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 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: Sarah Nooden (734) 663-5667
Facilities: Ken Shaw
Nominations: Irene Eiseman (734) 475-9654
Immediate Past President: Anton Reznicek (734) 764-5544
Artist: Abraham Cone
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 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/
MBS Fall 2023 Programs
Organized by the Huron Valley Chapter.
To link to these meetings: click on: meet.google.com/zaj-htvw-wte or for Dial-in: 573-559-1919 PIN: 936 694 210#
Monday 18 September 2023
Michigan’s Forest History: How Logging, Forestry, & the CCC Impacted the Landscape - Hillary Pine
The unchecked logging of the late 1800s led to deforestation, erosion, and horrific wildfires. In response, Michigan established its first state nursery in 1904. In the 1930s, the CCC boys aided these conservation efforts. Join Michigan History Center Historian, Hillary Pine, to learn about Michigan’s forest history and how you can still see evidence of our past on the landscape.
Hillary Pine is from Munising, currently lives in St. Ignace, and is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She has a B.A. in Art History from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in Cultural Heritage & Museum Studies from the University of East Anglia. She is the Northern Lower Peninsula Historian for the DNR and Michigan History Center. Hillary works out of Hartwick Pines State Park and is responsible for the Hartwick Pines Logging Museum, the Higgins Lake Nursery, and the Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps Museum. Hillary especially enjoys giving tours and public programs to share Michigan’s diverse history with the public.
16 October 2023
Learn to Love those Latin Names - Ann Willyard
Based on the new book Learn to Love those Latin Names, this talk will explain the value of learning to use the scientific names that are universal across all languages. Importantly, we will focus on how to understand these names, how they are created, how and why they are changed, and how to use them in your writing and list-making. Those who want to publish new species will need to learn much more. This talk is aimed at most enthusiasts and students, who will be empowered by learning a little more about how to use the Latin names.
Ann Willyard taught Botany and Plant Systematics at Hendrix College. She earned a PhD from Oregon State University, a MS from California State University Chico, and a B.A. from University of California Santa Cruz. She has published and collaborated on many botanical research papers and is an Associate Editor of the American Journal of Botany.
20 November 2023
Identifying Recoverable, Fire-Dependent Systems in The Huron Manistee National Forest -
Jesse M. Lincoln, Conservation Scientist at Michigan Natural Features Inventory
While we were growing up, many of us were told that Michigan was just an extensive forest and that a squirrel could run from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron without touching the ground. But Michigan was historically home to a myriad of fire-adapted natural communities, and many were open grasslands and featured species more typically found in the prairies of the Great Plains. Our prairie and savanna systems that once covered over 1 million acres in southern Michigan have declined by over 99%. Consequently, many plants and animals that relied on these habitats are also in serious decline. To help expand conservation efforts aimed at recovering these fire-adapted community types, MNFI partnered with the US Forest Service and the Michigan DNR to identify the best remaining examples in the Cadillac District of the Huron-Manistee National Forest. This talk with cover the methodology for identifying important conservation targets, show some of the surprising highlights, and discuss potential management approaches and prioritization of the identified areas.
Jesse has spent 13 seasons as an ecologist at MNFI. The work takes him all over the state to some of our most unique and intact natural places. It is a perspective not always available to most people and he enjoys sharing images and lessons learned from our wild places.
Field Trips 2023
Saturday Sept 16, 10:00, Great Lakes Gardens at Matthaei Botanical Gardens
Mike Kost will introduce us to the fabulous collection of more than 300 Michigan plant species at Matthaei’s Great Lakes Gardens. It’s a good time of year to visit as there will be many species in flower including native asters and goldenrods. Mike is assistant curator at Matthaei, a University of Michigan lecturer, and a former lead ecologist with Michigan Natural Features Inventory. He is a co-author of “A Field Guide to the Natural Communities of Michigan,” a publication which many of us naturalist types keep close at hand.
Mike writes: "The Great Lakes Gardens showcase a diverse array of natural communities and their associated native plants. With over 300 plant species, including more than 20 rare species, the gardens play an important role in the ex-situ conservation of numerous uncommon and rare native plants. The gardens also serve as an important place for the public and University community to learn about the natural communities and native plants of the Great Lakes regions and be inspired to care about their protection and stewardship.”
The gardens are located close to Matthaei’s main public facilities, and are freely accessible. Exploring the woodlands and prairies on Matthaie’s grounds afterwards will of course be an option.
Saturday 30 September at Noon, Potluck and Botanical Ramble at Independence Woods Pavilion, Independence Lake County Park, 3200 Jennings Rd, Whitmore Lake, MI 48189
https://www.washtenaw.org/facilities/facility/details/Independence-Lake-County-Park-78
Join us at Noon for the Huron Valley Chapter Fall Potluck followed by a Botanical Ramble through the prairie to look at asters, goldenrods, and whatever else we find. Bring a dish, something to drink, utensils, and your loupes. The pathways are upland and easy walking. A park entry fee will be required at the front gate.
