We’ll be wrapping up the Students Experience Lake Charlevoix program today after two exciting days of hands-on learning with local middle schoolers. From water quality testing to discovering native species, students explored what makes our local waters so special.
Thanks to our partners Lake Charlevoix Association and Beaver Island Boat Company for making this program happen!
Become a freshwater protector! 🌊
Our Volunteer Stream Monitoring Spring Training is Sunday, April 27, 12–2 PM in downtown Petoskey.
✅ Learn water quality monitoring skills
✅ Collect and identify macroinvertebrates
✅ Practice field methods at the Bear River
✅ Pizza lunch provided!
Start at the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council office (426 Bay St) — then head to the river!
Register today: https://forms.monday.com/forms/180c57def1ed1d0028ab7d3133a410b0?r=use1
We’re sending a huge THANK YOU to all of our incredible volunteers for Volunteer Recognition Day!
From testing water quality to helping mail our letters—you show up, rain or shine, and make a real impact. We couldn’t do it without you.
Interested in joining our volunteer crew?
🔗 Link in bio or head to watershedcouncil.org/about-us/join-our-team/volunteer
Have you ever seen a macroinvertebrate in a river or creek, clinging to rocks or munching on plants? These small but mighty critters play a HUGE role in keeping our waters healthy—they’re great indicators of water quality and help us monitor the health of our local streams and rivers.
Because we love aquatic macroinvertebrates so much, we made them into a personality quiz! Whether you`re a mayfly, dragonfly, or caddisfly, your results will give you a fun way to connect with the work we do when we monitor a local stream.
Try it out and share your results at the link in our bio!
Celebrating #WorldWildlifeDay at the Watershed Council! We’re dedicated to protecting endangered and threatened species in our region along with the aquatic habitats they depend on. Here’s a look at some of our work helping to preserve the biodiversity of some of our rivers and wetlands:
1. The endangered Michigan monkey flower.
2. Staff removing invasive plants to protect the Michigan monkey flower`s habitat.
3. Surveying streams for the critically endangered Hungerford`s crawling water beetle.
4. A lake sturgeon, a threatened species, being released into the Sturgeon River during the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians’ annual Nmé Celebration
A great first session of the Watershed Educator Training is in progress at the Watershed Discovery Center! Thanks to funding from the Great Lakes Fishery Trust, thirteen teachers were able to come learn about tools and strategies for teaching about watersheds to their students on the first day of this two-day workshop. Thanks to Meag Schwartz and Savannah Obert-Pfeiffer from @nemiglsi for presenting on place-based stewardship education opportunities in Northeast Michigan!
Send to your valentine!
Visit the Watershed Discovery Center to learn more about these cuties: https://watershedcouncil.org/the-ruth-tucker-ayers-harris-watershed-discovery-center/
Calling teachers of 3-12 grade to join us for our Watershed Educator Training on February 27 & 28 at our office in downtown Petoskey! This hands-on workshop is the perfect opportunity to learn how to bring watershed education into your classroom. You’ll dive into topics like stormwater impacts, agricultural practices, and shoreline management—and walk away with valuable resources to help your students better understand their local environment.
Workshop details:
-9 AM – 2 PM February 27 & 28
-426 Bay Street, Downtown Petoskey
-Lunch is provided
-Plus, you’ll receive a $250 stipend to support your participation!
We’ll also be offering grants from $500-$1,000 to help fund materials for teaching watershed concepts in your curriculum. The workshop will guide you through the grant application process, so bring your ideas!
Spaces are limited—don’t miss this opportunity! Sign up today on our website to get involved in shaping the next generation of environmental stewards.
Thanks so much to the Great Lakes Fishery Trust for funding this program.
Did you know that 20-30 million tons of road salt are used each winter? That’s the equivalent to the weight of 175,000 blue whales or 62,000 passenger airplanes.
All the salt that we apply to streets and sidewalks ends up in our freshwater. Salt pollution is impacting lakes, streams, and drinking water. Efforts to raise awareness about salt pollution are growing, and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council is proud to be a partner with other non-governmental and governmental organizations across the United States and Canada for Winter Salt Awareness Week, held from January 27-31, 2025.
This weeklong event is dedicated to raising awareness on the harmful effects of excessive salt use and providing practical solutions to reduce its impact. Experts in ecology, winter road maintenance, and advocacy will offer insights into how smarter, more sustainable practices can protect our freshwater resources. Join us by registering online at wintersaltweek.org and tuning in to daily live streams to learn how we can make a difference in reducing salt pollution this winter.
Join us for our first Ice Breaker of the season on Tuesday, January 28th at noon as David Mifsud, certified professional wetland scientist and expert in herpetology, presents on the conservation of herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) in Michigan ecosystems. This free lecture is available to view virtually, or join watershed council staff for a screening of the webinar to watch in-person at the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation.
David A. Mifsud is the senior herpetologist and owner of Herpetological Resource and Management, a conservation company dedicated to the protection and stewardship of amphibians and reptiles. He holds multiple certifications including Professional Wetland Scientist by the Society of Wetland Scientists, Professional Ecologist by the Ecological Society of America, and Professional Wildlife Biologist through The Wildlife Society. He has worked for over 20 years in wildlife biology, wetland ecology, and habitat conservation and management, with an emphasis on herpetofauna. He has conducted research, assessments, and habitat restoration targeting amphibians and reptiles across Michigan. He has written or co-authored several publications and technical reports on Michigan herpetofauna. David is Co-chair of the State of Michigan Amphibian and Reptile Technical Advisory board. He also coordinates the Michigan Herpetological Atlas project. He has conducted numerous training workshops focused on the identification, conservation and best management of amphibians and reptiles in Michigan. He serves as an expert on Great Lakes turtles for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group with focus on Great Lakes and African chelonians. Mifsud is the author of the Amphibian & Reptile Best Management Practices for Michigan and co-author of the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region Revised Edition. He is also the founder and President of the Michigan Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy.
Register today on our website!
Do you want to inspire others to protect Michigan’s lakes, rivers, and wetlands? Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council’s 2025 Education Internship offers you the chance to make a real impact! As an intern, you’ll help lead water-themed lessons for a stewardship summer camp, speak to the public about lake and stream best management practices, and travel Northern Michigan with our Mobile Boat Washing Program to combat invasive species. You’ll also assist in high school stream monitoring, care for live fish at the Watershed Discovery Center, and organize educational events.
If you know a student who would love to enjoy a summer in northern Michigan while working to protect our waters please send this opportunity their way!
Apply now: https://watershedcouncil.org/featured/2025-education-internship-opportunity/
Happy New Year from Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council!
As we welcome 2024, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who supported us throughout our year-end campaign. Thanks to you, we’re ready to continue our vital work protecting Northern Michigan’s lakes, rivers, and wetlands.
Your dedication and passion for clean, healthy waters make all the difference. Here’s to another year of working together to safeguard the waters we all love.
Wishing you a happy, healthy, and water-filled New Year!
