Huron Valley Chapter
Join the Huron Valley Chapter of the Michigan Botanical Society!
You can join the Huron Valley Chapter online here. (This link will open in a new window.)
You can. also fill in a membership form and mail it in. Click here to access the membership form.
Programs are presented live at Matthaei Botanical Gardens auditorium, 1800 N. Dixboro Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48105 at 7:00 pm on the 4th Tuesday of the months Jan-April and Sept-Nov. HVC meetings include a short business meeting, updates, and a natural sciences presentation.
Field trips are mainly in the growing season, but also occasionally held during winter season.
See below for Program and Field Trip information.
Huron Valley Chapter 2024-2025 Contacts & Officers
OFFICERS And COMMITTEE HEADS
President: Neal Billetdeaux
Programs: Robert Ayotte (734) 718-6114
Vice President: Robert Ayotte (734) 718-6114
Secretary: Julie McLaughlin
Treasurer: Deborah LaForge
Directors at Large: Guerin Wilkinson, Brad Ruhfel, Ken Shaw
Field Trips: Guerin Wilkinson. (734) 904-1484
Publications: David Malmquist
Facilities: Ken Shaw
Nominations: Irene Eiseman (734) 475-9654
Immediate Past President: Anton Reznicek (734) 764-554
We are always looking for people interested in helping the chapter. If you would like to help with something, please contact one of us!
HVC Lecture Programs Winter 2025
4th Tuesdays at 7:00 pm (unless noted)
Tuesday 28 January
Title: iNaturalist Introduction: Overview & Demonstration, Presenters: Skyler Principe, Jürgen Samyn, and Yun Park
iNaturalist is a web-based science platform broadly utilized by amateurs, professional biologists, and academicians. Its incorporation into daily fieldwork has helped communicate knowledge and organize our perceptions of the natural world. The presenters will review the origins and history of iNaturalist and outline ways that you can get involved and contribute. They will demonstrate how to use the desktop version LIVE and walk you through every step of making an “observation”. There will be plenty of time for questions.
Presenters: Skyler Principe works for Friends of the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area). He has been using iNaturalist for four years. Jürgen Samyn is a former forestry researcher for the Flemish government (Belgium), who after immigrating to the US decided to go work in the IT sector. Despite changing continents and careers, he's been a naturalist since a very young age, but only truly rekindled that passion in early 2024. Yun Park is the President of the Entomology Club at the University of Michigan, and an iNaturalist-borne plant and bird enthusiast.
Contact: Yun Park, yunpica@umich.edu
Tuesday 25 February
Tilte: Environmental Toxidromes: Notes from the Emergency Department, Part II: Poisonings, Presenter: Robert Ayotte
What is a Toxidrome? Join Naturalist and retired Emergency Department Physician Assistant, Robert Ayotte, for a primer on outdoor-related toxic exposures common to the Great Lakes Region. This is a 3-part series that focuses on; Part I Allergies and Rashes, Part II: Poisonings, and Part III Bites and Envenomations. This evening, we will discuss Part II. Throughout the series we'll review real emergency cases and track their management and outcomes.
Environmental Medicine is a very broad field which addresses temperature related conditions and injuries, elevation sickness, chemical toxins, lightning strikes, infectious diseases, as well as allergies/rashes, poisonings, bites, and envenomations. For more information see The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) (aaemonline.org)
Presenter: Robert Ayotte is a naturalist, and former Emergency Department Physician Assistant with 28 years of experience treating emergency patients in both Traverse City and Chelsea, MI. This is a talk that he has given to the PA Fellowship Program at St. Joe's Hospital and to the Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants.
Contact: Robert Ayotte, oikos14@Outlook.com
Tuesday 25 March
Title: Reconnecting with and Revitalizing a University-Owned Wetland: Celebrating the First 50 Years, and Planning for the Next 50, Presenters: Alex Hamilton, Jason Krick, Katherine Meono, Gwynne Powell, Molly Russell, and Emily Schultheis
The St. Pierre Wetland is a University of Michigan field property that has been underutilized for its mission of research and education for much of the past 50 years. Its high-quality prairie fen is currently threatened by several invasive plants. Without management, the site will lose biodiversity and ecosystem function value in the watershed, as well as its value for study. We developed an adaptive management plan toward site restoration and strategic engagement with both U-M and external parties. We will share our ecological assessment methods and results, as well as the development of a spatial prioritization model to guide management. We’ll also discuss the balance of learning from small-scale experimental glossy buckthorn removal, while also implementing large-scale invasives management. Spending numerous hours in such a unique and valuable ecosystem has given our project team a deep appreciation for St. Pierre Wetland and we hope to share that passion.
