FALL/WINTER  PROGRAMS

  October 1, Sunday, 2:00 pm        SEC member Margaret Converse will present a program entitled "Botanizing with the MBC: from the Keweenaw to the Lotus beds of Monroe".  It features beautiful photographs of the wildflowers of Michigan taken on the many MBC field trips Margaret has attended. Held at Troy Public Library.  Map on back of Newsletter.

  October 7, Saturday, 10:30 am FIELD TRIP   to LeFurge Woods, led by Jack Smiley, President, Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy.  See article on page 2 for details and directions.

October 21, Saturday, 2:00 pm     Michigan Botanical Club Fall Meeting at Whitehouse Nature Center, Albion College.  MBC Board meets at noon, program at 2 pm with field trip following.  See Fall issue of Arisaema for details.

November 5, Sunday, 2:00 pm   Kathleen Thomson will give a program entitled "Peru, Land of  Awesome Extremes" describing her tour last July with the Archaeological Conservancy.  Extreme variation of climate, elevation and rainfall plus natural disasters caused by El Nino cycles have substantially affected the lives of people in ancient as well as modern times.  Troy Public Library

December 3, Sunday, 2:00 pm   Sara Nooden, of the Huron Valley Chapter, will present a program  "Costa Rica, a Natural History".  Many of you will remember the fine program that she gave us several years ago on the Amazon.  Troy Public Library.

January 7,    Sunday, 2:00 pm  Jack Smiley, President, Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy will speak about the work of the organization in acquiring land for preservation in this region.  In 1999, the Conservancy was presented with the Conservation Group of the Year Award by Detroit Audubon and also honored by the Rouge River Remedial Action Plan Advisory Council for habitat protection.  Farmington Hills Library.

February 4, Sunday, 1:00 pm   Gourmet Dinner featuring a special treat:  Caroline Dunphy, a watercolorist with a studio in Northville,  will speak on a typical day in the life of Monet amid his home and gardens.  She has spent many days painting in Monet’s gardens at Giverny, France.  Farmington Hills Library.

LEFURGE  WOODS  FIELD  TRIP
SATURDAY,  OCTOBER  7
10:30 AM

Join us for a fall field trip to LeFurge Woods north of Ypsilanti.  The 261 acre property is owned by the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy.  Just this year an additional 90 acres were purchased and added to the preserve and thus saved from development.  LeFurge Woods contains forest and wetland areas including some wetland mitigation and habitat restoration.  Jack Smiley, president of the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy will be our leader.  LeFurge Woods is located in Washtenaw County, Superior Township, along the east side of Prospect Road between Ford Road and Geddes Road.  Driving west on M-14, exit at the Ford Road exit, then take Ford Road back east 1 mile to the light at Prospect.  Turn south on Prospect 2.3 miles (or 1 mile north of Geddes).  Watch for the sign at the entrance to the parking area.

INDIAN  SPRINGS  METROPARK
 TO  FEATURE  A  NEW ENVIRONMENTAL  EDUCATION CENTER

Because of a Circuit Court ruling that a planned $10 million water park would violate a township zoning ordinance, the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority decided to drop the plan.  Instead, a  proposed environmental education complex would include a 25-acre restored prairie, a 3-acre wetland demonstration area, a walking garden trail with native plants and a forest demonstrating edible food plants.  An education center will have dormitory space for up to 90 students.

The Southeastern Chapter welcomes this new direction.  We had long been concerned about the possible negative impact of a huge waterpark located at the headwaters of the Huron River watershed.

HCMA  APPROVES  CULLING  OF DEER  HERD  IN  COMING  YEAR

Kathleen Thomson and Emily Nietering represented the Southeastern Chapter, Michigan Botanical Club, on the Metroparks Wildlife Management Advisory Committee appointed by the Director to look into the management of deer population.  The committee recommended that there was an urgent need to reduce the size of the herd because of severe damage to the vegetation.  Last year was the first time that a specific hunt was authorized in the metroparks.  The controlled firearms and bow and arrow hunts at Stony Creek, Kensington and Hudson Mills Metropark produced good results without adverse incidents.  But because the reproduction rate for deer is so high, additional culling was approved by the governing body for the coming year.  

THE  NATION’S  LARGEST AMERICAN  ELM  IS  DYING

 One of Michigan’s national champion big trees, estimated to be 300 years old, is dying of Dutch elm disease.  Called the Buckley elm, it is located in a corn field south of Traverse City.  It has a trunk  circumference of 232 feet and a crown which is 115 feet across.

 There had been hope that the Buckley elm might be genetically resistant to Dutch elm disease.  But Sandra Svec who with her husband owns the farm where the elm is located became very worried especially because the tree had so few leaves this year.

  The presence of Dutch elm disease was confirmed by R. Jay Stipes, professor of plant pathology at Virginia Polytechnic University.  He concluded after visiting the tree that the disease is too advanced for treatment and the Buckley elm will die, probably within a year.  The tree will remain the national champion as long as it is alive.