MAPLE CITY, MI – The small, delicate blue petals of the forget-me-nots grew in bushy clumps along the shoreline of Lime Lake, where conservation expert Caleb Garone bent down to show volunteers how to rip the ornamental flower out of the ground.

“We can do our best to try to pull up as many of the roots as possible. Really, the main thing is preventing the seeding and getting as much of the plant material out,” said Garone, land steward with nonprofit Leelanau Conservancy.