Michigan Botanical Society,

Southwestern Chapter

The Southwestern Chapter, based in Kalamazoo, serves amateur and professional botanists and nature enthusiasts in the southwest corner of Michigan.

Field Trip to Hillside Prairies in Ionia County

Tyler Bassett

Conservation Scientist - Botanist

Michigan Natural Features Inventory

Saturday July 25, 2026, 10am

Hillside Prairie is a grassland or savanna community that occurs on moderate to steep exposed slopes and crests of hills surrounded by oak forest or oak savanna. This natural community is almost always found on south- to west-facing slopes above streams, lakes, and wetlands, where exposure to sunlight is highest. The droughty soils are typically strongly acid to neutral loamy sand or sandy loam and often mixed with gravel. Due to the steep slopes of Hillside Prairies, soil erosion and slumping are common and contribute to maintaining the open conditions.

Descriptions of this community in Michigan are based on observations from the southern lower peninsula, although recent surveys have documented a northern Michigan variant. Prior to European settlement, the canopy layer was likely absent to sparse, with scattered open-grown trees of black oak (Quercus velutina), white oak (Q. alba), pignut hickory (Carya glabra), and white pine (Pinus strobus). Due to fire suppression, many remnants have locally dense canopies of mesophytic tree species that thrive in low-light conditions and extensive shrub layers.

Remnant prairie openings, often very limited in extent, are typically dominated by little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), porcupine grass (Hesperostipa spartea), and Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), with Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) occasionally important in more mesic microhabitats on middle and lower slopes.

Other commonly occurring ground flora include thimbleweed (Anemone cylindrica), milkweeds (Asclepias spp.), asters (Symphyotrichum spp.), harebell (Campanula rotundifolia), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus), bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata), flowering spurge (Euphorbia corollata), northern bedstraw (Galium boreale), round-leaved hepatica (Hepatica americana), alum root (Heuchera spp.), cylindrical blazing star (Liatris cylindracea), northern blazing star (L. scariosa), hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens), hairy beard-tongue (Penstemon hirsutus), prairie ragwort (Packera paupercula var. pseudotomentosa), false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum), goldenrods (Solidago spp.), birdfoot violet (Viola pedata), and summer grape (Vitis aestivalis).

In Michigan, several rare plant species are nearly restricted to Hillside Prairie, including kitten-tails (Besseya bullii, state endangered), side-oats grama grass (Bouteloua curtipendula, state endangered), and prairie golden alexanders (Zizia aptera, state threatened); their close affinity to hillside prairies allows them to serve as potential indicators for this community.

Despite the steep slope, the sites we will be visiting are adjacent to hike-bike trails so are very accessible. However, scrambling across the slopes themselves will be an option, in which case the level will be difficult. Mosquito repellent and/or netting, sunscreen, water as well as suitable clothing are suggested.

Tyler Bassett is a Botanist and Plant Ecologist with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. He has 25 years of experience studying the plants and plant communities of the Upper Midwest. 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. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Western Michigan University, and a Ph.D. in Plant Biology, and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior from Michigan State University.

Carpool: If you are interested in carpooling from Kalamazoo, meet at the Oakland/Vincent Ave Park’n Ride lot on Saturday 25jul2026. We will depart at 8:00 am. The coordinates: 42.239108673721454, -85.6156874853463.

Directions: We will rendezvous at the Muir trailhead for the Clinton-Ionia-Shiawasee Trail (Railroad Street Park in Muir MI). The approximate address is 230 Superior St, Muir MI 48860. The coordinates are 42.99635084988905, -84.9429443455398. Directions from Kalamazoo, take I-94 east and then I-69 north to the Lansing area, then take I-96 west. Just west of Portland MI, take exit 73 and turn right (east) on to Portland Rd (E Grand River Ave). In 0.2 miles turn left (north) on to S Keefer Hwy. In 7.2 miles, in Lyons MI, Keefer Hwy becomes Libhart St and then bends to the east and becomes Bridge St. In 0.7 miles, turn left (north) on to Tabor St which becomes Prarie St in Muir MI. In Muir MI, turn left (west) on to W. Superior Street. In 300 feet, the parking lot for Railroad Street Park will be on your right. There is a restroom at the park.

Oak Barrens in Ft Custer State Recreation Area

Joe Trapp

Michigan Botanical Society, Southwestern Chapter

Saturday August 8, 2026, 10am

Oak Savannas and associated prairies once occurred in a shifting mosaic of upland and wetland plant communities that depended on frequent fire for maintaining open and semi-open conditions. All these communities are now rare or nearly extirpated from Michigan.

Oak Barrens are fire-dependent savannas dominated by oaks, having between 5% and 60% canopy with a wide range of shrub cover above the forb and graminoid ground layer. The flora of savannas was a mixture of prairie and forest species, with prairie forbs and grasses more abundant in open areas and forest forbs and woody species more common in shaded areas.

A few notable plants: Amorpha canescens (lead plant), Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed), Campanula rotundifolia (bluebell), Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey tea), Comandara umbellata (bastard toadflax), Crocanthemum candadense (Canada frostweed), Desmodium canadense (showy tick-trefoil), D. illinoense (Illinois tick-trefoil), D. marilandicum (Maryland tick-trefoil), D. paniculatum (arrow-leaf tick-trefoil), D. perplexum (perplexing tick-trefoil), Hepatica americana (roundlobe hepática), Heuchera richardsonii (Richardson’s alumroot), Lespedeza capitata (roundhead bush clover), L. hirta (hairy lespedeza), Liatris scariosa (northern blazing star), Lysimachia quadrfolia (whorled loosestrife), Minuartia michauxii (rock sandwort), Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot), Pedicularis canadensis (wood betony), Penstemon hirsutus (hairy beardtongue), Phlox pilosa (prairie phlox), Ranunculus fasicicularis (early buttercup), Ratibida pinnata (grayhead prairie coneflower), Rosa carolina (prairie rose), Rudbeckia hirta (blackeyed Susan), Schizachyrium scoparim (little blue stem), Sisyrinchium angustifolium (blue-eyed grass), Tradescantia ohienis (Ohio spiderwort), Viola pedata (birdfoot violet).

The site we will be visiting is adjacent to a trail so it’s very accessible. However, scrambling across a steep slope will be difficult. Mosquito repellent and/or netting, sunscreen, water as well as suitable clothing are suggested.

Joe Trapp is the current President of the Southwestern Chapter of the Michigan Botanical Society.

Note: All motorized vehicles entering the state recreation area are required to have a Recreation Passport for entry. Recreation Passports can be purchased in advance or on-site. For more information: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/Buy-and-Apply/rec-pp

Directions: The address is 5163 Fort Custer Drive, Augusta, Michigan, 49012. The coordinates are 42.334655079887106, -85.33835080491731. From the Kalamazoo area, take I-94 eastbound to exit 85 and turn left (north) on 35th St. You will cross the Kalamazoo River and then turn right on to West Battle Creek St. There is road construction on Battle Creek St., so you will need to make a small detour. In downtown Galesburg, turn right (east) onto to East Michigan St. and in 0.2 miles, left (north) onto Burgess Dr. In 0.6 miles, you will cross railroad tracks and then turn right (east) on to East Battle Creek St (M-96). Stay on M-96 through Augusta MI and you will cross the Kalamazoo River again. The entrance to the State Recreation Area is on your right (south). We will meet in the mountain bike parking lot. See the Ft Custer State Recreation map below).