MARCH

Salamander Survey Kick-off & Training
Saturday, March 9
Ann Arbor Senior Center, 1320 Baldwin Ave
Noon- 2 p.m.
Learn how to help NAP monitor salamanders in Ann Arbor's parks – there are 5 species here! Volunteers will select parks to survey and learn how to identify these rarely-seen amphibians. Must be willing to walk in the woods on rainy cold nights in early spring, and look under logs in spring and summer. Please register by March 6. For more information or to register call NAP at 734.794.6627, or send us an email at NAP@a2gov.org.

Frog and Toad Survey Kick-off & Training
Saturday, March 9
Ann Arbor Senior Center, 1320 Baldwin Ave
2:30-4:30 p.m.
Everyone is invited to help monitor frog populations in Ann Arbor! No experience required! You will learn to identify frogs by ear and eye, and will select a route to survey. Then, once per month, March through June travel a route through the city at night, stopping to listen for frogs along the way. Most routes require driving. Please register by March 6. For more information or to register call NAP at 734.794.6627, or send us an email at NAP@a2gov.org.

Stewards' Circle
Tuesday, March 12
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: Personal Safety in the Field
Are you concerned about doing field work alone? What should you do if you see suspicious activity? What can you do to protect yourself? Join us and Ann Arbor police to discuss keeping yourself safe while out in the field.

Photo Monitoring Kick-off & Training
Saturday, March 23
NAP Office, 3875 E. Huron River Drive
10-11 a.m.
Do you like photography and spending time outdoors? Photo monitoring may be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you! We need volunteers to take photos at specific locations in parks throughout the year to record ecological changes and the progress of our restoration work. Come join us at this informational meeting for more details about this volunteer opportunity! Please register by March 21. For more information or to register call NAP at 734.794.6627, or send us an email at NAP@a2gov.org.

Workday Leader Training
Saturday, March 23
NAP Office, 3875 E. Huron River Drive
Noon – 3:30 p.m.
This is for volunteers interested in leading and/or co-leading NAP volunteer stewardship workdays. We will focus on procedures, ecological consideration, and tips and tricks to lead a successful event. An interest and background in ecology (and plant ID) is strongly desired, but not required. A strong commitment to preserving the environment, while fostering community and engaging the public is necessary. Participants should be dressed for classroom and possible field training. Minimum age of 18. Please register by March 21. For more information or to register call NAP at 734.794.6627, or send us an email at NAP@a2gov.org.

APRIL

Stewards' Circle
Tuesday, April 9
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: Rain Gardens
Are you interested in creating a rain garden on your property? Find out what makes a rain garden different than other gardens, get tips and tricks for installation and maintenance, and discover ways to talk to your neighbors about rain gardens. 

Breeding Bird Survey Kick-off & Training
Thursday, April 11
NAP Office, 3875 East Huron River Drive
7 to 9 p.m.
Learn how to survey for breeding birds in Ann Arbor's parks! Some experience in bird identification is necessary. Sign up for your favorite park, pick up survey materials, and learn about the 2018 survey results. Please register by April 8. For more information, or to register, call NAP at 734.794.6627, or send us an email at NAP@a2gov.org.

Stewardship Workday
Saturday, April 13
Berkshire Creek Nature Area
9 a.m. to noon
Berkshire Creek Nature Area contains a mature oak-hickory forest in need of a little care. The native plant communities here protect the waters of Mallett's Creek, but invasive plants are threatening to take over. Help us restore this five–acre forest by removing plants such as garlic mustard. Meet at the end of Warwick Road off Glenwood, north of Washtenaw Avenue (map). Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.  All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Stewardship Workday
Sunday, April 14
Folkstone Park
1 to 4 p.m.
Are you looking for a meaningful way to volunteer, meet neighbors, and spend time outside this spring? Pulling invasive weeds at Folkstone Park might be the right opportunity for you. Join us to pull exotic species to improve the biodiversity in this nature area. Meet at the park entrance at the north end of Folkstone Court (map). Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.  All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Stewardship Workday- Earth Day
Saturday, April 20
Cedar Bend Nature Area
1 to 4 p.m.
Celebrate Earth Day with NAP! The hills of Cedar Bend provide beautiful views of the Huron River valley as it awakens from winter. Migratory birds stop in these trees on their way north. Listen to the birdsong while improving their habitat by removing exotic species such as dame's rocket. Meet us at the Island Park parking lot, at the end of Island Drive (map). Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.  All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Nature Walk with AADL
Thursday, April 25
Mary Beth Doyle Park
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Spring is a wonderful time to visit Mary Beth Doyle Park. Spring rains turn the forest floor into a carpet of wildflowers. Join us on a family-friendly nature walk through this beautiful park. Meet at the parking lot off Packard Road, across from Easy Street (map). Wear comfortable clothes and bring water if desired. The nature walks are a collaboration between the Ann Arbor District Library and Natural Area Preservation that take place once a month April through September. Some of AADL's Science Tools will be available for use during the walk!

