Michigan Botanical Society 2023 Fall Foray

Indiana Dunes, September 1-4, 2023

Registration closes two weeks before the event. Keep this in mind.

Register by mail

Register online: Go to this page: https://tinyurl.com/MBS-foray  (it will direct you to this longer address: https://michigan-botanical-society-2013-fall-foray-indiana-dunes-se.cheddarup.com/

Greeting from your MBS President.

This spring, I was sad to miss our Mini-Foray – held in April – as I was out of the country. It showcased a woodlot that was fenced, so no excessive deer browsing, giving an opportunity to see the spring flora at its best, a rare experience in southern Michigan.  Our thanks go to the Southeastern Chapter for hosting this Mini-Foray. 

This year, the State Board was responsible for the Foray and, in perhaps keeping up this year’s non-standard Foray dates; we diverge from our usual Memorial Day Foray to hold it over the Labor Day. We will be visiting one of the great botanical hotspots of the entire Great Lakes Region, the famous Indiana Dunes. We last had a Foray there in spring of 2006, so this will be an opportunity to see a very different set of plants. 

It is fair to say that they have everything at the Indiana Dunes – bogs, fens,  dunes, prairies, oak savanna, coastal plain marshes – everything.  And very gratifyingly, many of the best areas are protected within parks and preserves. Perhaps the most exciting part of the experience for the Michigan Botanical Society will be the many rare and disjunct species for which the Indiana Dunes is especially famous. 

We have a great venue, excellent programs, and some great trips by excellent plants people, and this Foray, we’re trying something different, giving people the opportunity to learn more about local color and general natural history by “piggybacking” on trips held by the talented staff of the National Parks Services, and even self- guided tours of interesting sites. Finally, please bear with us in case of any growing pains as we are going to roll out online registration and payments for this Foray.

Tony Reznicek,
July 2023
President, Michigan Botanical Club

Be aware that entrance into the Indiana Dunes National Park requires a pass. You can find out more here: https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/fees.htm

Schedule

Schedule of Events

Friday, September 1

3:00-7:00 p.m. Registration – pick up name tags and booklets

6:00-7:00 Pizza

7:30 Welcome and Orientation – Spring House Inn

8:00 Speaker Namestnik & Nathanael Pilla –  The Flora of Indiana with an Emphasis on the Northwestern Morainal Natural Region

Saturday, September 2

6:30-8:00 a.m. Breakfast Buffet until 8:00 a.m.

7:15 Pick up Boxed Lunches

8:30 Departure for All-Day and Morning Half-Day field trips

12:00-12:45 p.m. Box Lunches in the field or on your own

1:00 Departure for Afternoon field trips

4:00 All field trips returned to Spring House Inn

4:00-6:00 Free time

4:30-6:00* Michigan Botanical Club Board Meeting –  Spring House Inn

6:00 MBS Group Photo (location will be announced)

6:30-7:30 Dinner Spring House Inn

7:30 Announcements, Awards, and President’s remarks

8:00 Tony Reznicek – All our rugged botanizing and the Indiana Dunes still has more disjunct and rare                                                   plants than Michigan!

Sunday, September 3

6:30-8:30 a.m. Breakfast Buffet – Spring House Inn

7:15 Pick up Boxed Lunches

8:30 Departure for All-Day & Morning Half-Day field trips

12:00-12:45 p.m. Box Lunches in the field or on your own

1:00 Departure for Afternoon Half-Day field trips

4:00 All field trips returned to Spring House Inn

4:00-6:00 Free time

5:00-6:00* Great Lakes Chapter Members’ Meeting - Meet and Greet

6:00-7:00 Dinner Buffet – Spring House Inn

7:30 Announcements, Awards, and President’s remarks

8:00 Mike and Barb Homoya  –  “The Homoyas’ Hoosier Orchid Big Year”

Monday, September 4

6:30-8:00 a.m. Breakfast Buffet – Spring House Inn

7:15 a.m. Pick up Box Lunches

8:00 TBD* MBS State Board Meeting continues – Spring House Inn if needed

9:00 Departure, Heading Home Field Trips

*Denotes specialized meetings for MBS Board or Great Lakes Chapter members. 

Lodging and Meals 

The foray headquarters will be the Spring House Inn in Porter/Chesterton, Indiana, https://springhouseinn.com. This facility is located about three miles from the state park and two miles from the national park. We have reserved all the rooms (48), at Spring the House Inn, for three nights (Fri Sep 1 through Sun Sep 3), which includes a grab and go breakfast. Most of the rooms are $139/night plus taxes. About seven are “whirlpool rooms” that are $159/night plus taxes. It is best to call (219-929-4600) to make your reservations. Be sure to indicate that this registration is for the MBS Foray, if the lodge clerk doesn’t understand then ask to speak to a manager. Registration for the Spring House Inn will close on 5 July.

Lectures, meetings, field trips, and meal options will be based at the Spring House Inn.

Alternative Lodging Options include:

Comfort/Sleep Inn (range $118-147) about a mile away from the Spring House Inn.

Holiday Inn Express (range $162-170) about 5 miles away from the Spring House Inn.