Saturday, May 13, 2023: 9:00 to 12:00 Horner Woods Workday and Botanizing. We will be joining the Matthaeii Botanical Gardens natural area preservation staff at the University of Michigan's Horner Woods for a workday. We will probably be doing invasives removal with time for a nature hike. Watch for details to come./ Nancy Lincoln Stoll
Saturday, May 20,2023: 10:00 am: Waterloo-Pinckney Esker Trail between Bush Rd and Waterloo Rd. This is one of my favorite trail sections, with stunning topography along the top of an esker. At one point the trail dips down to a kettle lake surrounded by loads of high-bush blueberry, well worth harvesting for fruit on good years. Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) can be found along the lake’s edge. I’ll lead this one, but will welcome any and all to step forward with observations. We can start where the trail crosses Bush Rd. I’m unsure of street-side parking, but the lot at Walsh Lake is nearby. Walsh Lake is just north of McClure Rd and the trail is just beyond that. Easy hiking on level ground except for a fairly steep scramble to the top of the esker at the half-way point. Contact Guerin (734) 904-1484 guerinw@gmail.com
Saturday, May 27, 2023: 10:00 am Scio Woods Preserve in Scio Township, Ann Arbor.Tony Reznicek will lead. We will explore this 91-acre county preserve. The preserve includes both oak-hickory and rich beech-maple forest communities. There will be pawpaw (Asimina triloba) (yay!), bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia) and spicebush (Lindera benzoin) in the mesic sites. There is also a wetlands system which includes a buttonbush swamp. In other words, the preserve covers a lot of diversity. Tony chose this late-May weekend so that we will have an opportunity to look at some of the 12 species of Carex known from here. The address is 4000 Scio Church Rd. Contact Guerin (734) 904-1484 guerinw@gmail.com.
Saturday, June 10, 2023: 10:00 am Walden West. Bob Smith will lead a field trip to a spot we have not visited before near Adrian in Lenawee County. Bob is securing access to the site through Adrian College. It has up and down topography and a fen in good condition. Details to come.
Field Trips 2022
10 December 2022 11:00 am - 1:00 pm: Winter Woodies of Nichols Arboretum with Botany Undergraduates Doing Stuff!
Trip Leader: Chad Machinski A December Botany Hike?? Oh yes. Let’s get out there and do some wood plant ID! Woody plants such as trees and shrubs offer up some good ways to identify themselves through the winter even if they are deciduous. Come out to Nichols Arboretum and see what winter ID is all about! Because we will be doing this hike at the Arb, we will have the opportunity to see both typical native woody species and a good number of trees from around the world. And if you’ve taken a woody plants course before, I encourage you to still come to brush up on your skills and share your knowledge with the rest of the group.
Throughout the Arb you’ll find many special places to discover, including extensive but dispersed collections of native and exotic trees and shrubs masterfully crafted into a naturalistic landscape begun by O. C. Simonds in 1907. The Arboretum is jointly owned by the City of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan as a resource for the entire community. As you explore, you’ll find one of the richest landscapes in the region, as well as a complex glacial topography that presents vast panoramas, broad valleys, and intimate dales and glens (MBGNA).
We will be meeting on the main floor of the Reader Center located at 1610 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI (near the Peony Garden). There will be coffee and donuts, so bring your thermos! Remember it will be December, so please dress for being out in the cold for 1-2 hours, but also remember that you are under no obligation to stay for the entire event. If it is extremely cold, I will cancel the hike and give everyone plenty of notice. Parking is available in the lot across from Markley Dormitory and at metered spots along Observatory Rd. Hope to see you there!
Saturday July 23 we have 10:00 reservations for a tour of the Nature Conservancy’s Kitty Todd Preserve, located near the Toledo International Airport. Kitty Todd is the centerpiece of the celebrated 1300 square mile Oak Openings region. The diversity of the flora and the sheer number of rare plant species are unparalleled in Ohio (and likely in Michigan as well).
As described by TNC, “The 1,300-square-mile Oak Openings Region is a complex of oak savanna and wet prairie that developed on sand and clay deposited by glacial Lake Warren, the ancient predecessor of present-day Lake Erie. The combination of porous sandy soils of the former beach ridges and an impervious clay layer beneath those soils creates an unforgiving environment that fluctuates from flooding in the spring to arid in midsummer.”
Our host and trip leader will be the very enthusiastic Todd Crail. Todd is on the faculty of the University of Toledo and an authority on the ecology and conservation management of the Oak Openings region. He says we can expect to see such beauties as the orange-fringed orchid (Platanthera ciliaris), colic-root (Aletris farinosa) and other star species. We’ll be walking on level ground, and you can expect that your shoes might get damp. Kitty Todd is at 10420 Old State Line Rd, Swanton OH.
