Copyright © 1999, 2001.  
Michigan Botanical Club. 
All rights reserved.

Revised 04/08/10

                                   Saturday, August 29 & Sunday, August 30, 2009

Field trip participants are asked to register for the MiniForay, but they need not be members of the Michigan Botanical Club.  We welcome all who are interested.

On Saturday, all morning trips will meet at 9:00 am EDT at the UMBS Dining Hall for orientation and  will return before noon. The afternoon trips will meet at 12:45 departing at 1:00 pm and returning ca. 4-5.  Lunch will be at the UMBS dining hall.

On Sunday, all trips (except the Bo-Lo Island trip) will meet at 9:00 am EDT at the UMBS Dining Hall for bag lunch pick-up and orientation, departing at 9:30 and returning ca 5 pm.  The Bo-Lo Island group will meet at 7:45 am and depart at 8:00 am to met the Bo-Lo ferry at Cheboygan before 9:00 am.   See each trip for details and the sign-up form at the end.

Field Trip Options

*We would like to give those who have not been in the field with Ed recently a chance to do so at this event.  So, we ask that if you have been on a field trip with Ed during the past 5-years, we ask that you wait until you arrive at the UMBS to see if there is space available and then transfer. 

If these fill up, we will add field trips.  If you wish to switch trips later, this may be possible at the UMBS. 

Note:  Participants on all hikes should bring plenty of water (this may not always be available along the way), snacks if desired, and wear sturdy footgear with good tread.  Long pants and long sleeves are recommended, and insect repellent may be desirable, although the mosquitoes and black flies have usually tapered off by this time.  Hats, sunscreen and rain gear are also recommended.  Please be aware that some trips may lead participants through poison ivy, stinging nettles or wild parsnip which may cause skin irritation if they contact your skin, so protective clothing is especially hehlpful.  Participants should also check themselves after hikes for wood and deer ticks (the latter may carry Lyme Disease).    Note that collection of plant voucher specimens may be possible but will require permission prior to the foray (please contact the field trip leader).

Field trip options:

Saturday morning, August 29

Trip A Title:  BioStation facilities and grounds tour.

Leader(s):  TBA
Description:  Easy
Ok for children: Yes
Special equipment or needs: None
Walking distance ca. 1 mile.

Trip B  Title: Archaeological investigations at Douglas Lake   Group size limit 15

Leader(s):  Bob Vande Kopple,  Resident Biologist at the University of Michigan Biological Station for 30 years.
Description:  We will be looking at the sites where Native Americans occupied the area between 1000-1500 years ago. We will first find cache pits and describe how they were made and what they were used for, and then look at the living sites on Grapevine Point and describe archaeological methods and what has been found there.
Level of difficulty: Easy, Ok for children: Yes
Special equipment or needs: just walking shoes
Special notes:  Estimated walking distance: one mile out to Grapevine Point and one mile back.

Saturday afternoon

Trip C  Title: 'But I thought earthworms were good?' Exploring the effects of below-ground invasions on forest ecosystems.   Group size limit 15

Leader(s): Jasmine Crumsey, PhD Student, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan Description: Invasive plant and animal species are constant threats to the biodiversity and function of many ecosystems (e.g. invasions of cattails into wetlands; zebra mussels into the Great Lakes). Below-ground invasions, however, are less understood despite their equally prominent effects on ecosystems. Current invasions of northern temperate forests by European and Asian earthworms have notable effects on soil structure, nutrient cycling, and species interactions. During this field trip we will discuss the history of earthworms in the northern US, current research concerning their impacts on forest ecosystems, and measure biodiversity across several forest types.
Level of difficulty: minimal-moderate Ok for children: yes
Estimated walking distance: ca. 1 mile.

Trip D  Title: Mackinaw Headlands.  Limit 20

Leader(s):  Melanie Gunn, Instructor of Field Botany of Northern Michigan, UMBS, 2003-2008; Currently Park Ranger & Volunteer Program Manager of Point Reyes National Seashore
Description:  afternoon trip through an old growth Northern Hardwood-Conifer Forest above the shore of Lake Michigan.
Level of difficulty: Easy-moderate
Ok for children: Yes
Special equipment or needs: Dry feet if no rain
Special notes: None
Estimated walking distance: ca. 2-3 miles

