The Nature Conservancy, Point Betsie Lighthouse Holding Volunteer Event to Give Back to Nature.

FRANKFORT, Mich. — The Nature Conservancy and the Point Betsie Lighthouse are teaming up to host a volunteer event on Saturday, July 27, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Zetterberg Preserve at Point Betsie. Attendees will partner up with members of TNC’s restoration team to pull spotted knapweed, an invasive plant that can displace native plants and degrade wildlife habitat. Registration is required and can be done online.

“Zetterberg Preserve is part of one of the largest freshwater dune systems in the world and provides a vital habitat for rare species, including Pitcher’s thistle,” said Helen Taylor, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Michigan. “We’re asking the community to spend a morning with us, help pull invasive plants and give back to a dune system that has been part of the fabric of the area for generations.”

The dunes at Point Betsie are part of 275,000 acres dune system along the shore of Lake Michigan. On top of providing critical habitat for Pitcher’s thistle, the dunes have also been identified as a potential nesting site for piping plovers as the population of this endangered species recovers.

“Tackling invasive plants is a year-round job which is why we have a crew that bounces from preserve to preserve to help keep them at bay,” said John Lerdal restoration associate and crew lead for TNC in Michigan. “This volunteer event at Point Betsie will give attendees a chance to see a day in the life of a restoration associate at TNC while helping preserve a unique ecosystem in the process.”

Spotted knapweed can irritate the skin, so attendees should wear long-sleeve shirts and bring gardening gloves.

Point Betsie became a preserve through the generosity of Steve and Connie Zetterberg after they donated the original 71 acres of sand dunes in 1988. Zetterberg Preserve at Point Betsie is now 168 acres.