REGISTER AT: https://nap.a2gov.org/Miller102223 Miller Nature Area continues to beat the odds, year after year! This site was heavily used—and abused—by extractive practices and dumping for nearly 200 years. At the heart of a loving community working hard toward Miller’s restoration, the land has transformed into a natural haven. Neighbors consistently show up to steward at […]

REGISTER AT: https://nap.a2gov.org/Argo102823 For more than 30 years, people have been showing up for their communities during Make a Difference Day on the fourth Saturday in October. Even after official sponsorship by national non-profit organizations was phased out, groups and individuals at the local level have continued to answer the call to serve on this […]

REGISTER AT: The fourth Saturday in October is a national informal holiday known as Make a Difference Day. NAP is proud to offer opportunities to make a difference by stewarding the natural areas in Ann Arbor’s parks. Join other volunteers in removing exotic shrubs from the natural habitat that sustains us all. Meet at the […]

REGISTER AT: https://nap.a2gov.org/BerkshireCreek102923 The soil in this oak-hickory forest is mesic – it holds moisture, but also drains well. It’s like a big sponge that collects, stores, and releases water slowly. This is a great feature for our oaks and woodland plants, but it also attracts those pesky exotic shrubs that can quickly change the […]

REGISTER AT: https://nap.a2gov.org/Stapp102923 With fewer than 9 acres, the diversity of trees at Stapp Nature Area makes it something of a novelty among Ann Arbor’s parks. White, black, and bur oaks; shagbark, bitternut, and pignut hickories, as well as red maple, black walnut, white ash, and slippery elm. Biodiversity is one of the most important […]

REGISTER AT: http://nap.a2gov.org/LeslieWoods110423 Kentucky coffeetree can be found on river floodplains like areas of Leslie Woods, which is part of the Traver Creek watershed. What really makes the tree notable are its fruits, which are rounded seeds in a stout pod. The seeds resemble coffee beans, and they were actually roasted and used as a […]

REGISTER AT: http://nap.a2gov.org/BlackPondWoods110423 Did you know that in 2013, a tributary of Traver Creek—designated the Arrowood Branch—was brought aboveground after being buried in a drainage pipe for 40 years? This branch originates in Black Pond Woods, where biodiversity is relatively high. Any stewardship work done at Black Pond Woods will support the health of Traver […]

REGISTER AT: http://nap.a2gov.org/ArborHills110523 The wetlands at Arbor Hills are part of a complex of seasonal pools and permanent ponds in the northeast area of the city. The park is a wedge of woods and wetlands and has some special features that are rare in Ann Arbor’s parks, such as a portion of small buttonbush swamp, […]

REGISTER AT: https://nap.a2gov.org/BirdHills111123 Bird Hills is located at the northern tip of the Fort Wayne Moraine. A moraine is a mass of rocks and sediment that are carried by a glacier, and then deposited as ridges–-and if you’ve been to Bird Hills, you’ve experienced some of those ridges! Formed about 14,000 years ago, the Fort […]

REGISTER AT: https://nap.a2gov.org/Gallup111823 Wetlands are an important part of Michigan’s landscape and are essential to water quality for humans and wildlife alike. Wet prairies are native wetland grasslands that occur in certain areas with fluctuating water levels. They also depend on fire to maintain open conditions and species diversity. Help remove invasive plants to relieve […]

REGISTER AT: http://nap.a2gov.org/Furstenberg111823 Sometimes it’s easy to forget that nondescript plants and animals may have important characteristics that allow an ecosystem to thrive. And while we’d like to always have a view of the water, riverside vegetation can reduce run-off into the water and control erosion. Important ecosystems and a riparian buffer combine with natural […]

REGISTER AT: http://nap.a2gov.org/Dolph111823 With Thanksgiving right around the corner, what better way to show gratitude for our beautiful natural areas than by helping to improve the biodiversity of Dolph Nature Area, a park beloved by all ages? #FamilyVolunteerDay celebrates families that #VolunteerTogether to improve their communities. Bring your family and join the NAP family in […]