Beautification Council of Southeastern Michigan

Thursday, September 20, 2012 I am the Keynote Speaker at the Fall Quarterly Meeting for the Beautification Council of Southeastern Michigan. My topic: Invasive Plant Species Control and Replacing Invasive Plant Species with Native Plants.

One of the key Purposes of  Beautification Council of Southeastern Michigan  is:

• Restore, Preserve and Enhance the beauty of Southeastern Michigan. 

One of the Goals of BCSEM is: 

• develop a sense of civic pride and citizen responsibility. 

These items are the basis of my presentation. I hope to challenge the Councils to become as passionate as I am about removing the invasive destructive Phragmite australis from our area and to help restore the native plant populations. "To Own" the challenge and develop through education in their communities a civic pride and citizen responsibility to go forward and shift their attack to the numerous local invasive and alien ornamental plants. Then to help Restore the native communities of plants, shrubs and trees that support their insect, bird and animal populations.  

I am being joined by Ron Cousineau and Mike West from Upper Long Lake and Patrick Nagy from the Village of Wolverine Lake who are speaking on non-chemical alternatives to Phragmite control. These gentlemen have had various levels of success with removing Phragmites with out chemicals.

                                                             Spreading the word!          

"Birmingham In Stitches"

'Feed Me' Parking meter 

I am not always out looking for Phragmites, or attending seminars that keep me updated with the latest information on Phragmite removal or another invasive and how it is impacting our environment. Sometimes, I need to feed my creative soul.  I am a knitter. Taught by my grandmother, I have been knitting for over 50 years. It gives me joy and is less expensive than therapy.... though that can be debated. I do have an awful lot of yarn, buttons and various embellishments in my stash. Doesn't everybody?

 "Birmingham in Stitches" was an event that I participated in on Saturday, September 15th. Yarn bombing as it is called originated in May 2004 in Den Helder, Netherlands. Various interpretations have been cited throughout Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States just to mention a few places.Women in Fargo, North Dakota, were yarn bombing this weekend also, according to my daughter, Julie, who lives there.

My son, Bill, sent to me pictures of  a Yarn Bombing that was taking place in Anderson Park, Redmond Washington this last winter. It was really the first I had ever heard about it, so when the Knitting Room in Birmingham Michigan mentioned that they were part of a project for the downtown Birmingham area, I was in. I committed to knitting two parking meter post covers.

Margaret and Cathy

Clown Lamp post cover

Melanie and Me with her Pom Pom
Meter post cover.

When Saturday arrived, 10 ladies from the Knitting Room arrived early and started to install all the beautiful and very creative pieces on Merrill Street. Curiosity abounded from the Saturday morning pedestrian traffic, including the four-legged variety.

Beautiful Garbage Can

Connie working on a meter post

Pom Pom Meter post

Left Back Row: Julie, Bernie, Connie, Connie, Melanie, Pam
Front Row: Margaret, Kathy, Myself and Carol

                                                                      Fun was had by all!

Sierra Club Rochester ECOS

Phragmites and their impact on the wetlands!

Thursday, September 13, 2012 at 7PM.  I am the guest speaker for the Rochester Hills/Rochester Sierra Club ECOs. They are part of the Sierra Club Great Lakes Program. The club promotes several environmental causes, although their main focus is water quality and protecting the Great Lakes.

The club offers free monthly lectures at Whole Foods located at 2918 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills.

My am speaking on "Phragmites and their impact on the Wetlands".
You can contact Italia Millan
Chair/Volunteer Leader
rochesterecos@gmail.com. for more information.
Visit Sierra Club Rochester ECOs Group at http://www.meetup.com/RochesterECOs/.

Hope to see you there.

Linda