Traveling To Seattle, WA

Today is a travel day for me. I am going West... to Seattle WA to visit my son, daughter in law and Grandsons. I am anxious to view from the plane, the landscape. I wonder where I will see snow? or the lack of. It will be interesting. As I leave Detroit in rain, I believe when I return next week, there might be snow. Winter is truly fickle this year.

Native Alternatives to Invasive Trees and Shrubs

I would like to bring your attention to another noteworthy event taking place in February. It is a part of the on going educational programs sponsored by SOCWA

Native Alternatives to Invasive Trees and Shrubs,

Restoring the Ecology of Community and Home Landscapes

Thursday, February 2, 2012

7:00-9:00pm

Registration opens: 6:30 pm

28600 Costick Center, City of Farmington Hills

28600 West Eleven Mile Road, (between Middlebelt & Inkster Roads)

Sponsored by SOCWA

Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority

in cooperation with the

Farmington Hills Nature Center & Department of Special Services

FREE PROGRAM

Randy Lovett, Supervisor of Park, Farmington Hills, Tom O'Dell, Nichols Arboretum and Matthei Botanical Gardens, and Ashlie Simons, Heritage Park Nature Center Supervisor, are the speakers for the event.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED:

Telephone SOCWA: 248 288-5150

or email: LFDean@aol.com

For Additional Information go to www.socwa.org

Come learn about the "Native" Alternatives to Invasive Trees and Shrubs.

Where do I go for Answers to my Aquatic Plant Management Questions

If you have any questions regarding the statute and rules, (including approved chemicals list), permit process, etc., you can contact ANC Program staff by email at DEQ-WRD-ANC@michigan.gov. Or you can call at 517-241-1554. You can also click on the link under the Resources section for the DEQ on my blog site.

Phragmites Workshop for Residential and Natural Area Landowners

The health of Michigan's wetlands is being challenged by the epidemic spread of the non-native species Phragmites australis ( also known as common reed or elephant grass). A workshop is being offered through the Mid-Michigan Stewardship group and Ingham County Parks to help residents to identify and control its spread. The workshop takes place on Saturday, February 4, 2012. 10am - noon. The cost is Free. The location is Van Atta's Nursery, 9008 Old M-78, Haslett, MI. A Maximum of 25 participants will be accepted. You can register in advance for this workshop at www.stewardshipnetwork.org, or calling 734-966-3190. Questions? Contant Leslie Kuhn at midmich@stewardshipnetwork.org.

Getting inspired to inspire others: How an Oakland Press article led to an internship

Photo by The Oakland Press

It started with an article, which led to a phone call, which led to another article.
Here's the story of how this blog got started:

Calling The Oakland Press about Phragmites
In December, Oakland Press Reporter Dave Phillips interviewed myself and brothers Ian and Evan Ballard. The interview resulted in the article, Invasive plants crowd out wildlife near Clarkston subdivision.

On November 13, 2011, I read an article by Amy Bell, for The Oakland Press, "Conservatonists warn of invasive land species". It read as music to my ears. As President of my subdivision, the board and I had just hired a company to remove the Phragmites from our common area property. So I called and talked to Julie Jacobson-Hines, local news editor, and told Julie how our subdivision had just removed our Phragmites. She said it was a great idea for an article and the follow up call was from Dave Phillips. From the time that Dave Phillips came out to interview us for the above article. I read the article by Glenn Gilbert, "Interships open The Oakland Press' doors to our Community. Sunday, December 18, 2011. I called to see if I would qualify to be a part of this program. They said YES! and Karen Workman, has the challenge to make me tech worthy to be a blogger. That is how this blog has started: An article, a phone call, which led to an article and now a blog. My focus is to inform the public of the devastation of our wetlands because of the non-native plant, Phragmites. What to do, how to identify, and the many sources to help you or your community rid the area of the plants. I also will be concentrating on the use of native plants, shrubs and trees. Insects, birds and many mammals are literally starving to the point of extinction because of the lack of food and places to live and raise their young. One backyard at a time, we can help feed and house these much needed co-habitators of our community.