Archived News Release: October 6, 2022 - City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation (NAP) works to protect and restore Ann Arbor's natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic within the community. 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. NAP is sharing events planned for November 2022.
To attend a workday, participants are encouraged to preregister using VolunteerHub at https://cityofannarbor.volunteerhub.com/lp/nap; links to each event in VolunteerHub are also provided with each description.
NAP is continuing to closely monitor recommendations from city and other health officials. As a result, the events planned are subject to change in order keep volunteers and the public safe. Should it be prudent to make changes to the event schedule, NAP will update its website and notify anyone registered for events. Visit www.a2gov.org/NAPevents for the most up-to-date information.
At all NAP workdays, please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes, bring a water bottle and leather work gloves if you have them. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools and know-how provided. Stay home if you are feeling unwell. For more information about NAP, visit www.a2gov.org/NAP.
Stewardship Workday
Brokaw Nature Area
Saturday, Nov. 5
1–4 p.m.
Have you ever seen a snake hibernaculum? Snakes like to hibernate in underground pockets below the frost line. When the park was established in 2017, the contractor working with NAP used an out-building's old foundation as a place to bury tubing and rubble which created the perfect place for snakes over winter. The oak-hickory forest provides a home for avian wildlife as well! Join like-minded people to cut and remove invasive shrubs. Meet at the parking lot off West Huron River Drive, just southeast of Wagner Road (map: https://tinyurl.com/BrokawHRD). Preregistration through VolunteerHub is encouraged. NAP continues to monitor recommendations from health officials; please stay home if you are feeling ill. Volunteers registered for events will be notified in advance of any changes to the workday. Please wear long pants and closed-toed shoes, and wear socks that close the gap between shoes and pants. Bring a water bottle and leather gloves if you have them. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools and know-how provided. Register at http://tinyurl.com/Brokaw110522.
Stewardship Workday
Barton Nature Area
Sunday, Nov. 6
9 a.m.–noon
Popular for sunsets, photography, fishing, birding or a scenic stroll, Barton Nature Area provides access to Barton Pond, which provides 85% of Ann Arbor's drinking water. The park is a matrix of old field, dry prairie, wet meadow and shrubland, mesic forest and emergent marsh. Come enjoy the crisp fresh air of a fall day while volunteering to cut and remove invasive shrubs to preserve this very valuable ecosystem. Meet at the Barton Dam parking lot on Huron River Drive (map: https://tinyurl.com/BartonParkingLot). Preregistration through VolunteerHub is encouraged. NAP continues to monitor recommendations from health officials; please stay home if you are feeling ill. Volunteers registered for events will be notified in advance of any changes to the workday. Please wear long pants and closed-toed shoes, and wear socks that close the gap between shoes and pants. Bring a water bottle and leather gloves if you have them. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools and know-how provided. Register at http://tinyurl.com/Barton110622.
Stewardship Workday
Bluffs Nature Area
Sunday, Nov. 6
1–4 p.m.
Described by one of the fans of this park as “a wild oasis in the midst of Ann Arbor," Bluffs Nature Area engulfs you in nature yet is close to the comforts of the city. On a glacially formed ridge above the Huron River and North Main Street, this park is an important link in the corridor of natural areas surrounding the Huron River. Enjoy the comradery of your fellow volunteers and work together to cut and remove invasive shrubs. Meet at the entrance on Sunset Road near Wildt Street. (map: https://tinyurl.com/BluffsSunset). Preregistration through VolunteerHub is encouraged. NAP continues to monitor recommendations from health officials; please stay home if you are feeling ill. Volunteers registered for events will be notified in advance of any changes to the workday. Please wear long pants and closed-toed shoes, and wear socks that close the gap between shoes and pants. Bring a water bottle and leather gloves if you have them. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools and know-how provided. Register at http://tinyurl.com/Bluffs110622.
Stewardship Workday
Ruthven Nature Area
Saturday, Nov. 12
9 a.m.–noon
Are you familiar with the word “kame"? Ruthven Nature Area is an excellent example of glacial terrain. See and learn about Ruthven's kame, a glacier-created hill found in the park, and work with your hands to cut and remove invasive shrubs. If you look closely, you might find fox tracks or dens on the kame. Park at the Gallup boat dock parking lot at the southeast corner of Huron Parkway and Geddes Road, then use the Geddes crosswalk to meet for the workday on the northeast corner of the intersection (look for the NAP truck) (map: https://tinyurl.com/GallupBoatDock). Preregistration through VolunteerHub is encouraged. NAP continues to monitor recommendations from health officials; please stay home if you are feeling ill. Volunteers registered for events will be notified in advance of any changes to the workday. Please wear long pants and closed-toed shoes, and wear socks that close the gap between shoes and pants. Bring a water bottle and leather gloves if you have them. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools and know-how provided. Register at http://tinyurl.com/Ruthven111222.
