2017 prescribed burn excites children and adults

The prescribed ecological burn on April 10, 2017 was an exciting event for children and adults. Trained staff and volunteer from City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation explained the purpose of the burn and described safety eqiptment and procedures. Since the wind was coming from the south, they started the burn at the northern edge. Here's what it looked like when the flames were closer to the viewers.

A few moments after this picture, we started to feel raindrops! So this is the first burn on record where it rained at the end of the burn. Kids and parents went home, so we'll plant seeds sometime later this week.

2017 Prescribed Burn -- re-scheduled for Monday April 10

Our annual prescribed burn has been postponed until Monday, April 10, 2017.

To achieve the desired results, plant materials must be dry and humidity low. Wind speed and direction are important for smoke control. Based on the updated weather forecast, prospects for Monday look good.

As originally planned, we will collect seeds starting at 4:00 PM. About 4:30, trained staff from Natural Area Preservation (City of Ann Arbor) will explain their equipment and safety precautions. Then everyone will watch from a safe distance.This year's burn will be held at the north-west quadrant of the park, north of the ice rink, near the east end of Essex Street.

This is a family-oriented event and we emphasize safety. Children of all ages enjoy watching with their parents. Everything is explained in simple language. Kids can see protective clothing and special tools, including the world's largest squirt guns (water-carrying backpacks with spray nozzles, used to control the fire.)

In case of adverse weather, we will re-schedule on a day-by-day basis.

Wet Meadow Seed Collecting Fall 2011

Wet Meadow Seed Collecting Fall 2011, a set on Flickr.

We spent some time on a beautiful fall Saturday collecting and spreading seeds in Wet Meadow 3. We also collected Buhr Park apples and made apple sauce.a

Wet Meadow 3 - Early March Snowmelt

Ann Arbor has had a lot more snow than we've had in a few years and as it melts off in Buhr Park, it gathers in our wet meadows.

We went for a walk in the rain on Saturday and observed the water flowing in and then flowing out of Wet Meadow 3. As designed, the area collects runoff from the north of the park, private yards to the northwest, Allen School and Essex Street.

We saw seeds floating in the water and Helen went in to investigate.

Blooming in Wet Meadow 3

As we move into Autumn, a few late blooming wildflowers are easy to see. In the newest wet meadow, Helenium has clusters of bright yellow blossoms.

The purple flowers of New England aster are also prominent.

Look closely and you may spot an insect getting a late meal of pollen or nectar.

Here's a video (from someone in Pennsylvania) of bees on Helenium:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQlGel0l_aE

Wildflowers are blooming in WM 3

Many of the wildflowers that neighbors planted last May in the newest war meadow are already blooming! These are very healthy plants, planted with care, and they're happy in their new home.

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There are many white bonesets and blue vervain. Also one very showy ironweed.

Also, the trees planted throughout the park by Rotary in June are doing well. (Most years we'd be watching to see if new trees need supplemental watering about this time, but this year's frequent rains have taken care of it for us.)

I especially like the two hop-hornbeams (Ostrya) near the Eagle Scout bench.

WM III rides out the big storm

The recently-planted wet meadow basin at the northwest part of Buhr Park appears to have functioned as designed during last night's big storm. You can see that a considerable volume of water flowed from Essex Street into the northwest part of the basin.













You can see water standing in the basin at about noon today (Sunday). This view is looking North, towards Allan School.

















On the downhill (southeast) side, towards the gravel parking lot, it's clear that water flowed through the spillway, as it is designed to do in heavy downpours.

Wet Meadow Planting Photo Stream

Wet Meadow III - Planting Day Details

Come help plant Buhr Park's latest environmentally-friendly, stormwater-drinking, critter habitat-building, wet meadow.

Sunday May 23, 2010
10AM to 4PM

Feel free to come for the whole day or just a few minutes or hours. We've got 3,000 plants coming, but many hands makes light work.

Please Bring

Required:

• Yourselves

Optional:

• Your children, parents, friends and neighbors
• Small trowel or shovel for digging
• Water bottle (free refills!)
• Sun protection

And please leave pets at home.

Schedule for Planting Day activities

• 10am - 4pm
  PLANTING!!
  
  
• 10am
  Sun Salutation with Victoria Cendrowski, neighbor and yoga instructor
  Seed dance
• 11:30
  Milkweed Puppet Show with Leah and Rachel White
• 11:30 - 1pm
  Pilar’s Tamale Cart open for food purchases (bring your own dishes so we don’t make waste)
• 1pm
  Welcome ceremony
• 2pm
  Tunes with Dale Petty
• 3pm
  Games
• 4pm
  Celebration parade

For more information, check out the Wet Meadow III - Overview.

Wet Meadow III - Overview

Wet Meadow III will be just to the south of the paved path from Essex Road to Allen School. As its name implies, it will be the third wet meadow in Buhr Park.

Construction of Wet Meadow III is taking part in two phases: hardscape & grading and planting. Hardscape and grading was completed in the fall of 2009 by the City of Ann Arbor. It will be planted by volunteers on May 23, 2010. More about Wet Meadow III Planting Day.

The overall project is being funding by the City of Ann Arbor as part of the parks improvement millage. The design was done by ECT in Ann Arbor. The site plan is available online. To orient yourself when looking at the site plan - Essex Road is at the left end of the path and Allen School is at the top center.