October Meeting
Our speaker
was Dr. Donald Dickmann, recently retired from the Dept. of Forestry, MSU.
He discussed his newly published book, "Forest Communities of Michigan”.
While there are many guides to tree identification, they provide limited
information about how trees grow together to form forest communities. This
book is intended to fill that gap. Dr. Dickmann hopes it will provide
knowledge about how trees grow in communities in response to environmental
factors. Using a PowerPoint presentation Dr. Dickmann gave a brief history
of Michigan forests and the ecological factors that regulate the
distribution, structure, and composition of Michigan’s forest communities.
He went on to give a brief overview of a number of the 23 distinct forest
types. This guide focuses on the characteristic plants-trees, shrubs, and
herbs- found in each community. Maps were used to show the distribution of
each community. Common forest management activities are suggested for each
type of community.
Dr. Dickmann
believes that out of this understanding will come a deeper appreciation of
the factors needed to manage Michigan’s rich forest diversity in a
sustainable way. Present forests are the result of continual change as the
vegetation reacts to disturbance such as fire and human harvesting and the
long-term cycle of initiation and growth as vegetation is re-established. We
learned how factors such as the length of a growing season, winter
temperatures, and soil types interact to influence the community that will
emerge. Factors such as the succession of shade tolerant plants replacing
those less tolerant are continually at work so that any forest is always a
work in progress.
We were
amazed at the amount of information Dr. Dickmann has managed to put together
in a useful form in this lovely illustrated guide. Most of those at the
meeting purchased one on the spot. For those of you not so fortunate, you
can obtain Michigan Forest Communities: A Field Guide Reference
from many bookstores or from MSU Extension, ISBN 1-56525-019-2.
Thanks go to Ron
Priest for making the arrangements for us to meet in Room 244 in the Natural
Science Building. We were pleased to have such a comfortable meeting place.
What’s more, it is readily accessible from parking in front of the
building. The Natural Science Building is located on the north side of East
Circle Drive between Farm Lane and the Collingwood entrance on Grand River
Avenue. Thanks also go to Marlene Wesselman for refreshments.
Notes from
Vice-President, Ron Priest:
Our October meeting
is the first time we met in the Department of Entomology. Our thanks to
Chairman, Dr. Rich Merritt, for allowing plant folk to grow in the midst of
insects! Prior to introducing Dr. Dickmann, I offered copies of an article on
the Emerald ash borer written by MSU researchers. It gives a very readable
account of the range of this new pest and what progress has been made as well as
what yet needs to be accomplished.
Marlene Wesselman
had suggested that I might interject a bit of humor at our opening. Doing that,
I re-introduced, “The Story of Black-eyed Sue”, a love triangle told with
botanical names. (“… and I heard he was carrying a pistil, a 357 magnolia.”)
This story appeared in the April 1997 issue of Arisaema. The author was not
identified.
2006 Chapter Candidates
On a more
serious note, WE NEED TO CONSIDER CANDIDATES FOR THE 2006 ELECTED OFFICES OF
PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT-ELECT, TREASURER, AND SECRETARY. Publicity
Chair, currently held by Mary Leys, is appointed and we hope Mary will be
willing to continue this work. Please consider nominating yourself for one
of these positions and attending our November meeting to bring names
forward.
Notice: Proposed Chapter
Bylaw Change
Current
Chapter Bylaws identify our fiscal year commencing in January with new
officers taking their positions then. Unfortunately, our Bylaws also say
officers are elected at the Annual Meeting which is specified to be in
April! By changing our Annual Meeting to December we can have our new
officer in place by January 1. A BYLAW CAN BE CHANGED AT A MONTHLY MEETING
IF THAT CHANGE IS PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSLETTER PRIOR TO THE MEETING. It was
generally agreed at our October meeting that this simple word change would
be appropriate. We can vote on this change at our November meeting.
Chapter Challenge – a
Plant Survey
At this
years MBC fall meeting at the Bengel Center in Bath, we were asked by
Director, Dennis Fijalkowski, if we would consider making a plant survey.
The Bengel Wildlife Conservancy has several different habitats on its 259
acres including a large bog. I announced this request at our October
meeting. Thanks to some folks attending and others solicited by Jason
Kilgore, we have eleven individuals voicing interest. We’ll hold a planning
meet Wednesday, 19 October at 7 PM, in Room 244 of the Natural Science
Bldg. We’ll develop initial guides for limiting plants included, possible
enhancements such as photographs, vouchers, methods of compiling a list,
etc. as well as when we want to begin. Please consider attending. If you
cannot, but do have ideas please let me know, so they may be considered.
