Huron | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Robbe Farm, Woods Creek, Bobwhite Woodland. | June – December 2019 |
| Lower Huron | Phragmites Control | Throughout park. | August – October 2019 |
| Oakwoods | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Nature Area Trails, Salamander Grassland/Woods, White Oak Woodland, Railroad Floodplain Forest. | June – December 2019 |
| Oakwoods | Phragmites Control | Throughout park. | August – October 2019 |
| Oakwoods | Pipeline Corridor Restoration | Nature Study Woodlands | June – December 2019 |
| Oakwoods | Grassland Bird Surveys | Throughout; survey for grassland birds as grasslands are restored to track community changes. | Performed yearly in June. |
| Stony Creek | Prescribed Burn | Nature Center Grasslands , Nature Center Prairie. | March – May 2019 |
| Stony Creek | Early Detection Rapid Response | Black and Pale Swallow-wort, Dames Rocket, Japanese Hedge Parsley, Japanese Knotweed monitoring and removal. | March – July 2019 |
| Stony Creek | Habitat Restoration | Improving habitat for protected species. | May – August 2019 |
| Stony Creek | Aquatic Nuisance Species Control | Control of aquatic nuisance species to increase accessibility and use of water for recreation. | June – August 2019 |
| Stony Creek | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Nature Center Prairie, Habitat Trail Grasslands. | June – December 2019 |
| Stony Creek | Grassland Bird Surveys | Throughout; survey for grassland birds as grasslands are restored to track community changes. | Performed yearly in June. |
| Stony Creek | Goose Management | Use of trained dogs to discourage Canada Geese from utilizing beach and public recreation areas. | Year round |
| Stony Creek | Phragmites Control | Throughout park. | August – October 2019 |
| Willow | Aquatic Nuisance Species Control | Control of aquatic nuisance species to increase accessibility and use of water for recreation. | June – August 2019 |
| Willow | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Indian Ridge Prairie, Big Bend. | June – December 2019 |
| Wolcott Mill | Early Detection Rapid Response | Japanese Knotweed, Tree of Heaven monitoring and removal. | March – July 2019 |
| Wolcott Mill | Invasive Shrub and Vine Control | Horse Trail Mesic Forest, Stream Corridor Restoration Sites. | June – December 2019 |
| Wolcott Mill | Phragmites Control | Throughout park. | August – October 2019 |
Our Partners
The Natural Resources Department frequently collaborates with government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit groups in order to restore habitat and advance ecological research in southeast Michigan. Here are some of our partners.
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
- Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
- Oakland County Parks
- Huron River Watershed Council
- Clinton River Watershed Council
- The Nature Conservancy – Oak Openings Region
- The Stewardship Network
- Ducks Unlimited
- Pheasants Forever
- Michigan Nature Association
- Six Rivers Regional Land Conservancy
- Michigan Natural Features Inventory
- Wayne State University
- The University of Michigan
- The Ohio State University
- Michigan State University Extension
- Michigan Sea Grant