Please come out and join us for one of these events. There is no need to pre-register, you can just show up! Please remember to wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian, or bring a signed release form (pdf). If you have a group that is interested in attending a volunteer stewardship event, please contact our Workday Coordinator at least a week in advance.
June
June 13, Friday
Mayor’s Green Fair
Main Street Ann Arbor
6:00 to 9:00 pm
The Green Fair is an opportunity to learn about local environmental groups and activities. Four blocks downtown around the intersection of Main & Washington are closed for the event, with one block devoted to alternate fuel vehicles and another block showcasing the exciting world of bicycles.
June 14, Saturday
Gallup Park Morning Bird Watching Walk
7:30 to 9:30 am
Free and fun for all ages. Join City Ornithologist Dea Armstrong as she leads a walk to look for birds in Gallup Park and Furstenberg Nature Area. Bring binoculars if you have them. Meet at the paddleboat dock in Gallup Park, near the canoe livery.
June 14, Saturday
Stapp Nature Area Stewardship Workday
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Time to hack away at the invasive shrubs in this park. We’ll work on trails too. Meet us in the parking lot at the intersection of Lancashire Drive and Tuebingen Parkway. We provide tools and nutritious snacks. Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must be accompanied by a guardian, or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form if you would like older children to participate on their own. No experience required, just enthusiasm!
June 21, Saturday
Furstenberg Native Plant Garden Stewardship Workday
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Join Park Steward and Master Gardener, Aunita Erskine, to help weed the native plantings, check on the babies planted last year, and go for a botanical walk. Meet in the Furstenberg Nature Area parking lot off Fuller Road, across from Huron High School. Workday orientation starts promptly at 9:00 am. Please wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian or contact NAP
in advance to obtain a release form.
June 21, Saturday
Redbud Nature Area Stewardship Workday
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
We made lots of progress in this park last year. Help us continue to rid the area of invasive plants that crowd out the diversity of our native flora! We’ll go for a nature walk too, time permitting. Bring the family. Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must be accompanied by a guardian, or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form if you would like older children to participate on their own. We’ll meet up at the Redbud Nature Area park entrance at the intersection of Parkwood Avenue and Jeanne Street. As always, we provide tools and yummy snacks.
June 21, Saturday
Buhr Park Children’s Wet Meadow Potluck Workday
4:00 to 6:00 pm
Come out for a fun evening of socializing, seed collection, and weeding in the Buhr Park Children's Wet Meadow. There will also be a tour of the park’s features to learn about native plants and different ecosystems. Please bring a dish to pass, a place setting for the potluck, and gloves to do some weeding. Meet in the playground parking lot next to the tennis court at Cobblestone Farm.
June 29, Sunday
Wurster Park Stewardship Workday
1:00 to 4:00 pm
Buckthorn and honeysuckle are shrubs that were brought from abroad to America for horticultural use. They have no place in our woodlands! Help us eradicate them so the native woodland plants can grow. Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must be accompanied by a guardian, or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form if you would like older children to participate on their own. We will provide tools and energizing snacks. Meet at the cul de sac of Edgewood Place off of W Davis Ave.
July
July 12, Saturday
Cranbrook Nature Area Stewardship Workday
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Sometimes it seems like there is no end to the invasive shrubs! But if many people work together, we can maintain areas in our parks that are invasive-free and where the great diversity of our native plants can flourish. Join us! Meet in the Church of Christ parking lot at 2500 South Main. Please wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form.
July 13, Sunday
Huron River Day
Gallup Park
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
For more information, call 734.662.9319 or visit www.a2gov.org/HRD.
Activities for the day are as follows:
8:30 a.m. Huron River Mile Fun Run
9 a.m. 5K Gallup Gallop Run & Fitness Walk
10 a.m. Canoe Trip Barton to Gallup $20/boat with naturalist
12 to 4 p.m.:
Free Canoe and Kayak Rentals
River Exhibits
Children’s Activity Tent
Live River Animal Presentations
History of Huron River
Huron River Liz Swims Adventure
Michigan Geocaching
July 19, Saturday
Hannah Nature Area Stewardship Workday
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Clearly defined pathways are important to maintaining the delicate ecosystems of our parks. Help us maintain, and possibly extend the trail. Meet us at the end of Bath Street, west of 7th Street (between Miller and Huron). Please wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form.
