Volunteer Stewardship Calendar

Home » Departments » Parks and Recreation » Natural Area Preservation » Volunteering » Volunteer Stewardship Calendar

Please come out and join us for one of these free events! There is no need to pre-register unless otherwise noted. If you have a large group (more than five people) that is interested in attending a volunteer stewardship event, please contact our Workday Coordinator at least two weeks in advance of the event.

Please remember to dress for the weather and wear shoes suitable for uneven terrain and working off-trail. We provide tools, light snacks, water, and know-how at our Stewardship Workdays. Minors must either be accompanied by a guardian, or bring a signed release form (pdf) to attend workdays. For park directions, meet-up locations, and bus information check out this helpful guide.

January

Stewardship Workday

Saturday, January 4

Olson Park

1 to 3 p.m.

Olson Park is great place to bird watch, from migrant waterfowl in the wetland to songbirds in the meadow. Help us improve the habitat for these native birds by removing invasive shrubs. Meet us at the park entrance on Dhu Varren Road, just east of Pontiac Trail (map). Please dress in layers and wear shoes suitable for snow or wet ground. All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Stewards' Circle

Tuesday, January 14

Bruegger's Bagels, 709 N University Ave

7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Are you interested in learning more about how to care for our natural areas? Then join the Stewardship Network's Huron Arbor cluster for an informal discussion on a monthly topic with volunteer and professional land stewards, plus others interested in nature. Free! For more information go to www.stewardshipnetwork.org.

This month's topic: Taking meaningful Photographs in Nature

Do you feel like your photographs of your work could be better? How do you set up a shot so that your photo tells a story, or makes the viewer feel a certain emotion? How can we most effectively show viewers the work we've accomplished? Come get some tips on nature photography from an expert.

Stewardship Workday- Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

Monday, January 20

Barton Nature Area

1 to 3 p.m.

In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service. Each year, on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is observed as a "day on, not a day off." MLK Day of Service is intended to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community." #MLKDay Help us improve these wetlands and create habitat for turtles. Meet at the Barton Dam parking lot off Huron River Drive (map).Please dress in layers and wear shoes suitable for snow or wet ground. All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

February

Stewardship Workday- World Wetlands Day

Sunday, February 2

Foxfire West Nature Area

1 to 3 p.m.

World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet. The wetland at Foxfire West Nature Area not only provides habitat for wildlife that depend on water, like muskrats and ducks, it's also home to a variety of wetland wildflowers. Join in our efforts to keep this ecosystem healthy by removing invasive shrubs such as buckthorn. #KeepWetlands #WorldWetlandDay Meet us at the park entrance on Birchwood Drive (map). Please dress in layers and wear shoes suitable for snow or wet ground. All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Stewardship Workday

Saturday, February 8

Furstenberg Nature Area

1 to 3 p.m.

Furstenberg Nature Area is home to prime examples of many ecosystems including wetland, woodland, prairie, and oak savanna. Come explore these various environments in their winter glory while helping to protect them by removing invasive shrubs. Please meet in the parking lot off of Fuller Road (map). Please dress in layers and wear shoes suitable for snow or wet ground. All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Stewards' Circle

Tuesday, February 11

Bruegger's Bagels, 709 N University Ave

7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Are you interested in learning more about how to care for our natural areas? Then join the Stewardship Network's Huron Arbor Cluster for an informal discussion on a monthly topic with volunteer and professional land stewards, plus others interested in nature. Free! For more information go to www.stewardshipnetwork.org.

This month's topic: Private Lands Conservation and Stewardship

This month we'll focus on the unique issues facing private landowners interested in habitat management on their property. We'll offer resources for landowners such as who to reach out to for technical support and how to find financial resources for both stewardship and protection. Opportunities for public-private collaborative partnerships will also be discussed. Come prepared to share the challenges you are facing and we'll see if we can solve them together.

Stewardship Workday- Presidents Day

Monday, February 17

Gallup Park

1 to 3 p.m.

Spend your day off volunteering to help wildlife! A wet meadow lies along the border-to-border trail, but it is threatened by invasive shrubs. Clearing shrubs from this wetland will benefit both frogs and butterflies. Meet in the Gallup Park parking lot, just over the wooden bridge (map). Please dress in layers and wear shoes suitable for snow or wet ground. All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Public Meeting: Controlled Burn Program

Tuesday, February 18

Ann Arbor Senior Center, 1320 Baldwin Ave

7 to 8:30 p.m.

Fire is used as a restoration tool in many of Ann Arbor's natural areas. This meeting will be a discussion about our Controlled Ecological Burn Program. Ask questions and learn more about the benefits of effectively and safely using fire as a restoration tool.

All persons are encouraged to participate in public meetings. Accommodations, including sign language interpreters, may be arranged by contacting the City Clerk's office at 734.794.6140; via email to: cityclerk@a2gov.org; or by written request addressed and mailed or delivered to: City Clerk's Office, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Requests made with less than two business days' notice may not be able to be accommodated.

Volunteer Burn Crew Training

Wednesday, February 19

Noon to 5 p.m.

Become a part of NAP's Volunteer Burn Crew! This is the required training session for anyone interested in assisting with NAP's controlled burns. Burns typically take place Monday through Friday between noon and 7 p.m. Registration is required by February 18, as enrollment is limited. Call 734.794.6627 or email NAP@a2gov.org to register or for more information. Some portion of training may be outdoors.

For more information about what each of these events may require, please read more about volunteering with NAP here.