Maintaining the Lakeshore’s Landscape
Visitors love the historic landscape – whether roaming the old orchards, or walking the natural trails, or looking over the farm fields.
With dozens of antique orchards, thousands of farm fields in Port Oneida, and gardens, the park does not have the capacity for the important work of maintaining these areas. Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear takes these on as work projects with specific teams or there are opportunities to adopt an orchard, garden, or farm field. This can be an ideal opportunity for a youth group or school.
Adopt-A-Highway
Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear took on the adoption of a two mile section through the Port Oneida Rural Historic District on M-22 – the main road through Leelanau County in 2014. This beautiful stretch of Leelanau County in the National Park is maintained by our volunteers who keep the road and 20 feet into the landscape, clear of a whole variety of litter and trash. A spring and fall cleanup is done annually. Learn more...
Farm Fields and Natural Trails
Adopt-a-Field/Trail
This program keeps invasive and non-native vegetation from encroaching on historic properties and losing the farm fields which are important to the story of the district, and natural trails from being encroached on. Volunteers will hand-lop to remove invasive and nonnative vegetation growing in, using approved tools and treatment substances. We maintain the Bayview hiking trail keeping black locust from growing into this beautiful trail. Our mowers and forestry mulchers cannot be used on steep hills or get into trails so volunteers are needed. Learn more…
Mowing
Once invasive or non-native vegetation has been removed from the fields, volunteers trained on the tractor and mower, will mow fields between April and October. If you are over 21 and interested in being a mower, please complete a volunteer application.
Forestry Mulcher Funding
Where invasive vegetation has grown beyond the ability to hand-lop, we fund a Forestry Mulcher to remove black locust, autumn olive or silver poplar, prior to getting the field into our mowing program. Donate to fund a forestry mulcher rental or contractor.
Gardens
Lawr Farm and C. Olsen Farm currently have gardens. We will be restoring the perennial garden at the Eitzen farm in 2026. Lawr and Eitzen gardens are available for adoption. Olsen Farm has a team of gardeners you are welcome to join! Learn more…
Orchards
Over fifteen farmsteads have remnant orchards. We assist the Lakeshore in preserving over 80 varieties of apples. From pruning the trees, to helping graft, transplant and water, volunteers can get involved! Each year the Park offers an orchard pruning workshop in May which we would encourage Orchard adopters to attend learn the skills necessary. We also provide funding for the antique orchard nurseries and fences. Park pruning workshops are held the first Friday afternoon of May. To sign up, email Kimberly_Mann@nps.gov
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