For those of us who want to continue on after lunch (bring your own), we can elect to visit some nearby sand dunes populated by lupine, sweet-fern (Comptonia peregrina - rare in Ohio), and even some prickly-pear cactus. Cool beans! Guerin (734) 904-1484
Saturday Aug 13: The Woody Flora of Central Campus. Yep, something different for sure. Granted our Society’s focus is generally on native plants in a natural ecological setting. But on this date our chapter president Neal Billedeaux will lead a walk on campus to check out the collection of woodies. We’ll see historic specimens of familiar Michigan trees, southern species such as yellowwood (Cladrastis) and silverbell (Halesia), and great specimens of many imported ornamentals and shade trees. Shrubs too, of course. Paul Bairley, retired forester with the City of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan, will be contributing to the walk as well (Paul developed a campus tour of trees for visiting alumni, and he and I have measured many of Ann Arbor’s big trees over the years). Easy walking under a shady canopy. Guerin (734) 904-1484
Saturday August 20: Bear Creek wsw of Blissfield in Lenawee County. Bob Smith proposed this field trip for its collection of southern species that migrated into Michigan via the headwaters of the Raisin River in Ohio and into its Bear Creek and Black Creek tributaries. The lovely Ruellia strepens (wild petunia), in the Acanthaceae, is only known in Michigan from two sites in Lenawee County. We hope also to see winged monkey-flower (Mimulus alatus) which is also rare in our state. Other possibilities are beak grass (Diarrhena americana), Lycopus virginicus and a whole lot more. We’ll meet at 10:00. Exact location to be announced later. Guerin (734) 904-1484
Sunday, April 10, 2022: Hunt for Snow trillium (Trillium nivale) Portland State Game Area (ca. 90 miles) Meet at 11:00 at the parking lot at the west end of Towner Rd, within the Portland State Game Area. Towner Rd is four miles south of Portland off Charlotte Highway. If you plan to come, it would be helpful if you let me know. A good 15 or so folks have confirmed, including several from the DNR. Cheers, Guerin (734) 904-1484
Sunday, May 1: 12:15 p.m. Miller Woods, Plymouth AND 1:30 Springhill Nature Preserve. Miller Woods is a fabulous small mature beech-maple woodlot which reflects what used to be the dominant forest cover in the area prior to settlement, agriculture and development. You can still see remnants of this in the backyards of the neighboring residential communities. Entrance and parking is along Powell Road, east of Ridge Road. From there move onto Springhill Nature Preserve. It’s the 29th annual SMLC “Spring Has Sprung” field trip to the Springhill Nature Preserve in Superior Township. We are joining with the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy on this trip, and we will be assisting with plant identification. Springhill is at 3345 Berry Rd. 1:30 pm SMLC gathering for refreshments, 2:00 p.m. field trip.
Saturday, May 7 10:00 a.m.: Nan Weston Preserve (Manchester) with Tony Reznicek leading. This is a rich beech maple forest, with pockets of drier oak-hickory forest, and also swamp forest. It is renowned for extensive displays of wildflowers over long periods. Presently there should be great displays ranging from marsh marigolds in the streams and seeps to trilliums and Dutchman’s breeches in the beech maple woods, along with many other species in smaller numbers. There are also many species of ferns which will be unfurling, plus lesser known species such as dwarf ginseng. If we are lucky, we may even see winter leaves of puttyroot orchids (Aplectrum hyemale). There are also some interesting woody plants, such as four angled ash, along the trail.
Saturday, May 21 10:00 a.m Bog trail at the Gerald E Eddy Discovery Center - Robert Ayotte and Guerin Wilkinson, leading. An easy walk through moist woods, past yellow birches and huge tulip-trees, Trientalis borealis (star-flower), Coptis trifolia (goldthread), mats of Maianthemum canadense — many species more associated with woods further north. The trail ends on a boardwalk over a raised sphagnum mat. There you can find a collection of characteristic ericoids that thrive in wet acid environments, pitcher plant of course, sundew (according to the sign -- we’ll have to look for it), bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata, photographed a couple days ago), and white fluffy clouds on top of an Eriophorum. Robert Ayotte will be with us and between us we’ll get everything right except maybe some unfamiliar sedges. There’s tons to see, and it’s a beautiful time of year for exploring. I recommend this walk. Full disclosure: I should mention that it’s too early for the bog orchids. We can look for a Cypripedium but for obvious reasons there is no walking off the boardwalk onto the mat. Let’s meet at 10:00 at the lower parking lot at the Eddy Center located at 17030 Bush Rd, Chelsea. Guerin (734) 904-1484
Sunday June 12 Bird Hills Ramble 10 a.m. with Robert Ayotte and Guerin Wilkinson Let’s explore Bird Hills Nature Area this Sunday. At 146 acres, Bird Hills is the City of Ann Arbor's largest natural area, and it has a varied and rich flora, especially down in the ravine near Huron River Drive. In previous visits I’ve seen plants such as twin-leaf, blue ash and a monster chinquapin oak. Robert Ayotte and I will make a visit tomorrow to prep. If you personally are well familiar with the park, please contact me so I can pick your brain. Park and gather at the entrance on Newport Road just north of M-14 at 10:00. It’s an easy walk on most of the trail, but it gets more challenging with the steeper topography by the ravine. Hope to see you there!
Saturday June 25 Goose Creek Grasslands Nature Sanctuary 10:00 a.m. with Bob Smith leading . The Goose Creek Grasslands Nature Sanctuary is a 70-acre preserve maintained by the Michigan Nature Association. It is remarkable for its diversity of landscape ecosystems, intergrading between wet prairie, marsh and prairie fen. We are very lucky to have Bob Smith leading as he is our local expert on the flora of these habitats which, now rare, stretched across Michigan and neighboring states prior to European settlement. Allow me to quote one professional botanist: “Bob Smith put Lenawee County on the map.” I’ve read that we also might see bobolinks. The Goose Creek Preserve is a half mile north of US-12 on Cement City Highway which is west of Clinton and Michigan International Speedway. Carpooling is encouraged, of course. It’s about a 50 minute drive from Ann Arbor.
Winter 2022 Great Lakes Regional Lecture Series
17 January 2022: Ryne Rutherford Lichens and the Conservation of Granite Bedrock Glades
Lichens are incredibly unique conglomerate organisms composed of fungi and a photosynthetic partner (e.g., algae and/or cyanobacteria). Lichens are among our best indicators of changes in habitat over time yet have been way underutilized in ecological research. Over 800 species have been recorded in Michigan and over 100 are found on Granite Bedrock Glades where they occupy a great range of habitats on a single substrate. Intense human use of these rare habitats has depleted many of the most sensitive species, while others remain in pristine ecological condition
Ryne Rutherford is an interdisciplinary community ecologist and co-owner of Biophilia, LLC, an ecological consulting firm. He has extensive experience conducting surveys and monitoring for a broad range of plant, animal, and fungi taxa (reptiles, birds, amphibians, vascular plants and lichens in particular). He is currently pursuing a PhD at Michigan Technological University where he is investigating multiple taxa in rock outcrop communities in the context of past glaciation and refugia for potential source populations in a changing climate.