Examples of
Bengel flora observed at the MBC Fall Meeting
Up Coming Meetings
All meetings
will continue to be held in Room 244, Natural Science Bldg., M.S.U. at 7:30 PM.
The following is our confirmed agenda:
01 November:
Speaker:
Dr. Dennis Fulbright, Professor of Plant Biology. His topic will be
Chestnut blight, progress being made and progress of the fledgling Chestnut
industry. Dr. Fulbright is a plant pathologist at Michigan State University
working on overcoming this blight and assisting industry producers. With
good fortune Dr. Fulbright and an assistant will roast Chestnuts for
attendees to taste.
12 November
Field Trip:
Mr. Jeremy Emmi, Director of the Michigan Nature Association and RCC member,
will lead us over land along the Red Cedar River being negotiated for
purchase. He will show us the significance of this land and why MNA
considers it a valuable addition to their holdings. We will meet Mr. Emmi
at 10 AM at the MNA office located at 326 East Grand River Ave,
Williamston. The office is just east of the downtown traffic light. Our
field trip is a short drive through town.
06 December
As usual
this will be an in-house event. We hope to have both of our 2005 Sponsored
students give us their impressions of the Memorial weekend Foray, vote in
2006 officers, and have a very vocal time gifting attendees with botanical
prizes.
03 January 2006
Speaker: Dr.
James Detjen, Director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalist at
Michigan State University. The Center offers over a dozen courses on
environmental journalism to undergraduates and graduate students. Dr.
Detjen will give us an overview of the objectives of the Center and its
impact on the public.
07 February 2006
Speaker:
Dr. Leah Knapp, Director of Biological Programs, Olivet College. Dr. Knapp
will discuss endangered Michigan plants and factors that have taken them to
this precarious status.
Q: What did the male stamen say to the female pistil?
A: I
like your "style"
From Marlene: Check the list of purposes at the beginning
of the newsletter. Can you see ways in which the club has been meeting its
purposes? Do you have suggestions as to how we might become more involved to
meet one or more of the club’s purposes? There may be a prize for the member
with the longest list!!! Or for the one who brings a new guest!!!
Quote of the month: “Science has proof without any certainty. Creationists have certainty without
any proof." -- Ashley Montague
October Fieldtrip:
Nature Walk and Sandhill Crane Viewing
Cranefest is
held each fall west of Olivet in the Kiwanis Natural Area, a preserved Southern-Dry Mesic Deciduous (Oak-Mixed Hardwood) Forest surrounding
Marsh Lake. Marsh Lake is the second largest migration gathering area in
Michigan for the once nearly extinct Sandhill cranes as well as for many
other migrating water birds. Dr. Pat Fields teaches at Olivet College and
has become known for his work in the surrounding area not only as the
“Chocolate Guy” but also as a naturalist. It is only natural that the
Kiwanis organizers would call on him to act as a Naturalist conducting
“Cranefest” field trips in the preserved forest. Now, Pat is also on
the Red Cedar Botany Club fieldtrip committee. Serendipity #1: We were
invited to join him on one of his Cranefest nature walks through the woods.
Serendipity #2: This gave us a chance to use Don Dickmann’s Michigan
Forest Communities field guide we acquired the previous Tuesday at
our October meeting.
Pat did an
excellent job showing us how this hardwood forest community occupies
well-drained, moderately fertile habitats in coarse-textured-mostly slightly
acidic loams. He pointed out the white and red oak trees of this forest type
and the associated shagbark hickory, sassafras, black cherry, red maple,
white ash, and big toothed aspen trees. Smaller trees and shrubs identified
were Virginia Creeper, Summer Grape, Poison Ivy, Witch Hazel, and Bracken
Fern. In the herb layer we saw False Solomon Seal, Enchanter’s Nightshade,
and an unidentified sedge.
Pat made the
point that everything here is connected. Acorns from the oak trees are a
major food source for deer, turkeys, blue jays and squirrels. Hickory nuts
are vital to squirrels and the mouse populations. Cherries provide soft mast
for many birds and other animals. The animals carry away the seeds and
plant them in their droppings.
After our
walk in the woods we toured the many Cranefest booths featuring art, nature
related books and handicrafts and also enjoyed an evening meal from food
booths. We then joined hundreds of Cranefest visitors as they watched
thousands of Sandhill cranes arrive in small groups for an overnight stay
along the southern edge of Marsh Lake. It was a perfect end to another
great Red Cedar Botany Club fieldtrip.
