Students from Brimley Area Schools build habitats for rabbits and other wildlife that need shelter during winter months in a project sponsored by The Nature Conservancy, Lake Superior State University and the Michigan United Conservation Clubs. The six habitats were built by students, along with installed trail cameras, at the Two-Hearted River Forest Reserve in Luce County. (Courtesy photo)

By Journal Staff

MARQUETTE — More than a dozen high school students from Brimley Area Schools participated in a program to create habitats for rabbits and other small animals.

The students participated in a project which saw them install trail cameras and build habitats for rabbits and many other small animals that need shelter during the winter months. The project was the result of a partnership between The Nature Conservancy in Michigan, Lake Superior State University and the Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ On the Ground program.

During the late September workday, six habitats were constructed across two acres on the Two-Hearted River Forest Reserve in Luce County. Trail cameras were mounted to each habitat and will be maintained over the next year by The Nature Conservancy staff in the Upper Peninsula.

“I want to thank The Nature Conservancy and Michigan United Conservation Clubs for putting together such a fun project so our students could get hands-on experience in building wildlife habitats,” said Kirsten Hindy, CTE instructor and outreach and education specialist at the Center for Freshwater Research and Education at LSSU in a press release. “The Career and Technical Education program at Brimley Area Schools and Lake Superior State University provides students with a one-of-a-kind experience in the outdoors, and this project is just another example of how students can gain unique skills in nature.”

The On the Ground program is a volunteer wildlife habitat program which aims to improve fish and wildlife habitat and increase use of public access lands around the state.

“The goal of On the Ground is to bring together individuals and groups of all ages and levels of outdoor experience to improve wildlife habitats, whether that means building habitats or planting trees,” said Kristina Kennedy, habitat program and partnerships coordinator for MUCC’s On the Ground program. “It was heartwarming to see how eager these high school students were to get their hands dirty and build something so meaningful for Michigan’s wildlife.”