Events

Please note the location and 6 p.m. start time.  

SPRING GLORY: A GUIDED TOUR OF EPHEMERALS IN THE REDBUD NATURE AREA

Tour Guide: Eleva Potter, Environmental Education and Engagement Coordinator

MEETING POINT: Let's gather at the Parkwood Avenue entrance to Redbud Nature Area; there is a large wooden "REDBUD NATURE AREA" sign.

Eleva Potter from Natural Area Preservation, which protects and restores Ann Arbor’s natural areas, will be our guide to the special features and plant communities in the Redbud Nature Area, a five-acre preserve nestled in southeast Ann Arbor. We anticipate an evening rich in spring beauty, with trout lily, bloodroot, skunk cabbage, and wild ginger among the ephemerals we hope to see. 

Aptly named, the Redbud Nature Area includes the largest stand of redbud trees in the Ann Arbor Park system. We never tire of rejoicing in these life-giving native trees—butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees all come to them for both pollen and nectar—and their spring beauty, when lavender-pink blooms run up and down their limbs, is unsurpassed. Cercis canadensis usually blooms later in April, but it has already been so warm this year we may see some emerging blooms. 

The Redbud Nature Area is a vital protected area within the Malletts Creek watershed. The stream, a tributary of the Huron River, is severely impaired, with about 40% of the watershed surface land being topped with impermeable surfaces. The native forbs and trees in the preserve allow us to visualize what the watershed was historically home to, and we will hear about restoration efforts.  

Redbud Nature Area Access and Parking

There is street parking along Parkwood Avenue, which forms the eastern edge of the park, and on other nearby side streets.

The park entrance can be reached on foot by walking through the neighborhood and on bike by riding through the neighborhood streets.