Stewardship Workday- Arbor Day
Saturday, April 27
Mary Beth Doyle Park
9 a.m. to noon
Arbor Day is a holiday traditionally observed by planting trees. Celebrate with NAP by planting shrubs along Mallett's Creek. These shrubs will protect the clean water, provide homes for wildlife, and increase the biodiversity at this park. Join us for this annual tradition. Meet at the parking lot off Packard Road, across from Easy Street (map). Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.  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, April 27
The Ponds Park
1 to 4 p.m.
Celebrate the end of winter and the start of a new spring season by beautifying one of Ann Arbor's neighborhood parks. The Ponds is a small park adjacent to a pond full of life. Help this park reach its potential by removing non-native plants threatening the native beauty. Meet at the park entrance on the corner of Emerald Avenue and Candlewick Drive (map). Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.  All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Stewardship Workday
Sunday, April 28
White Oak Park
9 a.m. to noon
White Oak Park is one of Ann Arbor's hidden gems. Only three acres in size and tucked away in the Newport Hills subdivision, this park is teeming with plants, birds, and butterflies. Come lend a hand by removing invasive garlic mustard, dame's rocket, and bittercress. Don't know what these plants look like? We will show you! Meet at the park entrance on White Oak Drive (map). Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.  All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Ann Arbor Earth Day Festival
Sunday, April 28
Leslie Science and Nature Center, 1831 Traver Road
Noon to 4 p.m.
Join us in celebrating the Earth! This free, family-friendly event features displays from local environmental, nonprofit, and governmental organizations. For more information please visit www.lesliesnc.org/a2earthday.

Stewardship Workday
Sunday, April 28
Molin Nature Area
1 to 4 p.m.
Margaret Atwood said “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Come get your hands dirty and restore native habitat with fellow nature lovers. We'll be removing spring invasive plants such garlic mustard from this long narrow park. Meet at the end of Powell Road on Columbia (map). Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.  All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Turtle Steward Kick-off & Training
Sunday, April 28
Ann Arbor Senior Center, 1320 Baldwin Ave
1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
At least 6 species of turtles live and nest in the city, maybe more! Help us maintain and protect nest sites, monitor populations, and look for turtles in habitats along the Huron River and nearby creeks! We'll cover species identification, nest maintenance and monitoring, and how to report your turtle observations. This training will be indoors. Please register by April 25. For more information or to register call NAP at 734.794.6627, or send us an email at NAP@a2gov.org.

MAY

Stewardship Workday
Saturday, May 4
Furstenberg Native Garden
9 a.m. to noon
Time to brush off those gardening skills! The Furstenberg Native Garden showcases the beauty of Michigan wildflowers. Help park steward and master gardener Aunita Erskine get the garden ready for spring. Learn about native plants while making the garden beautiful. Meet in the parking lot off Fuller Road (map). 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, May 4
Sunset Brooks Nature Area
1 to 4 p.m.
Sunset Brooks is a great place to get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of spring. The dogwoods in bloom are a delight. Non-native species such as garlic mustard and dame's rocket are threatening to displace the native plants. Join us in clearing out invasive plants from this habitat. Meet at the park entrance on Sunset Road, at the end of Brooks Street (map). All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Butterfly Survey Kickoff & Training
Saturday, May 4
NAP Office, 3875 E. Huron River Drive
1:30 to 4 p.m.
Ann Arbor is home to 80 species of butterflies! Come learn our survey protocol and help us search our prairies and woodlands for these beautiful insects throughout the summer. No experience in butterfly identification is necessary, though it is helpful. Space is extremely limited, so please register by May 2 to NAP@a2gov.org, or call us at 734.794.6627.

