A New Facelift

There was recently a lot of work done at Cedar Bend Park. Efforts were made to help control the eroding of the road and the steep woodland slopes.



First, 3 check dams made out of large gravel were created across the road. These mini dams slow down the velocity of water and help to collect sediment and retain the surface of the road.They were covered with compost, seeded with annual rye, and planted with some native plants. The quick-growing rye will help to keep the soil in place while the plants grow strong.


Second, coir logs were placed alongside the

eroded edge of the road. These logs are made from strong coconut fiber and will last for 2-5 years before they biodegrade.

The logs will absorb and retain a lot of the running water and stabilize the slope downhill. They also provide a great miroclimate

for growing vegetation.

Third, the area next to the logs were filled

in with compost, seeded with annual rye,

and then covered with jute matting.

The final step, was to introduce native plants to the area.

Holes were cut into the mat and plants were transplanted

among the growing rye. Both the roots of the rye and the jute

matting will help reinforce the soil while the plants' roots are taking hold.

Thank You Volunteers!

The annual Burn Volunteer potluck went off with a bang. As volunteers munched on burgers and portabella caps, NAP manager, Dave Borneman, presented a slide show of all the really cool fire photos taken throughout the season. For all of those who have never participated in a prescribed burn, it is a beautiful and satisfying feeling to see the forest floor aglow in flames. All the hard work it takes to organize a successful burn is well rewarded with glorious wild flowers in the spring.

Precious Flower Found!!

The Small Yellow Lady's- slipper Orchid, Cypripedium calceolus var. parviflorum, was sighted at the Shanghi Prarie during a nautre walk this week. This prarie, located off of McAuley St. near the Trinity Medical Center (formerly known as St. Joe's Hospital), is a well kept secret. In spite of historic strip mining in this area, the native seed bank is flourishing with both dry and wetland prarie species. And this rare elegant orchid is found en mass in the southeastern edge.

NAP's 2008 Photo Contest

Don't forget about NAP's 3rd Annual Photo Contest. The photo of blooming swamp thistle was taken by Patricia L. Cornett and won 1st place last year in the detail category. This year we're looking for pictures highlighting "Nature Up Close" and "The Spirit of the Seasons". For an entry form, please visit www.a2gov.org/NAPphotocontest.
All photographs are due Friday, September 5, 2008.

A Sucessful Burn Season...

Many ecosystems are vitally linked to fire. For at least the past 5,000 years, fire was a common feature in the midwest landscape. It was not unusual to see wetlands, prairies, or oak woodlands burned to maintain a rich diversity of plant and animal life. Without nature’s intrinsic check and balance system of fire, and with the added stress of invasive species encroachment, our natural areas have a tendency to become monocultures. Prescribed burning helps control non-native plants, stimulates growth of native, fire adapted plants, and enriches the soil. This soil enrichment leads to a lengthened growing season, allowing native plants to gain their competitive edge and increasing biodiversity.



Natural Area Preservation is working to reintroduce fire as a natural process in our landscape. We hold prescribed fires annually in the spring and fall, depending on weather conditions. Burns are conducted by well-equipped, fully-trained staff and volunteers. A training program is held every spring for volunteers and new staff to become accustomed with the ecological benefits of prescribed fire, pre-burn preparations, equipment orientation and use, burn crew positions, and general burn day procedures. Thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who helped make this burn season such a success! It was the first season in NAP's history where we were able to burn every site on the list. If you were able to make it out to a burn this season, please feel free to share your experiences with us.

Mudpuppy Madness

This winter, NAP's inventory team decided to tackle the frigid task of a Mudpuppy Monitoring Survey! So, you might wonder, what exactly is a mudpuppy? Mudpuppies (Necturus maculosuare) are "large, permanently aquatic salamanders". They are found in large rivers and lakes with various types of bottoms. Mudpuppies remain active year round and take shelter under suken objects such as rock, old boards, or logs. They breed in the late fall and early winter. So, why study these fish with legs? Due to the fact that mudpuppies are fully aquatic, active year round, and a gill breather, they are especially susceptible to short or long-term changes in the environment. Thus it can serve as an important indicator of ecosystem health. The recent die offs of this species linked to Botulism E and its known sensitivities to environmental pollutants make it an excellent candidate to study in Ann Arbor. . .Stay tuned for survey results!



Check out the pictures of these hard core volunteers out looking for mudpuppies!!!

Inspiring Ideas

If you weren't able to attend the Stewardship Network Conference last weekend you missed out! There were lots of unique restoration projects and partnerships highlighted from across the state. The first day of the conference offered a good review of three of Michigan's ecosystems: grasslands/savannas, forests, and wetlands, there were panel discussions on projects in each of these systems, and the day ended with a Townhall Discussion of larger issues. Saturday offered a chance to sign up for two sessions of each participants choice, and NAP staff was able to learn more about plant observation, seed collection, getting our success stories out, why some projects go bad, and nature photography among other things. Overall, it left us feeling renewed and inspired to keep planning for the upcoming field season. It's good to know we're not alone out there battling invasive species and protecting biodiversity, and it's GREAT that we have lots of volunteers willing to lend a hand!

Fantastic Training Opportunity

Winter is a great time to brush up on your ecological restoration skills. Consider spending Friday, January 25 & part of Saturday January 26 in East Lansing with other volunteers, wildlife enthusiasts, nature lovers, land managers, and others learning and growing. How, you ask? By attending the Stewardship Network 2008 Conference, The Science, Practice & Art of Restoring Native Ecosystems. It's not too late to sign up! Contact the Stewardship Network for more information at 734/996-3190. More details available at www.stewardshipnetwork.org. Many of us from NAP will be attending, we hope to see you there! Stay warm out there . . .