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.
As members, you may attend field trips to some of the most spectacular natural sites in southwestern Michigan, many of which are not open to the public. During colder weather, we have monthly meetings featuring presentations on botanical, ecological and conservation subjects. Members also receive a subscription to the peer-reviewed journal, The Great Lakes Botanist, a Journal of North American Botany, which is published twice a year and as well as a subscription to the spring and fall newsletter Arisaema.
Join the Southwestern Chapter: Link to the SWC Membership Form
Follow the Southwestern Chapter: Facebook Instagram
Check the Southwestern Calendar tab for our schedule of field trips and meetings.
Field trips occur in April through October.
Meetings occur in November, January, February & March, on the 3rd Monday of the month at the People’s Church, 1758 10th St. N, Kalamazoo MI 49009. Socializing begins at 6:30 PM and the presentation starts at 7:00 PM.
2023 Southwestern Chapter Officers
Executive Committee: Joe Trapp, Michael Dombos, Abbie Bristol, Wayne Roussel
Secretary / Treasurer: Wayne Roussel
Useful Links
Michigan Botanical Society
The Great Lakes Botanist https://journals.publishing.umich.edu/glbot/
The Michigan Botanist (1962-2006) https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000497763
Winter Wildflowers: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~ldnum/WinterWildflowers%281973%29dblpgs.pdf
University of Michigan Herbarium https://michiganflora.net/home.aspx
State of Michigan
Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/services
Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) https://www.michigan.gov/dnr
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) https://www.michigan.gov/egle
MSU Extension Service https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/
W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) https://www.kbs.msu.edu/
Kellogg Bird Sanctuary http://birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu/
Conservation
Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC) https://swmlc.org/
Michigan Nature Association (MNA) https://www.michigannature.org/
Chikaming Open Lands https://chikamingopenlands.org/
The Nature Conservancy https://www.nature.org/en-us/
Michigan Audubon https://www.michiganaudubon.org/
Land Conservancy of West Michigan https://naturenearby.org/
Michigan Wetlands Association https://miwetlands.org/
Michigan Prescribed Fire Council https://www.firecouncil.org/
Wild Flower Association of Michigan https://wildflowersmich.org/
Michigan Lakes and Stream Association (MLSA) https://mymlsa.org/
Michigan Association of Conservation Districts https://www.macd.org/
Kalamazoo River Watershed Council (KRWC) https://kalamazooriver.org/
Nature Centers
Kalamazoo Nature Center https://naturecenter.org/
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute https://cedarcreekinstitute.org/
Whitehouse Nature Center https://www.albion.edu/about/our-campus/whitehouse-nature-center/
Sarett Nature Center https://sarett.org/
Invasive Species
Michigan Invasive Species https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/take-action/local-resources/view-cisma-locations-as-a-list
Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) https://www.misin.msu.edu/
Native Plant Gardens
Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones (KAWO) https://kalamazoo.wildones.org/
Hidden Savanna Nursery https://www.hiddensavanna.com/
Adjacent
Michigan Entomological Society https://www.michentsoc.org/
Indiana Native Plant Society https://indiananativeplants.org/
For Your Reading Pleasure!
Gourdneck State Game Area Master Plan
Prime collecting spot for the Hanes and WMU Biology group. This SGA consists of four separate units. Although physically disjunct, they share many of the same cover types, including oak, mixed upland deciduous, herbaceous openland and various wetland types. The two northern units are hillier than the rest and contain parts of Hampton Creek and Hampton Lake. These units also contain several stands of planted pine trees. The US-131 unit consists of oak forest and grassland as well as lowland deciduous forest and associated wetlands. This unit also contains parts of Mud, Sugarloaf and Little Sugarloaf Lakes.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/gourdneck_sga_mp_573321_7.pdf
Kalamazoo River Watershed Hydrology Report
Issued 2008 by the Michigan Dept. Of environmental Quality. Hydrologic characteristics of the watershed were evaluated to provide a basis for stormwater management to protect streams from increased erosion and flooding and to help determine the watershed management plan’s critical areas. Hydrologic characteristics of the watershed were evaluated to provide a basis for stormwater management to protect streams from increased erosion and flooding and to help determine the watershed management plan’s critical areas.
http://kalamazooriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/DEQ-Kalamazoo-River-Hydrologic-Study-2008.pdf
Texas Township Hydrology Report 2018
Due to high waters levels at Eagle and Crooked Lakes the township will initiate a pumping procedure to move water out of the lakes into the Portage Watershed via Bass Lake and Al Sabo. Report done by Prein & Newhof is interesting reading about hydrology, the watershed, homeowner considerations.