Sunday, June 22, 2008

learning about native bees from the Internet

Here are some kid-friendly free materials on native bees and other pollinators.

5 Things Kids Can Do to Help Pollinators (a one-page b&w handout)
http://www.pollinator.org/Resources/5%20things%20kids%20can%20do.pdf

You might ant to consider building nests for native bees from plant stems or blocks of wood (2 pp. color)
http://www.xerces.org/Pollinator_Insect_Conservation/nativebeenests.pdf

Extension Bulletin E2985 Conserving Native Bees on Farmland (4 pp. color, with great photos of Michigan's native bees)
http://nativeplants.msu.edu/publications.htm

"Nature's Partners: Pollinators, Plants, and You" a curriculum for grades 3-6
http://www.nappc.org/curriculum/

Sunday, June 15, 2008

June 21 potluck picnic and pollinator program

On June 21, from 4 to 6 PM, we will have a picnic at the Wet Meadow area in Buhr Park. Please bring a dish to pass, your own tableware, and a blanket or lawn chairs. Hats and sunscreen are always a good idea.

We'll chat about butterflies, native bees, and other pollinators that are essential to the ecosystem. We'll look at photos and talk about how we can make our yards and gardens more friendly to pollinators. We'll also talk about how kids can be safe around bees and wasps.

We’ll build nest boxes from the hollow stems of native plants, and install nest boxes. We’ll talk about the importance of pollinators for the serviceberries, raspberries and elderberries growing nearby.

We'll see whats blooming in the wet meadows and look for butterflies and other visitors.

(This is a green bee visiting a spiderwort blossom.)

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

photo-voltaic and wind-powered turbine

The Buhr Park entrance on Packard Rd. is now illuminated by a photo-voltaic and wind-powered turbine. The device was designed by Mojtaba Navvab at the University of Michigan, and manufactured by Full Spectrum Solutions in Jackson, Mich.
http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/Everlast-PVW-2008.pdf

You can read a newspaper article here:
http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/05/new_buhr_park_light_powered_by.html