Despite the best efforts of our Stewardship Crew and volunteers, nearly all of our park and open space properties have invasive plants. We are proud to announce that we have five properties that are now considered effectively invasive free: Van Buren Dunes Kirk Park...
Importance of Wetlands
Far from being useless, disease-ridden places, wetlands provide value that no other ecosystem can. Wetlands help improve water quality, provide flood protection and shoreline erosion control, and create opportunities for recreation and aesthetic appreciation....
PlayCleanGo Boot Brush and Wader Wash Stations
Students in the Careerline Tech (CTC) Natural Resources & Outdoor Studies and Construction programs are working together to build and install 28 boot brush stations and a wader wash station at 10 Ottawa County Parks before the summer season. Cleaning off boots...
Forest Pests Along the Lakeshore
Our Natural Resources Management team has been largely focused on managing invasive plants, like garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed, and oriental bittersweet on park properties. Recently, they have had to allocate more time and resources to focus on the threat of...
Ray and Alma Statema Park Stewardship Fund
Ottawa County Parks has created an endowment fund to celebrate a legacy of environmental leadership and honor the many contributions of Ray and Alma Statema. The Ray and Alma Statema Park Stewardship Fund is housed at the Allendale Community Foundation and will...
Join us for a Volunteer Workday this Spring
Help us care for the parks you love! If you have never volunteered for a stewardship workday before, here’s what you should know: Bring work gloves (preferably leather), insect repellent, and appropriate attire for the outdoors. All tools, drinking water, and snacks...
North Ottawa Dunes Closed November 16-19, 2018
Reminder to Park Visitors: North Ottawa Dunes will be closed to the public from Friday, November 16 - Monday, November 19 for an annual deer management hunt. The park will re-open Tuesday, November 20 at 7 am. This hunt is by lottery only. Learn more about hunting in...
Parks PSA: Avoid bittersweet in your holiday wreaths
It looks festive, but it’s a “gift” that keeps growing Wouldn’t it be great if all of the invasive species and plants we work to eradicate were terribly unattractive? It certainly would make the job easier if everything looked like a sea lamprey. Unfortunately,...
Yard waste damages natural areas
What is the problem? Yard waste is being dumped on park land. These natural materials seem harmless, but they lead to a degraded, unnatural system. Park resources are required to remove and treat biological waste on public lands. Why is yard waste a problem in parks?...
Riverside Restoration
Riverside Park in Grand Haven is one of Ottawa County’s oldest parks. It was owned by the Ottawa County Road Commission before the Parks Department existed. It has a long history of boating and fishing that continues today, but after many years of recreation, areas...