2022 Spring Foray

Hosted by the Southeastern Chapter

The MBC Spring Foray 2022 is centered this year at the UAW Conference Center on Black Lake near Onaway, Michigan. Field trips will extend to choice natural areas on public lands and private preserves located in Alpena, Presque Isle and Cheboygan counties.

The Botanical Society has not held a Foray in this region since 2000, when the SEC hosted a Foray held in Rogers City. When the 2022 Foray was originally planned for 2020, it was to be a 20 year anniversary Foray returning to NE Michigan. This region is well known for its scenic character and diversity of habitats rich with spring flora. Notable among these are huge colonies of Iris lacustris, Michigan’s state wildflower. Here, in fields ablaze with blue flowers, is the world’s largest concentration of Dwarf Lake Iris.

Directions: For those who have the time, we recommend taking the coastal route on US-23 for a pleasant and scenic drive, exiting I-75 at Standish. Long before you reach Rogers City, you will have left behind the predominately deciduous forest of the southern portion of the Lower Peninsula and entered the conifer area of the northern boreal forest. At Rogers City, head west on M-68 to Onaway. Or you can travel north on I-75, exiting on M-68 at Indian River and drive eastward to Onaway.

Approximate distances to the UAW Conference Center:

Ann Arbor  260 miles

Detroit 275 miles

Grand Rapids 225 miles

Kalamazoo 275 miles

Lansing 220 miles

Marquette 205 miles

Houghton 303 miles

We have organized a variety of full-day and half-day (easy access) field trips and workshops. Please note there will be a limit to the number of participants on each trip. Sign-up for field trips will be held both online and by mail-in reservation form. Field trip assignments will be made by registration date, and priority given to MBC members. Field trip caravans will assemble in the outer parking lot of the UAW Conference Center. Field trips will include Lake Huron shorelines where the rise and fall of lake levels have created beaches, bogs, marshes and small dunal areas, and inland, where we will explore several limestone sinkholes with a variety of unusual plants. The UAW Conference Center offers a beautiful setting for several onsite trips and workshops.

The Southeastern Chapter of MBC appreciates the contributions of all who helped us create exciting opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty of this region. Thank you to our field trip leaders, evening presenters, the MBC State Board officers and directors, and to the individual members of the 2022 Foray planning team.

What to Bring

Michigan weather can be unpredictable. Please consult the weather forecast for areas near Onaway and Rogers City and plan accordingly.

Things to bring include boots for wet areas, more than one pair of sturdy shoes, and walking sticks. Also, long pants, rain jacket, sweater, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, medications, notebook, field guides, camera, hand lens, and daypack will complete your field trip ensemble. If you are taking your lunch on a field trip, you may want to bring an insulated lunch bag or personal-sized cooler. We will have ice available to the Center each morning. Don’t forget your water bottle! We will not be providing single use plastic water bottles with the box lunches. Bring a swimsuit if you wish to swim in the Olympic-sized pool. You may also want to bring personal toiletries and a hair dryer as only liquid soap is provided by the facility.

Local and Health Information

Onaway, the Sturgeon Capital of Michigan, is a very small town (pop. 880) where you can find Tom’s Family Market, a Dairy Queen, Subway, Lorenzo’s Pizza, and a few full-service restaurants. There are several local motels and the Onaway Historical Museum located in the restored 1909 Onaway Courthouse. Large metal sculptures may be found around the town fabricated at the Moran Iron Works of Onaway.

For minor health care, Thunder Bay Community Health Services (989-733-2082) in Onaway may be able to help you. There are 24/7 emergency rooms in Cheboygan (McLaren North 800-248-6777), Petoskey (McLaren North 800-248-6777), and Alpena (MidMichigan Medical 989-356-7252). Contact the Conference Center staff for more assistance.

COVID infections are still a concern. Foray participants are asked to be vaccinated, and must follow the Black Lake Conference Center’s Hotel Policies and Regulations with regards to masks and distancing, etc. Every adult will need to sign a copy of the Waiver and Release form and send it in with their registration. Copies of the form for minor children will be available at the registration desk.

