The goal of this website is to keep you informed about natural areas stewardship in Oakland Township Parks. Regular blog posts are written by Cam Mannino, our dedicated volunteer; Ben VanderWeide, the Natural Areas Stewardship Manager; and other stewardship staff.
The Charter Township of Oakland in Oakland County, Michigan has about 1500 acres of parkland. We also manage the Paint Creek Trail within Oakland Township. These beautiful areas protect unique natural features, native plants, and wildlife habitat. Whether you enjoy walking in the parks, observing the wildlife, or just watching the colors change from season to season, these natural areas are a quiet refuge.
The stewardship staff restores native plant communities, removes invasive plant species, and keeps track of what’s going on in the natural areas. We couldn’t do this without your help! If you like to get involved, check out our volunteer opportunities, participate in a workday, or stop by the Parks and Recreation Office on the second floor of the Paint Creek Cider Mill at 4480 Orion Rd, Rochester, MI 48306.
Annual Reports
Read our natural areas stewardship annual reports by visiting the Annual Reports page.
Natural Areas Notebook 
Pingback: 2019 Natural Areas Stewardship Annual Report | Natural Areas Notebook
I cannot attend. Is it possible to post a link to the talk so I could watch and learn? Or is there another time and place this talk will be done?
I have worked for years to make my yard bee friendly and would love to hear this talk.
Peggy (Troy)
Ecology & Conservation of Metro Detroit’s Bees: Protecting Wild Pollinators in Your Own Backyard
Caleb Wilson, Graduate Student, Oakland University
Thursday, January 25, 6:30 pm at the Paint Creek Cider Mill
Hi Peggy – we don’t have the setup to record the presentation, but I’ll check with Caleb to see if we can post his presentation and handouts after the talk. Thanks for your interest in this talk, and for making your yard bee friendly!
Thank you. Please post the link so I and others can get the information. The more folks that get the message the more our bees are protected. Seeing my first bees in my garden is a personal
highlight of spring in my yard. Help us keep them safe.
Peggy – We just published a blog post summarizing the information from Caleb’s bee talk. There are links to his slides at the bottom of the post. https://oaklandnaturalareas.com/2018/02/09/recapping-a-great-presentation-on-pollinators-exploring-michigan-bees-wasps-and-bee-wannabes/
Thank you, Cam, for introducing me to your wonderful ” This week at Bear Creek ” The crush of the Christmas season at the bakery and so many other distractions, caused me to delay following your lead. But now I’m enjoying your lovely notes. Bless you —- Gerald
I would just like to thank Dr. Ben Vanderweide and the other Parks Department staff that may be responsible for creating this wonderful website. Ben your coming to Oakland Township and supporting out great Parks is much appreciated. Our community is very lucky to have you on our Staff. Keep up the great work!
So glad you like the website! I’m really enjoying working the parks. We have some very special areas, and I am excited to watch them change over time. Hope you check back regularly!