February 2025 Chapter News
Monday February 10, 6:30PM at Chippewa Nature Center – Creating Seed Packets
Join us in a hands-on session in creating seed packets with labels to be given out at future events. If you have saved seeds that you are willing to give away, please bring them to this meeting. We will print labels and place seeds in envelopes. This is a great way to learn about our native plants, see what the seeds look like, and learn about their growing conditions.
This program will take place at the Chippewa Nature Center, 400 S. Badour Road, Midland, MI. Meet at the Visitor Center. The public is welcome to attend.
A Midland student has been named a National STEM Champion!
Congratulations to our own Elliot LeClair, seventh grader from Jefferson Middle School in Midland. He has been recognized as a National STEM Champion! He is the son of vice president Rachel LeClair.
His project was on plastic predators and his specific research is the first of its kind.
“Plastic pollution is everywhere, it’s in our soil, it’s in our oceans, and it’s even in the food we eat. This is an example of macro-plastics, there’s also micro and nano plastics which we cannot even see and more importantly cannot clean,” LeClair said in his research video. What’s unique about his research, is that testing different bacteria together has never been studied until now. “There are a lot of researchers who did bacteria alone, but I was thinking if we could use them together would that be better or worse? I found in my research they worked more than twice as well than either alone,” he said.
Elliot will be bringing his display to our next program on the 10th of February if you want to learn more details about his project. Below is a link to his interview with WJRT the ABC affiliate and article.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1DQAnjWeiF/
Midland Conservation District- Annual Meeting February 18, 5 to 8 pm
The Midland Conservation District will have their annual meeting on the 18th of February from 5-8pm at Lee Township Hall, 1485 W. Olsen Rd., Midland. There will be a potluck and election of a new board for 2025. Alex Svoboda of MDARD (Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development) will present on regenerative agriculture after general business has been completed.
Wildflower Association of Michigan (WAM) conference, March 1 and 2, East Lansing
The Michigan Wildflower Conference has been scheduled for March 1 and 2 at the Kellogg Center at Michigan State University. Registration is required and can been completed through their website at: https://wildflowersmich.org/wildflower-association-of-michigan-annual-conference/ . Their theme is “If You Plant It, They Will Come.”
This is an excellent opportunity to meet others from Michigan who are also interested in native plants and wildflowers. Several members, including myself, are already registered to attend the Sunday event. This event does sell out, so if you are interested in attending, register now. The cost for the event is $100 for members and $130 for non-members.
Wild Ones February Webinar Through Wild Ones National: Bees Beyond Honey-
Understanding the Roles of Native and Managed Bees
Pollinators are essential to biodiversity and food security, yet their complex roles often lead to misconceptions and differing conservation approaches. In this roundtable discussion, we will explore the roles and interactions of native bees—solitary, social, and semi-social—and introduced honeybees, unpacking their unique contributions and the challenges they face.
Don’t miss this chance to hear from experts with over 90 years of combined experience: Sam Droege, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Dave Hunter, Founder & Owner, Crown Bees; and Lora Morandin, Associate Director, Pollinator Partnership. Together, they’ll dive into the vital roles of both wild and managed bees, their struggles, and how we can support all pollinators for a healthier ecosystem.
Date: Thursday, February 20
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT (7:00 p.m. ET)
Join us virtually: Link provided with registration. Log in to your membership account to register.
Wild Ones Mid-Mitten Native Plant Garden Grant Opportunity!
For the first time since our chapter’s inception, we will be offering a grant application to help fund local native plant installations starting January 6th through February 28th. Funding for each project will range from $50 to $250 and should be completed within the year of receipt of funds. Information on how to prepare a grant request will be on our Wild Ones Mid-Mitten chapter website. Included in the description will be who may apply, what types of proposals we are looking for as well as what should be included in the proposal. This is something new for our chapter, so please be patient with us as we work out any bugs that might come up as we move forward with this new endeavor!
We are also looking for volunteers to help review proposals and award grants after applications have been received. If interested in volunteering, please contact Susan at [email protected].
Continue to Save your Mesh Bags
Remember to save your veggie mesh bags! We will continue saving the mesh bags as there were several opportunities for the Wild Ones to participate at other locations and events. This craft has had a great response from the public. Bring your bags with you to our programs and we’ll take them off your hands. Thank you for your support of these projects!
Chapter Membership
Tell your friends and neighbors about the Wild Ones and bring them to a meeting. Youth are welcome when accompanied by an adult. New ideas about attracting and retaining members can be sent to Rachel LeClair ([email protected]).
Thank you, renewing members: Cyndie Roberts, Randy Kursinsky and Darlene Nadane!
Welcome to our new member: Holly Furlo! We appreciate your support!
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