There is an ATM in the Main Lobby of the Conference Center.

Places to Visit

There are many additional places to visit along the Lake Huron shore and its vicinity including the tallest lighthouse at Presque Isle, the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, the Mill Creek Discovery Park near Cheboygan, and others within easy driving distance. The Conference Center can direct you to other local attractions.                    

Lodging

The UAW Conference Center is a private, gated facility located on 1,000 acres of wooded grounds with access to Black Lake, and about one hour south of Mackinaw City. Designed in contemporary style by Oscar Stonorov, the center provides environmentally friendly lodging, campsites, classrooms, a large lecture hall, buffet dining, a gym, and a pool among other amenities.  (Website: www.uawblacklake.com)

As a uniquely union-owned facility there are unique policies. All guests and visitors report to the gatehouse attendants when they arrive. The gatehouse attendants will give directions about where to park and about how to get to the Main Lobby where you will check into your room. The entire Main Lobby complex is under one roof. You will stay dry from room to lobby to dining room to lecture hall.

Note: Everyone must park their vehicle in either the off-site lot or the on-site lot. After unloading at the Main Lobby and parking in the appropriate lot, you will be able to call a shuttle bus to return to the Main Lobby. Shuttle busses are “on call” during your stay to take you to on-site locations and the entrance. Inquire about the parking regulations and bus service when you make your reservations.  The site is very large, so please allow time for the shuttle bus to arrive.

NOTE: Field trip staging will take place at the off-site parking lot located just before the entrance, with shuttle service from the Main Lobby entrance.

Room/Campsite Reservation information

You must make your own room or campsite reservations.

Standard rooms with two double beds are available at the block rate of $81 plus tax which includes a daily use fee of $5/night for WIFI, phone service, free shuttle buses, and unlimited use of fitness and pool facilities. Make your room reservation at the Conference Center by calling the Guest room reservation number at (989) 733-8521, Monday through Friday from 8:15 am to 4:15 pm. You may give the room block code of 220527MBC2 or simply say you are part of the Michigan Botanical Society Foray. The number of rooms is limited, so please reserve your room at the block rate as soon as possible. You may also make your room reservations online at https://uawblacklake.com/ The deadline is April 28, 2022.

Note: No personal checks are accepted at check-in or two weeks prior to arrival. Check-in time is 4 pm. Check-out time is prior to 10 am.

Camping reservations may be made at the Conference Center on a “space available” basis by calling the Guest room reservation number above. Onaway State Park is about 6 miles from the center and also has campsites. It is recommended that you reserve campsites early.

Remember to inquire about the parking regulations for your vehicle and/or camper.

Directions

From I-75, take Exit 310 (M68 East) 18 miles east to Onaway. Just before town, turn north onto S. Black River Road, about 6 miles to 2800 Maxon Road. From US-23 at Rogers City, take M68 west about 22.5 miles to Onaway. Turn right onto Main Street (M211), go about 6.5 miles, then turn left onto N. Allis Hwy to S. Black River Road. Turn right to 2800 Maxon Rd. You will pass the Golf Club before reaching a parking lot just before the check-in gate at the entrance to the facility grounds.

Meals

You will be on your own for dinner on Friday evening. There are a few restaurants and a Subway in Onaway. There is also a restaurant at the Black Lake Golf Club just outside the entrance to the conference center.                                

All meals will be buffet style in the dining room which is next to the Lecture Hall. The standard meal package includes 3 breakfasts, 2 box lunches, and 2 dinners. Box lunches will be available for pickup after 7 am, in the dining room. A Monday box lunch is optional for a fee, reserve in advance on the registration form. Every effort will be made to accommodate dietary restrictions, but this may not always be possible. Vegetarian choices will be available.

Note: No beverages will be provided with the box lunches. Bring your own refillable water bottles.

