Join us for Native Plant Seed Collection on the Hiawatha National Forest
Sept. 27 is a fee-free day on national forests and grasslands
Contact Information: Chelsea Kallery (541) 970-4521 chelsea.kallery@usda.gov
Secondary Contact: Ted Roper theodore.roper@usda.gov
Gladstone, MI, Sept. 10, 2025 – On September 27, Hiawatha National Forest is hosting a Native Plant Seed Collection, a volunteer event in honor of National Public Lands Day – the nation's largest single-day volunteer event for public lands.
Join us for the Native Plant Seed Collection.
- Date/time: September 27, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Location: Meet at the Rapid River Ski Trail. Caravan for work site, which is about ten minutes away, will depart just after 9:00 a.m.
- Directions to meeting spot: Drive north for about six miles on US 41 from the intersection with US 2. The trailhead is on the left/west side of the road.
- Event Activities: Collecting native seeds for restoration plant
- What to bring: Please pre-register with the Munising Ranger District. All work materials will be provided based on pre-registration.
To learn about other events, visit the National Public Lands Day event locator. There are a variety of opportunities for volunteers to pitch in on improvement projects in their communities.
National Fee-Free Day
National Public Lands Day is also designated as a Fee-Free Day. On these special fee-free days, standard amenity fees are waived for day use sites — like picnic areas, developed trailheads, and destination visitor centers. Some exceptions apply.
About 95% of national forest land can be enjoyed fee-free, year-round. Where fees are assessed, at least 80% of these funds are reinvested at the collection site, to provide needed maintenance and services or pay for future improvements.
For more information about interagency passes, visit the Forest Service’s Passes and Permits page. The remaining fee-free observances for 2025 is Veterans Day on Nov. 11.
Before you go to the Hiawatha National Forest, visit the forest website for information on recreation opportunities and any public safety alerts: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/hiawatha. If you want to make reservations for these and other federal lands, visit Recreation.gov or call one of forest offices https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/hiawatha.
To RSVP or for more information, reach out to Ted Roper, Botanist, at theodore.roper@usda.gov.