MICHIGAN BOTANICAL SOCIETY

SOUTHWESTERN CHAPTER FIELD TRIP

Oak-Pine Barrens in Allegan State Game Area

With Tyler Basset

Saturday September 23, 2023, 9:45 AM to Noon

Oak-Pine barrens is a fire-dependent savanna community that occurs on well drained sandy glacial outwash, sandy glacial lakeplains, and less often on sandy areas in course textured moraines.  Oak-Pine barrens consists of scattered and clumped oaks and pines.   Wood understory species are serviceberries, sweet-fern, and low sweet blueberry. The graminoid- dominated ground layer contains plant species associated with both prairie and forest, including little bluestem, big bluestem, Pennsylvania sedge, poverty oats, and hair grass.1

The Allegan Pine Plains support a tree community typical of more northern latitudes. The abundance of jack and white pine, and hemlock is attributable to Lake Michigan moderating summer temperatures. These coniferous trees co-mingle with black, white, and red oak, as well as an association of both northern and southern grasses and wildflowers. Occurring on ancient sand dunes and on the lake plain of what historically was the bottom of Lake Michigan, this mixture of unique forests and savannas are well-conserved within the 50,000-acre Allegan SGA.2

Hiking will be slow and mostly on flat terrain.  Insect repellent, sunscreen, water as well as suitable clothing are suggested.  The trip difficulty level is rated moderate.

For those interested, after a lunch break, we will visit a Coastal Plain Marsh in the vicinity.   Bring your rubber boots!

Please arrive at the Allegan SGA HQ (see directions below) by 9:45, we will depart for the Oak-Pine Barrens promptly at 10 AM.

Tyler Bassett is a Botanist and Plant Ecologist with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. He has 20 years of experience studying the plants and plant communities of the Upper Midwest. The prairie-savanna landscape of southwest Michigan is particularly dear to him, which supports a disproportionately high number of regionally imperiled plant species. His work, in part, aims to document and conserve these species, and to restore, expand, and reconnect the diminishing fragments of habitat that they require for persistence.

Directions from the Kalamazoo area take US 131 north toward Plainwell.  Take exit 49B (M-89 W/Allegan St.) and continue driving west on M-89 until you reach the city of Allegan.  In Allegan, turn left (west) onto Cutler St (M-89 / M-40) which become Western Ave and then becomes Lincoln Rd.  Turn left (west) on to Monroe Rd.  Continue on Monroe Rd which becomes 118th Ave for 6.9 miles.  We will meet at the Allegan SGA Headquarters at 4590 118th Ave, Allegan, MI 49010.

1 Cohen J.G. et. al. (2015) A Field Guide to the Natural Communities of Michigan.

2https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/places/natural-areas/allegan-pine-plains