The Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Stewardship Unit will be holding a special volunteer stewardship workday at Fort Custer Recreation Area on Saturday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to plant prairie wildflower seedlings.

"A severe wind event in the fall of 2002 blew down trees in a large section of the park. We decided to take advantage of the situation and adapt the necessary clean-up into an ecological restoration of the area back to its former state, the Coguaiak Prairie," said Ray Fahlsing, DNR Parks and Recreation Division's Stewardship Unit manager.

Volunteers will plant native prairie wildflowers to establish seed propagation fields for future restoration projects at the park. The wildflower propagation fields planted this spring will provide much of the wildflower seed needed to restore the 130-acre Coguaiak Prairie.

Restoration already is well on its way. In the spring of 2007, 70 acres were planted with prairie grasses using local genotype seed gathered by volunteers. The remaining 60 acres will be planted with prairie grass seed this spring via machine planting. Once undesirable plants are taken care of in the grass plantings, native prairie wildflowers will be planted.

Thanks to the generosity of volunteers and partners like the Michigan Youth Challenge Academy, this ecological restoration is now nearing completion. Soon, many species, such as Henslow's sparrow, dickcissel, prairie vole, box turtle, eastern massasauga, prairie-dependent insects and many others will return to find a home in the Coguaiak Prairie. Park visitors will again enjoy this important piece of Michigan's natural heritage.

"Planting native wildflowers is a great way to get outdoors and give back to your state parks, and we need a lot of help from volunteers on this project," Fahlsing added.

Volunteers should meet at the Whitford Lake picnic area parking lot and bring appropriate clothing for outdoor work, including long pants, boots, gloves and drinking water. Participants also are encouraged to bring their friends and family and a shovel or two.

For more information or to obtain directions, visit the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnrvolunteers and link to the "Calendar of Volunteer Stewardship Workdays." All volunteers are asked to register using the form available on the Web site. Any questions should be directed to Laurel Malvitz at (248) 359-9057 or malvitzl@michigan.gov.