Presenters: The UM SEAS Master’s Capstone Project Team is comprised of Alex Hamilton, Jason Krick, Katherine Meono, Gwynne Powell, Molly Russell, and Emily Schultheis
Contact: Jason Krick, masonbee@umich.edu
April 29th (5th Tuesday Exception)
Title: Adventures on Isle Royale, Presenter: Jesse Lincoln
Description: The legend of Isle Royale looms large in the hearts and minds of Michigan naturalists. Botanical rarities, geologic curiosities, complex human dimensions, and geographic isolation weave together for a story like no other. In 2024 two ecologists from Michigan Natural Features Inventory set out to describe the exemplary bedrock features of the main island. This presentation will be a fun retelling of the adventure: describing the project, giving context to the stunning natural communities, and detailing the denizens that we may or may not be familiar with on the mainland.
Bio: Jesse is a Plant Ecologist for Michigan Natural Features Inventory. In this role, he conducts thorough vegetation surveys on various public lands to identify important natural areas, document populations of rare plants, and integrate these elements into wildlife management plans. Identifying remnants of high-quality natural areas is a critical component of conservation and helps prioritize restoration actions. He has spent several seasons surveying natural communities across Michigan with several recent projects taking him to many islands in the Great Lakes.
Contact: Jesse Lincoln, jessemlincoln@gmail.com
HVC Lecture Programs Fall 2024
4th Tuesdays at 7:00 pm
Tuesday 24 September
Title: Wildflower Images for Fun and Science, Presenter: Bob Smith
Topic: In a panoramic review of our local flora, we will consider our perception of beauty and how floral patterns determine pollination, seed development, and fruit dispersal.
Bio: Bob is a botany enthusiast and photographer extraordinaire. He has submitted over 4000 specimens for the University of Michigan Herbarium and has contributed myriad excellent photos for its associated Michigan Flora Online project. His focus has been on the flora of Lenawee County, where he may be found leading field trips at Ives Road Fen and other choice locations along the River Raisin.
Tuesday 22 October
Title: Native Orchids of Michigan, Presenter: Michael Kielb
Topic: A discussion about native Michigan orchids, where to find them and when they should be blooming.
Bio: Retired Biology faculty at Eastern Michigan University. Has written books on birds and natural history. Goes all over Michigan in search of orchids and has found and photographed over 90% of the species present.
Tuesday 26 November
Title: Flora of Craig Lake State Park, Presenter: Scott Warner
Topic: Scott conducted forest inventory at our most remote state park. He will discuss the interesting plants he encountered while traversing sedge meadows, conifer swamps, and granite cliffs. These plants include Hippuris vulgaris (mare’s tale), Carex pauciflora (sedge), and Gentiana linearis (narrow-leaved gentian).
Bio: Scott is a botanist with Michigan Natural Features Inventory and instructor of Plant Systematics at Michigan State University.
HVC Lecture Programs Winter 2024
4th Tuesdays at 7:00 pm
Tuesday, 23 January 2024 (two talks!)
Evolution of glyphosate resistance in an agricultural weed affects plant-herbivore interactions - Grace Meixin Zhang
Plants face many stressors, both naturally occurring and anthropogenic, that can shape how they evolve. With the advent of modern agriculture, chemical herbicides have become the primary tool for weed control, imposing strong selective pressures on treated plants. This has led to the evolution of herbicide resistance in more than 250 weed species to date. Importantly, the evolution of herbicide resistance occurs in the context of natural, long-standing stressors like insect herbivory. How both herbicide and herbivory may act in concert to shape plant evolution is unknown. We investigated this question using the noxious weed Ipomoea purpurea (common morning glory) and the widely-used herbicide glyphosate (RoundupⓇ) in common garden experiments. Our results show that glyphosate application can increase herbivory levels and alter plant-herbivore interactions. Additionally, we found that glyphosate resistance is positively correlated to resistance to herbivory, suggesting that the two traits may evolve together. As herbicide use continues to increase globally, these results suggest that herbicides may alter the eco-evolutionary dynamics of plant-insect communities in unforeseen ways, contributing to higher levels of resistance to both herbicide and herbivory.
