Et cetera : NCCC Cedar 4 assists Michigan Nature Conservancy

Cedar 4 poses in front of their working grounds at the Nature Conservancy.

By Samantha Janda

On May 2, the AmeriCorps NCCC team of Cedar 4 arrived in Tecumseh, Mich. They are working with the Michigan Chapter of The Nature Conservancy until June 26. 

Cedar 4 is working alongside The Nature Conservancy in order to protect and restore prairie fens, oak savannas and southern floodplain forests around the River Raisin Headquarters region. The team is also removing invasive species, which are constantly taking over the natural communities.  These ecosystems are globally endangered and with NCCC and numerous amounts of volunteers, The Nature Conservancy hopes to remove the invasive species before they get any worse. 

Working with the fens, a low, marshy area of land, Cedar 4 also has the chance to help protect and assist with surveying the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes. These snakes are the only poisonous snake in Michigan and particularly reside in the fen lands. 

Cedar 4 is also searching around the community and surrounding towns for other community service projects. The team has a particular interest in the Hidden Lake Gardens in the area, as they contain a big part of Michigan’s natural beauty. 

The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit organization that has been around since 1951 and operates in all fifty states and over thirty countries. It has the mission to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. The Michigan Chapter of The Nature Conservancy protects over 360,000 acres of land.