Archived News Release: May 5, 2017 - 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 parks. Both staff and volunteers perform these tasks. Volunteer opportunities coming up in June are listed below. For stewardship workdays, participants should 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. For more information about NAP, visit www.a2gov.org/NAP.
Saturday, June 3, 9 a.m.–noon
Bird Hills Nature Area
The site of NAP's first-ever public workday in 1994, and ranked second highest overall in the city's Floristic Quality Assessment, Bird Hills is a great place to participate in stewardship activities! Bring friends and family to help do some trail maintenance for the benefit of park-goers. Meet at the Newport Road entrance, just north of M-14.
Summertime Frog and Toad Survey Training
Saturday, June 3, 1–3 p.m.
NAP Office, 3875 E. Huron River Drive
Learn to identify and record summer breeding frogs and toads by sight and sound in this second kick-off training. Surveys are fun, family-friendly and require no previous experience. For more information or to register, please call NAP at 734.794.6627, or send us an email at [email protected].
Saturday, June 3, 1–4 p.m.
The Ponds Park
Help build a trail through the park, and come back to enjoy the fun playground features and scenic pond that this site has to offer. Meet at the park entrance at the corner of Emerald Avenue and Candlewick Drive.
Sunday, June 4, 9 a.m.–noon
Huron Parkway Nature Area
Huron Parkway Nature Area is a 19-acre park with an oak-hickory woodland and an open understory. Bring friends and family out to support the beautiful native plants of this park by hand pulling garlic mustard and other invasive plants. Meet at the Park Steward's house, 3470 Woodland Road, off East Huron River Drive.
Sunday, June 4, 1–4 p.m.
Leslie Woods Nature Area
This is not a large park, but it has some of the most towering trees in the city! Come visit them, and protect their seedlings from invasive garlic mustard and other species. NAP has made a lot of progress restoring the woodland here wants to keep the momentum. Family and friends are welcome to help pull. Meet us at the park entrance at the north end of Upland Drive, north of Plymouth Road.
Saturday, June 10, 9 a.m.–noon
Ruthven Nature Area
NAP has made many improvements restoring native wildflowers here and now needs to maintain Ruthven's trails. Meet us at the Gallup boat dock parking lot, at the southeast corner of Huron Parkway and Geddes Road.
Bird Walk
Saturday, June 10, 7:30–9:30 a.m.
Ann Arbor Landfill/Wheeler Service Center
The fields at Wheeler Service Center are home to uncommon grassland birds, including bobolinks and eastern meadowlarks. We'll find these and other grassland species and look for waterfowl on the pond. Please come prepared to walk in fields of tall grass. Bring binoculars if you have them, but they are not required. Use the Platt Road entrance and look for us in the small parking lot at the first turnoff on the right.
Saturday, June 10, 9 a.m.–noon
Furstenberg Native Garden
Help us weed and preserve this native garden amidst the 38 acres of Furstenberg Nature Area, featuring some of the most diverse flora anywhere in Ann Arbor. You're certain to learn a lot about native plants from Park Steward and Master Gardener Aunita Erskine. Please meet in the parking lot off Fuller Road.
Saturday, June 10, 1–4 p.m.
Argo Nature Area
Come enjoy a day by the river in this 22-acre park. We will be pulling springtime invasives to make room for wildflowers and other native plants. We may also do some trail work. These activities will make the area more accessible to visitors while improving habitat for wildlife. Meet in the parking lot north of the Argo Canoe Livery, off Longshore Drive.
Sunday, June 11, 1–4 p.m.
Redbud Nature Area
Redbud Nature Area is home to a wonderful small prairie that needs your help. It has many native plants that are competing with invasive species like garlic mustard. Help us remove these invasive species so more natives can thrive and provide food and habitat for wildlife. Meet at the park entrance at the intersection of Parkwood Avenue and Jeanne Street.
Tuesday, June 13, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
Bruegger's Bagels, 709 N. University Ave.
Sometimes, with the bloom of a new growing season, it can be good to go back to the basics. Join us for a discussion about land-preservation basics with Barry Lonik! Whether land preservation is relatively new to you or you have been stewarding for a long while, a return to the basics can be a great introduction or an opportunity to contribute your knowledge. For more information go to www.stewardshipnetwork.org.
This month's topic: Land Preservation Basics with Barry Lonik.
Saturday, June 24, 9 a.m.–noon
Bluffs Nature Area
Bluffs Nature Area offers trails for bikers, walkers and runners along with interesting views of the river and a small, hidden prairie. Volunteers are needed to pull invasive plants that provide little food for wildlife and crowd out native wildflowers. Meet at the entrance on Sunset Road near Wildt Street.
Nature Walk with Ann Arbor District Library
Thursday, June 29, 6:30–8 p.m.
Barton Nature Area
This unique nature area is cradled by an oxbow in the Huron River, which supports a patchwork of interesting habitats like wet meadow, upland prairie, and mesic forests. Much of this nature area is old farmland. Come learn about and experience these communities! Staff from Natural Area Preservation will lead a family-friendly nature walk through the woods. Meet at the Barton Dam parking lot on Huron River Drive. Wear comfortable clothes and bring water, if desired. The nature walks are a collaboration between the AADL 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!
# # # # #
