FSMW Board Meeting (November 21, 2024)

Online Zoom Meeting November 21 7:30, Thursday

FSMW is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. In this meeting we will explore what we as a community can do to manage and care for Scarlett Mitchell Woods, the central 40 acres of the Scarlett Mitchell Nature Area. This area contains the heart of the woods and the pond, which was dredged in 1982. It is owned by the Ann Arbor Public Schools and is no longer managed by Nature Area Preservation. Help us to implement actions to fulfill our vision of Scarlett Mitchell Woods hosting native life, that contains no invasive species, and that invites community members to walk, enjoy and learn.

For more information contact: Judy Schmidt or phone Mike at: 734-395-8959

Agenda

1. Hellos / Introductions as needed
2. Adoption / Modification of Agenda
3. Approval of Minutes of Prior Meeting
4. News and Announcements (1 minute each)
5. Old Business
   • Exit Ramp Plan – Pat
6. New Business
   • NAP Work Plan – Judy
   • Business Cards
   • Review Attachment 1, “Activities Calendar” as needed
   • Review Attachment 2, “Inventory of Ideas” as needed
7. Next Meeting: December 19, 2024 or January 16, 2025?
8. Adjournment

Attachment 2:  Inventory of Ideas: Field Days!  Lots of Options!

• (aka Ideas for Spring Unfolding and other seasonal walks in the woods)

Education and Fun

• Search for amphibians – learn their calls – March/April
• Identify Fungi – early spring – September/October Study Group 
• Spring Ephemerals –  (Spring Beauty, May Apples, Trillium, etc) April/May
• Insect relationships – Native bees; carrion beetles; mosquitoes, caterpillars
• Birding for beginners – Spring migration
• Owl prowl 
• Pond dipping – May
• Vernal pools
• Geology of the woods – study group?
• Mosses and lichens – study group?
• Tree flowers and buds
• Bat house

Data Collection

• Library tool collection (?)
• Binoculars
• Measure highway noise in the woods – various seasons
• Solicit expertise from our Friends group and the wider community
• Using identification apps
• FSMW Walk to evaluate which areas to concentrate on next

Work Days 

• Searching for and pulling garlic mustard, and other tender invasive plants
• Removing buckthorn baggies
• Obtaining and spreading wood chips on the trails
• Fixing boards on trails 
• Coating benches
• Repainting signposts so they are readable
• Planting seeds and seedlings
• Repair or replace trail markers that are rotting.  Do we have a scout troop we can contact?
• Remove poison ivy
• Pocket Forest planting and maintenance

Minutes for November 21, 2024 – 7:30 PM 

1. Present: Peter Bednekoff, Michael Benham, Pat Frey, Judith Schmidt, Manfred Schmidt, Julie Steiff
   Hellos / Introductions. We welcomed Peter Bednekoff, a first-time attendee, and introduced ourselves. 
2. Adoption / Modification of Agenda. We modified the agenda to add the treasurer’s report and MS’s concern about the deteriorating boardwalk.
3. Approval of Minutes of Prior Meeting. The minutes were approved.
4. Treasure’s Report: PF.  We received an anonymous donation of $400, so we have $2958 total in the bank. There’s now an operational “Donate” button on our website. Donations will go to our PayPal account and then be transferred to our bank account. We are registered as a charitable organization (so the PayPal transaction fees are lower: 1.99% plus $.49 per donation). 
5. Nature Club update: PF. 8-10 students have been attending weekly, and the consistent attendees are really fired up. They’ve been enjoying cutting honeysuckle. One boy developed his own technique for getting honeysuckle out by the roots (PF shared a video of him in action). PF is not sure how long Nature Club will continue, but some of the members are hoping it will go on all winter. 
6. News and Announcements (1 minute each). Judy S said that Leah Jones with NAP wants to give a presentation (make guided nature tour app?). 
7. Old Business. PF said there was nothing new to report on the plan for addressing “exit ramps” (unauthorized user-made trails).
8.  New Business 
   • NAP Work Plan – Judy S:  NAP works with park stewards to do an annual work plan for each park in November. (Judy S and MS are the stewards for SM Woods.) The plan covers what to do in the coming year, not long-range planning. Stewards can do work with some restrictions. NAP agrees to do some things as well (last year, they followed through well on what they said they’d do). Judy S would like to ask for a burn in the Turnberry area this coming year. MB says sometimes they do what they say and sometimes they don’t—it’s best to keep the plan general rather than specific (e.g., remove invasives rather than remove specific species). MB thinks the work plan needs to be simplified and is willing to take that on. He advocates submitting a holistic integrated work plan that refers to the central 40 acres and acknowledges connectivity. The informal deadline end of November, but we can take more time. Judy S thinks we should be specific in the plan and ask for what we want (e.g., burn where there are maple seedlings, remove Bradford pears near Platt). MB will submit comments on the plan; anyone else can also submit comments. MB said it’s an important document—it defines our relationship with NAP. Judy S. said it would be nice to have an annual plan for the central area for our group as well.  MB mentioned the new development on Platt (currently under construction) and raised the issue of how it might affect SMW.
   • Business Cards: Judy would like to move the QR code to the back of the card to make room for individual contact info. PF would like to put something like “protecting nature” on the front and move all contact info to the back. PF would like to move the image to left; JS agreed. We should submit any comments to Autumn Jackson. PF suggested creating a trifold brochure with a map as well. Judy S said that would be useful for Turnberry residents, and PF would like to share with Scarlett teachers. PH said he could create the brochure. 
   • Activity Calender (see Attachment 1). We reviewed the calendar and made revisions. There will be no December workday. PF and Judy S will publicize the December 13 NAP nature walk, and PH has already posted it on the website. There will be no December board meeting. We started thinking about plans for next year. Judy S will compile a list of the types of nature walks we’ve had in the past and build on that to plan future walks. There will be a workday on January 4 to cut buckthorn and honeysuckle. 
   • Inventory of Ideas (see Attachment 2). PF suggested adding a burn. Judy S said we need to consult with the burn company and find a day when school is not in session. She will add it to the NAP work plan.
   • Boardwalk Repair: MB and PH would like to try installing the same type of boardwalk as in Mary Beth Doyle Park. They will aim for January, or an impromptu workday. We approved spending up to $200 initially. 
   • Naming the Pond: MB drafted a resolution to name it “Manfred’s Pond.” He asked for feedback on the draft resolution.

The meeting adjourned at 8:42 p.m. Next meeting:  January 16, 2025. 

Minutes submitted by Julie Steiff.