July 19, Saturday
Redbud Nature Area Stewardship Workday
1:00 to 4:00 pm
This park is looking great this year! Thanks to all the help we’ve gotten in the past! Help us to push it even further towards a native woodland and prairie. Meet at the park entrance at the intersection of Parkwood Avenue and Jeanne Street for some restoration work. Please wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form.
July 19, Saturday
Buhr Park Children’s Wet Meadow Potluck Workday
4:00 to 6:00 pm
Come out for a fun evening of socializing, seed collection, and weeding in the Children’s Wet Meadow. There will also be a tour of the park’s features to learn about native plants and different ecosystems. Please bring a dish to pass, a place setting for the potluck, and gloves to do some weeding. Meet in the playground parking lot next to the tennis court at Cobblestone.
July 20, Sunday
Wildlife by Kayak
10:00 am to 12:00 noon
$22/boat, all ages
Explore the wetlands and waters of the Huron River from the perspective of local wildlife, by canoe or kayak. Discover the hiding places of birds, turtles and amphibians, while you learn about water quality, wetland function and watershed health. For further information call Gallup Park 734.662.9319
July 26, Saturday
Bluffs Nature Area Stewardship Workday
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Come see the results of persistence in the prairie here as we pull invasive, herbaceous plants. Each year there are fewer! We help with plant identification, and provide all equipment, plus healthy snacks. Good activity for the whole family. We’ll meet you in front of the park steward’s house at 236 Sunset Rd. Please wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form.
July 26, Saturday
Furstenberg Native Plant Garden Stewardship Workday
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Park Steward and Master Gardener Aunita Erskine will lead volunteers in sprucing up this wonderful native plant garden. Meet in the Furstenberg parking lot off Fuller Road, across from Huron High School. A short nature walk will be held at the end of the workday, time permitting. Please wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form.
July 26, Saturday
Mary Beth Doyle Park Stewardship Series
1:00 to 4:00
Earlier in the season we set out some plantings at the entrance to this park. Come see how they fare, and help tend to them with weeding and watering. Meet in the parking lot off Packard Road, across from Easy Street. Please wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form.
August
August 2, Saturday
Barton Nature Area Stewardship Workday
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
We need all hands to keep invasive herbaceous plants out of the parks. Invasives crowd out native plants and compromise biodiversity! Join us to see the difference you can make in preserving the native ecosystem of this park. Meet at the Barton Dam parking lot on Huron River Drive. (Note that Huron River Dr. is closed between Main St. and Bird Rd., use Newport Rd. to Bird Rd. to Huron River Dr.) Please wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form.
August 9, Saturday
Berkshire Nature Area Stewardship Workday
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Buckthorn and honeysuckle are two shrubs that are a serious threat to our woodlands. Come help us clear them out of this park. See how big a brush pile you can build! Meet at the end of Exmoore Road off of Glenwood, north of Washtenaw. Please wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form.
August 16, Saturday
Camp Hilltop Stewardship Workday
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Unfortunately this workday has been cancelled due to the road work being done on Huron River Dr. Please join us at another event!
August 16, Saturday
Buhr Park Children’s Wet Meadow Potluck Workday
4:00 to 6:00 pm
Come out for a fun evening of socializing, seed collection, and weeding in the Children’s Wet Meadow. There will also be a tour of the park’s features to learn about native plants and different ecosystems. Please bring a dish to pass, a place setting for the potluck, and gloves to do some weeding. Meet in the playground parking lot next to the tennis court at Cobblestone.
August 22, Friday
Two weeks until Natural Area Preservation’s 3rd Annual Photo Contest pictures are due! Check out our Photo Contest page for more information.
August 23, Saturday
Swift Run Nature Area Stewardship Workday
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Invasive shrubs are persistent, but so are we! Join us in eradicating buckthorn and honeysuckle so our native plant community can thrive. Meet up on Eddy Street, off of Verle Avenue. Please wear pants and closed-toe shoes. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian or contact NAP in advance to obtain a release form.