More Ways To Participate FROM HOME

Hi all,

This is going to be a doozy of a post, since it will include the list of formal events and a bunch of ways you can participate at home during the challenge dates! This year, we City Nature Challenge (CNC) organizers and partners want to embrace the healing power of nature and encourage the collaborative aspect of the CNC. This will allow people to safely document biodiversity in whatever way they can, even from their own homes if necessary. We urge all participants to carefully follow public health guidelines provided by your local governments, as they are changing in real-time. While at home, try the following:

Anytime Friday, 24 April through Monday, 27 April

Tuesday, 28 April – Sunday, 3 May

  • Can your city go through ALL the observations (not just CNC!) that have already been made in your area but aren’t research grade yet? You may be surprised by how much you know, and I'm sure you will also learn a lot!

Here is a comprehensive list of formal CNC-associated activities that we know about. Please let us know if you’d like to add one by leaving a comment on this post. Please see below the listings for descriptions of the events.

COVID-19 ACCOMMODATIONS: For all in-person events, we will practice responsible social distancing, everyone is requested to wear a mask (at least until we are separated on the trail), and bring your own water, snacks, and wipes. Please also bring a garbage bag so we can pick up and port out any trash we find.

Saturday, 11 April

  • WALK: 1 – 5 pm, Scio Woods Preserve; 4000 Scio Church, Ann Arbor, there is a sign and off-road parking. Host: Kit Howard. We’ll be experimenting again with sharing the walk via Zoom so feel free to log into the session using the credentials below.

Tuesday, 14 April

  • WEBINAR: 6 – 7 pm, How to Take Good iNat Photos (see below for dial-up). This will draw upon the expertise from several iNat members who have graciously posted information over the years along with the presenter’s own (hard-earned) experience. Host: Kit Howard et al.

Tuesday, 21 April

  • WEBINAR: 6-7 pm, Where to Go to Bioblitz, (see below for dial-up). We’ll review a comprehensive list of publicly-accessible green spaces in Washtenaw County, including where they are, and how to find out more about them. This will also be a good time to ask questions about activities occurring during CNC. Host: Kit Howard et al.

Friday 24 April - During CNC!

  • CANCELLED WALK: 5-6:30 pm, Brokaw Preserve, 3013 W Huron River Dr, Ann Arbor, Entrance W Huron River Drive just south of N Wagner. No sign yet, look for the cars. Host: Meija Knopfl
  • MOTHING: 9 pm – 1 am. Location to be announced. Host John Christiansen

Saturday 25 April During CNC!

  • WALK: 1 – 5 pm, Nan Weston Preserve, south side of Easudes Rd at Jacob Rd, Grass Lake, MI; park on the roadside. there is a sign but it's easy to miss. Host: Kit Howard.
  • MOTHING: 9 pm – 1 am. Location to be announced. Host John Christiansen

Sunday 26 April During CNC!

  • WALK: 1 – 5 pm, Goodrich Preserve & Horner Woods, Start at Goodrich, at 3695 N Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; Horner Woods is accessed through Goodrich. Host: Kit Howard.

27 Apr – 3 May Second part of CNC!
ID “parties”! A series of interactive webinars open to everyone to identify observations made during the earlier part of CNC. We hope to have experts from University and elsewhere to help with identification - the topics will depend upon who helps out. If there aren’t many observations from CNC, attendees can ask about their own observations from earlier times. If we run out of those, we’ll help out other CNC cities!

Specific dates, times, topics and hosts will be announced as they are scheduled.

Webinar access for all online events is: https://zoom.us/j/5944709556 . Either join with computer audio, or call in +1 929 436 2866; Meeting ID: 594 470 9556

Location and Event Descriptions

Scio Woods Preserve: entirely wooded with many large trees, first-order streams and riparian wetlands. The blooms of native spring wildflowers are among the most diverse and impressive in the Ann Arbor area. Varying types of woodlands—oak and hickory trees are found in locations with drier soils and the wetter woods are dominated by sugar maple and beech trees. A wetland system is located in the eastern portion of the preserve where you will find a buttonbush swamp and wetland plants such as pawpaw trees, spicebush, and bladdernut. The wooded habitat is home to some uncommon birds including barred owls and pileated woodpeckers. Find more here

Mothing: Host John Christiansen says “I'll set up a white mothing sheet before sundown and turn on insect-attracting lights as darkness falls. Over the next few hours, moths, beetles, katydids, wasps, flies, and other bugs or insects should be attracted to the light and land on the sheet, allowing close observation and photography. If there is steady action, I may keep the light on all night, otherwise it will be turned off around 1:00am. The event will proceed if there is light rain, which can be great for mothing, but be cancelled if heavy rains are expected.”

Nan Weston Preserve: floodplain forest and wooded wetlands, vernal pools; over 260 species of wildflowers and other native plants; bright blue hepatica, Dutchman’s breeches, spring beauty, southern blue flag iris, squirrel corn, starflower, bloodroot and large-flowered trillium; red-backed salamander, eastern newt, frogs, toads, snakes; stopover habitat for migrating birds as they travel through the Great Lakes flyway and provides nesting sites for several warblers and other birds, including the yellow warbler, rose-breasted grosbeak, barred owl and pileated woodpecker. River Raisin runs through it, small and calm here; Owned by the Nature Conservancy, an audiotour available on their website.

Goodrich Preserve: used primarily by U of M for research & teaching - is dominated by old growth forest that grades from hilltop oak-hickory on the eastern Goodrich property to maple-mixed Hardwoods covering rich central valleys. Native shrubs, mostly buttonbush, surround several small wetlands and fill a large swamp which separates much of the woodland from the M-14 freeway. The central portion of this forest, known for its outstanding spring wildflower displays, is preserved by U-M as a plant sanctuary. Established: 2006; Learn more here

Horner McLaughlin Woods: 90-acre site that was donated to the U-M by the Michigan Botanical Club in 1964 as a plant and wildflower sanctuary. It contains oak-hickory woodlands, old-field and rolling terrain, several small woodland ponds and streams, and a sizable buttonbush swamp. Together, Goodrich and Horner have about 2 miles of trail. Learn a bit more here

Posted on April 10, 2020 01:47 PM by a2naturalareapreservation a2naturalareapreservation

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