Grace Zhang is a PhD student in the Baucom Lab at the University of Michigan, having previously earned her BA in Conservation Biology at Middlebury College. She loves science museums and enjoys plants, bugs, and being outside.
Hormetic Dose Response to herbicide in a ubiquitous wild plant - Anah Soble
The synthetic auxin herbicide DicambaⓇ is increasing in popularity as many weeds have gained resistance to other herbicides like RoundupⓇ. However, DicambaⓇ introduces its own problems, specifically an ability to volatilize and drift onto nearby agricultural fields and wild plant populations. Small community experiments have previously shown Oxalis stricta (Oxalidaceae) produces more flowers under dicamba drift conditions. This falls under the concept of ‘hormesis’-- a stimulatory effect of a low dose of a toxic substance. Through larger field experiments we have been able to confirm this trend. What does this hormetic dose response mean more broadly for ecosystems under herbicide drift conditions? What explains this reproductive overcompensation from DicambaⓇ drift, knowing that DicambaⓇ is a synthetic Auxin? Auxin influences every developmental stage of a plant. Depending on which stage is being affected, this can result in shifts in weed populations. Through field common garden experiments, we have asked what traits are impacted by auxin exposure and how those changes impact fitness. Through gene expression analysis we also ask which biological pathways are inhibited or stimulated under drift. More broadly, what would this mean for evolution and ecology of this species, and potentially others that exhibit hormetic dose response?
Anah Soble is a master’s student in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan. She has a BA in biology from Oberlin College and is passionate about science education and botany.
Tuesday, 27 February 2024
Herbicide adaptation as a model for integrating across genetics, ecology, and evolution - Gina Baucom
Plant adaptation to extreme forms of stress such as herbicide exposure can provide a useful window into the evolutionary process. Historically our understanding of weedy plant adaptation to herbicide has centered on the genetic basis or mechanism of herbicide resistance along with the potential for evolutionary constraints on resistance evolution. While more evolutionary questions are beginning to be addressed using herbicide resistant weeds as models, examining questions that exist at the nexus of genetics, ecology, and evolution can provide insight into potential community-wide consequences of resistance evolution. For example, does the evolution of herbicide resistance influence crucial plant-insect interactions, or influence plant traits that underlie defense to other agents of damage? I present data on the evolution of herbicide resistance in the common morning glory and recent research that delves into the broader-scale repercussions of resistance evolution for plant populations and their interactions with insects.
Dr. Regina Baucom is an ecological geneticist who studies plant adaptation to extreme, human-mediated environments from a range of perspectives--adaptation to herbicide in agricultural weeds, climate change, and nanoparticle exposure. The majority of her graduate student advisees examine how use of the novel herbicide dicamba in agriculture--which can cause ‘dicamba drift’ and thus unintended herbicide exposures--may alter important plant-pollinator and plant-herbivore interactions, ultimately disrupting natural community processes. In addition to her research, mentoring and teaching, Baucom has worked to promote white women, BIPOC, and other underrepresented minorities in ecology and evolution by co-developing and maintaining the listserv ‘DiversifyEEB’ and by serving as the first chair of the American Society of Naturalist’s Diversity Committee. She graduated from the University of Georgia in Athens with a PhD in Genetics after obtaining a BS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Tuesday, 26 March 2024
Evaluating impacts of experimental removal of Frangula alnus (glossy buckthorn) in a lake-basin prairie-fen - Jamie Brackman
Prairie fens are a vulnerable wetland community, both globally and at the state level, and can support 36 rare animal species and 20 rare plant species. St. Pierre Wetland is a University of Michigan property along the only undeveloped shoreline of Bass Lake in Hamburg township, and it contains both marsh wetlands and lake-basin prairie-fen. The fen was evaluated for floristic quality and conservation value by Mike Kost in 2014 and had a total Floristic Quality Index (FQI) of 39.2, with 35.8% of plant species having a Coefficient of Conservatism Value of 7-10. This community is currently threatened by a spreading stand of Frangula alnus (glossy buckthorn). As part of a School for Environment and Sustainability master’s project, a small-scale experimental non-herbicide removal of buckthorn was initiated in winter 2023. Treatments included a standard cut removal, a cut and sunlight exclusion (bagged) treatment, and a below-water-level cut treatment. I will share initial results of these treatments in terms of buckthorn resprouting and native species presence in fall 2023, and discuss recommendations for future studies that will be a part of a 2024-2025 master’s project to further restoration, research, and education on this valuable site.
