Huron Valley Chapter

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2025 Field Trips

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2025 Field Trips

Saturday 1 February 2025 10:00 AM

“Through the Seasons" at Nan Weston Nature Preserve (A Four-Part Series), Part I: Winter - Trip Leader: Robert Ayotte

Join naturalist Robert Ayotte for a hike along the trails at Nan Weston for an exploration of plants in their winter condition with a focus on dormant trees and shrubs, evergreens, and persistent fruits. We’ll also keep an eye out for evidence of insects, birds and abandoned nests, and tracks in the snow.

Meet at the Nan Weston Nature Preserve Parking Lot on Easudes Rd. The hike will be 2.5 miles over relatively level terrain. If conditions are icy wear your Yak Trax.

This is the first of a four-part series whereby we will visit Nan Weston in each of the four seasons.

Saturday 5 April 2025. 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Early Spring Flora at Sanford Natural Area - Trip Leader: Scott Warner

Along the Red Cedar River and nestled within the campus of Michigan State University is Sanford Natural Area, a 34-acre beech-maple forest with a small inclusion of silver maple swamp along the river. Although Sanford was selectively harvested, it has old-growth characteristics and supports a diverse native flora. Field trip leader Scott Warner, a botanist with Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI), will share interesting spring plants including leatherwood (Dirca palustris), sedges (Carex blanda and C. plantaginea), harbinger-of-spring (Erigenia bulbosa), and many beloved wildflowers. As a comparison, we will visit adjacent Beal Pinetum and discuss the long-lasting effects of habitat degradation.

Meet on the north side of Owen Hall (42.72652, -84.47019). Most campus parking is free on most Saturdays, but read signs carefully. Ample free parking is available daily on Old Canton Lane: 42.73092, -84.46248. After the field trip, participants are encouraged to visit other MSU attractions including Baker Woodlot, Toumey Woodlot, Beal Botanical Garden, the Horticultural Gardens, and the Campus Arboretum. The following articles on Sanford Natural Area may interest you.

Beaman, John H. (1970). A botanical inventory of Sanford Natural Area. I. The Environment. 9: 116–139. II. Checklist of vascular plants. 9:147–164.

Saturday 12 April 2025. 10:00 AM - 12:00PM

Hunt for Harbinger-of-Spring, Erigenia bulbosa at Dexter-Huron Metropark - Trip Leader: Julie McLaughlin

A number of woodland perennial herbs take advantage of the increased light availability of early spring in order to complete their life cycles. These small but often conspicuous plants are often termed "spring ephemerals". They are dormant throughout 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.

One of the earliest of these ephemeral plants is the Harbinger-of-Spring (Erigenia bulbosa) , a diminutive but aptly named plant that signals the arrival of mild weather and relief from the cold darkness of winter. Join us at Dexter-Huron Metropark as we search for flowering individuals of Erigenia and discuss other spring ephemeral plants such as cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), spring-beauties (Claytonia virginica), wild leeks (Allium tricoccum), and yellow trout-lily (Erythronium americanum), among many others.

Meet at the far-eastern parking lot of Dexter-Huron Metropark (6535 Huron River Drive, Dexter, MI 48130)

Park Fee: $10 or Annual Vehicle Metroparks Pass

Saturday 19 April 2025. 10:00 AM

Wildflower Ramble at Scio Woods

Join us for a casual wildflower ramble in Scio Woods, a roughly 91-acre preserve maintained by the Washtenaw County Natural Areas Preservation Program. We’ll meander through dry-mesic and mesic southern forest, identifying and enjoying the bountiful array of spring ephemeral wildflowers that the preserve has to offer. We’ll see various violets (Viola spp.), white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum), spring-beauties (Claytonia virginica), and woodland phlox (Phlox divartica), among many other plants. Trails may be muddy, so wear appropriate footwear!

Members should park at the lot off Scio Church Rd (42.255838772483045, -83.80809567784675).

