Friends of Sleeping Bear seeks volunteers
From staff reports
Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will host a training meeting on Saturday, May 19, at 1 p.m. for Adopt-A-Beach, BARK Ranger, Adopt-A-River, and Adopt-A-Trail volunteers.
The meeting will take place in the log cabin at DH Day Campground along the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. Because of limited parking in the campground, you are encouraged to park in Glen Haven and walk or ride your bike 1/3 mile to the log cabin. Handicap parking is available at the Log Cabin in the campground.
Adopt-A-Beach
Want to walk a beautiful, pristine Lake Michigan beach at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and help keep those beaches safe and clean? Adopt-A-Beach will provide tools and training. The litter you pick up is reported to the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Volunteers picked up and reported more than a ton of litter in 2017.
BARK Ranger
BARK Rangers monitor a Lake Michigan beach, often with their dog to educate Park visitors with dogs about the importance of keeping their pet on a leash and taking the pet only in approved areas. One of the main objectives is to minimize the interaction of the endangered Piping Plover shore bird with dogs. The presence of dogs or people near Plover nesting sites has a negative impact on the ability of the birds to successfully nest, hatch, and fledge their babies.
Adopt-A- River
Get out the kayak or canoe and paddle the Lower Platte River or Crystal River. Visit with other paddlers, pick up litter, and report any hazardous conditions. You can do this on your own schedule. More volunteers are needed on Park rivers to ensure a safe, clean, and fun environment for visitors to enjoy.
Adopt-A-Trail
Looking for a way to help keep rustic hiking trails safe and beautiful while enjoying a relaxing walk? Many volunteers are families or groups of friends who enjoy walking trails together. It’s simple, easy, and fun.
The Adopt-A-Trail program has been in operation for 20 years at Sleeping Bear Dunes. More than 50 miles of trails are patrolled each year by volunteers. In 2017 alone, volunteers logged over 1,500 hours on patrols, fixed countless minor maintenance situations themselves, and reported dozens more major maintenance issues to the Park. A simple online reporting system allows volunteer crews to keep track of their hours and report any large maintenance issues such as down trees or erosion problems directly to Park staff.
For more information about the programs, email Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes at info@friendsofsleepingbear.org or visit on the web at FriendsofSleepingBear.org.