Field Trips

ALL-DAY TRIPS (Offered Saturday and Sunday all day, sign up for either Saturday or Sunday)

Thompson’s Harbor State Park: Coastal Fen Exploration & Dwarf Lake Iris Investigation (all day)

Part A: Coastal fens are sedge and rush dominated wetlands along Lake Huron and Michigan, characterized both by groundwater seepage and fluctuating lake levels. They are globally-and state-imperiled due to their rarity and restricted range. This site includes marl flats, pooled water, peat mounds, and shallow sands over limestone cobblestone. Interesting species documented here include Arnoglossum plantagineum (prairie Indian-plantain), Calopogon tuberosus (grass-pink), Carex flava, C. richardsonii (Richardson’s sedge), C. scirpoidea, Iris lacustris (dwarf lake iris), Juncus balticus, Pinguicula vulgaris (butterwort), Parnassia glauca (grass of parnassis), Rhynchospora capillacea, Sarracenia purpurea (purple pitcher plant), Utricularia cornuta (horned bladderwort), and Hypericum kalmianum (Kalm’s St. John’s-wort).

Part B: Contribute to the efforts to update the status and extent of dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris) populations. Thompson’s Harbor State Park and Atlanta Forest Management Unit have multiple areas where dwarf lake iris grows, contributing to the largest global occurrence. We’ll visit several areas where the extent of the population has not been fully mapped, including one location where forma alba has been observed in the past. Our objectives are to map perimeter points of the subpopulation, record basic habitat data (e.g., soil depth, light), record density and reproductive estimates if blooming, and record locations of shrubby invasive species.

Trip Notes: Materials to bring or share:

Shoes/boots that can get wet

Small spade

Small ruler

Mobile device (phone or tablet) with Survey123 App downloaded and “MNFI Dwarf Lake Iris Survey – Simple Points” loaded to your device prior to field trip. Location must be turned on and Survey123 granted access to location data on device.

Difficulty: On-trail and off-trail walking on sandy and slippery marl but level terrain. Rocky at dwarf lake iris area. Will be wet.

Trip Leaders: Rachel Hackett (Saturday), Tyler Bassett (Sunday). Dr. Rachel Hackett is a botanist with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. Her specialties include prairie fen plant diversity, wetland plants, biodiversity data management, and aquatic invasive species. Dr. Tyler Bassett is a botanist with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. He studies the ecology of natural communities, with a focus on the rare plant species they support. He has a particular passion for understanding and restoring the fragmented prairie-savanna landscapes of the upper Midwest.

Great Lakes Shores: Grass Bay and Cheboygan State Park (Saturday and Sunday all day)

We will explore two different, but nearby areas of the Lake Huron shore, at the “tip of the mitten” – Grass Bay and Cheboygan State Park. At both places we will look at the dunes and beach, interdunal swales, and, at Grass Bay, the lake-influenced conifer forests. We can expect to see all the dune species typical of the region, including Pitcher’s thistle, dune grasses, and characteristic shrubs, as well as the rich interdunal meadows with bladderworts and sundews and many other species. A little back of the open dunes, we will see Iris lacustris, hopefully in bloom, maybe yellow lady-slippers depending on the season, and perhaps other orchids, and a fine display of sedges.

Trip Notes: There will be potential for wet feet and cool winds off the lake.

Difficulty: Easy, with a short steep descent into Grass Bay Preserve

Trip Leaders: Tony Reznicek (Saturday), Liana May (Sunday). Dr. Tony Reznicek has recently retired from the University of Michigan, but remains active in research and curation. His interests include the Michigan and Great Lakes region flora, especially rare and disjunct species, and also sedges, especially Carex, throughout the New World. He is also especially interested in the plant geography of the northeastern North American flora, concentrating on the Great Lakes region, studying plant migration and colonization, the origin and persistence of relict plant species and communities, determining factors of species richness in plant communities, as well as rare plant conservation. Liana May is the owner and operator of Borealis Consulting LLC, where she specializes in botanical surveys, natural community mapping, and conservation-oriented planning. Liana grew up in the dunes and forests of Leelanau County, which lead to a passion for biodiversity and conservation from a young age. This has led to a diverse path of studying forest conservation in Madagascar and Tanzania to working as a botanist in Northern Michigan. Liana also works to encourage public engagement in conservation though classes and workshops. She earned a B.S. in Environmental Science (2006) and a M.S. in Conservation Ecology, Informatics, and GIS (2013) from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment.