21 February 2022: Terry Sharik Enrollment Trends in Natural Resources and Environment Degree Programs in the U.S. with an Emphasis on Diversity
Among the 15 major areas of study recognized by the federal government, Natural Resources degree programs are second only to Engineering with respect to the percent of women with bachelor's degrees in the workforce, and at the very bottom with respect to people of color. This situation is driven by the educational pipeline. This presentation explores the reasons why higher-education enrollment in these demographic groups is low and advances strategies that may be implemented to enhance the situation.
Terry Sharik holds a B.S. degree in Forestry and Wildlife Management from West Virginia University and M.F. and Ph.D. degrees in Forest Recreation and Forest Botany, respectively, from the University of Michigan. At Michigan, he was Burt Barnes first PhD student and formulated the Biology of Woody Plants course with Burt and Herb Wagner as its first teaching fellow. Prior to assuming the CFRES deanship in July 2012, he held faculty positions at Oberlin College, Virginia Tech, Michigan Tech, University of Michigan Biological Station, and Utah State University (USU). He officially retired from Michigan Tech in June 2018, but retains the title of Research Professor. Dr. Sharik has contributed significantly to the furtherance of research, teaching, and outreach in the natural resources profession through his leadership at the national and international levels. He is co-founder of the Biennial Conferences on University Education in Natural Resources and the North American Forest Ecology Workshops. He served as the Education Chair for the National Association of University Forest Resources Programs (NAUFRP) from 2012-2018, where he co-authored a strategic plan for enhancement in undergraduate education in forestry and related areas of natural resources and continues to analyze enrollment trends in these fields dating back to 1980. He has been active at the international level through the International Symposia on Forestry Education, the International Partnership in Forestry, the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO), the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the UN, and the International Journal of Forestry Research (as guest editor of a special issue). He is the author of over a hundred publications in more than thirty journals in the areas of forest ecology and educational reform in natural resources. Upon retirement, Dr. Sharik moved to Dexter in southeast Michigan where he remains active in the scholarship of educational reform in natural resources and volunteers on several ecological restoration projects.
21 March 2022 Nate Martineau Underexplored and Underappreciated: The Habitats and Plants of the Western Upper Peninsula
Inconveniently located for most of us, Michigan's western Upper Peninsula harbors an incredible flora, an enormous and impressively varied landscape, and innumerable discoveries waiting to be made by those who are willing to explore it. Any naturalist who lives there knows this well; however, anyone who doesn't live there probably hasn't heard much about it. This was certainly the case for Nate Martineau before he spent four years going to school in Marquette followed by two years working near Watersmeet. Join him as he presents some of the western UP's most noteworthy regions, the unique plants and habitats that call them home, and some of the exciting botanical discoveries they've offered up in recent years.
Nate Martineau grew up in Lansing, Michigan, and became intensely interested in birds in middle school. His interests in natural history expanded from there, but it was not until part way through college that he realized his true calling was to be a botanist. He has been interested in plants and their interactions with the world around them for 5 years. He graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2020 with a Bachelor's degree in ecology, then spent the next two field seasons as a lead flora field technician for the National Ecological Observatory Network in Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin.
18 April 2022: Peter Quakenbush An introduction to the genus Medinilla (Melastomataceae)
Medinilla is known for its showy flowers and bewildering diversity. Some 400 species of terrestrial shrubs, climbers, and epiphytes are found throughout the wet Paleotropics--from West Africa to American Samoa. Flowers are pollinated by "buzzing" bees. Many vertebrates disperse the soft juicy berries. And various adaptations foster unique ant-plant relationships. Molecular evidence is helping clarify long-standing questions related to the systematics, biogeographic origins, and character evolution of this group.
Peter is a Ph.D. candidate at Western Michigan University under Dr. Todd Barkman. His research centers around the systematics, biogeography, and character evolution of Medinilla. Peter got his start with Medinilla during his MS Botany work at the University of the Philippines, where he studied the systematics and ecology of the species on Mt. Makiling. Before this, Peter worked several years in pest wildlife management, interned at a safari in the Central African Republic, and through-hiked the Appalachian trail. He received a BS in Biology from Calvin College.
MBC HVC Fall 2021 Programs
September 20 Ecological species groups and post-fire forest succession at Mack Lake Julie Sosin The concept of ecological species groups (sets of ground flora species that have similar site tolerances, developed for a specific area) has been widely utilized by ecologists to indicate site conditions and classify forests. This talk will focus on a set of ecological species groups developed for jack pine forests in northern Lower Michigan as indicators of differences in soil fertility and moisture. Using data from permanent research plots sampled at three time points since the stand-replacing Mack Lake Fire of 1980, we will examine how well these groups distinguish sites throughout post-fire forest succession.
Julia is a fellow plant enthusiast who has worked in environmental education, ecological restoration, and research in northern Michigan, Georgia, and Metro Detroit. She earned an M.S. in Biological Sciences from Wayne State University in 2019.
