Tuesday, Feb 28, 2017

The Michigan Nature Association hosted the Fourth Annual Bloomfield Regional Members' Meeting in southeast Michigan. Members and guests gathered to get an insider's look at some of what MNA has planned for the coming year, a chance to chat with staff and Trustees, and enjoyed a decadent luncheon at The Village Club in Bloomfield Hills.

The afternoon also included a presentation by special guest speaker Yu Man Lee. Yu Man Lee is a Senior Conservation Scientist with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) and a co-leader of a statewide effort to protect vernal pools in Michigan. Her work is at the forefront of connecting citizen scientists, K-12 teachers and students in mapping and monitoring small vernal pools that, collectively, play an enormous role in the biodiversity of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Vernal pools are known as the coral reefs of the forest. Small, scenic, and ephemeral, vernal pools fill with water in the spring or fall and dry out during the summer or drought. They may be physically small, but they play an enormous role in the forest health. They provide habitat for more than 500 animal species, including rare species and several specialized for life in vernal pools.

Guests participated in group activities to learn more about vernal pools, such as learning skills to identify whether the example was a vernal pool or not and classifying specific species found in these unique habitats.

Thank you to all members and guests that attended the meeting for making it a fun and successful afternoon! We hope to see you again next year at the Fifth Annual Bloomfield Regional Members' Meeting!