Field Botany 2024

Who should attend: Anyone who wants or needs to improve their native plant identification knowledge and/or skills: professional and student botanists, biologists, arborists, ecologists, and native plant enthusiasts!

The Field Botany course will expose participants to basic botanical taxonomy and ecology. We will get a close-up look at plant parts, discover botanical terminology, and basic identifying characteristics. In two classroom sessions, we will learn about Michigan’s diverse natural vegetation, emphasizing basic ecological principles of plant distribution, and historical and contemporary influences on Michigan’s major vegetation types.

During field sessions, you will develop skills in using plant family characteristics and dichotomous keys to identify plants. We will learn the common and scientific names and ecological relationships of 40 to 50 plants in three main habitats: wetlands, forests, and prairie-like clearings.
    
Class Size: 25 students
Class Time:  6 - 8 p.m.

Dates and Topics:

July 31, 2024 - Basic Botanical Terminology (Class Session)
Enjoy an interactive, fun, and fact-filled class designed to prepare you for success in your study of Michigan’s flora. Participants will be exposed to primary botanical taxonomy and plant ecology as we get a close-up look at plant parts, discover botanical terminology, and learn basic identifying characteristics to set you up for success in the field!

Aug. 7, 2024 - See the Forest For The Trees (Field Trip)
We will learn common species along geographic and soil gradients, from oak-hickory forests to beech-maple forests and the common understory plants found there. We will also discuss how land management affects forest communities.

Aug. 14, 2024 - Wetland Plants of the Midwest (Field Trip)
Explore Michigan’s wetlands! We will hike through a local natural area to see examples of the diverse wetland types that occur in Michigan and learn some of the common and unique plants adapted to live in wet soils. 

Aug. 21, 2024 - The History and Distribution of Michigan's Native Plant Communities (Zoom)
Have you ever wondered what "primeval" Michigan looked like? Well, you're in luck; the clues are everywhere in the landscape...You will be armed with the knowledge to decode the clues - soils, landforms, hydrology, dominant species - to understand Michigan's native plant communities and the species that are found in them.

Aug. 28, 2024 - Prairies and Savannas of Michigan (Field Trip)
Let's walk through the idyllic, flowery fields! We will learn to identify some common wildflowers and grasses (yes, you can!) that are well-suited to life in the sun, as well as the difference between Michigan's rare native prairie and savanna habitats and the more mundane 'oldfields'.

Sept. 4, 2024 - Aquatic Plants (Field Trip)
Learn about our underwater forests and demystify the world of aquatic plants.  Eric Elgin will share identification tips for aquatic plants found in Michigan lakes and why aquatic plants are essential in conserving our lake habitats.

Cost:

• $185.00 Non-member
• $165.00 Member 

Duration: 6 Weeks

Materials Provided: Handouts, selected identification keys, field tools, hand lens, technical references, class resource folder, and Zoom class recordings. 

Class book Optional: Gleason's Plants of Michigan A Field Guide Revised by Richard K. Rabeler

Master Gardener Program Credits: This class has been approved for master gardener credits. Students receive one credit for every hour spent in class or field section.
Michigan Conservation Stewards Program: This class qualifies for advanced training recertification requirements.  
MSU Extension Michigan Master Naturalist: This class qualifies for advanced training recertification requirements. 

If the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary cancels a program due to weather or other circumstances, a full refund will be issued. If a registrant must cancel before the event’s registration deadline, a full refund will be issued. No refunds will be issued on the day of an event or after. No space will be held without full payment for events requiring prepayment. Registrations can be transferred at any time.