Jamie Brackman, MS: Sustainability and the Environment, University of Michigan (April 2024), is a multidisciplinary researcher interested in the intersections of restoration ecology, urban and regional planning, climate resilience, food systems, and environmental justice. His ongoing work with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is supporting tribal land-management in the southern Appalachians through partnerships with the US Forest Service. His independent research in the St. Pierre Wetland analyzed the impacts and efficacy of experimental non-herbicide treatments of the invasive Frangula alnus in a lake-basin prairie-fen. During his graduate studies he has also emphasized the study of US environmental policy, agroecology, landscape ecology, community led conservation, and climate adaptation and mitigation planning. His past work with Conservation Legacy involved the development of the national AmeriCorps Stewards program, which partners with various land management agencies under the US Department of the Interior and local nonprofits across the US. He also has extensive grant writing and project development experience working with local community organizations and government agencies in West Virginia and Michigan. Jamie began his professional career as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team in 2012. He grew up in southern Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, just 2 miles from the Appalachian Trail, where there is still no cell phone reception or high-speed internet access, and where his parents still use a wood stove as their primary source of heat.
Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Environmental Toxidromes: Notes from the Emergency Department, Part I: Allergies and Rashes - Robert Ayotte
(***the talk on Documenting Plant Biodiversity at EMU's Parsons Center for Arts and Sciences has been postponed).
What is a Toxidrome? Join Naturalist and retired Emergency Department Physician Assistant, Robert Ayotte, for a primer on outdoor related toxic exposures that are common to the Great Lakes Region. This is a 3-part series that focuses on; Part I Allergies and Rashes, Part II: Poisonings, and Part II Bites and Envenomations. This evening, we will discuss Part I. Throughout the series we'll review real emergency cases and track their management and outcomes.
Environmental Medicine is a very broad field which addresses temperature related conditions and injuries, elevation sickness, chemical toxins, lightning strikes, infectious diseases, as well as allergies/rashes, poisonings, bites, and envenomations. For more information see The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) (aaemonline.org)
Robert is a naturalist, and former Emergency Department Physician Assistant with 28 years of experience treating emergency patients in both Traverse City and Chelsea, MI. This is a talk that he has given to the PA Fellowship Program at St. Joe's Hosptial and to the Michigan Academy of Physician Assistants.
HVC Field Trips 2024
Saturday, 10 February 2024
Tour of the University of Michigan Herbarium - Anton Reznicek, University of Michigan Curator Emeritus
While it is still too early to see much blooming outside, there are hundreds of thousands of Michigan plants pressed and stored in the University of Michigan Herbarium reflecting almost two centuries of botanical work in the State. We’ll look at how these specimens are used and “translated” into the Michigan Flora, who the major collectors were, and also specimens from some of the pioneers of Michigan plant exploration. We’ll also have a brief look at the world-wide breadth of the Herbarium beyond Michigan and the Great Lakes region.
Note: the Herbarium is at 3600 Varsity Drive (off Ellsworth) – parking is free on weekends. The building's front doors will be locked, so we’ll have to be near the doors to let people in, so do try to be on time.
Saturday, 13 April 2024. 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Rendez-vous with Harbinger of Spring at Dexter-Huron Metropark - Trip Leader: Robert Ayotte
Heat exposure over time (heat sum or degree heat days) is the main driver for spring blooming and leaf-flushing for Northern Temperate plants (Rathcke and Lacey 1985, Bertin 2008). Given the recent mild winter, we are expecting an early emergence on the part of our spring ephemerals.
The term “spring ephemeral” refers to small woodland perennial herbs that take advantage of a period of high light intensity to complete their life cycles. They are dormant through the winter as modified underground stems including bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers. When the soil warms, and is moistened by spring rains, these structures quickly send up leaves, form flowers, and set fruit all before the development of heavy shade from the forest canopy.