October 18 What’s in Our Watershed? Kris Olsson and Kate Laramie, Huron River Watershed Council HRWC has been conducting volunteer-led botanical and ecological assessments of privately-owned natural areas throughout the watershed since 2008. Come and hear about what we’ve found and how citizen science can lead to protection of important ecosystems.
Kris Olsson, HRWC Watershed Ecologists, specializes in natural areas assessment, GIS analysis, landscape ecology, and code and ordinance development. Kris earned two Masters of Science (resource ecology, natural resource policy) degrees at the University of Michigan. Kate Laramie is a Watershed Ecology Associate at HRWC where she supports several terrestrial and aquatic monitoring programs and STEM education initiatives. Kate holds a Master of Science from the University of Michigan in Ecosystem Science and Management and aquatic ecology.
November15 An Expedition to the Uttermost Part of the Earth:The Flora and Vegetation of Isla de los Estados, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina” Garrett Crow. Tierra del Fuego is surely the “jumpin’ off place” in this World—the land where Capt. Robert FitzRoy, commander of the Beagle (with 22 yr. old Charles Darwin aboard)maneuvered the treacherous waters of the south Atlantic near Cape Horn to return a young Fuegian native (Jemmy Button)to his native Yaghan tribe in December 1852. This land became the subject of a botanical expedition—to participate in a biological inventory of Isla de los Estados, an islanding forming the southernmost tip of South America. Join Garrett in his lecture reminiscing this fascinating expedition to the Uttermost Part of the Earth.
After earning a BA from Taylor University in 1965, Garrett completed a M.S. and Ph.D. in botany at Michigan State University. He spent his entire career teaching botany 33 years at the University of New Hampshire, Director of the Herbarium, and last 6 years as Department Chair. His main interests are biodiversity and phytogeography in the broad sense and is a specialist on aquatic plants of both temperate and tropics regions. He co-authored (with C. Barre Hellquist) a 2-volume reference manual, Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Northeastern North America (which is now being revised). He has worked in Costa Rica since 1984 on tropical aquatic plants and during a Fulbright Fellowship 1999–2000 at Universidad Nacional and Instituto Nacional Biodiversidad(INBio) taught a course, “Plantas acuáticus tropicales,” and completed a bilingual field guide (with keys, descriptions and color plates) Plantas acuáticas del Parque Nacional Palo Verde y el valle del río Tempisque, Costa Rica (Crow 2002). Additionally he has contributed the taxonomic treatments of numerous aquatic families for the Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica. His field research has allowed him to travel widely both in temperate and neotropical regions—particularly Costa Rica and Bolivia focusing on diversity of aquatic plants.
Having returned to Michigan upon retirement, he stays active botanically as Adjunct Research Botanist at MSU Herbarium and has written up the bladderworts (Utricularia) and butterworts (Pinguicula) for Flora North America North of Mexico(http://floranorthamerica.org/files/Lentibulariaceae%20provisional%20gal.pdf). And as Visiting Scholar in Biology, Calvin University, he is partnering with Dave Warners on a fascinating historical project: A Field-based Retrospective Assessment of Emma J. Cole’s Grand Rapids Flora After 100+ Years of “Progress,” rediscovering Emma Cole’s collecting sites and comparing the flora of her day with that of the Greater Grand Rapids Area today. Garrett is Past-president of the Michigan Botanical Society, having served 2016–2021.
FIELD TRIPS 2021
Please observe COVID Protocols (Social distancing and wearing a mask) while on field trips.
Saturday, 14 August 2021 Northern Shiawassee Basin Preserve 10am–12pm Leader: Mike Losey August is peak wildflower season and participants on this hike will have special access to explore the interior of the preserve on the north side of Long Lake. This moderate intensity hiking route is approximately 1 mile in length and covers the varied glacial topography and wetlands adjacent to Long Lake, so expect to traverse some elevation gains and declines while hiking on potentially uneven terrain in an off-trail area of the preserve.Prepare to get muddy but expect to see some of the most interesting areas of the preserve as a reward! (Hosted by MBC-SEC ).
Meet at the Northern Shiawassee Basin Preserve parking lot (8757 Eaton Rd, Davisburg, MI 48350) and we will caravan into the preserve using a service driveway .1 mile south on Eaton Rd. For more information contact Mike Losey, Natural Resources Manager at 248-846-6508 or mlosey@springfield-twp.us
Saturday, 4 September 2021 Bentley Lake Southern Wet Mesic Prairie 10 am to 1 pm Trip Leaders: Robert Ayotte and Guerin Wilkinson We have not been to this fabulous wetland since 2014. It’s simply one of the most diverse and remarkable sites in our region, with an FQA approaching 50. The site grades between Southern Wet Meadow (S3) and Wet Prairie (S1). We’ll see gentians, marsh bellflower, several asters, tickseed-sunflower, turtlehead, Indian grass, great water dock, prairie dock, and so much more. Mike Penskar encouraged the Botanical Society to consider advocating for stewardship for this site – noting that with the right management this gem [could likely go from “too much!” to the tantalizing possibility of the rare and heralded “much too much!!!]
Conditions: This is about a 2 mile walk through a relatively level, but hummocky wetland. Wear footwear that you don’t mind getting wet. There is sparse shade so bring protection from the sun.
Meet to carpool at 09:45 in the Parking Lot of Zukey Lake Tavern in Pinckney, Michigan, on Rt. 36. Destination Gregory State Wildlife Recreation Area: there is a parking area on the west side of Bentley Lake Rd, at a dog-leg (sharp turn in the road), just south of the Honey Creek crossing.
