Mt. Pleasant Service Center

About the Program
DTE Mount Pleasant Service Center is located in north-central Michigan. The project team's overall goal is to reduce the overall amount of area that is mowed and provide a small urban oasis of habitat for migratory birds and local wildlife to ensure that quality habitat exists for these species in the future. To support this goal, the team manages three acres of native oak savannah.

Practices and Impacts

• Since 2007, the team has managed a three-acre oak savannah, which was planted exclusively with native plants. The oak savannah provides wildlife habitat while also filtering out stormwater runoff.
• The team employs hand-pulling to keep invasive species at bay, since no pesticides are used in this practice. Mowing is avoided to benefit pollinator species, as well as their larvae and eggs. The no-mow policy also reduces the site’s fossil fuel usage. The team monitors the area for native and invasive plant species, as well as wildlife found on the property.
• This project is aligned with both the Michigan Pollinator Initiative and the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge.
• The team also constructed bat boxes near the habitat. These boxes are monitored monthly for signs of bat usage, and the team will be evaluating placement of the box since no bats have utilized the box yet.