The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Parks & Recreation Division, Stewardship Unit is seeking bids for control of the invasive herbaceous plants spotted knapweed (Centaurea spp.) and sweet-clover (Melilotus spp.) at Wilderness State Park (Emmet County) and Cheboygan State Park (Cheboygan County). Baby’s breadth (Gypsophila paniculata) at Wilderness State Park. Reed canary grass at isolated locations at Cheboygan SP. The shoreline of these parks consists of a variable-width sand and cobble beach that provides critical habitat for the federally endangered piping plover, the federally threatened Pitcher’s thistle and Houghton’s goldenrod, the state-threatened Lake Huron tansy, and many other native shoreline plants and animals. The shoreline also supports a large Great Lakes marsh/interdunal wetland/coastal fen complex. The general goal of this project is to control the invasive spotted knapweed and sweet-clover plants that have colonized portions of the shoreline and negatively impacted the native species. This work will be accomplished by a combination of hand pulling the plants and targeted herbicide application. This is the tenth year of treatment. The work will be bid as lump sum price for each park. What is awarded is dependent upon bid prices. Bidders may bid on one or both parks and offer discounts as desired. There will be no pre-bid meeting scheduled for this project. Venders are encouraged to visit each park and as many treatment zones as possible before bidding. All knapweed, sweet clover and baby’s breadth treatments must be completed between June and August 31, with the second treatments of reed canary grass completed by Sept 16, 2025. Two complete treatments of all zones and points of all four species are required.
