Winter 2013-2014
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NATURAL AREA PRESERVATION Protecting and restoring Ann Arbor’s natural areas Volume 18, Number 4 and fostering an environmental ethic among its citizens Winter 2013-2014 The Complex Story of Greenview Nature Area; Past, Present, and Future Dana Wloch A path through Greenview Nature Area. I stood in Greenview Nature Area, photo: Jim Rogers enjoying one of the last nice days of autumn. Park Steward Jim Rogers handed me an apple from one of of Greenview. Most of the labor and larger property, which stretches the old trees in the park. He told improvements to Greenview are from Main Street to Greenview me this was a bad year for coordinated and executed by Friends Drive, an area which was once a worms—surely a good sign. The of Greenview, and general nine-hole golf course. This piece of apple was full of flavor, and to my management is directed through land includes Greenview Nature gratification, free of worms. Where collaboration between the city and Area, Pioneer Woods, Pioneer we stood was once a thicket of Ann Arbor Public Schools. Prairie, as well as Pioneer High buckthorn surrounding the old School. SEE “RESTORING” PAGE 6 apple tree, indicated only by the Owned by Ann Arbor Public dozens of cut stumps nearby. For Schools, Greenview includes several years, Rogers has been meadows, woodlands, a pond, and a IN THIS ISSUE: working ceaselessly with a group of community garden, and has a complicated history. It is part of a Greenview devotees called Friends Greenview Nature Area Page 1 Coordinator’s Corner NAP PROGRAMS Page 2 Along with the Park Volunteers of the Score Steward program and Page 3 public workdays, NAP offers Stewardship Calendar many options for you to Pages 4-5 volunteer for nature! NAPpenings and Staff Updates On pages 4-5, find out about Pages 6-7 trainings and kickoffs for NAP’s special programs, such as the Epic Workdays A Salamander Survey volunteer Volunteer Burn Crew, and the Page 8 holding a funnel trap. Frog and Toad Survey. COORDINATOR’S CORNER A unit of the City of Ann Arbor Community Services Area, Parks and Recreation Services. Happy Birthday to NAP! The mission of Natural Area You may have noticed from the past few issues of the NAP Preservation is to protect and newsletter, that NAP just celebrated its 20-year anniversary, or was restore Ann Arbor’s natural areas it a 20-year birthday? As I pondered this question during the 2013 and to foster an environmental festivities, I realized that it’s an important issue to resolve. ethic among its citizens. In my experience, and without any additional research into the 1831 Traver Road matter whatsoever, it seems that anniversaries are often Ann Arbor, MI 48105 accompanied by sentiments such as, “Congratulations.” “You’ve Phone: (734) 794-6627 made it!” and “Wow, has it really been that long …” The focus seems Fax: (734) 997-1072 to be on the past, looking back on where you’ve come from, Email: [email protected] Website: a2gov.org/NAP celebrating past accomplishments. facebook.com/ann.arbor.NAP twitter.com/a2NAP Birthdays, on the other hand, have none of that, especially not at NAP’s exciting age of 20 years old! These are the years of new opportunities. We earn the right to start driving around the age of Manager: 16. At 18 we’re considered legal adults and enjoy many of the rights, David Borneman and responsibilities of that new age, although we don’t earn the Stewardship Specialist: privilege of drinking alcohol until we turn 21. Birthdays are forward Becky Gajewski -looking. They mark the arrival of a new era. We expect our lives to Inventory Staff: change as we hit those Anat Belasen milestone ages. And people Dea Armstrong, Ornithologist expect more of us from that It is the start of a new era here at David Mifsud, Herpetologist point onward. Patrick Terry, Intern NAP, with new rights and Volunteer and Outreach In that sense, I hope that responsibilities to accompany our Coordinator: what we’ve just celebrated Tina Roselle entry into this third decade of is NAP’s 20th birthday, Outreach Assistants: rather than its work...We’re a much broader and Dana Novak anniversary. It is the start Laura Mueller more complex organization than we of a new era here at NAP, Molly Notarianni with new rights and were ten years ago, or even five. Penelope Richardson-Bristol responsibilities to Quentin Turner accompany our entry into Renée Hytinen this third decade of work. Toyoko Kamada, Intern People expect more of us now, and they should. We’re “grown up” Yousef Rabhi now. We’re a much broader and more complex organization than we Conservation Workers: were ten years ago, or even five. And we’re running more programs Josh Goldman and workdays, working with many more volunteers, and reaching Kegan Schildberg out into more sectors of the community than we ever did before. Rachel Maranto Rob Schubert Yes, we have accomplished much together over the past 20 years. Robb Johnston There is much to celebrate. But our focus has to be on where we’re headed the next 20 years – that’s where the real excitement lies! Natural