Author: Phil Huhn

  • Full Moon Nature Walk (November 16, 2024)

    Moonrise Walk to the Pond collage

    WHO: Everybody is welcome WHAT: Join us for a meditative walk to the pond to experience woods in the dark. WHERE: Meet at the main entrance to Scarlett Mitchell Woods (the kiosk west of Scarlett Middle School and south of the bus turnaround loop). WHEN: 6:00 PM Saturday November 16, 2024 WHY: Get a different…


  • Impromptu Workday – November 8, 2024

    Impromptu work day collage - 2024-11-08

    Thanks to Autumn Jackson for organizing this impromptu workday, targeted at cleaning up the trash along Old Ellsworth Road.  Autumn, Bill McNitt and I showed up on a lovely afternoon and filled up Bill’s wagon with bags of collected trash, which we disposed of in the Scarlett dumpsters.  It was very satisfying!


  • Workday – January 4, 2025

    January 4 2025 Workday on new boardwalk

    Who: Anyone who’s willing and able to help. Scarlett students are welcome to participate but you must bring a parent. Where: Meet at the bench near the showcase at the main entrance to the woods. What to bring: Hand tools if you have them – saws, loppers, clippers. Snacks and water if desired. When: January 4, 2025 at noon –…


  • FSMW Board Meeting (November 21, 2024)

    Kiosk

    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…


  • Maple

    Maple tree, leaf, bark, seed

    Maple (acer) is a hardwood tree.  Maple timber is commonly used in flooring and furniture-making.  Maple syrup is made from the sap of some maple species including sugar maples (acer saccharum).  Maple tree pests are fungus, caterpillars, aphids and Asian long-horned beetles. The maple leaves are palmately (like a hand) lobed.  The leaves are in pairs…


  • Red Oak

    Oak Tree, leaves, bark, nuts

    Oak (genus Quercus) is a hardwood tree.  Oak timber is commonly used in construction and furniture-making.  Oak barrels are used for aging alcoholic beverages such as wine, sherry and whisky, giving them an added flavor and aromas.  Oak smoke is used to flavor a number of food products.  Oak trees have a large number of pests…


  • Shagbark Hickory

    Shagbark Hickory, leaf, bark, nut

    Shagbark hickory (Carya ovate) is named after the recognizable feature of the mature tree.  The bark in the higher truck splays out thus the adjective shagbark.  Hickory is a hardwood tree. The leaves of the shagbark hickory are a compound odd numbered pinnate (central stem) leaf.  The compound leaf is 12 to 24 inches long.…


  • NAP Workday – October 25, 2024

    Images NAP of volunteers at work removing buckthorn

    FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25 – 1 to 4 pm Natural Area Preservation (NAP) Workday in Scarlett Mitchell Nature Area – East – Meet at the Turnberry entrance – NAP prefers participants to sign up in advance in order to save time City of Ann Arbor Volunteer Hub. We worked on the west end of the marsh…


  • Workday – November 2, 2024

    November 02, 2024 Work Day Collage

    Weren’t we fortunate to have such good weather for a Workday? Just enough sun to light up the woods and keep us warm, no mosquitoes, and the rain held off.  All y’all were very photogenic and the collage almost put itself together this time. The bark in the middle row of photos (far left) is…


  • Workday (New Life Church) – September 29, 2024

    New Life Church Workday Collage

    New Life Church Workday September 29, 2024 in Mitchell-Scarlett Woods VOLUNTEERS ROCK – So many individuals and groups have helped save Scarlett-Mitchell Woods and maintain it over the years.  We’re grateful to all of them, including you, for pitching in.  Scanning through the photos on my computer, I found hundreds of photos of workdays including many of New Life…