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Michigan Botanical Society
Southeaster Chapter Programs and Field Trips 2025
This is a list of programs planned and being planned for 2025. If you have feedback or suggestions for programs, topics or field trips please send and email to secmichiganbotanicalsociety@gmail.com
Zoom Talk, Thursday, January 9, 2025, 7:00 PM, Winter Wildflowers by Don Drife
My botanical mentor, Howard Miller, always said, “You really don’t know a plant unless you can identify it throughout its growth cycle.” Identify flowering plants in the winter from their stalks, seeds, and dried leaves, teaches you to observe the plants. This talk will provide you with the basic techniques used in their study.
Field Trip, Sunday, January 12 at 2:00 PM, Rouge Park
Winter Wildflower Walk in Rouge Park prairie at the Prairie Pathway (north Trailhead) and Butterfly Garden located along Outer Drive between Joy Road and Tireman Avenue. The Prairie looks different in the winter, but each species still has unique characteristics. Join Don Drife as we look at these wildflowers in the winter. (42.35516218474473, -83.25933764476903)
Tour, Saturday, February 15 at 1:00 PM, University of Michigan Herbarium.
University of Michigan Herbarium, Research Museums Center, 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Join Curator Emeritus, Tony Reznicek, for a tour of the research haystack. The herbarium is an impressive collection of 1.8 million specimens including 1.1 million pressed vascular plants, 280,000 fungi, and 163,000 bryophytes.
Speaker and workshop Sunday, March 9 at 2:00 PM, U of M Dearborn, Environmental Interpretive Center
Just Add Water This program is a simple introduction to starting trees and shrubs from seed. Bill will discuss seed collection, cleaning, stratification, and sowing. Participants will have an opportunity to start some trees and shrubs of their own. Space for the workshop is limited. Please RSVP to Ruth at hartrh2013@gmail.com
Bill Schneider established Wildtype Native Plants • Ecological services LTD., in 1996. Wildtype provides ecological design, contracting & consulting services for public, commercial projects focusing on restoration and preservation of native landscape. Wildtype also operates a nursery in Mason, Michigan, growing over 320 species of native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses and emergent wetland plants.
Field Trip, Saturday, March 15 at 10:00 AM, Lower Huron Metro Park
Speaker, Sunday, April 13, at 2:00 PM, U of M Dearborn, Environmental Interpretive Center
The Intersection of Science, Art, and Pollination. Images that instruct us and also reveal the connections between human and pollinator perceptions. We will look at the art of various pollination syndromes while viewing images of Michigan flowers. We will also touch on Michigan Flora illustrations, and the ongoing need for collecting and photographing our plants.
Bob Smith is a longtime amateur photographer and botanist. Picture him with camera crouched beside a plant along a trail. On that day other hikers paused to see what the attraction was and soon found themselves learning about pollination in Asteraceae. Bob rarely passes up a chance to share his enthusiasm for the beauty of plants. That interest has also led to collecting specimens for the Michigan Herbarium and contributing images to the Michigan Flora website.
Field Trip, Sunday, April 27, 2025, 2:00 PM, Belle Isle State Park
Location: Shelter # 15 on Belle Isle, Detroit
The Wet Mesic Flatwoods are a fascinating habitat found only in the Lakeplain. This is the first of three seasonal walks in the Belle Isle Flatwoods. We will identify plants and look at the progress of regrowth after removal of roadway and fill and other work by the DNR to restore natural drainage patterns on the island. We may also identify some of the early migrating birds.
Be prepared for muddy conditions (boots).
Link to Belle Isle map (42.3396663524212, -82.97026969771909
http://greatlakesexplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Map-1024x790.jpg
Field Trip, Saturday, May 3 at 1:00 PM Timberland Swamp Nature Preserve
Continuing the survey work we started last year.
Field Trip, Saturday, May 4 at 1:00 PM Berberian Woods Nature Preserve, Southfield
Park at the end of Streamwood Lane, south of 12 Mile between Lahser Rd. and Telegraph Rd. Several spring wildflowers will be seen in this floodplain forest. (42.497463, -83.276890)
Field Trip, Saturday May 17 at 1:00 PM Sutherland Nature Sanctuary near Metamora
Join Ian Ableson the Conservation and Stewardship Director of Six Rivers Land Conservancy for a tour of the Sutherland Nature Sanctuary
Field Trip, Sunday, June 22, 2025, 2:00 PM, Belle Isle State Park
Location: Shelter # 15 / Woodside Comfort Station on Belle Isle, Detroit
An early summer walk in the Belle Isle Flatwoods. This the second of three walks to identify plants and follow the progress of regrowth after removal of roadways and fill and other work, done be the DNR to restore natural drainage patterns on the island. Be prepared for muddy conditions (boots).
http://greatlakesexplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Map-1024x790.jpg
http://greatlakesexplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Map-1024x790.jpg
MBS Foray, July 7–10, 2025, Escanaba
Field Trip, Saturday, July 19–20, Frost Pocket Preserve, Otsego Co,
Field Trip, Sunday, August 10, 2025, Graham Lakes, Bald Mountain State Recreation Area Bob Muller
Field Trip, Sunday, September 14, 2025, 2:00 PM, Belle Isle State Park
A late summer, almost fall walk in the Belle Isle Flatwoods. This the third of three walks to identify plants and follow the progress of regrowth after work done the the DNR, most notably the removal of roadways and many feet of fill, to restore natural drainage patterns on the island.
Be prepared for muddy conditions (boots).
Link to Belle Isle map (42.3396663524212, -82.97026969771909)
http://greatlakesexplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Map-1024x790.jpg
MBS Mini Foray, Saturday, September 20, 2025. Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, 2846 3 Mile Rd N Traverse City, Michigan 49686
Speaker, Sunday, October 12, at 2:00 PM
Speaker, Sunday, November 9, at 2:00 PM
Southeastern Chapter Officers
President - Don Drife
Vice President - Colin Griffin
Treasurer - Marie Koski
Secretary - Mark Koski
State Director at Large - Skyler Principe
State Director at Large - Ruth Hart
State Director at Large - Mark Koski