Under the floodplain canopy we’ll expect to see harbinger of spring (Erigenia bulbosa), cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), false rue-anemone (Enemion biternatum), and ramps (Allium tricoccum), and trout lily (Erythronium americanum). Along the B2B trail we may also observe the blooms of spring-beauty (Claytonia virginica), round-lobed hepatica (Hepatica americana), skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), and hazelnut (Corylus americana).
Meet at the far-eastern parking lot of Dexter-Huron Metropark
6535 Huron River Drive
Dexter, MI 48130
Park Fee: $10 or Annual Vehicle Pass
Saturday, 20 April 2024 - 10 AM - Noon
Mason High School Woods - Trip Leader: Scott Warner
Description: Paradoxically, municipal parks can support some of the oldest and richest remnant forests if they were set aside early enough and appropriately protected. This is true of Scott Woods Park in Lansing, Bennett Park in Charlotte, and the high school woodlot in Mason. This woodlot seems to be of little fame among the Michigan botanical community, but this is not for lack of quality. This mesic southern forest supports a canopy of large sugar maple, with lesser amounts of red oak, beech, and basswood. The spring flora is about as rich as any woodlot in southern Michigan, sure to delight the wildflower enthusiast. Among the flowers are Phlox divaricata, Trillium grandiflorum, Erythronium americanum, Dicentra cucullaria, Viola eriocarpa, Uvularia grandiflora, Sanguinaria canadensis, and Hydrophyllum canadense. There is also a diversity of sedges, the identification of which we will discuss, including Carex plantaginea, C. hirtifolia, C. woodii, and C. careyana.
Recognizing that this is a longer drive for many club members, attendees will receive a pamphlet with information about some other beautiful mesic forests in Ingham County, with directions included, to help make the trip worth the drive. Dansville State Game Area is also conveniently en route from Chelsea and Ann Arbor. Though it doesn’t support a rich spring flora, it offers very pleasant hiking.
Meeting place: Directly west of Ingham County fairgrounds, directly south of Rayner Park. Park and meet at trailhead on north perimeter of woodlot, at southern terminus of County Park Rd, 42.57198, -84.43149. From Chelsea, take M-52 N to M-36 W. Take M-36 W into Mason. At Rayner Park on the east edge of town, turn left onto County Park Rd. or Schaeffer Dr. Travel south along the park roads to the meeting location. Note: this is not the same as the rich woodlot on the north side of Mason near the elementary school.
Bio: Scott Warner is a botanist with a focus on the vascular plants of Michigan. He received his PhD in Plant Biology from Michigan State University. Since 2021, he has been a conservation associate at MNFI and since 2023 instructor of Plant Systematics at MSU.
Saturday, 27 April 2024 - 10:00 AM -2:00 PM.
A celebration of the mesic southern forest community (AKA beech-maple forest type). - Trip Leader: Robert Ayotte
Notes from the original Government Land Office surveys (1815-1856) suggest that, in Michigan, the pre-European settlement mesic southern forest community occupied about 6 million acres. It was, by far, the most common forest type in the southern half of the lower peninsula – with patches from less than one acre to over 400,000 acres (mean size of 9,000 acres). Land clearing for settlement, agriculture, timber, and development has confined this community to small fragments, often less than 40 acres. The NatureServe Global and State Conservation Status Categories are Global 2 (imperiled) and State 3 (vulnerable) (NatureServe 2024; Cohen et al. 2020).
Join the HVC for an exploration of two mesic southern forest fragments including Creekshead Nature Preserve (Legacy Land Conservancy) and Miller Woods (Plymouth Community School District). We’ll talk about the ecosystem dynamics, especially as regards the historical role of fire, and enjoy spring ephemerals along the way.
Parking at these sites is extremely limited so we’ll meet at Matthaei Botanical Gardens for Carpooling. Each of these walks will be about 0.5 miles. The trails at Creekshead NP are easy-going and flat while those at Springhill NP are gently sloping. As usual, we’ll be moving at a botanical-club pace!