Sunday, 12 September 2021 Furstenberg Nature Area Walk, 1 pm Trip Leader: Aunita Erskine Long time NAP Steward Aunita Erskine leads a re-visit of Furstenberg Nature Area in Ann Arbor, the jewel of Ann Arbor’s Natural Areas. This will be an easy walk. If Covid kept you away from Furstenberg (or drew you to it!) now is the time to re-discover this fantastic restored oak savannah, floodplain woods, and wet meadow. A huge diversity of native plants is found here. We’ll discuss some of the recent restoration efforts while brushing up on the native grasses and early asters and goldenrods. There may even be some ethnobotany thrown in. It just doesn’t get any better than this! Furstenberg Nature Area in Ann Arbor is on Fuller Road across from Huron High School. Bathroom available. Meet in the parking lot.
Saturday, 18 September 2021 Fall Botany at the Reichert Nature Preserve 10:00 am -12:00pm Trip Leaders: Neal Billetdeaux, Robert Ayotte Legacy Land Conservancy’s Reichert Nature Preserve is a 92-acre parcel north of Portage Lake straddling the Washtenaw/Livingston county line. The variety of plant communities at Reichert reflects the site’s amazing underlying geological diversity. We will discuss the fascinating ecology of the area along with some of the management strategies that are being implemented. In addition, this is the best time of year to view the distinctive vegetative characteristics of woody plants. This trip will focus on trees and shrubs from dry oak-hickory woods to a rich tamarack swamp. It is also a great opportunity to view some of the woodland goldenrods, asters and ferns. This trip will mostly be on trails and boardwalks. From Dexter, take Dexter-Pinckney Road north past Portage Lake to west on Tiplady Road. A gravel drive/parking lot is on the south side of Tiplady Road at the Legacy Land Conservancy sign.
Saturday July 24 2021 10:00 am Sibley Prairie, Brownstown, Julie McLaughlin leading.
Sibley Prairie Nature Preserve. Very little remains of the once extensive lakeplain prairie that is endemic to the Great Lakes region. Our field trip will visit a section of the Sibley Prairie that is owned by the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy. Julie McLaughlin of the SMLC will lead, introduce us to the preserve’s botanical richness, and give us the rundown of steps that her organization is taking to preserve this unique ecosystem, including prescribed burning. The property is home to a very large number of rare, threatened and otherwise notable plant species native to wet-mesic forests, oak openings and prairies. Further details to follow.
Saturday June 26 2021 10:00 am Oak Openings (Ohio), Aunita Erskine leading
The Oak Openings region in Ohio is a treasure trove of unique species. In a relatively small area we will find oak barrens, sand dunes , wet rich woodland swales, and many prairie species. Some of these species are only found in this area of Ohio, and locally or rarely in Michigan. We'll discuss the recent restoration efforts while uncovering new surprises. The field trip will start at 10 am at a location TBA. You are encouraged to carpool. Prepare for some longer walks, but the trails and elevations are easy. Bag lunch recommended as well as tick deterrents. More details after scouting is finalized.
Weekend of June 19-20, 2021: Eastern U.P and Drummond Island
The botanical expedition to the eastern U.P and Drummond Island is happening this coming weekend,. Open to chapter members only. Each participant is responsible for securing his or her own lodging (some folks are camping; others are staying on Drummond Island, or in Cedarville or St. Ignace). If you haven’t already, let me know if you want to join us. - Guerin 734-904-1484
Saturday June 12, 2021: Pickerel Lake 10:00 am Leaders: Guerin Wilkinson and Robert Ayotte
Join us for a botanical ramble on the trail around Pickerel Lake in Dexter Township. Your leaders have prepped for the venture, and there is a lot to see: more woodland plants, essential aquatic species, some lovable and essential species of Carex, some woodies that might be new to you . . . a little bit of everything. If you aren’t familiar yet with Pickerel Lake, it’s a happening thing. Easy access, a small swimming beach, no houses or motorized boats, and sweet trails which circle the lake and/or connect with Silver Lake and Crooked Lake. It’s a place you will come back to. Also, it is adjacent to the very interesting Hankerd Road barrens.
Topography is steep for two short stretches; otherwise it is on fairly level terrain. Meet at the Pickerel Lake parking lot. Pickerel Lake access is via an unpaved road east off Hankerd Road. If you are driving north and you come to the Halfmoon Lake Day Use Center on your left, you’ve gone too far. Hankerd Road runs north off North Territorial.
Saturday 22 May 2021 2:30 p.m. Hankerd Rd Barrens, Dexter Township, Washtenaw County. Led by Kelsey Dillon of the DNR. Sandy lightly-wooded parcel managed by the DNR featuring birds-foot violet, hoary puccoon and other species uncommon to the area. Meet at Half Moon Lake day use center. More details TBA.
Saturday 15 May 2021 10:00 -12:30 Exploration of Horner-McLaughlin Woods Field Trip Leader: Sylvia Taylor Horner-McLauglin woods, a University of Michigan property just northeast of Matthaei Botanical Gardens, has long been recognized for its outstanding spring floral display. Most of the property is classified as mesic and dry-mesic southern forest. Hiking will be easy and on level ground. There is detailed information about the property available at http://mbgna.umich.edu including the results of a plant survey completed by Bev Walters a decade ago. We will also be visiting the adjacent 36 acre Raymond Goodrich Preserve which is part of the Washtenaw County park system.