Karst of the Stevens Twin Sinks and Mystery Valley Preserves (Saturday and Sunday all day)

Dissolution at depth of evaporites such as gypsum has weakened the formations above. Collapse features developed due to the massive weight and then melt back of glaciers further stressed the underlying formations. This trip will visit two typical sinkholes and a blind valley with a sinkhole at one end, and associated earth cracks and swallows. The sink holes are approximately 200 ft. wide by 80 ft. deep with steep glacial cover and some vertical rock wall. The valley is glacially mantled with some thinly covered limestone visible along the south side. A small stream flows into it. The last few years have seen the bottom of the valley flooded and easy access to the sinkhole and swallows flooded. The sinkhole and swallows had normally swallowed the water by July. Vegetation is areas of mixed hardwoods, cedar, and grasses. There are some small zones of less common plants at Mystery Valley.

Trip Notes: Sturdy walking or hiking shoes are recommended. A walking stick is helpful but optional. There is one area of poison ivy but a prepared pathway leads through it.

Difficulty: Pathways of some moderate slope, two short stretches of cobble pathway may be involved. The sinkholes can be seen with a short walk. Earth cracks and the valley involve ¼ mile and ¾ mile hikes. We will not be descending into the sinkholes.

Trip Leaders: Tyrone Black (Saturday), William Houston (Sunday). Tyrone (Ty) Black is retired from the former Office of Geological Survey (Office of Oil, Gas, and Minerals) after nearly 34 years. During those years he served as an Area Geologist, Mineral Wells Geologist, Hydro Geologist, Assistant to the Regional Geologist, and Publications Control. He investigated several geological phenomena such as karst, karst lake drainage, soil collapses, and natural gas vents in Montmorency, Cheboygan, and Alpena Counties. He also served on several inter agency committees such as the DNR Biodiversity CORE Team. He is a Certified Professional Geologist by the AIPG, past officer and newsletter editor of the AIPG Michigan Chapter, and member of the Michigan Basin Geological Society. William Houston is a retired educator after 18 years in the classroom and 21.5 years as a building principal (39.5 years total) at Van Buren Public schools in Western Wayne County. He is also Past President of the Montmorency County Conservation Club, President of the Kirtland’s Warbler Audubon Society, member of the TB River Restoration group, Property Manager for the TB Karst Preserve (south of Posen, MI.), a Steward of the Alpena Charter Township Nature Preserve, and he enjoys hiking, kayaking, photography - any outdoor activity to further his appreciation and respect for nature.

HALF DAY TRIPS and WORKSHOPS

UAW Conference Center Campus Tour (Easy Access)

Saturday morning

Did you know that by January 1967, the UAW had purchased 1,000 heavily wooded acres along the shores of Black Lake? A skilled craftsman and tool and die maker by trade, Walter Reuther, envisioned the Center to be aligned with nature. He wanted to bring the outdoors in and let the landscape dictate the center’s footprint on its environment. Reuther, along with longtime friend and renowned architect, Oskar Stonorov, were committed to preserving the oak, pine, maple, aspen and hemlock trees on the site. He and Stonorov wanted the Center to be a lesson on how to build without destroying nature. Reuther personally examined and tagged practically every tree on the site and, in some cases, construction lines were altered to preserve a particular piece of nature. Learn more about the history of this facility on this campus tour via walking and shuttle bus.

Location: Meet at 10:00 am Saturday morning in the Center’s Main Lobby where a staff member will be your personal tour guide.