Saturday, 4 May 2024 - 10:00 AM
Field trip to Mary Beth Doyle Park - Trip leader: Bev Walters
Another woodland gem! In this case a wet-mesic forest nestled along Mallets Creek in Mary Beth Doyle Park (Ann Arbor's south side) . Here we will find many of the common spring ephemerals: Trillium grandilforum (common trillium), Geranium maculatum (wild geranium) and Erythronium americanum (yellow trout-lily) that are typical in forested habitats in SE Michigan. The woods also support large populations of the more uncommon Erythronium albidum (white trout-lily) and Trillium flexipes (drooping trillium), whose down-turned flowers are sometimes hard to spot among those of its large-flowered cousin. These wildflower displays have been greatly enhanced by the City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation restoration activities which have been ongoing in the woods for nearly three decades. Trails are a mix of plank boardwalks and footpaths that may be quite muddy or wet in places, so wear appropriate footwear.
Note: there are several entrances to the park - we'll meet at the SE trailhead at the Verle St deadend, west off Platt Road.
Questions? Guerin (734) 904-1484
Sunday, 19 May - 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Capstone Master’s Project: Joint program with the UM School for Environment and Sustainability. Trip Leader: Robert Ayotte
HVC members will join a University of Michigan School for the Environment & Sustainability 2024-25 capstone master’s project team that is conducting a detailed forest ecosystem assessment at Nature and Nurture Heirloom Organic Seed Farm of Dexter, MI. The 130-acre Farm, co-owned by Mike Levine and Erica Kempter, displays a mix of forest types home to a wide array of spring ephemerals and pteridophytes.
The Capstone team would like to collaborate with the HVC in order to develop a greater understanding of the landforms, soils, and flora of the wooded area. The goals include conducting an assessment of the farm's natural areas, producing a Strategic Stewardship Plan, and demonstrating the concept to the local farming community.
Friday, 31 May to Monday, 3 June, 2024
2024 Spring Foray
Save the Date: The Huron Valley Chapter is coordinating the 2024 Spring Foray at Adrian College.
Registration: Like previous forays, registration will be done online through CheddarUp. More information about the foray agenda and
ield trips can be found in the recent issue of Arisaema. Here is the link for registering:
https://mbs-2024-spring-foray-adrian-college-may31-june-2.cheddarup.com/
Saturday, 29 June, 2024 - (originally scheduled for 10 a.m. changed to 2pm due to weather forecast).
Pickerel Lake
Having fully recovered from the foray in Adrian, let’s meet at Pickerel Lake’s parking lot for a hike around the lake and into the oak barrens. This is a pop-up field trip with Robert Ayotte as FT leader. He’s up north on assignment with MFNI therefore prepping will be minimal, but he and we know enough to make for an excellent and informed outing. We’ll traverse through oak-hickory forest, check out the emergent vegetation in the lake’s shallows, visit the sand barrens with bird’s-foot violets, Tephrosia and dwarf chinquapin oak, scout for Lithospermum (puccoons) and lupines, and skirt some wet depressions dominated by royal and cinnamon ferns.
Other than a few short up- and down-hill climbs in the woods, we’ll be on mostly level solid ground. For those who remember getting ‘lost’ in the barrens searching for lupines, we’ll skip that part this time. Pickerel Lake is located off Hankerd Rd north of North Territorial in Dexter Township. Last I checked, North T is still closed at Dexter Town Hall Rd; access from the west (Chelsea) likely the easiest approach. Let’s meet at the Pickerel Lake parking lot (the one at the end of the drive, closest to the lake) at 2:00 pm. Questions? E-mail, call or text Guerin Wilkinson at (734) 904-1484.
Saturday, 20 July, 2024
Kitty Todd Preserve in Ohio
The Nature Conservancy’s Kitty Todd Preserve west of Toledo is arguably the most exciting destination for botanists within an hour’s drive of Ann Arbor. And if you’ve had the pleasure of being in the field or hearing a talk by Todd Crail, you would recognize him as among the most dynamic of presenters. Todd proposed this field trip as a follow-up to the one he led during the foray in Adrian.
Kitty Todd is the centerpiece of the 1300 square mile Oak Openings region. As TNC describes the preserve, It is “composed of low-lying wetlands and windblown sand dunes populated by prairie, oak savanna, woodland and forest in a rural suburban area. Home to the globally endangered black oak savanna community, the preserve has one of the highest concentrations of rare species of any nature preserve in the state.” As members of MBS have learned, It is ALWAYS a treat to visit this area.
At the University of Toledo, Todd teaches a course on the community ecology of the plants and herpetofauna of the Oak Openings region. He is particularly knowledgeable about the effects of both fire suppression and the use of fire as a management practice. He also teaches classes on the ecology and conservation of fresh water fishes and river mussels.