There is very limited parking available at the preserve so we will gather at Matthaei and shuttle from there. There is a nominal charge for parking at Matthaei. The address is 1800 N Dixboro Rd in Ann Arbor, which is south of Plymouth Rd. Call Guerin at 734-904-1484 if you any issues with parking or access to the property.
Saturday 8 May 2021 10:00 to 12:30-ish - Spring Has Sprung at Draper-Houston Preserve Trip Leader: Tony Reznicek The Draper-Houston Preserve is a County Natural Area preserving a rich river floodplain along the Saline River, just as it exits Washtenaw Co.; including a small wooded ravine down to the river, as well as successional old fields. There are large stands of pawpaw and redbud, areas with nice wildflower understories, and a diverse woody plant flora; so lots to see! The trails are dry and well maintained; and the hiking is fairly level with a few sloping areas. We may carefully go slightly off trail, here and there, to look at specific plants. Park at the County Park lot (GPS 42.0917 N, 83.70144 W), on the S side of Mooreville Rd., just W of Milan.
Saturday, April 24 2021 at 10 am The second field trip of the 2021 season will be on a large parcel of land southeast of the intersection of Ridge Rd. and 5 Mile Rd. (south of the railroad) in Northville Township. Bill Brodovich will lead. We’ll meet in a parking lot on the southern border of the property. To get there take the drive on the east side of Ridge Rd. that is ½ mile south of the junction of 5 Mile and Ridge Rd. (this drive is opposite Linden Rd. and north of Halyard Rd.). Go east 1/3 mile to the northeast corner of the parking lot. The GPS coordinates of the meeting area are 42˚ 23’ 11”, 83֯ 31’ 22.5.” This is the only area of Wayne County not located in the lakeplain. It has rolling hills, fields, large marshes, and woodlands. It will likely be developed soon, so this is a chance to see a unique part of Wayne County before it’s gone. Weather permitting, we’ll make a drone video. There are no rest rooms, but it’s easy to find privacy. Walking will not be hard, but there are no trails. Questions? Contact Bill Brodovich at <brodovich@att.net >
Saturday, April 17, 2021 at 10 am. The Huron Valley Chapter will hold its first field trip of the 2021 season at Dexter-Huron Metropark. The park is located at 6535 Huron River Drive, about 7.5 miles northwest of Ann Arbor. Bill Brodovich will lead the trip. The walking will be easy and rest room facilities are available. If you don’t have an annual pass, there is an entry fee. Even though we’ll be outdoors, and you may already be vaccinated, please wear a mask so everyone can feel safe. Meet at East parking lot by the new bridge. Questions ? Contact Bill Brodovich at <brodovich@att.net >
WINTER PROGRAMS 2021
January 18, 2021: Back to the Roots: the mysterious below-ground parts of forests Monique Weemstra
This presentation is about the mysterious below-ground parts of forests: roots and mycorrhizal fungi. Together, they are noted for their mutualistic exchange of water and nutrients; but they're also the most poorly understood of forest soil components. Monique will start with a basic overview of tree roots and mycorrhiza: focusing on how roots are sampled and measured. She will also explain the key conceptual framework traditionally used to explain how root traits vary between species and how this variation is thought to effect tree growth in different environments. Next, she will share her own work – which refutes this more traditional framework – and proposes a new approach to understanding roots and their role in tree growth. Finally, Monique will explain a bit more about the current research project in the Big Woods forest plot, at the University of Michigan’s E. S. George Reserve, where her research focuses on how variation in leaf and root properties impact the growth of ten common tree species.
Monique Weemstra is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Michigan. “I'm a plant ecologist with a focus on roots. More specifically, I am trying to find out how and why roots vary between and within species, how this is determined by their (soil) environment, and how this root variation drives tree growth. I am from the Netherlands, where I got my M.Sc and Ph.D degree at Wageningen University, already studying tree roots. After my Ph.D., I did Postdoc work at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln where I spent one year studying at grass roots (crops and native prairie species) and how they interact with soil microbes. A second Postdoc in Montpellier, France followed, where I examined how plants of the same (herbaceous and tree) species change their roots along a 1000m elevation gradient in the French Alps and in Mexico. Currently, I'm doing a postdoc with Dr. Natalia Umaña here at the University of Michigan. We investigate how leaf and root functional traits drive tree growth in a local forest (i.e., the Edwin S. George Reserve, Pickney, MI) and across northeastern US forests using census and functional trait data. After this Postdoc, I would love to stay in the US and am looking for a permanent position here
February 15, 2021. The Vascular Flora of the Edwin S. George Reserve, Pinckney, MI Robyn J. Burnham Planned is an illustrated presentation of the updated flora of the University of Michigan’s E.S. George Reserve as compiled by botanists Robyn J. Burnham and Michael Penskar during 2019-20. The George Reserve, located just west of Hell, Michigan, is a 1270 acre area (enclosed by a high deer fence) that has been managed by the U of M since the 1930s. Added to previously known occurrences were more than 100 species; including ferns, orchids, grasses, sedges, and even trees. Robyn will discuss the flora of the reserve in the context of the documented flora of Livingston county.
Robyn J. Burnham is Emerita Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at The University of Michigan, and serves as director of the E.S. George Reserve. She earned a Masters and Ph.D. in botany at the University of Washington; spent her postdoc years at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, and served as botanist at the New Mexico Museum of Science in Albuquerque, NM. She is an expert in tropical vines (lianas) – a passion which evolved from observing the abundance of their leaves in leaf litter in tropical lowland forests of Mexico, Peru, and Ecuador. She now spends some of our winter months in tropical Brazil – where she investigates the impact of forest fragmentation on vine abundance and diversity.