Area Preservation is funded by the voter-approved So wish us a Happy Birthday next time you see us. Then come join 2013-2018 Park Maintenance & us as we create the next two decades together! Capital Improvements Millage. -David Borneman, NAP Manager 2 NATURAL AREA PRESERVATION NEWS Winter 2013 Although thousands of people have volunteered with NAP in the VOLUNTEERSVOLUNTEERS past 20 years (a “score”), these volunteers and groups deserve of the SCORESCORE some special recognition! (20 YEARS) JUST A Volunteered an outstanding number of hours in the field, or in the NAP office Recruited volunteers who worked an extraordinary number of combined hours FEW WAYS Lead volunteers who worked a monumental number of combined hours VOLUNTEERS OF Monitored a significant number of hours for salamanders, frogs, turtles, or birds THE SCORE HAVE Effected a remarkable impact on NAP’s restoration and education efforts CONTRIBUTED TO NAP { Mentored, advised, or inspired NAP’s volunteers and staff VOLUNTEERS Peter Allen Phil Furspan Michael Landis Judy Schmidt Dan Anderson Jacco Gelderloos Drew Lathin Manfred Schmidt David Baker Shannan Gibb-Randall John Lawter Ken Shaw James Bardwell Paul Girard Sam Levine Scott Spooner Steve Bean Brian Glass Carl Loomis Ann Sprunger Brenda Bently-Goenka Mary Glass Barbara Lucas David (Drano) Steiner Jane Bishop Bently Goenka Mary Mathais Greg Stevens Jan Bower Maxime Goovaerts Mary Matossian Nancy Stoll Bruce Bowman Bob Gould Isabel Mckay AC Tanner Dave Brooks George Gray Tim Mckay Colleen Vance Verena Brunner Jacob Gray Cathy Mcnair Deb Vandenbroek Brian Bruns Jerry Gray Don Mcnair Kurt Vincze Andrew Brush Benjamin Hack Drake Meadow Jeff Vornhagen Dawn Chalker Matt Hack Victory Mike Bob Walters Mark Charles George Hammond Sue Miller Alice Ward Dick Chase John Heider Bill Minard Wes Weaver Drew Clark Bob Heinold Rita Mitchell Will Weber Dan Comella Ted Hejka Karin Monnett Bo Wei Peng Alex Copp Mary Hill Joanna Myers Kay Werthan Andrew Copp Jim Hope Paul Newhouse Nancy Witter William Cron Ann Hubbard Sarah Newman Jan Wolter Jim Crosby Ray Hunter Gwen Nystuen Doug Wood Brooks Curtis Stephanie Hunter John Nystuen Roger Wykes Cheryl Darnton Richard Isackson Ross Orr Katherine Yates Swartz Dawn Robert Isenberg Cindy Overmyer Anita Yu Phil Dinehart Maggie Jewett Jeannine Palms Ronald Zavislak Heidi Dodson Jacob Job Janice Pappas Steve Zekany Mary Duff-Silverman Judy Judge Nathan Patel Ron Emaus Toyoko Kamada Barbara Powell Aunita Erskine Harvey Kaplan William Price VOLUNTEER GROUPS Allen Eyler Nancy Kaplan Stacie Printon Three Fires Trail Harold Eyster Tim Kenny Peggy Rabhi CHS Group Susan Falcone Diana Kern Greg Richardson Community High School Ted Fasing Bill Kidd Catherine Riseng Concordia University Norman Fell Tim Kieras Becca Ritter-Charles Friends Of Dicken Woods Jerome Fletcher Jean Kluge Jim Rogers Friends of Greenview Laurent Fournier Tom Kraft Elliot Rose YMCA Youth Volunteer Rob French Howard Krausse Joan Rose Corps Jason Frenzel Roger Kuhlman Scott Rosencrans Pat Frey Tom Kussurelis Pat Ryan Winter 2013 NATURAL AREA PRESERVATION NEWS 3 VOLUNTEER STEWARDSHIP WINTER CALENDAR 2013-2014 Volunteers assist NAP in all aspects of our work. Community involvement is vital to the success of NAP’s conservation and education efforts. Please join us for one of these events! For all of our Stewardship Workdays, please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Workdays are free and suitable for all ages. Minors must be accompanied by a guardian or have a signed release form. Contact NAP for release forms. Tools, snacks, and know-how provided. JANUARY FEBRUARY January 20, Monday February 25, Tuesday Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Public Meeting Furstenberg Nature Area Controlled Ecological Burn Program 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Traverwood Branch of Ann Arbor District Library Service is an opportunity to make 3333 Traverwood Drive 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm your day “off” a day “on” for com- munity service. Help remove in- Fire is used as a restoration tool in many vasive shrubs! Meet in parking of Ann Arbor’s natural areas. This lot on Fuller Rd., across from meeting will be a discussion about the Huron High School. Controlled Ecological Burn Program. Ask questions, learn more about benefits of January 25, Saturday burning, and hear about the specifics of Citizen Pruner Training effectively and safely using fire as a Wheeler Service Center restoration tool. 4251 Stone School Road 9:00 am to 3:00 pm February 27, Thursday Love trees? Want to learn a new Volunteer Crew Training skill? Looking for a new and unique way to volunteer in the Controlled Ecological Burn Program community? Consider becoming a Leslie Science and Nature Center Citizen Pruner! Citizen Pruners 1531 Traver Road volunteer during city-sponsored 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm work days to care for newly planted city trees by pruning, Become a part of NAP’s Volunteer Burn monitoring, and providing gen- Crew! This is the required training eral tree care.