We will meet at 10:00 at Kitty Todd headquarters at 10420 Old State Line Rd in Swanton, Ohio. Questions? Call or text Guerin Wilkinson at (734) 904-1484.
Saturday, 24 August, 2024 at 10 a.m.
Field trip to Lake Erie (Sterling State Park), Trip Leader: Bob Smith
Of the 103 state parks in Michigan there’s only one on Lake Erie: Sterling State Park in Monroe. The state claims that the park protects more than 500 acres of Great Lakes marsh and restored lakeplain prairie habitat. These native ecosystems are ridiculously rare. Our field trip leader Bob Smith has visited this park a number of times in the past, and he has volunteered to lead a field trip there.
The big draw here is the American lotus (Nelumbo lutea). A lotus flower, here in Michigan! Bob says he also recalls Strophostyles, Echinochloa walteri, Oenothera gaura, and Sagittaria montevidensis. Of course it’s not just about the plant species. We’re doing deep(ish) dives into natural environments that were very common when Europeans arrived, and which now are barely hanging on, and only with great effort. That’s reason enough to join this field trip.
Sterling State Park is at 2800 State Park Rd. It has its own road (which runs off of Dixie Highway), so just navigate to the park. Interstate 75 will get you very close. It’s a 45-minute drive from Ann Arbor. Meet at the parking lot with a sign that says “Trail head fishing piers.” Enter the park, take the curve around to the right and continue a bit further in that direction.
Questions? Call or text Guerin Wilkinson at (734) 904-1484.
20 September 10 am - 12 pm
Return to Nature & Nurture Farm: A Focus on Asters and Goldenrods! Trip Leader: Kate Laramie & The UM Capstone Crew
Our University of Michigan Capstone graduate team will be meeting with HVC member Kate Laramie from the Huron River Watershed Council at Nature & Nurture Farm for a fall natural areas assessment. As a compliment to our spring assessment, we will add as much fall flora as we can identify.
Robert will bring the key for the Asteraceae. They are a tough family! Be sure to bring your Loupe!
Location: 7100 Marshall Rd. Dexter, MI
Saturday 21 September at 12:00 PM
Fall HVC Members Potluck at Furstenberg Nature Area
2626 Fuller Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Let’s celebrate the end of another fabulous field season! Furstenberg Nature Area is a 38-acre park on Fuller Road just west of Gallup Park. The green space borders the Huron River and comprises floodplain forest, oak savanna, and various wetlands. The Natural Areas Preservation staff has been conducting controlled burns for invasive and shrub removal since 1996.
There are picnic tables sans shelters so we shall hope for good weather and adjust as needed. Bring your favorite dish to share, and a tasty beverage. Consider bringing your fancy mess kit and scout’s utensils. (The M football game is not until 3:30 PM so traffic should not be too bad).
We’ll have a botany ramble after the meal; so don't forget your loupe!
Saturday, 28 September, 2024 at 10 a.m.
Fall 2024 Mini-Foray at the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery
The Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery is just west of Kalamazoo, off MI-43. The address: 34270 County Rd 652, Mattawan, MI 49071. The day will kick-off at 10 AM with the MBS State Board meeting, as well as hatchery tours and on-site bird watching with the Kalamazoo Audubon Society. There will be a bring-your-own lunch break at 11:30. At 12:30, Rachel Hackett with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory will provide a presentation on Michigan Fens. At 1:30, we will break into smaller groups for field trips to some close-by preserves. The day ends when you wrap up your field trip.
On-line registration at https://forms.office.com/r/EqVsPtm6hy
For further information contact Joe Trapp (joe.trapp66@gmail.com), Michigan Botanical Society, Southwestern Chapter
Location: Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, 34270 County Rd 652, Mattawan, MI 49071
Coordinates: 42.29467967389622, -85.78331290097005
Hatchery is west of Kalamazoo on M-43.
Schedule
10:00 am [Use on-line registration and select your choice]
-MBS State Board Meeting
-DNR Fish Hatchery tours
-On-site bird watching with Audubon Society of Kalamazoo
-Self-guided tour of Hatchery grounds
-None of the above
11:30 am Lunch Break – bring your own lunch.