Saturday 26 April 2025. 10:00 AM

Saline River Valley - Trip Leader: Bev Walters

Join us in this opportunity to view a few of Washtenaw County’s seldom seen early spring plants growing along the Saline River. Although not very glamorous plants, both the diminutive False Mermaid (Floerkea proserpinacoides) and the Long-stalked Sedge (Carex pedunculata) can be found here. We will also see Spring Avens (Geum vernum), which is larger and slightly showier, along with other spring ephemerals typical of floodplains and upland forests. An impressively large Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) has found refuge in this protected river valley. The old fields of this family farm have been successfully planted in prairie species and the property owners have seen the ongoing restoration work in the forests improve the ecological health of these natural areas as well.

The walk will be less than one mile and mostly level but may be muddy in places. Park at 3871 Saline-Waterworks Rd, Saline MI.

Saturday, 10 May 2025. 10:00 AM

"Through the Seasons" - A Four-Part Series: Spring (at Nan Weston Preserve) - Trip Leader: Bob Smith

Earlier this season we had the opportunity to experience Nan Weston Preserve through a very different lens. Now, dormancy has long been broken, and the growing season is well underway. Led by Bob Smith, we’ll examine these differences and enjoy the bountiful blooms that springtime in Nan Weston has to offer. Like last time, we plan to hike about 2.5 miles over relatively level terrain. Meet at the Nan Weston Nature Preserve Parking Lot on Easudes Rd. Conditions may be muddy and buggy, so bring your boots and bug spray.

Saturday, 17 May 2025. 10:00 AM

"Bog" Flora at The Eddy Discovery Center - Trip Leader: Christian Tibaudo

Peatlands are a specific type of wetland characterized by an accumulation of Sphagnum moss, which in oxygen poor environments partially decomposes to form peat. Bogs and fens are examples of peatlands but differ greatly in pH and hydrology. Some of our most attractive and conspicuous plants can be found in bogs and other nutrient-poor peatlands. The Eddy Discovery Center provides an excellent opportunity to see these plants and many others from the comfort of a boardwalk. On our walk to the "bog", we will meander through mature southern mesic forest where we will see notable plants such as leatherwood (Dirca palustris), and will pass through quality seep-fed southern hardwood swamp with goldthread (Coptis trifolia). In the "bog", we will see many outstanding plants, including blooms such as bog-bean (Menyanthes trifoliata) and various orchids.

Join us as field trip coordinator Christian Tibaudo leads us to the bog, and provides discussion on ecology and the vegetation it has to offer. We will meet at the parking lot furthest from the discovery center (42.32422021980183, -84.08530946902347). Note that they are making renovations on the discovery center building, so there may be some construction traffic.

Saturday, 31 May 2025. 10:00 AM

Sedges and Late Spring Flora at the Draper-Houston Preserve - Trip Leader: Anton Reznicek

The Draper-Houston Meadows preserve is just west of Milan with a diversity of habitats along a half mile of the Saline River. There are a couple of miles of trail, forming a nice loop. Along the river, there is a diverse floodplain forest with a variety of trees, including large stands of pawpaw, plus typical floodplain sedges. The wettest parts are silver maple bottoms, and open buttonbush wetlands, which will likely still be flooded. Upland from the floodplain, there are wooded slopes replete with wildflowers as well as stream valleys with a rich sedge and wildflower flora. At the far end of the preserve, there is a mature woodlot also with rare trees and interesting sedges.

Rivers are corridors for plants and animal migration, so we will see some southern plants that are generally uncommon in Michigan such as Kentucky coffee tree (Gynmnocladus dioicus), red mulberry (Morus rubra), pawpaw (Asimina triloba), four-angled ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata), and wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus) and also southern sedges like Carex davisii and Carex frankii. Trails are flat or gently sloping, but may be muddy if it has recently rained. Depending on the season, there may be a few mosquitos. - Anton Reznicek

The parking lot address is 578 Mooreville road, Milan, MI 48160. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, or recommendations for future trips. I am hoping to have the schedule for the second half of the year figured out shortly.

Saturday, 7 June 2025. 10:00 AM

Saginaw Forest: A Focus on Physiography & Woody Plants – Robert Ayotte

Join us for an exploration of Saginaw Forest, a unique 80-acre research site owned and managed by the University of Michigan. This excursion serves as a preview of an anticipated lecture program by U-M facility managers, scheduled for our October meeting.