Nature Journaling Workshop (Easy Access)

Saturday morning

Nature journaling will help deepen your observational and drawing skills. Engage in nature in a richer, more enduring way by recording what your senses tell you with words, pictures, and numbers. All are welcome, no matter the skill level; you don’t have to be an artist! Below, I’ve listed below a few supplies I ask you to bring and if you already have something comparable, please bring them. I am not asking you to go out and purchase all new materials. This workshop is about learning the process rather than having the exact tools. I will bring some extras of the suggested pens, pencils and paper that you can borrow for the day for those who are not able to secure them before the workshop. I instruct using black & white. I feel working first in black & white as you learn the processes puts you in more direct contact with the subject being studied. However, if you are already experienced with using color when drawing or painting in nature and want to bring your favorite water colors, color pencils or pastels, please bring them.

Trip Notes: Recommended materials to bring - unlined sketchbook, pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener, black fine-line waterproof pen (like a Micron pen), black brush pen and colored pencils. All these materials could be purchased at your local craft store, such as Michael’s. A three-legged collapsible stool is recommended if you like to sit as we wander around. If you have any questions about the art materials, please email me and I am happy to discuss them further. hfcckelly@gmail.com

Location: Meet in the cafeteria at 9:00 am. Then we will wander the grounds of the UAW Conference Center.

Difficulty: Easy access. Walking short distances on mostly level ground.

Workshop Leader: Judy Kelly is a retired community college biology professor. She taught many subjects, including Botany, Microbiology and Environmental Science and always had her students draw. Her artistic journey began in high school when she designed and painted a 4’ by 8’ mural for the local elementary school. Over the years she has continued to enhance her artistic skills by taking numerous workshops and participating in competitions. She currently teaches nature journaling for the Glen Arbor Arts Center in Glen Arbor, MI.

Emily Min Hunt Preserve

Saturday afternoon

The Thunder Bay Audubon Society donated the 428-acre Emily Min Hunt Preserve to the Huron Pines Conservancy in March of 2019. The preserve was originally donated to the Thunder Bay Audubon Society in 1989 by Paul S. Hunt in memory of his late wife Emily Min Hunt. The Hunts moved to Long Lake from Detroit in 1936. Located between Rogers City and Alpena, the preserve offers the perfect spot for quiet nature exploration. It is a half square mile plus mosaic of varied swamp forest, grownover alvar, old field and orchard, and cattail marsh. A common understory plant near the entrance is leatherwood, Dirca palustris, named for its bark. It is also called “rubberwood.”  The stems can be bent almost double without breaking. It has rather attractive yellow flowers – a sort of “northern Forsythia.” Another dampground association is dominated by our native buckthorn, Rhamnus alnifolia. There are willows and sedges galore. Yellow Lady-Slippers and various liliaceous species will be in flower. Snowberry, Symphoricarpos albus, is another common understory plant.

Difficulty: Easy walking on unimproved trails. No facilities onsite.

Trip Leader: Huron Pines Conservancy volunteer.

Ocqueoc Falls (Easy Access to Falls)

Saturday afternoon

Ocqueoc Falls is the largest waterfall in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and the only universally-accessible waterfall in the United States. There is a wonderful wheelchair accessible ramp/walkway to view the falls. Ocquoec provides approximately six miles of hiking, biking and cross-country skiing opportunities with three marked loops. At this site, you can see where the Ocqueoc River has cut a channel through the limestone bedrock that underlays the entire region. During spawning season, you can see the salmon actually swim through these underground channels. The remnants of an old mill race can be seen just above the falls. This short video gives an introduction to Ocqueoc Falls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9W-e7QWacQ

Difficulty: Short, level pathway from parking lot to falls. Additional hiking trails of moderate difficulty.

Leader: This is a self-guided trip.

Big Tree Workshop (Easy Access)

Sunday morning

A short casual walk looking at tree identification features and use of keys, tree measuring techniques, adjustments for abnormalities, single vs. multiple stem origins, use of the record form, accessing the Big Tree register data and becoming a certifier.