12:30 pm Lecture – Rachel Hackett, Conservation Associate – Botanist, MNFI, “Michigan Fens”
1:30 pm Field Trips. [Use on-line registration and select your 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd choice]
Portman Nature Preserve offers 189 acres of high-quality prairie fen, wetland, oak savanna,
and woodland habitats, and is blessed with water from three lakes, a creek, and hundreds of
springs. The fen should be showing the typical fen composites Solidago rugosa, Aster puniceus,
and others. With canopy thinning, burning, and invasives control, the oak savanna is recovering.
The savanna features a large population of Frasera caroliniensis (columbo) that flowered in the
spring.
Leader: Mitch Lettow, SWMLC Stewardship Director
Location: 28779-27815 49th Ave, Paw Paw, MI 49079, (approximately 6 miles, 9 minutes from
Wolf Lake). Coordinates: 42.24094184199954, -85.83136874552353. Off street parking.
Difficulty Level: Moderate. The terrain is mostly flat. If entering the fen, rubber boots are
recommended. Insect repellent, sunscreen, water as well as suitable clothing are suggested.
Wolf Tree Nature Trails hilly terrain was formed by glaciers leaving behind tons of sand and
gravel when they melted. Of the 69 acres, about two-thirds of the property is wooded, with the
occasional iconic wolf tree reminding visitors of its savanna past. The other portion of the
property is rolling, open, and crowded with wildflowers in summer and fall. Years of restoration
efforts are producing great results.
Leader: David Riggs, Steward, Southwestern Chapter member
Location: 8794 W Kl Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49009, (approximately 5 miles, 7 minutes from Wolf
Lake). Coordinates: 42.28111151553189, -85.72261726086212. Off street parking.
Difficulty Level: Easy. Insect repellent, sunscreen, water as well as suitable clothing are
suggested.
Jepthta Lake Fen Preserve offers 49 acres of high-quality wetlands found along the shores of
Upper and Lower Jeptha Lakes. The high alkalinity and low nutrients of the spring-fed fens
support showy and unusual wildflowers, such as cotton grass, pitcher plants, marsh blazing
stars, and sundews. Of particular interest is the white form of swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum)
that occurs here. A boardwalk provides easy access to the fen.
Leader: Chuck Jordan, Steward, Southwestern Chapter member
Location: 49123 County Rd 380, Grand Junction MI (approximately 16 miles, 20 minutes from
Wolf Lake). Coordinates: 42.346620779550214, -86.0237544031893. Limited parking.
Difficulty Level: Moderate. The terrain is mostly flat. If entering the fen, rubber boots are
recommended. Insect repellent, sunscreen, water as well as suitable clothing are suggested.
Paw Paw Prairie Fen Preserve is a 106-acre preserve along the east branch of the Paw Paw
River near Mattawan MI. Restoration began in 2004 with the removal of invasives and efforts to
restore the native savanna. The fen fed by alkaline, mineral-rich groundwater supports highly
diverse and rare plant life. There are several types of fens, but prairie fens, like Paw Paw Prairie
Fen, provide habitat for both wetland and prairie plants, making them especially diverse and
important to the preserve.
Leader: Dan Burton, Southwestern Chapter member
Location: 22nd St & S Avenue, Mattawan MI (approximately 11 miles, 18 minutes from Wolf
Lake). Coordinates: 42.17735757235693, -85.7648525819838. Off street parking.
Difficulty Level: Moderate. The terrain is mostly flat. If entering the fen, rubber boots are
recommended. Insect repellent, sunscreen, water as well as suitable clothing are suggested.
Saturday, October 12, 2024. 10:00am-12:00pm
Fall Botany at Leonard Preserve, Manchester, MI. Trip Leader: Neal Billetdeaux
The 259-acre Leonard Preserve is the largest natural area in the County’s system of NAPP preserves. Its
diverse landscape includes rolling hills, oak-hickory woods, wetlands, sedge meadows and prairie
remnants and nearly one mile of winding River Raisin shoreline. HVC has not led a trip to this wonderful
preserve since 2019. We will focus on trees and shrubs as well as some of the late goldenrods and
asters and perhaps a discussion on fall colors. We will be walking mostly on mowed paths which could
be a little wet. Wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. Exploring other parts of the preserve is an
option following the hike for those interested. These coordinates in your browser will take you there:
42.1513, -84.0503. You can find directions at the link below:
https://www.washtenaw.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Leonard-Preserve-13