 Join the NCEC (Newaygo County Environmental Coalition) and Sarah Pregitzer on April 12th from 10 am-12 pm, in celebration of the arrival of Spring with a program on starting your own pollinator garden. The program will be held at 432 Quarterline Road, Newaygo, 49337, in the UCC building. Registration is required for this free event as seating is limited to 28 guests. To register, go to www.facebook.com/NCEC2/events, and click on the registration link in the Pollinator Gardens post, or follow this link: www.zeffy.com/ticketing/pollinator-garden-design. You can also scan the QR code, or contact NCEC: [email protected]; 231-519-3419. Ms. Pregitzer will share her knowledge regarding site selection, sources for native plants, and maintenance of the garden. This will enable anyone to create habitats in their own yards to welcome and support pollinators such as butterflies and bees. Sarah is a Master Naturalist, a Conservation Land Steward, and co-founder of Newaygo Invasive Plants Project with her husband Randy Butters. In addition to the presentation, guests will have the opportunity to order native plants from Big Bluestem Farm (BBF) near Bitely, MI. BBF specializes in native plants that are best suited to the Newaygo and West Michigan region. Also known as local genotypes, these plants are well adapted to the local climate, require less maintenance, and will provide years of beauty and resilience. “Why grow native plants in your yard and garden?” asks Sarah. “Because they are much easier to maintain once established than non-native plants. They required less water, so are generally more drought resistant. They do not need added fertilizers and pesticides that many non-native plants need. So in that way they cost less to grow and are much better for the environment.” Sarah also adds, “Pollinators such as butterflies, bees and other insects are needed for pollinating our food sources as well. They also nourish those up the food chain such as birds, bats, and other animals.” Meta-analysis of 16 studies shows that insect populations have declined by about 45% in just the last 40 years. The large-scale death of insects poses huge threats not only to the ecosystems they exist in but also to much of our agriculture. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services estimates that insects pollinate about 75% of global crops (www.entomolgy.ucr.edu). Here in the U.S., the beloved Monarch Butterfly is headed towards the Endangered Species list. The eastern migratory population is estimated to have declined by approximately 80%, and the western population has declined by more than 95% since the 1980s. This is heading them both toward extinction by 2080 unless their natural habitats and food sources are protected and increased. “We can, and we must, provide as many native plants in our own yards as we can to help nourish our local pollinators and increase their numbers,” states Sally Wagoner, Vice Chair of NCEC. “This program with Sarah will guide anyone in starting or expanding their native plant garden. What a great way to help our butterflies and bees!” 
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 Photo by Jodi Breuker Michigan’s 12,000 bears are waking up. It’s time to pull the bird feeder.
“Always respect Mother Nature. Especially when she weighs 400 pounds and is guarding her baby.”- James Rollins, Ice Hunt From our friends at Michigan DNR As the weather warms, thousands of hungry black bears across northern Michigan will leave their dens and go hunting for food that could include bird seed, pet food and garbage. Wildlife experts from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources urge residents to be diligent this spring by removing bird feeders and pet food from outdoors, using bear-resistant garbage cans and keeping grills and patio furniture clean. More than 10,000 black bears live in the Upper Peninsula. Another 2,000 or so reside in the northern Lower Peninsula, with the bear population slowly expanding south. Unfettered access to calorie-rich foods such as bird seed can turn them into repeat visitors to residents’ homes and lead to dangerous situations for people, livestock and pets. “Removing food sources now before they attract bears and other wildlife can save you time, money and stress, and keep the animals safely foraging at a distance for the rest of the year,” said Jared Duquette, a DNR wildlife biologist who specializes in human-wildlife interactions. “While black bears are generally fearful of humans, we should never engage with or feed the bears. It is critical that bears retain their natural fear of humans.” As preventative measures, Duquette suggests: Removing bird feeders. Birds will soon have an abundance of natural food sources available. If you like watching birds in your yard, consider replacing feeders with bird baths or nest boxes or planting native flowers and grasses that attract birds year after year. Visit the Audubon website to learn more. Bringing in outdoor pet foods and keeping grills and patio furniture clean. A bear’s nose can smell food up to a mile away. While you may not be able to smell the spills on your patio, a bear can. Securing garbage cans indoors overnight. Taking the trash out in the morning may seem inconvenient, but it's far easier than cleaning up scattered trash that has been left out overnight. Using bear-resistant garbage cans. Because bears are smart enough and motivated enough to get into trash cans, consider using certified bear-resistant containers that have passed a formal procedure to keep them out. Protecting beehives with electric fencing. Keep your bees and beehives safe by installing an electric fence. Recommendations can be found in this publication: Protect Your Beehives from Black Bears. According to BearWise, Bears can lose more than 30 percent of their body weight over their winter fast. Most bears emerge from their dens drowsy and lethargic and spend their first few days drinking water or eating snow before they begin nibbling on plants that help clear their kidneys and digestive system. Bears eat lightly at first and look for old berries, rose hips and acorns along with winterkill carcasses. Eventually they will go in search of more substantial meals, so now is a good time to make sure anything around your property that could possibly attract a hungry bear is stored out of sight, smell and reach. To learn more about preventing conflicts with bears this spring, visit Michigan.gov/Wildlife or contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453.  Mike Voyt, Hunger Prevention Director at True North Community Services, will demonstrate how to make a seed block and growing microgreens.-Mike’s photo courtesy of True North; other photos by NCD.  