Michigan Botanical Society - Great Lakes Chapter

The Great Lakes Chapter serves a diverse group of amateur and professional botanists throughout Michigan and the surrounding states in the Great Lakes region. We have members in Canada, and several States beyond the Great Lakes area. Members typically join GLC to subscribe to our peer-reviewed journal,  "The Great Lakes Botanist"  a Journal of North American Botany, which is published twice a year.  Your membership also includes a subscription to the spring and fall newsletter, the "Arisaema".   

JOIN THE GREAT LAKES CHAPTER — A NEW ONLINE PAYMENT OPTION is now available for annual Membership Dues.

✔ To use the easy online payment option, visiting this link on Cheddar-Up (click here) . A small convenience fee of 3.5% will be added to your payment through the Cheddar-Up platform.

✔ Alternatively, you can print a copy of the Membership Form with mailing instructions. GLC Membership Form. 

Michigan Botanist’ Big Year 2024 Cyber Foray

All Great Lakes Chapter members are invited to join this year's online Cyber Foray events using the iNaturalist online application: Michigan Botanist’s Big Year 2024.  Participants can share plant observations and photos taken throughout the State of Michigan by creating an account or logging into iNaturalist and making observations of vascular plants in Michigan. Observations made in Michigan and submitted to iNaturalist automatically become part of the Cyber Foray, but to follow along and receive updates on the project, you will need to JOIN the Michigan Botanist’s Big Year 2024 project (here is how). You can contact Liana May at liananmay@gmail.com with questions.  We hope you enjoy this new way to learn and share your botanical findings.

If you'd like to explore last year's observations visit: Great Lakes Chapter Cyber Foray 2023. There were 1988 species observations in the Great Lakes area. Congratulations to Julia Miller who submitted the most plant species (476) and to Skyler Principe (373 species). Bob Kahl also submitted the most observations, at 5,206 for the year!

The Michigan Flora Photo Project Invites Your Participation

The Michigan (MICH) Herbarium Photo Project is continuing through 2024!  This is your opportunity to contribute your plant photos to the MICH Herbarium online database, Michigan Flora Online. There are over 400 plant species that need updated photos. To participate, join our iNaturalist project and review the list of target species here: inaturalist.org/projects/michigan-flora-photo-project. Once you join the project, any of your observations that match our criteria will be automatically added to the project. Our criteria includes it being a plant on our target list, it has a photo, and is in the Great Lakes region. All MBS members are invited to participate. The attached Excel sheet lists the target species and some of the counties where these plants were last located. The MICH Flora webpage also shows a current  distribution map of herbarium records for each species: Visit: Michigan Flora Online.

The best photos will be selected by Herbarium staff for inclusion in future flora updates. This is your chance to help complete the database!  Contact Group Managers: Liana May liananmay@gmail.com or Irene Eiseman eisemani@gmail.com. So let’s get started!

Summer 2024 Events

Lake Dubonnet State Forest Bog Walk
Interlochen, Grand Traverse County
10 am - 1 pm, Friday July 26 2024

Join fellow Great Lakes Chapter members and members of the local Plant It Wild chapter for a walk through pine-oak forest to one of the several bogs in the Lake Dubonnet State Forest located in Interlochen, Grand Traverse County. We will spend some time investigating the bog and enjoy a nice display of white fringed orchids (Platanthera blephariglottis) if the timing is right. Additional plants found here include Carex pauciflora, Eriophorum virginicum, Lycopodiella inundata, Calopogon tuberosus, Trichophorum alpinum, Xyris difformis, and many other common bog favorites like sundews and pitcher-plants. We will walk about a half-mile on uneven terrain; wear waterproof boots or closed-toed shoes that can get wet (old tennis shoes work well). Long pants are recommended, as is a sun hat, a light cover up, water, and a hand lens or magnifier.

