Group Tour at Wild Type, Mason MI. Saturday, August 22 1:00pm
Join us on a tour of the Wild Type native plant nursery located in Mason Michigan on Saturday the 22 nd of August to get a look behind the scenes. We will have a chance to see what happens behind the curtains regarding raising native plants. Wild Type supplies the native plant sales for the Chippewa Nature Center and Nature Niche here in Midland.From their website: “Wildtype was established in 1996. For more than 29 years we have specialized in growing plants native to Michigan, from Michigan genotypes. We grow trees, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, and emergent wetland species typical of Michigan woodlands, wetlands and prairies. It is our objective to propagate nursery stock with enough genetic diversity to create self-sustaining populations. Therefore the majority of our plants are grown from wild seed stock. This is what we mean when we say our plants are ‘borne to be wild’”.
We will carpool down there and back with maybe a stop at the Michigan State University Botanical Garden if time allows. Plants will be available for purchase so plan accordingly. Please signup at the August program if you are planning on attending.
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Michigan: Race to Protect a Disappearing Ecosystem
The Michigan Land Conservancy is trying to raise $6 million to save Sibley Prairie: 440 acres of untouched land and the last and highest quality lake-plain prairie found in Michigan
Lake-plain prairies are what remains of glacier-carved lake beds. Once glaciers receded thousands of years ago, silt and other fine materials were left behind, forming a layer that is completely impermeable to water. This means the area floods with the spring rains and is dry during the summer. “We have a unique plant community because it has to tolerate both flooding in the springtime and extreme drought in the summer,” Jeff Vornhagen, with Michigan Botanical Society, said. “This corridor is considered globally unique because there’s only one plant species that occurs here.”
Sibley Prairie is currently owned by Fritz Enterprises Inc. and is currently up for auction. The Michigan Land Conservancy has an opportunity to purchase the land after convincing the company to hold off for a year. They will have until 2026 to raise the $6 million to purchase the land.
Save Sibley Prairie: Coalition wants to preserve rare grassland in Wayne County-Fox2Detroit.com
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Preserve Stewards: Invasive Species Control
August 20th from 9:30-12 PM at the George and Sue Lane Preserve
Lend a hand to Little Forks Conservancy at the 270-acre George & Sue Lane Preserve in Gladwin to restore the environment by removing invasive species. Volunteers will manually remove non-native shrubs like autumn olive that can be harmful to our native wildlife. Using tools like loppers and handsaws, volunteers will remove vegetation while Little Forks Conservancy staff and partners will apply treatment to prevent further growth. Please dress accordingly for the event and weather. Closed toed shoes are required and long pants are recommended. Please register to attend.
Register here!
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A Wild Ones Webinar – Native Plants Are Just the Beginning
Native plants provide the foundation for healthy ecosystems, but creating habitat that truly supports wildlife takes more than choosing the right species. Birds, pollinators, amphibians, and other wildlife rely on nesting sites, shelter, water, healthy soils, and other resources that are often overlooked in traditional garden design.
Join landscape ecologist, Certified Wildlife Biologist, and author Shaun McCoshum, PhD, for a free Wild Ones webinar as he shares practical, evidence-based strategies for transforming your landscape into a functioning ecosystem that supports biodiversity year-round.
Free Live Webinar with Community Chat: The Ecology of Home: Creating Habitat That Works – Presented by Shaun McCoshum Wednesday, August 19 at 7:00 PM ET
REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR
https://wildones.org/the-ecology-of-home-creating-habitat-that-works/#register
This session will cover:
How to identify key habitat resources wildlife need beyond food plants.
Understanding how ecological processes shape healthy ecosystems.
Incorporating nesting, shelter, overwintering, and breeding habitat into residential landscapes.
Applying practical habitat-building strategies that complement native plantings and support greater biodiversity.
Chapter Membership
Tell your friends and neighbors about the Wild Ones and bring them to a meeting, of which most are open to the public. Youth are welcome when accompanied by an adult. New ideas about attracting and retaining members can be sent to Rachel LeClair ([email protected]).
Yours in nature,
Susan Erhardt
President, Wild Ones Mid-Mitten Chapter
[email protected]
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