Stewardship Workday
Sunday, May 5
Maryfield Wildwood Park
9 a.m. to noon
Spend the day outside beautifying one of Ann Arbor's neighborhood parks. Many exotic ornamental plants have been introduced to this wooded ravine. Help us make room for native species by removing these harmful plants. Come make a difference in your community. Meet at the intersection of Linwood and Wilton Streets (map). All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Stewardship Workday
Sunday, May 5
Miller Nature Area
1 to 4 p.m.
The extensive trails at Miller Nature Area offer a great place to take a walk on a spring day. If you look carefully you can see signs of the land's uses before it was a park. Park stewards have spent many hours making this woodland beautiful again. Join them to continue the restoration by pulling invasive species such as garlic mustard. Meet us at the Arborview Boulevard entrance, just east of Wildwood Avenue (map). 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, May 11
Lakewood Nature Area
9 a.m. to noon
Have you seen enough wildflowers this spring? If not, come enjoy the rich spread of native wildflowers at Lakewood Nature Area. Explore the several ravines, streams, and hilly habitats in this beautiful nature area. Unfortunately, invasive species threaten the diversity here. Take part in our efforts to remove these threatening invaders. Meet us at the Lakewood Elementary School parking lot off Gralake Avenue (map). Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.  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, May 11
Dolph Nature Area
1 to 4 p.m.
Dolph Nature Area is a favorite among birdwatchers because the variety of ecosystems here support a diverse bird population. Visit during spring migration and you're sure to see dozens of birds. Help NAP protect this diversity by removing non-native species such as garlic mustard. Meet at the parking lot off Wagner Road (map). Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.  All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Stewardship Workday
Sunday, May 12
Bird Hills Nature Area
1 to 4 p.m.
It's easy to forget you're in the city in this 160-acre woodland. This quiet oasis is home to birds, frogs, deer, and a wide variety of trees and wildflowers. Native species here need help fending off invasive plants. Join us to pull garlic mustard and dame's rocket and prevent the spread of these intruders. Meet at the Bird Road entrance to the park, west of Huron River Drive (map). 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, May 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: Foraging
Wild foods foraging has grown in popularity in recent years. Humans have harvested wild foods for thousands of years but in this fragmented landscape it can put pressure on the resource. It is also an opportunity to engage and reconnect people to stewardship. Join us for a conversation about the concerns, challenges, and opportunities of foraging.

Bird Walk
Friday, May 17
Gallup Park
6 to 8 p.m.
Take an evening walk in Gallup Park and Furstenberg Nature Area with NAP Ornithologist, Juliet Berger. We'll look for the Baltimore Orioles that nest there, and see many other birds along the river as well. Bring binoculars if you have them, but they are not necessary. Meet at the Gallup Canoe Livery, 3000 Fuller Road (map).

21st Annual Garlic Mustard Weed Out Day
Saturday, May 18
9 a.m. to noon
Garlic Mustard Weed-Out Day is an annual tradition! On one day, volunteers hand-pull invasive garlic mustard in natural areas all around Ann Arbor! Garlic mustard is an aggressive invasive plant which can quickly crowd out native plant species and decrease natural diversity in the woods. Identifying and pulling garlic mustard is fun and easy for all ages, making this a great volunteer opportunity for families. Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. All minors must present a completed release form, and should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.
Participating parks:

• Argo Nature Area- Meet in the parking lot north of the Argo Canoe Livery, off Longshore Drive (map).

• Black Pond Woods Nature Area – Meet us on Tibbits Ct, off of Pontiac Trail (map).

• Hannah Nature Area - Meet at the west end of Bath Street, off 7th, just north of Huron (map).

• Huron Hills Golf Course Woods- Meet us on Hunting Valley off Provincial Drive (map).

• Huron Parkway Nature Area- Meet at the Park Steward's house- 3470 Woodland Road, off East Huron River Drive (map).

• Leslie Woods Nature Area- Meet at the park entrance at the north end of Upland Drive, north of Plymouth Road (map).

Stewardship Workday
Sunday, May 19
Fuller Park
9 a.m. to noon
Celebrate Huron River Day by resorting native habitat near the river. This floodplain forest contains many water-loving species. But non-native species are degrading the quality of this habitat. Help us pull these unwanted plants. The native wildlife will thank you! Meet at the Island Park parking lot at the end of Island Drive (map). All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Huron River Day
Sunday, May 19
Gallup Park
12 to 4 p.m.
Enjoy the beautiful Huron River with free family-friendly river activities. Listen to live music, eat delicious local food, and paddle a boat with $5 canoe and kayak rentals (free if you ride your bike!) For more information visit www.a2gov.org/hrd

Stewardship Workday
Saturday, May 25
Bluffs Nature Area
1 to 4 p.m.
Bluffs Nature Area is a diverse park containing a wooded ravine, an open prairie, and an oak-hickory forest. With such diversity, Bluffs is a must-explore for any nature lover. However, exotic species such as garlic mustard are threatening to take over. Join us to keep the native species thriving by removing invasive plants. Meet in the parking lot off Main Street, just north of Lake Shore Drive (map). All participants must complete a release form, and all minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided.

Nature Walk with AADL
Thursday, May 30
Bird Hills Nature Area
6:00-7:30 p.m.
The largest park in Ann Arbor contains steep hills created by glaciers and erosion. Join us for a family friendly nature walk through these woods to look for native plants and wildlife. Meet at the Bird Road entrance to the park (map). Additional parking available at the Barton Dam parking lot across Huron River Drive. Wear comfortable clothes and bring water if desired. The nature walks are a collaboration between the Ann Arbor District Library and Natural Area Preservation that take place once a month April through September. Some of AADL's Science Tools will be available for use during the walk!

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