We will meet at 10 am at the entrance to the Lake Dubonnet Trail Camp, aka the "Horse Camp." There is a dirt parking area at the camp entrance, on the north side of the Lake Dubonnet Dam (west side of the lake and north of the main campground). Once assembled, we will drive closer to the bog, which is located on an unnamed road. Please try to arrive on time. Note: The road names here seem to vary from map to map, so please check the directions ahead of time and take a screenshot of the directions or use a paper map since cell service can be poor. Gondor Road is also called Camp Trail and Lake Dubonnet Trail; if you are coming from the north, you will want to take Heniser Rd which will turn into Gondor/Camp Trail/Lake Dubonnet Trail. Though this is State Forest, the roads are usually in good condition.

Meeting Location: Lake Dubonnet Trail Camp, 375 Gonder Rd, Interlochen, MI 49643

Lat/Lon: 44.684422, -85.807797

Google Maps Link to the location of the meeting place: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lake+Dubonnet+Trail+Camp/@44.6869998,-85.8108873,1476m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x881fcb001ac50b1f:0x433c116ff2d45cc2!2sTurtle+Cove+Nature+Preserve!8m2!3d44.6673753!4d-85.5322136!16s%2Fg%2F11vrcpk0sl!3m5!1s0x881e399e03c667ab:0x1cf5ea67de8a996!8m2!3d44.6844707!4d-85.8074518!16s%2Fg%2F11btrrhpk5?entry=ttu

RSVP: Liana May, (231) 835-0636, liananmay@gmail.com

Turtle Cove Nature Preserve Field Trip
East Bay Township, Grand Traverse County
10 am - 1pm, Aug. 15 2024

This field trip is part of our ongoing work with the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy to create or add to botanical inventories for their nature preserves. Turtle Cove is a newly acquired 120-acre preserve along Arbutus Lake, which encompasses the majority of a shallow-water bay, along with additional frontage on the main body of the lake. Collectively, the property has more than three-quarters of a mile of undeveloped water frontage, making it critical for water quality on Arbutus Lake. Along with emergent marsh and bog habitats, the property also contains mesic forest with areas of open field (dominated by bracken fern and little bluestem) and early-successional forest. There is also an active eagle’s nest on the property. Meet at 10am at the parking area for Turtle Cove Nature Preserve located on Birch Lake Rd in East Bay Township, Grand Traverse County.

Consider bringing your camera or a hand lens loupe. Dress for the weather! Always check the forecast in advance. Closed-toed shoes are recommended. Make sure you have what you need to stay hydrated. Sunscreen and bug spray for your safety and comfort. A hat is recommended. If available, cell phone with internet connection. Please download the iNaturalist and Seek apps

Registration is required; updates or cancellations will be emailed to registered participants. If you're completing registration for multiple people, please register each individually. Thank you for your interest in joining us! If you have any questions, please contact us at (231) 929-7911 or info@gtrlc.org.

Registration: https://gtrlc.my.salesforce-sites.com/es/event/home/turtlecoveinventory

Meeting Location: Turtle Cove Parking Lot, 1935 Yellow Birch Lane, East Bay Township, Grand Traverse County

For more information: https://www.gtrlc.org/recreation-events/preserve/turtle-cove-nature-preserve/

Student Foray Award Recipients

Congratulations to Aiden Bobak and Alaina Maniscalco, who were recipients of the 2024 Joan Robb Student Foray Award.  Aiden recently completed his senior year at Michigan State University majoring in Dendrology and Zoology with interests in the natural sciences.  Alaina is also a graduate of MSU and focused her studies on Plant Ecology/Zoology.  Each student received an award covering the full cost of attending the Spring Foray held at Adrian College, Mi in June.

Botanical Events, Societies, and Places of Interest- <click>

As you travel along the Great Lakes, take a look at one of the many botanical and native plant organizations that offer field trips, booklets, maps, workshops and interesting places to visit.   If you would like to have your event listed or know of a great place to botanize, please email the Content Manager .  

Officers and Directors: A list of all the current officers and directors can be found here, If you are interested in becoming more involved with the GLC activities, please contact any of the Officers or Directors.

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