Our foray will focus on physiography (landforms and soils) and the current vegetative cover type to gain insights into the site’s ecological history. Saginaw Forest consists of 33 acres of conifer plantations and 14 acres of deciduous canopy. B y studying these features, we will estimate the pre-European settlement forest ecosystem and assess the site’s ecological potential.

Notably, Saginaw Forest is home to one of only two known sites in the world where the rare Murray’s Birch (Betula murryana) grows. This species was first discovered and named by U-M forest ecologist Burt Barnes (Barnes & Dancik, 1985).

📍 Meeting Point: Saginaw Forest Trailhead, 3900 Liberty Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
🥾 Hiking Details: Expect to walk approximately 2 miles on mostly flat to gently rolling trails. We’ll be examining at least one soil pit and moving at a Forest Ecology pace.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with Michigan’s ecological history in a hands-on setting!

Saturday, 14 June 2025. 10:00 AM

Plants of Lefglen Preserve and Conservation Management – Trip Leader: Ayden Ehgotz

Lefglen Preserve is a 213-acre parcel owned and maintained by the Michigan Nature Association (MNA), located roughly 2.5 miles north of Napoleon, MI. It encompasses Mellen Camp Lake and contains natural communities such as dry and dry-mesic southern forest, prairie fen, rich tamarack swamp, and southern hardwood swamp.

We will begin our walk at the north entrance, where we’ll see plants such as partridgeberry (Mitchella repens), round-leaved pyrola (Pyrola americana), Indian cucumber-root (Medeola virginiana), and rice-grass (Patis racemosa). We’ll continue our hike afterwards at the southern entrance, where we’ll have a discussion on the conservation management that has occurred in the preserve and its purpose. We’ll also take a look at the plants growing in the fen and the rich tamarack swamp, where management has occurred for a number of years.

Members should plan to meet here (42.193763950647096, -84.22025019711164) and there is additional parking at the county park a few hundred feet to the south (42.19081229705615, -84.22075207856423). Please carpool if you can, as parking is limited.

Saturday, 12 July 2025. 10:00 AM

Riverbend Gardens and Oak Openings - Trip Leader: Wayne Oliver

Riverbend Gardens is a 65-acre private botanical garden, aviary, and family retreat established in July 2017 and founded by Wayne & Julie Oliver. The property contains unique natural features and a half mile of frontage on the River Raisin and is adjacent to the Leonard Preserve. According to Wayne,

“There are twelve gardens that make-up River Bend, with nine natural plant communities, and several glacial features in the landscape from kames, an out-wash plain, to a floodplain that includes a Buttonbush depression. In addition to the River Raisin, the property includes a 4 acre pond, two brooks, and over 30 natural springs.

While the trails are established, they are not completely groomed, the garden is not ADA compliant, nor is there a restroom present on the property.

After a discussion and Q&A, the guests will be free to walk the trails and experience the gardens at their own pace.”

We will park and meet at this coordinate (42.15335836130749, -84.04579059934771), where Wayne will be waiting to lead us through his property, and provide commentary. Please carpool if possible, as parking is limited.

Saturday, 16 August 2025. 10:00 AM

Wetland Plants at Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve – Trip Leader: Travis Wilcox

Wetlands are critical landscape features that help to control and filter stormwater, prevent erosion, store carbon, and of course provide habitat for a multitude of animal and plant species. Join us at Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve, where we will explore a wetland unit managed by the Washtenaw County Parks, Natural Areas Preservation Program, with Stewardship Technician Travis Wilcox.

Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve is over 1,100 acres of protected land nestled between Jackson and Washtenaw Counties and is comprised of a mixture of open grasslands, mixed oak woodlands and low open wetland areas. The open landscape within the park and preserve is critically important habitat for grassland bird species. A large part of the park, over 13%, is high-quality prairie fen (MNFI). We will also see areas of southern-wet meadow, and wet-mesic prairie.

The hike down to the wetland complex is roughly 1/3 mile down a gravel trail, however there are no trails in the wetland and boots are recommended (although there should be little standing water at this time). Parking is at this location (42.12978848245112, -84.13802937346644) off Arnold Road.