Stewardship Workday
NAP 29th Anniversary
Mary Beth Doyle Park
Sunday, Nov. 13
1–4 p.m.
Celebrate NAP's 29th anniversary at southeast Ann Arbor's largest park. The park, named in memory of leading environmentalist Mary Beth Doyle, is a perfect example of NAP's ongoing mission to protect and restore Ann Arbor's natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic within the community. Enjoy the crisp fall air and cut and remove invasive species in the park. Meet at the corner of Cardinal Avenue and Sharon Drive (map: https://tinyurl.com/MBDSharon). Preregistration through VolunteerHub is encouraged. NAP continues to monitor recommendations from health officials; please stay home if you are feeling ill. Volunteers registered for events will be notified in advance of any changes to the workday. Please wear long pants and closed-toed shoes, and wear socks that close the gap between shoes and pants. Bring a water bottle and leather gloves if you have them. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools and know-how provided. Register at http://tinyurl.com/MBD111322.
Stewardship Workday
Black Pond Woods Nature Area
Saturday, Nov. 19
9 a.m.–noon
Black Pond Woods is a beautiful location year round. The trails through the woods offer a great chance to imagine the winter lives of the birds, amphibians and mammals that live here. They survive winter in some intriguing ways. Some, like the woodchuck, sink into true hibernation. Others, like squirrels and deer, forage daily for food. Black Pond Woods' celebrated amphibians go into a slower mode but are occasionally active during winter. Join in NAP's restoration efforts by cutting and removing invasive species. Meet on Tibbits Court off Pontiac Trail (map: https://tinyurl.com/BlackPondTibbits). Preregistration through VolunteerHub is encouraged. NAP continues to monitor recommendations from health officials; please stay home if you are feeling ill. Volunteers registered for events will be notified in advance of any changes to the workday. Please wear long pants and closed-toed shoes, and wear socks that close the gap between shoes and pants. Bring a water bottle and leather gloves if you have them. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools and know-how provided. Register at http://tinyurl.com/BPW111922.
Stewardship Workday
Cedar Bend Nature Area
Saturday, Nov. 19
1–4 p.m.
Cedar Bend Nature Area is one of Ann Arbor's oldest parks and was designed by landscape architect O.C. Simonds. Simonds insisted on keeping the park as close to the natural landscape as possible, helping to preserve the biodiversity and native plant population that make Cedar Bend such a beautiful nature area today. Join NAP and other volunteers to cut and remove invasive species. Seeing the results of working with our hands fosters a pride of ownership of our natural resources. Meet at the pull-off area on Cedar Bend Dr (map: https://tinyurl.com/CedarBendCedarBend). Pre-registration through VolunteerHub is encouraged. NAP continues to monitor recommendations from health officials; please stay home if you are feeling ill. Volunteers registered for events will be notified in advance of any changes to the workday. Please wear long pants and closed-toed shoes, and wear socks that close the gap between shoes and pants. Bring a water bottle and leather gloves if you have them. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools and know-how provided. Register at http://tinyurl.com/Cedar111922.
Stewardship Workday
Marshall Nature Area
Sunday, Nov. 20
1–4 p.m.
Marshall Nature Area is one of the larger natural areas in the Ann Arbor Parks system. The park is situated in the heart of an even larger habitat complex owned by the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation, Washtenaw County Parks and private landowners — this might be viewed as Ann Arbor's largest ecological network! Get engaged with restoration efforts in the park as NAP and other volunteers cut and remove invasive species. Meet at the parking lot off North Dixboro Road (map: https://tinyurl.com/MarshallDixboro). Preregistration through VolunteerHub is encouraged. NAP continues to monitor recommendations from health officials; please stay home if you are feeling ill. Volunteers registered for events will be notified in advance of any changes to the workday. Please wear long pants and closed-toed shoes, and wear socks that close the gap between shoes and pants. Bring a water bottle and leather gloves if you have them. All minors should be accompanied by a guardian. Tools and know-how provided. Register at http://tinyurl.com/Marshall112022.
Autumn Nature Walk
Ruthven Nature Area
Sunday, Nov. 27
1–2 p.m.
Did you know that Ruthven Nature Area is an excellent example of glacial terrain? The topography of the park includes both a kame and a kettle area. Join NAP and the Ann Arbor District Library to explore what those terms mean, and learn more about the habitats and diversity of Ruthven at a nature walk. Park at the Gallup boat dock parking lot at the southeast corner of Huron Parkway and Geddes Road, then use the Geddes crosswalk to meet for the nature walk on the northeast corner of the intersection (look for the NAP truck) (map: https://tinyurl.com/GallupBoatDock). Make sure to dress for the weather (walks happen rain or shine) and bring a water bottle. Nature walks are a collaboration between the Ann Arbor District Library and Natural Area Preservation and take place once a month. Some of AADL's Science Tools will be available for use during the walk! Registration is strongly encouraged so NAP can accommodate everyone! Register at http://tinyurl.com/RuthvenWalk112722.
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