Prairie Pre-Restoration Sampling & Education Event!

Calling all citizen scientists, nature enthusiasts, and inquiring minds! Come join us at the Research Museum Complex (RMC) Saturday, September 22nd, 10am-2pm, for a day of learning and collecting fun!

The RMC is planning to restore our front lawn into prairie grounds this fall and spring. Throughout the restoration process scientists will be conducting research to examine the impact of restoring native habitat areas and prairie succession on the flora and fauna of associated with this site. Come learn about the project and help scientists collect data at the same time!

Activities planned for this event include:
- Plant hunt! Help document the current flora on site so we can monitor how it changes.
- Bowling for bees! Help sample the local bee and pollinator community so we can make better conservation practice specific to Ann Arbor.
- Sweeping extravaganza! Learn how to use different nets to catch insects in the air and weeds.
- Brush piñata! Many insects and arthropods are great at hiding, help scientists find them by beating the scrubby trees and shrubs on site – just like a piñata filled with bugs.
- Vertebrate search! Help scout the land and air for small mammals, reptiles and birds so we can document what’s currently living here.
- Life Cycle Spinner! Build a Life Cycle spinner of a bee to take home with you.
- Seed Dissection! Open up some seeds to discover the parts of a seed and how they become a plant.

All insects collected during this event will later be fully identified and all information digitized in our museum database for scientific study. Once databased, a small portion of the specimens collected will be donated to the public UM Natural History Museum for their exhibit on Local Backyard Bugs (coming in 2019) and the rest will be deposited in the UMMZ collection. The insects you catch could be featured in a museum showcase!

The event is located at the RMC, 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor, MI. 48108

Rain date scheduled for: Sunday, September 23nd 2018

If you are interesting in helping with this event or a scientist at UM wishing to collaborate on the project please contact Erika Tucker: emtucker@umich.edu

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Into this!