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Spring 2005 Newsletter
Nature Park Receives New Grant
The Nature Park has received a grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Natural Resource Trust Fund (NRTF). The grant money received is $131,565.00 with $79,590.00.00 of matching funds and $9,930.00 of in kind donations, creating a total grant of $221,085.00. The cash match will be paid from the Nature Park budget. All revenues in the park budget are derived from Comcast Cable franchise fees and the cell phone tower lease agreement, no tax payers money has ever been used for the Nature Park. The projects to be completed under this grant include: 1900 linear feet of boardwalk, three fishing / observation areas on the river, interpretive native plant garden, environmental interpretive signs and a water line connecting to city water. The new boardwalk will provide complete access to the river trail running through the wetland areas making the entire trail handicap accessible. This will be a great improvement, especially during the wet season. The fishing and observation areas will provide increased access for fishing and nature viewing. The native plant garden will be an extension of the existing garden by the park office. The garden will include some of the existing tree and shrubs along with planted wildflowers and grasses, which will all have signs identifying the plant and other botanical information. The environmental interpretive signs are designed to be placed in unique or sensitive areas in the park. The signs will educate the public on a specific habitat or an ecological function. Finally the water line will provide city water to the Nature Park to be used for future drinking fountains and a future nature center building. Work on this grant will begin this spring and all work must be completed in two years.
Two Special Events in April
Due to an early Easter Holiday this year, the Maple Syrup Pioneer Day will take place on Saturday, April 2nd. This year we are combining the tasty educational process of making maple syrup with some pioneer related crafts and games. This program will focus on history, both the history of maple syrup and of what types of things the pioneers made to make life a little easier. There will be candle making, rope making, pioneer toys and the use of plants and trees.
The second event is Arbor for the Earth Day a great program that combines Earth Day and Arbor Day. This year's program will be held on Saturday April 30th. We will be planting a native pine grove on the north-east corner of the park. We will be using USDA grant money to spade in some larger trees, and then the public can help the park staff to plant pine seedlings to provide a mixed uneven aged stand. This pine grove will provide excellent habitat for wildlife, especially for song birds in the winter. There will also be a Tree-mendous Trees program that shows the importance of trees and demonstrates how trees function internally. Other activities will include, nature crafts and games, recycling and composting ideas, a wildflower hike and an opportunity to purchase a one of a kind Earth Day T-shirt.
Nature Park Gets The Lead Out!!
The Nature Park staff is conducting a new environmental program called "Get the Lead Out". This is a fishing tackle exchange program where people can bring in their lead sinkers and jigs to exchange them for non-toxic alternatives. Like in humans, lead can cause illness and death in wildlife. Many types of wildlife can ingest lead including fish, waterfowl, turkey, pheasant and quail. Waterfowl like loons ingest small pebbles to help grind up the food in their stomachs. A lead sinker or jig can easily be mistaken for a pebble. Once the bird has ingested the lead it quickly becomes toxic and begins to affect the nervous system, death is imminent. Fish can easily ingest a lead jig broken off from a fishing line. Once in the fish the lead can be passed up into the food chain. Top predators, like Bald Eagles, can build up a large quantity of lead toxins by eating contaminated prey, which can lead to problems with reproduction, nervous system or death. Lead poisoning has been recognized as a mortality factor in waterfowl since the late 1800's. This is the major reason for banning lead shot for waterfowl hunting. Unfortunately lead fishing tackle has not been banned. This is why we are providing this program. We want to educate the public on lead poisoning and provide them with alternative non-toxic fishing tackle.
The first opportunity to "Get the Lead Out" will be at the 5th annual Flushing Walleye Festival. This years event is being held at the VFW on McKinley Road. The dates of the festival are March 11, 12 and 13. The Nature Park will have a booth set up inside the VFW all weekend allowing people to exchange their fishing tackle. Saturday will be a day of significance. The day starts off with a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Flushing Fire Department, with all proceeds going to MDA. Both 103.9 FM radio and T.V. channel 12 will be on hand. Joe Rogers, a renowned wildlife rehabilitator will have a presentation (from 12:00 - 1:00 pm) about the effects of lead poisoning in animals focussing on loons and birds of prey. He will bring live birds of prey, which is always a crowd pleaser. The Michigan Loon Preservation Association will also have a booth set up on Saturday with a wealth of information on loons and lead poisoning. Please help us to "Get the Lead Out", it will improve our environment and provide healthier areas for wildlife.
Visit (flushingchamber.com) for further details on the Walleye Festival.