Trip Notes: Certifiers and potential certifiers may bring along their own measurement tools to practice on samples.

Difficulty: Easy, on grounds of the Conference Center.

Leader: Ted Reuschel. Ted graduated from Michigan Tech in Houghton with a degree in Forestry, and spent his entire career with the Forest Management Division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Ted worked in the western U.P., Northwestern lower, and in Lansing. After his retirement, Ted continued his interest in trees, and big trees in particular, by joining Andy Sawyer’s team of inspectors and certifiers. When Andy retired from his post as state coordinator in 2017, Ted was asked to take up that position, and happily accepted.

Nature Photography Workshop (Easy Access)

Sunday morning

You don’t need a fancy camera to take great nature photos. You can take many with a phone. We will take time to set up on a few subjects, talk about composition and basic techniques to improve your photos. If you are not interested in photography, you are still welcome to join us for a walk. We plan to walk the trails at the UAW Conference Center for this workshop.

Trip Notes: Bring a camera and your manual. Also bring a smartphone if you have one.

Difficulty: Easy, on grounds of the Conference Center.

Trip Leaders: Don & Joyce Drife. Don and Joyce are accomplished nature photographers with hundreds of photographs accepted in International Photo Salons. Their work can be seen at: http://www.michigannatureguy.com/blog  .

Fossil Hunting

Sunday afternoon

This trip is an opportunity to collect preserved specimens of Michigan’s Devonian Sea. Rockport State Park sits on the Rockport Quarry Limestone beside Lake Huron in southeast Presque Isle County between Rogers City and Alpena. The old Rockport Quarry is on part of the site with approximately 40 acres of exposed limestone from quarry operations. Eighty to 100 years of quarry exposure reveals shallow sea ecologic systems in the fossil associations. Common are algal mats, horn corals, hexagonaria (Petoskey Stone and honeycomb corals), branching corals and bryozoa, Archimedes bryozoa (corkscrew), brachiopods, and crinoid stems and buttons. Less common to rare are some types of brachiopods, trilobites, and fish plates. The site also exhibits the advancement of vegetation into the abandoned quarry, primarily by red cedar.

Trip Notes: State policy limits collection to 25 pounds of specimens. Recommended equipment are: a hand lens, firm shoes or boots (dry and wet areas of the quarry offer different opportunities), collection bag(s), protective wraps for delicate specimens, rock hammer (optional), chisel (optional), compass or gps, water, and sun protection.

Difficulty: Some roadway, pathway terrain for easier navigation. Access to the quarry floor is about ¼ mile of roadway and trail from the parking lot. Navigation into the quarry involves some rugged terrain if you use the quarry floor roads, much rugged terrain if you do more “exploring.”

Trip Leader: Tyrone (Ty) Black. Ty retired from the former Office of Geological Survey (Office of Oil, Gas, and Minerals) after nearly 34 years. During those years he served as an Area Geologist, Mineral Wells Geologist, Hydro Geologist, Assistant to the Regional Geologist, and Publications Control. He investigated several geological phenomena such as karst, karst lake drainage, soil collapses, and natural gas vents in Montmorency, Cheboygan, and Alpena Counties. He also served on several inter agency committees such as the DNR Biodiversity CORE Team. He is a Certified Professional Geologist by the AIPG, past officer and newsletter editor of the AIPG Michigan Chapter, and member of the Michigan Basin Geological Society.

UAW Center Forest Trails (Easy Access)

Sunday afternoon

Join naturalist Don Drife to explore the trails at the UAW Conference Center. The walking should be easy.

Trip Leader: Don Drife. Don has been studying native vegetation in Michigan for over 40 years, and is a longtime member of the Michigan Botanical Society and a life member of the Michigan Audubon Society. He blogs at MichiganNatureGuy/blog and presents programs about the natural world for local nature groups. Don also serves as the botanist for the Royal Oak Nature Society, identifying plants in the city’s two nature parks.