March 15, 2021 Big Trees: How to Measure, Track, and Manage Ted Reuschel and Jacqueline Courteau
The Michigan Botanical Society developed and maintains the Michigan Big Tree Register. Big Tree Program Coordinator Ted Reuschel will describe how trees are nominated, measured and certified for entry in the Big Tree Register, and how the Register data is kept up to date. He will explain the factors affecting growth and leading to potential big tree status, and hence where you are most likely to find new champions. Ecologist Jacqueline Courteau will then facilitate a discussion about how Big Trees should be protected and managed, starting with a case study of the champion chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) at Wurster Park. She will present data about seedlings and saplings that have grown-in near this tree after a no-mow zone was instituted, and will consider questions about best management practices: how do we balance the need to minimize competition so that big trees can continue to thrive, while also allowing advanced regeneration to preserve the genetics of these magnificent trees? We hope to engage the audience in a lively discussion about how to balance present protection with future potential.
Ted Reuschel is a graduate of Michigan Technological University, receiving a degree in Forest Management in 1964. He then spent his entire career with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, in the management of Michigan’s state forests, having worked in field locations in the counties of Keweenaw, Ontonagon, Houghton, Benzie, Leelanau, and Manistee. His final years were spent in administration and state forest oversight in the Lansing headquarters. In retirement, he found opportunity to continue to pursue his love of the outdoors and forests by joining, and finally coordinating the Michigan Big Tree Program. He also enjoys biking, kayaking, hiking, camping, and penning books and articles on his interests and adventures.
Jacqueline Courteau received her Ph.D. in Ecology from University of Michigan, worked for Michigan Natural Features Inventory briefly, and now runs her own natural resources consulting business (NatureWrite LLC). She has done ecological research, assessment, and monitoring for organizations including the Huron-Clinton Metroparks, Washtenaw County Parks, and City of Ann Arbor Natural Areas Program. She started collecting acorns and growing oak seedlings in 1996 for research on oak regeneration, and has been squirreling away acorns ever since. She enjoys visiting Michigan’s Big Trees (especially oaks) and is trying to collect acorns and grow on her property all of Michigan’s native oaks (so far she has 7 of 11 species).
April 19, 2021 Lakeplain Wet Prairie Restoration at Sibley Prairie Nature Preserve Julie Mclaughlin
The Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy (SMLC) is in year five of restoring the remnant lakeplain wet prairie at its Sibley Prairie Nature Preserve - West Prairie site in Brownstown Township. This presentation will highlight the rare plants and obligate species found at the site, the restoration partnership with The Nature Conservancy's Oak Openings program, and what the future could look like for this globally unique habitat; as well as the challenges and benefits of working to protect this declining natural community within an urban setting.
Julie McLaughlin is the Stewardship and Outreach Manager for SMLC. She has a MS in Conservation Ecology and Environmental Informatics from the University of Michigan, and has worked in land management and stewardship throughout Southeast Michigan as well as Indiana, Colorado, and Montana.
LATE SUMMER - FALL 2020 FIELD TRIPS
Jack Smiley Preserve It’s time for a field trip again—one that we can do safely. We’ll meet on Saturday, August 22 at 10 AM in the parking lot of Superior Township’s offices, which are on the northeast corner of Cherry Hill Road and Prospect Road (north of Ypsilanti). From there, we’ll walk south along a mowed trail (the Superior Greenway) through the Jack Smiley Preserve (a property of the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy). We’ll check out three wetlands that the MDEQ* (now called EGLE**) required developers to create as compensation for wetlands that they were permitted to destroy. Such wetlands are called mitigation wetlands, because their intended function is to mitigate for the wetland losses that were permitted. We’ll consider the pros and cons of these mitigation projects. In one of these man-made wetlands, we’ll see a Michigan Endangered species that doesn’t belong there. We’ll learn how it got there.
No need for rubber boots, but please wear a face mask and maintain social distancing so everyone can feel at ease. Total walking distance will be about a mile and a half. It would also be helpful in viewing plants to bring close focusing binoculars (<6 ft.). Leader: Bill Brodovich at <brodovich@att.net>.
* MDEQ = Michigan Department of Environmental Quality ** EGLE = The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
Download a pdf poster. Please print it and post it.
Past Programs
FALL -WINTER 2019 - 2020 Programs
Biology on Tap returns
The Corner Brewery, 720 Norris St, Ypsilanti, MI 48198, Monday 9 March 2020, 7:30 pm
Come enjoy two mini-presentations by biology researchers from the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area. Drinks and food available for purchase. All are welcome.
Bella Mayorga - University of Michigan]
Avant-garde(ns): Agriculture and Conservation in the Built Environment
Personal or community-managed food gardens offer a unique opportunity to offset some of the negative effects of habitat fragmentation. They have the potential to greatly reduce food insecurity and the CO2 emissions associated with the global industrial agriculture machine. What you eat and where you get it has far-reaching and often unseen impacts on biodiversity, climate change, and societies.
Kenny Glynn - Eastern Michigan University
Examining blood lead of songbirds in Flint, MI following the Flint drinking water crisis
After the Flint Water Crisis, residents were advised to not drink the tap water. However, less attention was given regarding watering lawns and the exposure risk for wildlife. This study explores the impact of the Flint Water Crisis on local songbird populations.