From our friends at Newaygo County Environmental Coalition The public is invited to “Growing Together: A Home Grown Gardening Gathering” on Saturday, April 5 from 1pm to 4pm. It will be held at True North Services, 6308 South Warner Avenue Fremont, MI, 49412. Space is limited so registration is needed. To register go to bit.ly/HomeGrownGarden, or click on the QR code. Guests will learn about starting seeds at home; home composting that will keep food waste out of the trash and nourish your garden; how to grow microgreens for fresh, healthy salad greens any time you need; heirloom tomatoes; and much more! A Seed Swap is also planned: if you have vegetable, flower or native plant seeds to swap or share, please bring them along! Make sure they are in envelopes and marked – some envelopes and markers will be on hand to help out. In addition, guests will be able to make and take home a “seed block” – compressed soil where you can plant your seeds and watch them grow. A seed block can take the place of “peat pots”, and ensures good soil and moisture for the seeds to sprout and the plants to grow. “We are excited to feature speakers who will share their insights on heirloom seeds and vermiculture, discussing their experiences, benefits, and cultivation tips,” explained Jen Burfield of the Newaygo Conservation District. “This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow gardening enthusiasts and enhance your gardening skills!” The Growing Together event is a collaboration between True North Services, Newaygo Conservation District and the Newaygo County Environmental Coalition. If you have any questions, contact Jen Burfield, [email protected], (231) 225-3201  Photo and article by Donna Iverson Snowdrops are woodland wildflowers that appear at the cusp of spring often when snow is still on the ground. It is one of the first to flower as winter retreats between February and March. The delicate snowdrop (Galanthus) is a perennial that grows from a bulb. It is an early promise of spring and symbolizes better times ahead. Native to Europe and the Mideast, snowdrops prefer moist soil and alkaline soil. Bulbs can be planted in the spring or the fall. But the bulbs need temperatures below 20 degrees to force blooms. Snowdrops will self seed and spread once they are established in your yard. Easy to grow, snowdrops like sun to partial shade. Snowdrops attract bee pollinators and are for the most part ignored by rabbits and deer. Historically, snowdrops were often mentioned in fairy tales. In fact, Snowdrop was an alternative name for Snow White. Composers like Tchaikovsky and Strauss also wrote musical pieces featuring snowdrops in their works. And in ancient times, at the February Feast of Candlemas, young women dressed in white robes, paraded the streets as human snowdrops.  First cougar cubs verified in Michigan in more than a century From our friends at Michigan DNR For the first time in more than 100 years, cougar cubs have been discovered living in the Michigan wild. State biologists on Wednesday confirmed the existence of two cougar cubs on private land in Ontonagon County in the western Upper Peninsula. The spotted cubs, believed to be 7 to 9 weeks old, were verified from photographic evidence of the cubs taken March 6 by a local resident. This is the first time cougar cubs have been verified since the big cats were hunted out of existence in Michigan in the early 1900s, said Brian Roell, large carnivore specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Roell, a wildlife biologist for 26 years, led the team that verified the cubs. “It’s pretty exciting, considering this could be the first known cougar reproduction in modern times in the western Great Lakes states,” said Roell, referring to Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. “It really shows that we have a unique place in Michigan where someone has a chance to see a wolf, a moose and a cougar in the wild. It’s something that should be celebrated, that we have the habitat to support an elusive animal like this.” The cubs were spotted and photographed without their mother. Cougar cubs are highly dependent on their mothers, often staying with them for the first two years of life. Although cougars are native to Michigan, most of them now appear to be transient animals, dispersing into Michigan from Western states. The DNR has verified 132 adult cougar reports, Roell said, but DNA testing has confirmed only male cougars to date. The cubs have not been spotted since March 6. “Those young cougars are very vulnerable right now,” Roell said. “We don’t know where they are or if they’re even alive. Mother Nature can be very cruel.” Sightings can be logged in the DNR’s Eyes in the Field reporting system. Roell said cougars are on the list of endangered mammals in Michigan, meaning it’s illegal to hunt or harass them, which includes trying to locate their den. It’s also illegal to trespass on private property, he noted. For the latest information on cougars, including the DNR’s cougar sightings photo page, visit Michigan.gov/Cougar.   Soaking up the forest vibes. Photo courtesy of Sally Wagoner You may have heard it called Forest Bathing, Forest Therapy or Forest Immersion. Whatever it is called, the experience will leave you refreshed and reconnected. Reconnected to nature, yourself and your community. NCEC will be hosting its first quarterly Forest Immersion experience on March 22nd from 1pm-4pm, at the Coolbaugh Natural Area. Slated to occur around the Spring and Fall Equinoxes, and the Summer and Winter Solstices, our Forest Immersion sessions will take place in various forests and woods around Newaygo County during this coming year. Sally Wagoner will guide the sessions as she invites guests to experience the healing nature of the forest. Sally is a retired nurse, nature enthusiast, and Forest Therapy School graduate (www.theforesttherapyschool.com). A Forest Immersion session is quite easy. You are invited to experience the forest through your individual senses, one at a time: sight, sound, smell, touch. With each guided suggestion, you become aware of details in the forest that are not noticed initially, and often go unobserved completely when hiking or just taking a leisurely walk. A peaceful circling around herbal tea marks the end of the Forest Therapy session, where guests are invited to share what they have experienced, if they so choose. Everyone’s experience is unique. Please join us on March 22, from 1-4pm for a local Forest Immersion experience. Registration is required and limited to 13 guests. To register, go to www.facebook.com/NCEC2/events, and click on the registration link in the Forest Emerson post. Or click on our qr code. Questions please contact NCEC: [email protected]; 231-519-3419. NCEC (Newaygo County Environmental Coalition) is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the environmental beauty and sustainability of the Newaygo County Region. For more information, visit www.nc-ec.org.
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