Saturday, 13 September, 2025. 10:00am

Aquatic Plants at Cedar Lake (Sylvan Township, MI) - Trip Leader: Amanda Klain

(Limited to 12 watercraft – sign-up link to be released at a later date)

Join us on a kayak and canoe event at Cedar Lake where Amanda Klain, (botanist with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory), leads us around the lake and discusses the aquatic vegetation that is has to offer.

“Light will be shed on these wondrous watery beings, and participants will have the opportunity to be up close and personal with the species growing in and around the waters of Cedar Lake. The class will focus on the emergent (emerging out of the water), submergent (underwater) and floating-leaf plants of Cedar Lake, as well as the plants along the lake edge. There will be some discussion on the general characteristics of lake systems and aquatic plants. There is a great diversity of plant species in Cedar Lakes. Some highlights include spike rush (Eleocharis robbinsii), horsetail spike rush (Eleocharis equisetoides), purple bladderwort (Utricularia purpurea), and many other bladderworts (Utricularia spp.)” — Amanda K.

We have decided to require a non-motorized watercraft and have limited the event to 12 watercrafts to provide the best (and safest) experience possible. Given the nature of the event, everyone is required to have a life jacket and must follow boating safety laws. Lastly, neither Amanda nor anyone at the Michigan Botanical Society, HVC, is responsible for your safety. However, if we all follow the aforementioned rules, there should not be any problems!

2025 Lecture Programs

Fourth Tuesdays at 7:00 pm (unless otherwise noted) at

Matthaei Botanical Gardens Auditorium

28 January 2025: iNaturalist Introduction, Overview & Demonstration - 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.

Tuesday 25 February 2025

Environmental Toxidromes: Part II: Poisonings - 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.

Tuesday 25 March 2025

Reconnecting with and Revitalizing a University-Owned Wetland: Celebrating the First 50 Years, and Planning for the Next 50 - 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

April 29th (5th Tuesday Exception) 2025 ***NOTE THE CHANGE IN LOCATION***

Adventures on Isle Royale - Jesse Lincoln

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.

Jesse Lincoln 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.

Note that the presentation will start promptly at 7:00 pm. If attendees would like to order beverages or food, they should plan accordingly and arrive early.

This lecture will be at The Corner Brewery, 720 Norris St, Ypsilanti, MI.

23 September 2025: Current Invasive Species Concerns in Southern Michigan - Dr. Shikha Singh

Join Dr. Singh for a discussion about some of the current invasive species challenges we face in both aquatic and terrestrial environments in the Jackson, Lenawee and Washtenaw region. We will learn how to identify a few invasives, how to prevent their spread, and how to report their occurrence.

Shikha Singh is the coordinator for the JLW CISMA (Jackson Lenawee Washtenaw Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area). She has a BSc. in Biology from University of Western Ontario, and her master's and PhD at Michigan State University from the Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife. She has been working on Great Lakes environmental issues for 19+ years in the fields of water conservation and invasion biology. She works to assist residents and partners in identifying invasive species, providing management information, and how to prevent their spread to new areas. She also gives talks on strategies to increase accessibility and participation related to natural resources outreach and education. Outside of work, Shikha also enjoys nature photography, cooking and playing soccer.

28 October (TBD)

25 November: Environmental Toxidromes Part III: Bites and Envenomations - Robert Ayotte

What is a Toxidrome? Join Naturalist and retired Emergency Department Physician Assistant, Robert Ayotte, for a primer on potentially 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. Part III focuses on animal poisonings and envenomations with reference to caterpillars, ants, bee and wasp stings, spider and tick bites, scorpion stings, snake and turtle bites, and more. Throughout the series we review real emergency cases and track their management and outcomes.

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.

The 2025 Grand Foray in Gladstone, MI

The 2025 MBS Grand Foray will be held at the Terrace Bay Hotel in Gladstone, MI from July 7 through the 10th. It is being coordinated by the White Pine Chapter of the MBS. Enjoy Upper Michigan! There will be field trips to various natural areas daily, and natural history lectures in the evenings. A block of discounted rooms is available at the Terrace Bay Hotel - make your reservation asap!

