Volunteer Event with WMU Lee Honors College

Fall 2026 | ALPA led a dedicated group of volunteers from WMU's Lee Honors College in expanding the chicken wire barriers installed around trees along the lake. The barriers protect the trees from overbrowsing by the resident beavers, but they must be widened periodically to leave room for the trees to grow. Over several hours, the group successfully protected more than 75 trees.

ALPA board members in attendance included President Josh Kieser, Jimmy Lane, Tom Howes, Nicole Holmes, Olivia Craig, Dok Stevens, and Paul MacNellis.

Thank you to the WMU students for all of their amazing help, and to local favorite Factory Coffee for keeping everyone fueled with coffee!

Group photo with volunteers. President Josh Kieser on left, board member Jimmy lane on right.

President Josh Kieser delivers an orientation before we all hit the trail.

President Josh Kieser speaking to the group again about what comes next in our mission.

President Josh Kieser (left) and board member Tom Howes (right) demonstrate how to add a mending strip of chicken wire to expand a tree cage.

Two WMU students, from team “Beaver Believers,” hard at work.

More volunteer work from team “Beaver Believers.”

Board member Jimmy Lane (right) works with two volunteers from team “Cage Throwers.”

A WMU student from team “Beaver Believers” expanding chicken wire.

Close-up of a successfully expanded cage.

Coffee donated by local favorite, Factory Coffee.

Saving Saplings & Seedlings

Summer 2026 | Along with volunteer Paul MacNellis, ALPA plants a number of oak and red bud saplings and seedlings throughout the preserve. After the trees outgrew their plastic guard tubes, MacNellis and ALPA returned to remove the tubes and upgrade the protective measures to wire fencing. Today’s workers included board President Josh Kieser, board member Tom Howes, board member Jimmy Lane, board member Judy Huxmann, and volunteer Paul MacNellis.

Left to right: Tom Howes (board member), Paul McNellis (volunteer), Jimmy Lane (board member), Judy Huxmann (board member), Josh Kieser (board president).

(left to right) Jimmy Lane (board member) and Josh Kieser (board member) looking at map for location of saplings.

Jimmy Lane (board member)

(left to right) Jimmy Lane (board member), Josh Kieser (board member), and Judy Huxmann (board member).

Spring Clean-Up 2026!

Spring 2026 | ALPA organizes a group of volunteers to pull and bag garlic mustard, an invasive species found throughout the preserve. Thank you to Factory Coffee for donating liquid fuel! Onsite ALPA board members included President Josh Kieser, Tom Howes, Dok Stevens, and Jimmy Lane.