• Looking out at the lake

    Sleeping Bear Dunes

    National Lakeshore Michigan

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  • Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive will not open until Memorial Day Weekend

    Changes to visitor service due to Sequestration. Due to mandatory, across-the-board budget cuts, some visitor services in this park have changed. Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive will not open until Memorial Day Weekend and will close after Labor Day. More »

  • Some restrooms and trash cans not available until Memorial Day

    Changes to visitor service due to Sequestration. Other than those at the visitor center and campgrounds, restrooms and trash cans will not be available until Memorial Day Weekend and will close after Labor Day. This includes the Manitou Islands. More »

Invasive Plant Community Workdays Offered at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

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Date: June 25, 2012

Are you looking for a way to get involved with your local national park this summer? Then lend a hand to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore). Two different Saturday workdays will be offered as a way to involve visitors and community members in projects that also help them learn about different invasive plants impacting the park, local communities, and region. The National Lakeshore encourages all who are interested in assisting with park conservation to attend the workdays.

As part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), Interpretive Park Ranger Ryan Locke and other National Lakeshore staff will lead the workshops that focus on how invasive plants are affecting natural and cultural resources. They will also provide information about native plants and animals found along the Lake Michigan shoreline. The GLRI continues to fund many ecological restoration projects around the Great Lakes, including those at the National Lakeshore. In addition, the GLRI has an educational component intended to inform the public about the threats posed to the Great Lakes by invasive species.

The National Lakeshore restoration project dates and times are as follows:

Saturday, June 30 (9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.): Baby's breath (and spotted knapweed) removal at Peterson Beach. Meet at the visitor center in Empire.

Saturday, July 28 (9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.): Honeysuckle removal at Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Meet at the visitor center in Empire.

No reservations are needed. Participants will sign up as volunteers and will not need a park pass to participate in this activity. When planning to attend a workday, be prepared for all kinds of weather by dressing appropriately, including wearing closed-toed shoes and long pants. Also, remember to bring water, sunscreen, and bug spray. For more information about the schedule, meeting locations, or National Lakeshore activities, please call the visitor center at 231-326-5135, ext. 328, or visit their website at www.nps.gov/slbe.

Did You Know?

Lake Michigan Overlook, Sleeping Bear Dunes

The sand and gravel bluffs on the Lake Michigan shore in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore are 450 feet above the lake level providing outstanding views and sunsets. On a clear day, you can see South Manitou Island. More...