Archived News Release: July 10, 2020 - Volunteer stewardship workdays with Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation are scheduled for July and August. The workdays have changed in response to COVID-19. To attend a workday, participants must preregister using
Rec-1 (https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog), and wear a mask while maintaining a 6-foot distance from others at all times during the event. Please register for each event by noon on the Friday prior to the weekend which it occurs. In addition, all participants are asked to please wear long pants, closed-toed shoes and bring gardening gloves. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Compost bags and know-how provided. Links to register for each event are provided below.
City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation (NAP) works to protect and restore Ann Arbor's natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic among its citizens. This involves conducting plant and animal inventories, ecological monitoring, and stewardship projects in Ann Arbor's parks. These tasks are performed by both staff and volunteers. For more information about NAP, visit
www.a2gov.org/NAP.
Below are the events currently planned for July and August 2020. However, the City of Ann Arbor and Natural Area Preservation are monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely and are following the governor's orders and recommendations from the Washtenaw County Health Department. As a result, the events listed are subject to change in order keep volunteers and the public safe. Should it be prudent to make changes to the event schedule, updates will be posted to the city website and anyone who registered for those events will be notified. Please visit
www.a2gov.org/NAPevents for the most up-to-date information.
Stewardship Workday
Saturday, July 11, 9 a.m.– noon
Bluffs Nature Area
Spend a lovely July morning pulling invasive plants from the prairies of Bluffs Nature Area. Standing on the steep eastern slopes of the park, you can enjoy beautiful views of the Huron River. Prairie ecosystems used to populate much of Michigan. Today, there are only a few left, three of which reside in Bluffs, and they need your help fighting invasive plants! Preregistration through Rec-1 is required as space is limited. Participants must wear a mask and maintain a 6-ft distance from others at all times. Meeting location will be provided after registration. Register here:
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTExNTkzODI=
Stewardship Workday
Saturday, July 11, 1–4 p.m.
Bandemer Park
Join NAP in this lovely park that lines the Huron River and spend a summer afternoon removing invasive plants. Assist in a prairie and rain garden, and sweep for non-native plant invaders. Removing aggressive non-native plants helps to make space for native wildlife, increasing the resistance and resiliency of a habitat. Preregistration through Rec-1 is required as space is limited. Meeting location will be provided after registration. Register here:
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTExNTkzOTM=
Tuesday, July 14, 7:30–8:30 a.m.
Virtual
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. Visit
www.a2gov.org/NAPevents for the event's Zoom meeting link.
Stewardship Workday
Saturday, July 18, 9 a.m.– noon
Mary Beth Doyle Park
Named in memory of an Ann Arbor environmentalist, Mary Beth Doyle Park is one of Ann Arbor's larger parks with 81 acres of green space. Inside the park you'll find a variety of habitats: spacious woodlands, sensitive wetlands, and even a pond bustling with waterfowl and turtles! NAP needs your help in restoring this park's woodlands by removing invasive hedge parsley to make space for native woodland wildflowers. Preregistration through Rec-1 is required as space is limited. Meeting location will be provided after registration. Register here:
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTExNTk0MTY=
Stewardship Workday - World Nature Conservation Day
Sunday, July 26, 9 a.m.– noon
Cedar Bend Nature Area
Celebrate #WorldNatureConservationDay by improving the ecological quality of Ann Arbor's oldest nature area — Cedar Bend Nature Area. NAP has done a lot of work here over the years, but there is still more to go! Help remove invasive plants such as hedge parsley from the steep slopes of Cedar Bend's mature woodlands while overlooking the mighty Huron River. Preregistration through Rec-1 is required as space is limited. Meeting location will be provided after registration. Register here:
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTExNTk0NDg=
Stewardship Workday
Saturday, Aug. 1, 9 a.m.– noon
Furstenberg Nature Area
Spend the year's first August morning in one of Ann Arbor's most biologically diverse parks. Furstenberg Nature Area, bordering the Huron River to the south and Gallup Park to the east, has a high diversity of beautiful native plants. Help keep this amazing diversity by removing invasive plants from the prairie of this beloved park. Preregistration through Rec-1 is required as space is limited. Meeting location will be provided after registration. Register here:
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTExNTk0Njg=
Stewardship Workday
Sunday, Aug. 2, 9 a.m.– noon
Barton Nature Area
Did you know that Ann Arbor has a functioning hydroelectric dam in the city? It's located at Barton Nature Area off of West Huron River Drive. Come check it out and help remove invasive plants from the park. Next to the dam lies an 82-acre park with woodlands, wetlands and prairies all battling aggressive non-native plants. Help remove these plants so native wildlife can re-establish! Preregistration through Rec-1 is required as space is limited. Meeting location will be provided after registration. Register here:
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTExNTk1MDE=
Stewardship Workday
Saturday, Aug. 8, 9 a.m.– noon
Kuebler Langford Nature Area
In the 1970's, Kuebler Langford was used as a staging area during the construction of M-14. Now this property is a wooded ravine with an expansive prairie. Heavy construction equipment disturbed the soil and made it easier for invasive plants to take over. Help remove these aggressive plants and restore this incredible prairie! Preregistration through Rec-1 is required as space is limited. Meeting location will be provided after registration. Register here:
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTExNTk1MTY=
Stewardship Workday
Saturday, Aug. 8, 1–4 p.m.
Bird Hills Nature Area
About 10,000 years ago, the Wisconsin Glacier advanced and retreated, creating lots of hills and depressions throughout Ann Arbor. Bird Hills Nature Area is a great example of the impact glaciers have on topography. Explore the dramatic landscape of this park while removing invasive plants from the woods. Preregistration through Rec-1 is required as space is limited. Meeting location will be provided after registration. Register here:
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTExNTk1MzA=
Tuesday, Aug. 11, 7:30–8:30 a.m.
Virtual
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. Visit
www.a2gov.org/NAPevents for the event's Zoom meeting link.
Stewardship Workday – National Honey Bee Day
Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 a.m.– noon
Ruthven Nature Area
Today is National Honey Bee Day! As honey bees travel from flower to flower, they collect pollen to bring back to the nest. While traveling, some of the collected pollen rubs off onto different flowers, making honey bees effective pollinators. Ruthven Nature Area provides habitat for honey bees and native bees in our city. Help make this habitat better for the bees by removing invasive plants. To learn more about this holiday, visit HoneyLove.org. Preregistration through Rec-1 is required as space is limited. Meeting location will be provided after registration. Register here:
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTExNTk1NDc=
Stewardship Workday
Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m.– noon
Olson Park
Are you a butterfly lover? If yes, then Olson Park is a must-see! At least 57 species of butterflies have been spotted in this park alone. Join NAP in removing invasive plants from the park to increase the quality of the habitat in the park for butterflies and other wildlife – you just might observe a beautiful butterfly in action! Pre-registration through Rec-1 is required as space is limited. Meeting location will be provided after registration. Register here:
https://secure.rec1.com/MI/city-of-ann-arbor/catalog?filter=c2VhcmNoPTExNTk1OTE=
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