Plant survey for Whorled Pogonia, Isotria verticillata, a Michigan Threatened species

Monday morning

A DNR timber sale in 2017 destroyed the site for Isotria verticillata in Kalkaska County. The purpose of this field trip is to search the untimbered portions of the Kalkaska County site for Isotria verticillata. We will be doing a random meander search which involves walking “randomly” through a site or plant community and noting each new species. We will split into a number of groups for the survey. For more information on this plant, go to https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/species/description/15517/Isotria%20verticillata/  .

 Trip Notes: Bring walking sticks if you need them for off-trail hiking. You may wish to sign up on the foray registration form for the optional box lunch to eat after this trip.

Difficulty: walking off-trail on fairly level terrain.

Trip Leaders: Gin Cawood, Bob Kelly, Judy Kelly, Liana May, Tony Reznicek & Bill Spiers. Gin Cawood is a Pondstead owner and the secretary for the Great Lakes Chapter. Bob Kelly is the treasurer for the State Board of the MBC. He is a retired librarian. Judy Kelly is a retired community college biology professor. She taught many subjects, including Botany, Microbiology and Environmental Science. Liana May runs Borealis Consulting out of Traverse City, MI. and is President of the GLC. Tony Reznicek is a curator of vascular plants at the University of Michigan Herbarium and co-author of Field Manual of Michigan Flora. Bill Spiers is a retired Alaska prosecutor. He also has a science teaching degree.

Evening Presentations

On Friday evening, Tyrone Black, retired senior geologist with the Geological Survey Division, will present “The Effect of Geology on NE Michigan – the interaction of geological and biological environments.”  The local geology has helped to shape the biological environment we see and offers a wealth of mineral resources if we wisely use them.  This includes mineral extraction, surface and ground water use, and maintaining our rare and common renewable resources.  The karst features offer unique challenges as we try to understand their role in our interaction with this area.

Our Saturday evening program “Michigan’s Big Tree Project” will be presented by Ted Reuschel, Big Tree Project coordinator for the Michigan Botanical Society.  Ted will clarify what constitutes a “big” tree, and just how certain trees come to be exceptional for their species. He will talk about how they are measured and scored, and how and where they are registered. Ted will show photos of some of the largest trees we have, and also point out why some of what appear to be our largest diameter trees just don’t qualify.  

Sunday evening will feature Don Drife’s program “Ferns and Lycophytes Around Us.”  Michigan’s 108 named pteridophyte species are a manageable group to learn. This talk will start you on your way to learn this group or be a review of the species we may see on the Foray. Basic terminology will be reviewed and species key characters will be shared along with numerous pictures showing the plants in their natural habitats along with close-ups showing key characters.

Suggested Books and Websites

Botany

Field Manual of Michigan Flora, by Edward G. Voss and Anton Reznicek, 2012.

A Field Guide to the Natural Communities of Michigan, by J. G. Cohen, M. A. Kost, B. S. Slaughter, D. A. Albert, 2015.

Michigan Ferns and Lycophytes: A Guide to Species of the Great Lakes Region, by Daniel D. Palmer, 2018.

Michigan Shrubs and Vines: A Guide to Species of the Great Lakes Region, by B. V. Barnes, C. W. Dick. M. E. Gunn, 2016.

Michigan Trees, Revised and Updated: A Guide to the Trees of the Great Lakes Region, by B. V. Barnes and W. H. Wagner Jr., 2004.

Guide to Great Lakes Coastal Plants, by Ellen Elliott Weatherbee, 2006.

Geology

Great Lakes Rocks: 4 Billion Years of Geologic History in the Great Lakes Region, by Stephen E. Kesler, 2019.

Michigan Rocks & Minerals: A Field Guide to the Great Lake State, by Dan R. Lynch and Bob Lynch, 2010

https://wmich.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/u584/2016/Geology%20of%20Michigan%20PowerPoint.pdf

Field Trip Schedule

Foray Schedule