Hilton Garden Inn-Chesterton, about 4 miles away from the Spring House Inn.

The following is a list of relatively inexpensive hotels (all 2-star with free breakfasts) near the Spring House Inn. Be sure to input your nights of stay to get the Labor Day pricing.

Fairbridge Inn Express Chesterton

Days Inn by Windham Portage

OYO Hotel Portage I-94

Registration

This year, we are offering online registration. You can sign up for meals and field trips and pay securely. 

Go to this page: https://tinyurl.com/MBS-foray  (it will direct you to this longer address: https://michigan-botanical-society-2013-fall-foray-indiana-dunes-se.cheddarup.com/

You can scan  the  QR code to go to the registration form.

Registration Fee: $35.00

Meals

Friday dinner (pizza, salad, beverages) $21.00

Full dinners (2) Saturday and Sunday $64.00

Box lunches (2) Saturday and Sunday $26.00

Monday box lunch $13.00

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Recommended Websites and Reading

Robert Ayotte’s Essay: Through The Loupe, A Focus on Henry Chandler Cowles 1869-1939 

Wildflowers of the Indiana Dunes National Park by Nathanael Pilla and Scott Namestnik (You can also have your book signed by the authors at the Foray)

The NPS app, Facebook, or the website are best to keep up on NPS events. The app has all NPS locations, maps, things to do etc. and can be used offline. 

Indiana Dunes National Park website

“Singing Sands” NPS Indiana Dunes guide

What to Bring

This year’s foray will take us through a variety of habitats and walking conditions. Be prepared for sun, wind, and rain while walking on dry trails or wetland areas. Check the weather forecast and pack accordingly.

It is recommended that you bring sturdy walking shoes, long pants, a windbreaker or rain jacket,  sweater, umbrella, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, medications, water bottle, notebook, field guides, camera, hand lens, daypack, and  cellphone. 

Plan to be outside in the late summer weather. Sunscreen, a wide brimmed hat, plenty of water and dressing in practical layers are recommended. Bring suitable footwear for bog and dune field trips.

What to Expect

When you arrive, check into your lodging and stop by the registration  table for a booklet  and nametag. We will have presentations after dinner all three nights.  

In the morning, we will gather for breakfast and gather for field  trips. Pick up your boxed lunch before heading out. If you decide to not attend a field trip you signed up for, make sure you remove your name from the list. 

Full day trips will break for lunch. After field trips return, there  is some time to wash up, rest and relax.  

There are no field trips on Monday,  but sometimes, an informal visit to a location on  the way home is organized. 

The foray is a casual, fun event. 

Field Trips

MBC 2023 Summer Foray Field Trips

The Indiana Dunes represent remarkable feature of the landscape with extensive dunes ridges extending inland, plus active dunes near the lake, and bounded by moraines to the south. Despite being in one of the most populated parts of the great Lakes region, protection efforts starting in the middle of the last century have resulted in significant portions of the area being protected in Federal, State, and regional Land Trust holdings. Though Michigan has many large dune systems, the Indiana Dunes are unique both in being the southernmost large Dune system, and also the system in the driest climate and most directly linked to the tall grass prairies and savannas. Thus, their vegetation and species composition is quite different from areas immediately to the north in Michigan, such as Warren Dunes State Park, including more prairie plants and more southern species. Many species exceedingly rare in Michigan are frequent at the Indiana Dunes. Come and see them!

One thing different with this Foray is that being held at the Indiana Dunes, there is a wealth of  both self-guided trips and National Park events running this weekend, and the field trip committee has decided to take advantage of this wealth of resources. These trips cover a wide range of information about the history, ecology and biodiversity of the park, and offer a unique opportunity to learn about park systems. Although some of the leaders will not cover botany, in our modern world, take a picture of any plant you are interested in and our experts will put names on them in the evening!

Important: 

It is very important to sign up for trips that fit your capacity for physical exertion. There is plenty to choose from. Long hikes and uneven terrain can be very tiring and require stamina. We want everyone to have a safe, enjoyable time.

FULL DAY TRIPS:

Clark & Pine Preserve with Derek Nimetz (Indiana DNR) and second trip with Brad Slaughter (Orbis Environmental Consulting). 

This tract is a remnant of the rare “ridge and swale” topography that formed as glacial Lake Chicago receded. Sandy beach ridges are paralleled by long, narrow ponds and marshes. Due to the closeness of Lake Michigan, the water in the swales is alkaline, supporting several plants rarely found elsewhere in Indiana. The overall vegetation is a mix of elements from the west, north, and east. Fifty state-ranked plants and several rare animals are found here. This is an undulating trail, moderately strenuous.

Marquette Park with Scott Namestnik (Indiana DNR).

The Lake Michigan dune landscape represents a unique and highly specialized ecological system. Inland from the beach, sand dunes rise in a series of ridges, blowouts, and valleys. Unique, interdunal ponds (called pannes), fill many depressions between the dune ridges. Marquette Park is home to 73 threatened, endangered, and rare species. These interdunal areas have a distinctly southern flora compared with the much younger, and highly calcareous interdunal areas in northern Michigan.  Moderately strenuous.