The Birds are Back in Town
Well the birds are not back yet, but they will be soon. Yes before we know it all of this fluffy white snow will be gone, and it will be replaced by spring showers and chirping birds. The great migration is coming. All of the colorful and lively birds will come back north for the breeding season. Many will take up residence right here in the Nature Park or your back yard, while others will stop off on their journey further north. This is a great time of year to get outdoors and observe our amazing avian friends. An excellent way to do this is to become part of a bird count or bird-a-thon. The Genesee Audubon Society does a bird count every spring. The Nature Park provides great habitats for birders to search for common and possibly rare birds to add to their lists. The Nature Park is planning to conduct it's first bird-a-thon. What is a bird-a-thon you ask? It is a fund raising event where teams of birders can get together to identify by sight or sound as many birds as they can in 24 hours. Teams raise money by getting pledges from friends and family. We hope to join forces with the Genesee Audubon Society and to raise funds for both the Genesee Audubon and the Flushing Township Nature Park. The approximate date for this event will be in May. More details will be made and provided in April.
Water Quality Testing
The Flint River Watershed Coalition and University of Michigan, Flint preform water quality analysis of the Flint River and its tributaries. These analysis are done by gathering benthic macroinvertebrates (water critters) from various stream or river sites. These water critters are excellent indicators of the current water quality. The information gathered from these test are very important and provide a long term outlook of the water quality in our local waterways. The Nature Park staff monitors the Flint River adjacent to the park property. Last fall the evaluation rating was the highest on record. There is a trend that water quality is getting better and these results illustrate that fact. These evaluations are conducted by volunteers twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. The stream monitoring dates for this spring are Saturday April 30th and Wednesday May 4th. Anyone can be come a volunteer. There is a training workshop held at Mott Community College on Saturday April 23rd. It is an eye opening experience to collect and identify these little creatures that the average person knows nothing about. To find out more about the Flint River water quality, benthic macroinvertebrates, or how to get involved call the Nature Park or visit (www.flintriver.org)
Guess That Animal
This animal is currently in hibernation. It has buried itself under leaf litter or in a rotten log for the winter. This animal can survive very cold temperatures by allowing portions of its body fluids to freeze. Once spring comes, this amphibian, which means double life, will inhabit wetlands, wet woodlands and wet meadows. This frog will eat many invertebrates including various insects, spiders, aquatic larvae and mites. This frog species is found all through out Michigan. It is a small species, adults will grow to be only 1.4 inches in length. It is brown or tan in color, it has small adhesive pads on its toes, and a distinctive "X" shaped mark on its back. This frog is one of the first to mate. During amplexus (the mating position and process) the female will attach up to 1,000 eggs to underwater vegetation or stems. This frog is also one of the first to be heard by its voice that is used during its breeding season, sounding like a "PEEP"
Answer: Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer
Terrific Trivia
All of the answers can be found in this newsletter
1.) What does amphibian mean?
a. having no backbone
b. double life
c. multi color
2.) What type of macroinvertebrate is shown in the magnified picture.
a. damsel fly larvae
b. dragon fly larvae
c. beetle
3.)The Spring Peeper has a distinctive "Z" shaped mark on its back.
a. true
b. false
4.) Waterfowl like loons can mistakenly ingest lead fishing tackle to help grind up the food in their stomachs.
a. true
b. false
5.) Lead poisoning has been recognized as a mortality factor in waterfowl since the late 1800's.
a. true
b. false
Answers
1.) b, double life - meaning one lived in water and one out of water
2.) a, damsel fly larvae
3.) b, false - it has an "X" shape
4.) a, true - they mistake fishing tackle for a pebble
5.) a, True- yet there are no regulations to govern fishing tackle
Schedule of Events
ALL PROGRAMS ARE FREE UNLESS SPECIFIED
Nature Home Building
A super parent/child program to construct
a bird or bat house.
Saturday, March 12th - from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.
Cost : $5.00
Sunrise Hike
Saturday, March 19th - from 5:00 - 6:30 am
Bring your own mug and get free coffee (no styrofoam)
River Clean-up
Saturday, March 26th - from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Dress appropriately and wear old shoes or water boots.
Maple Syrup Pioneer Day
Saturday, April 2nd - from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Maple syrup making, candle making, and pioneer crafts
Night Hike - American Woodcock mating display
Friday, April 22nd - from 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Arbor for the Earth Day
Saturday, April 30th - from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Tree-mendous trees program, nature crafts and games, recycling ideas, composting, planting trees, wildflower hike, Earth Day t-shirt for sale
Earth Day Celebration at Mott Community College
When: *Saturday, April 23rd from 9:00 - 3:00
Where:**Prahl Center at Mott Community College
**1401 E Court St. Flint, MI
Functions:*This is a great event to receive excellent **environmental information and products **from a variety of organizations.
Programs in May and June will be sent at a later date via post card mailing. Also look for the programs on our website and in the Flushing Observer and Flint Journal.
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