Events

Although the story of the monarch butterfly migration is known to many, there are still many mysteries left to be solved about how this spectacular feat is achieved. In this talk, I will discuss how classical behavioral and physiological analyses are being combined with modern molecular, genetics and genomics tools to reveal hidden details of monarch migration biology. I will also reflect on ways we can use this information to promote science education and support monarch conservation efforts.

Dr. André Green II is the President's Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at U-M Ann Arbor. He obtained his B.S. in biology from MIT and Ph.D. in biology from Harvard University (with Dr. Cassandra Extavour). He conducted postdoctoral work with Dr. Marcus Kronforst of the University of Chicago, where he first began working with monarchs. André is broadly interested in understanding how complex traits are constructed through the process of evolution, with a keen interest in traits in insects (butterflies, fruit flies).

Learn the basics of a national program developed by US Botanical Garden - entitled Landscape For Life - that empowers homeowners to create a more earth-friendly garden. Topics of the program include water, soil, hardscapes, and plants. We will discuss if this is a program that Wild Ones would like to sponsor.

Julie Conley has filled many roles in private and public landscaping. She earned a Bachelor’s of Art in Landscape Architecture from University of Illinois and a Master’s of Science in Public Horticulture. She lives with her husband, dog, twelve chickens, and lots of wildlife in Tecumseh, MI. 

Meeting with HVC Michigan Botanical Club

Matt Demmon, Feral Flora

It is tempting to try to duplicate the function of natural wetlands, woodlands and other native habitats using native plants in our built environment. These types of projects need to be aesthetically pleasing, reasonably priced, and relatively easy to maintain. What's the best way to do this when working in an environment that has been changed beyond recognition in a climate that is changing in ways we don't understand?

We will discuss ways of thinking about creating plant communities and how planting design and new models of landscape maintenance can help us create resilient, beautiful plantings that have the best chance of fulfilling the stormwater and ecosystem functions we are trying to create.

Meeting with HVC Michigan Botanical Club

Bob Smith and Robert Ayotte

Spring ephemeral describes a life habit of perennial woodland wildflowers which develop aerial parts (i.e. stems, leaves, and flowers) of the plant early each spring and then quickly bloom, and produce seed.  The leaves often wither leaving only underground structures (i.e. roots, rhizomes, and bulbs) for the remainder of the year. This strategy is very common in herbaceous communities of deciduous forests as it allows small herbaceous plants to take advantage of the high levels of sunlight reaching the forest floor prior to formation of a canopy by woody plants. Examples include: spring beauties, trilliums, and harbinger of spring.

From his vast library, Bob Smith will be displaying and discussing several colorful photographs of spring ephemerals; while Robert Ayotte will highlight the systematics and site preferences for each species.

This is a primer for upcoming field trips!

2019 Stiltgrass Season: Learn to Identify and Control this Category 1 Invasive

Presentation by Jim Odell and Andrea Matthies

Stiltgrass seedlings will emerge in early June.  This  starts in small clumps and then explodes with hundreds of seeds in September.  Please learn to identify the invasive while we can still control it.  The WO mission is promoting natural landscapes.  This invasive becomes a monoculture within a year or two stifling our natives.

Note: See https://annarbor.wildones.org/stiltgrass/

Kurt Sonen is offering a tour of his yard and the neighboring preserve. It's been a labor of love for 12 years. The invasives are mostly gone and the woods are slowly healing - though that requires lots of cages to protect plants from the deer.

Hopefully the wild geraniums and the golden ragwort will be blooming and many other spring ephemerals will be out.
314 Huntington Drive, off of Geddes. At the fork in the road, keep to the left. Park in my driveway if there's room, or beside my driveway on the turnaround loop (it's OK to block that side of the loop).

 
Location:
314 Huntington Drive
Ann Arbor

Tour of Great Lake’s Garden with Bob Grese
Discussion of the Future of A2 Wild Ones

Join us for a discussion about the future of A2WO. 

As a reward for your thoughtful suggestions and actual offers of volunteering, Bob Grese will treat us to a tour of the Great Lakes Garden.

Furstenberg Nature Area guided tour
As spring turns to summer, the native garden begins to bloom. Work with park steward and master gardener, Aunita Erskine, to maintain the garden, which showcases the beauty of native plants.

Formal gardening not your thing? We’ll also be working to remove invasive species in other areas of the park.

Meet in the parking lot off Fuller 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.

Furstenberg is one of A2NAP’s most successful restorations combining a prairie and a woodland shade along the river.  It is a lovely. peaceful and very interesting place.  But we know that this doesn’t happen by accident.  Come and help.  Aunita is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic teacher.  Consider this a pop-up collaborative meeting.

A Short Evening of Stiltgrass
Stiltgrass has been promoted to the top three Michigan herbaceous invasives.  It shares the platform with kudzu which I’m sure that all of you have know as the vine that ate the south.  It is now nibbling on the south edge of Michigan.  So, I would like you to think of stiltgrass as the kudzu of grasses.  It has now been documented in three counties.

The Washtenaw Stiltgrass Working Group will be providing information on stiltgrass identification and habits, the location of currently identified populations, and what you can do if you find it on your property.

To gain control we need many eyes looking for the small starter populations before they explode across acres.  If you have not yet learned about it,  you can find more information on our website: 

http://annarbor.wildones.org/stiltgrass/

You can learn more and ask questions at our next meeting:

Wednesday, July 10th from 6:30-7:30pm

Scio Twp Hall, 827 N. Zeeb Road

Visit this urban backyard that is home to about 180 species of
Michigan native wildflowers, trees, shrubs, grasses, sedges, and
vines. New this year: sedge and moss garden. The tour highlights
about 100 plants with short notes about each. Information about
landscaping with native plants available. Hosted by Nancy Stoll.

*This is one event of River Hop 2019, August 2nd to 4th, an annual River District
neighborhood celebration that includes history tours, weaving demonstration, bird
hike, garage sales, picnic, and more. See www.riverhop.org for further information.
** Rain date Sunday, August 4, 3:00 to 7:00.

Inquire at [email protected] for further information.

Are you curious about plant identification apps for your phone?  Join us on Wednesday, September 11th at 6:30 pm in Nichols Arboretum for a sneak preview of our new woody plants web app. The app, developed for the University of Michigan Woody Plants course, will also be available to the public for free. With the app, students and visitors can locate, identify, and learn about the trees and woody plants in Nichols Arboretum.

Discover a side of the Arb you might not be familiar with as you delve into the living story of the trees and woody plants that grow there.

Location:
U-M Nichols Arboretum (see map)
1610 Washington Hts.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Bring your smart device! (we’ll also have some ipads for demonstrations)

Sarah Kalikow of Washtenaw County's Water Resources Commission Office to talk about creating and managing rain gardens and how they fit within creative strategies for handling stormwater runoff.  Come learn about this progressive program for handling rainwater in creative ways and providing mostly native gardens in our community at the same time.  

End of year Potluck

We have a great panel of local native nursery folks for November.  They will talk briefly about their nurseries and strategies/challenges of growing native plants
-- AND answer all your questions about Growing Native Plants.
Our panelists are:
 
Matt Demmon
Feral Flora - Ann Arbor
 
Bill Schneider
WildType - Mason
 
Chris Oesterling
New Leaf Nursery - Ypsilanti
 
Esther Durnwald
Michigan Wildflower Farm
 
Our moderator is Bob Grese, of course.