FSMW Board Meeting (February 20, 2025)

Online Zoom Meeting February 20 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, Announcements
   • FSMW Brochure
   • FSMW Business Cards
   • Boardwalk Installation
   • Changes at Natural Area Preservation
   • Treasurers Report
5. Old Business
   • NAP Work Plan – Judy, Michael
   • Naming of Manfred’s Pond
6. New Business
   • Suggestions for Spring Nature Walks / Activities Calendar – All
   • Review Attachment 2, “Inventory of Ideas” – as needed
7. Next Meeting: February 20, 2025
8. Adjournment

MINUTES 

Present: Michael Benham, Pat Frey, Dagney Hanner, Phil Huhn, Autumn Jackson, Sarah Redman, Judy Schmidt, Manfred Schmidt, Julie Steiff 

Hellos / Introductions. 

1. Hellos / Introductions.
2. Adoption / Modification of Agenda. Agenda adopted.
3. Approval of Minutes of Prior Meeting. Minutes approved.
4. News, Announcements and Reports
   • FSMW Brochure: PH printed 200 copies at Dollar Bill. They look great! MB put copies in the box at the Turnberry entrance. There are still plenty of copies available. Judy S asked for some copies for Colonial Square’s annual meeting in April.
   • FSMW Business Cards: The business cards have been printed!  Ask MB or AJ for copies if you want them. 
   • Boardwalk Installation: PH reported that pallets were removed on February 1, and boardwalk work was completed on February 8. Judy S recruited someone she met in the woods who was a big help. 
   • Changes at Natural Area Preservation: Judy S reported that Josh Landefeld of the Ann Arbor Parks Department sent out email describing efforts to consolidate volunteers for the Parks Department and NAP. The NAP website is in flux and you might not find what you’re looking for. Judy S is concerned because she couldn’t find the AAPS Environmental Education website. 
   • Trail Widening: Park Ops widened trails in the City-owned sections of SMW using a big trail mower that looks like a bulldozer. They left lots of debris but said they’d come back and clean it up. MB expressed mixed feelings about this. On one hand, they did in two days what would take us two years to do by hand. On the other hand, it is a brutal process, and when the trunks of invasive trees are shattered, it requires more pesticide than if they are clean cut. 
   • Treasurer’s Report: PF. In December, Bill McNitt donated $500, and AJ’s brother donated $50 via the website. For web donations, PayPal charges us $.49 per transaction plus 1.99% of the amount donated. PF will record the full amount of the donation and record the charges as an expense that we paid. PF gave the end-of-year report for 2024. Donations: We received $1490 in 2024, up from $1000 in 2023. We earned $27 in interest. We had $13.74 in expenses (PayPal charges). So far in 2025: PF has learned how to make sales tax–free purchases (we have two accounts: with Lowe’s and Dollar Bill Printing). We have spent $199.32 wood for the boardwalks & $172 for brochures. Currently we have $2134.58 in the bank. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EZtIY2F4SxwkTAdwyX-X49F8U0K1f9pr/view?usp=sharing 
5. Old Business 
   • NAP Work Plan (Judy S). NAP sent the plan for her to review, but she hasn’t had a chance to do it yet.
   • Naming of Manfred’s Pond. MB has asked the City and County how to go about naming a place that doesn’t yet have a name, but he hasn’t heard back yet. He anticipates that we’ll have to fill out forms and attend public hearings, but he’s confident that we’ll get it done.
6. New Business 
   • Suggestions for Spring Nature Walks / Activities Calendar – All. Judy S has 3 walks in mind: 1) An early bird walk in April to see early migrants, maybe early on a Sunday morning when you can hear the birds sing. 2) A walk to look for fallen tree flowers in April or May. 3). A full moon singalong and story event. She hasn’t pinned down dates yet.  PH suggested a spring-related walk in March. Judy would like to have a backup or a partner to lead walks. MB recommended picking dates sooner rather than later. PH says we should get dates on the calendar well in advance so the events can appear in printed publications. Judy will send proposed dates to the board.
   • Review Attachment 2, “Inventory of Ideas” – as needed. 
   • Workdays: MB. PH suggested continuing removing pallets at the March 1 workday. Judy S said we should ask the school where to leave them; we don’t want to clog up the school’s dumpster. On the April 5 workday, we will continue boardwalk construction. 
   • Birdfeeder: MS suggested putting a birdfeeder at the entrance to the Woods. He volunteered to put it up and keep it filled. 
   • Parks Steward Google Group: MB reported that there’s a Parks Steward Google group. He will send Judy S a link.
7. Next Meeting:  March 20, 2025 
8. The meeting adjourned at 8:21 pm.

Minutes submitted by Julie Steiff. 

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