The 2025 Mini Foray in Traverse City, MI

The Great Lakes Chapter will be hosting the 2025 Fall State Board Meeting and Mini-Foray on September 20th at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy’s new Conservation Center on 3-Mile Road near East Bay in Traverse City. Expect a Saturday morning board meeting followed by guided hikes at nearby natural areas. There will be opportunities for additional hikes at Sleeping Bear Dunes on Sunday. There are a plethora of hotels and motels on the east side of Traverse City to choose from. If you prefer camping, unfortunately the Traverse City State Park will be closed for construction in September, but you could look into Timber Ridge Resort and Arbutus Lake State Forest Campground. More details to come!

Join the Huron Valley Chapter!

Member Benefits

The HVC Newsletter (Spring/Summer/Fall): We’ll keep you up to date on HVC Lectures, Field Trips, Field Trip Reports, and other happenings.

The HVC Listserv: Event announcements, reminders, and group discussion.

Admission to Lecture Programs: The lectures are held the last Tuesday of the month (January-April & Sept.-November) at the Auditorium of the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 118 N. Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48015. See above for current lecture schedule.

Admission to Field Trips: See above for current schedule. Some field trips have limited attendance.

The Arisaema: This Statewide Newsletter, issued by the MBS State Board will keep you apprised of the activities of all five chapters, officer elections at the state level, and updates on both the Grand and Petit Forays.

Subscription to the Great Lakes Botanist: A Journal of North American Botany (2 issues per year). The GLB is a peer reviewed journal that publishes papers on all aspects of the natural history of plants of North America north of Mexico, including systematics, floristics, ecology, conservation, botanical history, economic botany, ethnobotany, and ecosystem restoration. Plant groups include vascular plants, bryophytes, fungi, and algae. The journal maintains the Great Lakes region as one area of special focus. This region is defined as the entirety of the states and provinces bordering any of the Great Lakes: that is, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, and New York. The GLB welcomes students wishing to publish their research!

Advocacy Corner: Keep up on legislation and opportunities for public comment in our Advocacy Corner section (below)

An Opportunity to Help the Cause: We are looking for talented people willing to volunteer at both the Chapter and State Board levels. If you would like to make a contribution, please send a note to us at michiganbotanicalsociety at gmail.com. Currently, the MBS State Board seeks folks who are interested in working with any of the following: Archives, Treasury, Education & Outreach, Environmental Advocacy, and Webspace Design. Contact us at michiganbotanicalsociety at gmail.com

How to Join?

Join 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.
Or, you may attend a lecture and talk to our membership coordinator, in person!

Advocacy Corner

Welcome to the Advocacy Corner, where regular updates on Environmental Advocacy Initiatives/Legislation of interest to MBS members will be posted!

MBS Membership in MEC

Michigan Botanical Society (MBS) is a member of the Michigan Environmental Council (MEC), an environmental policy and advocacy organization. MEC acts as an organizing body to coordinate policy and legislative initiatives among over 100 participating environmental and conservation groups in Michigan. Their policy priorities focus on the following seven critical areas: Climate and Energy, Water, Land and Wildlife, Health and Justice, Transportation, Waste Reduction and Democracy and Good Governance.

Currently, MEC is working on the following environmental campaigns: Affordable Healthy Homes, Comprehensive Climate and Energy Reform, Statewide Septic Code, Rulemaking Restoration for EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy), Polluter Pay regulations, Cumulative (Industrial) Impacts Assessment, Transportation GHG (Green House Gas) Reduction, Michigan Bottle Deposit Reform and Critical Dunes protections.

Link to MEC website: Home - Michigan Environmental Council

Planned Activity

The Advocacy Corner will be reviewing and reporting on MEC activities of relevance to MBS and any “calls to action” that may prompt participation in initiatives or show of support for legislation via communications with our State Government in Lansing.

Other Organizations

Updates from other environmental organizations and initiatives will be highlighted to keep MBS informed and engaged as stakeholders in protecting our native plant communities. Land Conservancy, Natural Areas Preservation organizations, educational institutions and government organizations, among others, operate within the HVC area and statewide to preserve, protect, restore and provide educational opportunities for natural areas.