Trip E  Title: Reeses Swamp -- the Late Summer Flora of a Northern White Cedar

Wetland Complex.  Limit 20
Leader: Mike Penskar, Botany Program Leader, Michigan Natural Features Inventory.
Description:  This trip consists of a hike through the well known and much revered Reeses Swamp, a large and diverse wetland forest known for its population of the Federal and State Endangered Michigan monkey-flower and a wide variety of orchids, sedges, and other cedar swamp species.
Level of difficulty:  Fairly easy hiking
Suitable for children.  Squishy, mucky ground requiring high-top boots or shoes that can get wet.
Special equipment or needs: Boots or shoes that can get wet. A walking stick may be useful to those unsteady in wet or mucky ground.Mosquitoes and other biting insects likely to be present.
Estimated walking distance ca.  A mile or slightly more.

Trip F   Title: Mud Lake Bog.  Limit 20

Leader: Tony Reznicek, Curator, University of Michigan herbarium.
Description: Wet, open sphagnum bog
Level of difficulty: easy.  This will be a short hike, but wet. OK for children
Special equipment or needs: Rubber boots or (better) wettable running shoes
Estimated walking distance less than 1 mile.

Trip H  Trip Field Trip to Bob-Lo (Bois Blanc) Island  Group size limit 15

Leaders:  Ellen Weatherbee, Botanist, author, U of M Botanical Gardens,  retired, and Sylvia Taylor, plant ecologist, DNR retired, U of M Adjunct staff.
Snake Island Natural Area at the east end of the Island (15 minute drive from ferry) is a State dedicated natural area with TNC tracts on either side. The coastline features outstanding coastal fens.  The wilderness interior features marl-bottomed lakes within a ridge and swale cedar wetland complex.
The trip consists of two parts:
1.      Coastal fens: 1-2 hrs., ½ mile; easy walk , boots, OK for children.
2.      Hike to Thompson Lake: 2 hrs; 2 miles, moderate difficulty, boots, OK for older children
Special considerations:  45 minute ferry ride from Cheboygan, MI .  Round trip: $50/car plus $15/passenger.  We have reservations for 9 am over and 4 pm return.  Lunch between the parts will be at the Taylor’s cabin at Walkers Pt. Those wishing to skip the hike may substitute an “on your own” auto tour of the island.

Trip I  Title: Sturgeon Bay Dunes.  Limit 20

Leader: Tony Reznicek, Curator, University of Michigan Herbarium.
Description: Coastal Lake Michigan dunes with a broad successional sequence from open beach to older, forested dunes.
Level of difficulty:  We will be hiking out in the open over beaches and dunes.  Easy but a long walk; OK for children, if fit
Estimated walking distance ca. 4 miles.

Trip J  Title:  Mackinaw Headlands and Wilderness State Park.  Limit 20

Leader(s):  Ed Voss  Curator Emeritus at the Herbarium and Professor Emeritus in Botany, University of Michigan.
Description:  Fine deciduous forest; dunes, conifers and shores.  Lunch at Wilderness State Park.
Ok for children accompanied by parent.
Special equipment or needs: Comfortable walking shoes.  Park entry permit for each vehicle.
Walking distance ca. 5 miles.

FIELD TRIP REGISTRATION NWNPS/MBC MINI-FORAY JULY 26 – 27, 2008

For each day of participation, please indicate each person’s 1^st  and 2^nd choices.  Please number the columns to correspond with the participant's number on the reverse of this form.  Field trips assignments are first come, first served with exception of the trip lead by Ed Voss .  The field trip rosters will be posted where you check-in at UMBS. 

The Saturday morning trips meet at the UMBS Dining Hall at 9:00 am (for lunch pick-up, carpooling and departure) departing 9:30 am and return at noon.  Lunch will be at the UMBS Dining Hall.  Saturday afternoon trips run 1– 4:30.  Except for the Bob-Lo trip, the Sunday  trips (all day) will meet at the UMBS Dining Hall at 9:00 am (for lunch pick-up, carpooling and orientation) departing 9:30 am, and returning ca 5 pm.  Please note that    The Bob-Lo trip w:00 will gather at 7:45 am for departure at 8 am.  See notes for the individual field trips.  The Sunday trips will aim to be back at UMBS between 5 and 6 pm.

                        Names participant #

                                  1__________________________

                                  2__________________________

                                  3__________________________

                                  4__________________________

Please email this form to: Lisa Readmond at lisaumbs@umich.edu (digital copy)

or print this form and mail to:  UMBS, 9133 Biological Rd., Pellston, MI 49769 (paper copy).

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