About Us
Programs & Services
Property Site Visits & Assistance
We can help you manage challenges with your farm, forest, water, soil and invasive species.
Education & Outreach
We offer classroom presentations, conservation education kits, and workshops in the community.
Financial Support
We help connect you with funding opportunities and affordable soils and trees.
Conservation Supply Store
Get supplies chosen by neighbors tested in Missaukee County. From native plants and trees to garden supplies and educational materials.
View all programs & services
Get Involved
Donate to our District
Your financial support keeps our services free for all neighbors. Every donation directly supports equipment, materials, and community programs.
Partner with MCD
Connect your business or organization with conservation-minded residents while supporting meaningful local work.
Volunteer your time
Join hands-on conservation community that gives back and makes a difference for our shared land.
Sign up for our newsletter
Sign up to our newsletter to get monthly conservation tips, workshop announcements, and volunteer opportunities delivered to your inbox.
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Resources
Store
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what YOU CAN do

Get Involved

No matter how involved you want to get with conservation work, there's a way for you to make a difference.

Donate to Our Mission

Your contributions fund free property assessments for landowners facing challenges, education kit materials that teachers can borrow at no cost, and stream monitoring equipment for volunteer citizen scientists.

Make a Donation

Volunteer Your Time

Join hands-on conservation work that makes a visible difference in our community. Complete a volunteer application to get started with opportunities that fit your schedule and interests.

Apply to Become a Volunteer

Become a Partner

Showcase your commitment to community and environmental stewardship through partnership with MCD. Connect your business or organization with conservation-minded residents while supporting meaningful local work.

Business Sponsorship

Event sponsorship opportunities let you support community workshops, educational programs, and conservation events while gaining recognition through our newsletter, tree sale catalog, and website.

We offer custom partnership packages that align with your business goals and demonstrate your commitment to environmental stewardship in Missaukee County.

Organizational Collaboration

Schools, libraries, and community groups can partner with us for joint programming that combines resources and expertise.

We coordinate conservation projects, share educational materials, and collaborate on grant applications that benefit multiple organizations. These partnerships create stronger community connections while advancing conservation education.

Property Owner Partnerships

Landowners passionate about conservation can partner with MCD by offering their property for demonstration projects, educational field trips, or research opportunities.

This includes hosting native plant demonstrations, allowing student groups to conduct stream monitoring or habitat assessments, and serving as real-world examples of successful conservation practices.

Advocate for Conservation

Join Friends of Missaukee Conservation District, an independent organization that supports MCD through advocacy, fundraising, and community outreach. Members pay $25 per year or contribute 5 volunteer hours, with student rates of $5 annually or 2 hours of service.

Friends hold monthly meetings at rotating locations throughout the county and work to inform residents about conservation services while encouraging broader community participation.

Our Impact

We believe that when passionate neighbors support each other, conservation becomes contagious. Every person who gets involved helps create a ripple effect of positive change throughout our community.

OUR IMPACT

Land Stewardship

In June of 2021, Joyce Jamieson graciously gifted an 80-acre parcel of land to the Missaukee Conservation District with the stipulations that the character of the land be preserved and that it be used to provide outdoor education opportunities.

With her vision in mind, the MCD has completed the creation of a land management plan with the technical knowledge and assistance of our staff and partners, as well as community input.

MCD is currently in the process of applying for grants and seeking funding to support the land in becoming the future home of the "Jamieson Nature Education Center".

We have a vision board in our office that the public is always welcome to come check out, we also have land committee meetings each month. Funding helps support the administration costs of applying for the grants and staff costs associated with the progress and creation of our vision.

A master plan of an ADA Trail Network and a Multigenerational Nature Playscape is currently being created. Funding for this design was made possible by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. We are excited to share this design and plan once complete.

OUR IMPACT

Environmental Education and Outreach

Missaukee Conservation District has presentations and workshops on water quality, wildlife, soil science, sustainability, and more. An Outreach Coordinator is available to visit your school, library, club, township or local park to run these programs at no charge. Kits on the topics are also available to check out and take home including all of the materials and instructions needed. Please provide at least 2 days of notice if you would like assistance running a outreach event.

As of June 9, 2025:

463 events held

since 2018

4,361

adults reached

through education programs since 2018

13,828

kids reached

through education programs since 2018

Learn more about education & outreach

OUR IMPACT

Habitat Conservation

Conservation districts help promote the planting of beneficial trees, fruits, and native plants in our community. Each year, the Missaukee Conservation District puts on a tree seedling sale in the spring and a native plant sale in the fall. This serves both as a fundraiser for the district and as a way to provide low-cost seedlings to the Missaukee County Community.

As of June 9, 2025:

181,389

seedlings

sold since 2018

7,582

native plants

sold since 2018

Learn more about tree & plants sales

OUR IMPACT

Soil Conservation & Groundwater Protection

The Missaukee Conservation District holds the grant for the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP). We house a farm technician that is available to visit farms in the county at no cost to the landowner to provide technical assistance and work with the farmer on voluntary risk reduction practices.

The MAEAP technician serves Missaukee, Crawford, Kalkaska, and Wexford counties. Risk reduction practices include pesticide and fertilizer storage, well water condition, livestock and pasture management, and more.

Farms can be verified in four systems including Farmstead, Cropping, Livestock, and Forest, Wetland, and Habitat.

As of June 9, 2025:

239 farm site visits

since 2018

47 verifications

since 2018

60 re-verifications

since 2018

Learn more about MAEAP

OUR IMPACT

Landowner & Farmer Assistance

In partnership with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), a Conservation Technical Assistance Initiative Technician (CTAI), works with Missaukee County Residents through a grant that the Missaukee Conservation District holds. This soil conservationist position works closely with NRCS to bring Federal Farm Bill dollars into Missaukee County to landowners.

Two main programs are used by NRCS called the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

Examples of practices implemented are manure storage facilities, pollinator plantings, cover crops, livestock pipelines and more.

As of June 9, 2025:

$5 M

in funding

from CTAI since 2018

377 site visits

since 2018

474 practices

since 2018

Learn more about Farmer Assistance

OUR IMPACT

Forestry Management

Missaukee Conservation District shares a forester with both Kalkaska and Wexford Counties. The technician works out of the Kalkaska Conservation District office who holds the grant for the Forestry Assistance Program. Our district forester provides technical assistance both in-office and on-site at no charge.

The forester works with landowners to evaluate the health of their forests and aid in forest management based on the landowners goals. The forester also works with landowners for the Qualified Forest Program (QFP) which is a tax incentive program for forest owners.

As of February 5, 2025:

213 forests visited

since 2018

23,352

acres served

since 2018

78 verifications

across 11,416 acres since 2018

Learn more about forest management

OUR IMPACT

Invasive Species

The Missaukee Conservation District was a founding member of the North Country Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (NCCISMA), and still sits on their steering committee today. NCCISMA works to educate the public, consult with property owners, and survey the county for invasive species. MCD and NCCISMA often work together for outreach events.

NCCISMA serves six counties: Missaukee, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Osceola, and Wexford. They can help with identifying invasive species, give guidance on treating invasive species and buying herbicides, give invasive treatment demonstrations, and they have a strike team for hire to control high priority invasives on private property.

We are fortunate in Missaukee County that we are in good condition when it comes to invasive species. NCCISMA and MCD work hard together to prevent and treat invasive species to keep our County clean.