Shirley Heinze Land Trust Properties with Doug Botka (SHLT).

The Shirley Heinze Land Trust has been dedicated to the preservation and restoration of significant natural areas throughout northwestern Indiana. Today, they have over 20 properties and approximately 3,000 acres across northern coastal Indiana. Join Doug for his selection of the best sites for seeing biodiversity.  Moderately strenuous

Pinhook Bog (NPS) with Nathanael Pilla (Midwest Biological Surveys).  

Pinhook Bog is a unique glacial kettle bog in the moraine just south of the Indiana Dunes, with Sphagnum and Tamarack. It is one of the southernmost bogs in the Great Lakes region and a designated National Natural Landmark. While common in Northern Michigan, this represents an extremely rare community in Indiana. There is a boardwalk the full length, and there will also be nearby sites to visit, depending on how long the trip takes. This should be an easy trip. 

Cowles Bog Trail (NPS) with Tony Reznicek (U of M). 

This location is where Dr. Henry Cowles conducted much of his early work in plant ecology and succession in the early 1900s. The site is a National Natural Landmark. There are several distinct habitats along this 4.7-mile trail including rich forested swamps, dry black oak savannas, and open meadows and prairies remnants. This is a moderately strenuous trip, as it is a fairly long hike, but the trail is relatively level, and wet areas are boardwalks. 

HALF DAY TRIPS:

Field Trip Name:  Nature Journaling (Easy access) (LIMITED TO 15 PEOPLE)

Date and Trip Length:   Saturday   – MORNING HALF-DAY

Trip Leader:  Judy Kelly

Trip Description: 

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 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 watercolors, colored 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), and colored pencils. All these materials could be purchased at your local craft store, such as Michael’s.  A collapsible stool or chair 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 parking lot.  We will carpool to Indian Dunes State Park Nature Center.

 Restrooms: Indiana Dunes State Park Nature Center.

Biography:

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.

Amphibians Ecology at Cowles Bog Trail with Spencer Cortwright

Saturday AM See the Cowles bog write-up. Moderately strenuous

Tolleston Dunes Marsh Overlook with Mike Huft & Charlotte Gyllenhaal

This trail winds amid 4,700 year-old sand dunes that were formed when Lake Michigan’s water level was higher than today. Among the varied habitats are lovely examples of black oak savanna to sandy wetlands. Easy.

Evening Speakers

Friday Evening, Sept. 1

Scott Namestnik & Nathanael Pilla

The Flora of Indiana with an Emphasis on the Northwestern Morainal Natural Region.

Scott & Nathanael will discuss the forces that have played a part in making Indiana’s flora what it is today, and then we will focus on discussing the Northwestern Morainal Natural Region, the region of the state where the foray will be taking place.  By providing discussion on some of the common and rare plants of the portion of Indiana that borders Lake Michigan, we will provide foray participants with an introductory sense of place prior to their guided hikes over the next several days.

Scott is an experience Field Botanist, now Indiana’s State Botanist, filling the shoes left by Mike Homoya’s retirement.  and Nathanael Pilla is Botanist/Owner at Midwest Biological Survey, LLC. Together, they are the authors of the brand new: Wildflowers of the Indiana Dunes National Park (Nathanael Pilla and Scott Namestnik, Indiana University Press 458 Pages, 351 color illus. MAY 2022). Bring your copy to have them sign it, and also, I believe they will have copied available at the meeting. This will be a great introduction to the flora of the area and its significance to Indiana as a whole. 

Saturday Evening, Sept. 2

Tony Reznicek

All our rugged botanizing and the Indiana Dunes still has more disjunct and rare plants than Michigan!

One of the striking features of the Indiana Dunes flora is the number of plant species that have outlying colonies there. From an Indiana perspective, this includes a suite of boreal species, which however are common northward in Michigan. But it also includes numbers of southern plants, including coastal plain disjuncts some of which have not yet been found in Michigan and some are either extirpated or exceedingly rare.  We’ll look at what some of these, outlying species are, reflect on why the Dunes region is so rich with them, what might happen to them in our changing world, and is there anything that can be done to find these in Michigan!

Tony Reznicek is retired curator of vascular plants at the University of Michigan Herbarium, and, with Bev Walters, maintains the Michigan Flora website (https://michiganflora.net/). He has also had a strong interest in the Great Lakes region flora, especially as relates to disjunct and rare species.

Sunday Evening, September 3

Mike, Barb  “The Homoyas’ Hoosier Orchid Big Year”

In 2021, the Homoya family embarked on an ambitious quest to track down every extant species of orchid in Indiana – in bloom. Appreciate Indiana’s diverse orchid flora by following Mike and Family hunting orchids in their diverse habitats. The tale of their journey takes us into bogs and prairies, fens and forests – and keep in mind that almost every native orchid in Indiana also occurs in Michigan!

Mike Homoya was for many years the State Botanist of Indiana, until his recent retirement, and a consummate field person. He is the author of a number of books and natural history guides, including Wildflowers of the Midwest (With Scott Namestnik); Wildflowers and Ferns of Indiana Forests: A Field Guide (with Marion T. Jackson), and  of course, Orchids of Indiana!