Current Issues of Interest:

Update: Save the Arb! No Monorail impacting Nichols Arboretum!

The University of Michigan is proposing an elevated monorail (Campus Connector) that would facilitate commuting between Central, North and the Medical campuses in Ann Arbor. The proposed location of the monorail through and over areas of the Nichols Arboretum will have adverse effects on its ecological and historical significance as well as impact the experience of its users.

UPDATE: The Michigan Botanical Society, Huron Valley Chapter, has recently submitted a letter to Santa J. Ono, President, University of Michigan expressing concern regarding the proposed Campus Connector project impacting the Nichols Arboretum. See the letter (Dated 4/4/25) from Neal Billetdeaux, our Chapter President, via the link below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xDp9y7tao59UYuLycRFxFq39uTORiP2K/view?usp=drive_link

Below is a link to a petition currently being circulated in order to add your voice to the request to reconsider this plan:

https://chng.it/KnKmsB8nqp

For additional information and background on this issue, please see the letter written by the former Director of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum and professor emeritus, Bob Grese, to the President of the University of Michigan:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hIEIokzgacvh2TvleqGyZtLSF_PMp8aj/view

Neonicatinoid (Neonics) Pesticide Impacts

Neonicatinoid Pesticide (Neonics) use in U.S. Agriculture has been identified as having major impacts on insect populations and in particular, our pollinator species, effecting both agricultural crops and native plants. They have been described as one of the most ecologically destructive pesticides of our times and pose those same impacts here in Michigan. Information and action items on impacts of use of neonics on our State’s pollinators and the public health are included herein. Background information is provided via this link:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17TUCXDE0MgrygJLL80f0yTnL6BatHD_M/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=111735026086805588524&rtpof=true&sd=true

Please consider signing a letter to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARP) expressing your concerns:

Tell MDARD: Protect Our Health, Pollinators, and Water from Toxic Neonic Pollution

Thanks!!

“Better Bottle Bill” proposed by the MEC:

The Michigan Environmental Council (MEC) is proposing an update to Michigan’s current bottle bill to address the significant amount of non-carbonated beverage containers that are not covered by the current bill. Water bottles and containers for sports drinks, juices and others would be added to the bottle deposit and refund approach to keeping bottles and cans from littering our landscapes and ending up in landfills. Review of the current allocation of funds from unclaimed deposits as well as proposals to improve the return process are addressed.

You can add your name to the petition below to communicate to our legislators the need to update and improve the existing law:

Bottle Bill Petition - Michigan Environmental Council

For additional information you can visit the MEC website dedicated to this issue:

Better Bottle Bill - Michigan Environmental Council

- 4/18/25

The Mission of the Huron Valley Chapter of the MBS includes:

The preservation of native floras and their intrinsic native ecosystems.

the education of the public as regards the importance of the preservation of native floras and their intrinsic native ecosystems.
the sponsorship of research and publications on the floras and native ecosystems of the Great Lakes Region.
the sponsorship of legislation, in the State of Michigan, to establish sanctuaries for the preservation of native floras and their intrinsic native ecosystems.
stewardship of local sanctuaries managed for the preservation of native floras and their intrinsic native ecosystems.
cooperation between organizations whose aims are the establishment and stewardship of lands managed for, among other goals, the preservation of native floras and their intrinsic native ecosystems.

HVC Board members and Contacts (2025-2026)

President: Neal Billetdeaux

Vice President (Programs): Robert Ayotte - michiganbotanicalsociety at gmail.com

Secretary: Julie McLaughlin

Treasurer: Deborah LaForge

Directors at Large:

David Malmquist (HVC Newsletter)
Brad Ruhfel (Webspace Manager)
Ken Shaw (Facilities Coordinator)

Field Trip Coordinator: Christian Tibaudo

Nominations Chair: Neal Billetdeaux

Nominations Committee: all members!

Refreshments Chair: Allison Krueger

Immediate Past President: Anton Reznicek

Previous HVC Meetings and Field Trips are archived here.