MSU Extension Conservation Connections - Oakland County ...

MSU Extension Conservation Connections
                                 August 2021

Identifying the Oaks of Michigan

There are 600 species of oaks worldwide, 10 of which are native to Michigan.
All oaks belong to the genus Quercus, produce acorns and fall into two groups:
red oaks and white oaks. Red oaks have leaves with bristle-tipped lobes and
acorns that take two years to mature. Northern red oak, black oak, northern pin
oak, pin oak and scarlet oak all belong to the red oak group. White oaks have
rounded lobes or large regular teeth and acorns that mature in one year. White
oak, bur oak, swamp white oak, chinkapin oak and chestnut oak all belong to
the white oak group.

Read more on the Oaks of Michigan

Registration Open for the 2021 Michigan Alliance of Environmental and Out-
door Education (MAEOE) “Together Again” Conference

The 2021 MAEOE state environmental education conference approaches will take place on
Oct 1-3 at Eastern Michigan University. Opportunities range from hands-on outdoor educa-
tion to sessions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Fifteen 45-minute sessions, several ex-
tended sessions, four half day workshops and MAEOE’s popular Saturday field trip options.
Complete details, including a list of sessions is now available online: www.maeoe.com

#RecreateResponsibly to Protect Yourself, Others, and the Outdoors

Spending time in outdoor spaces has become more important than ever. And in uncer-
tain times all of us, from seasoned outdoor enthusiasts, to families heading out to their
local park for the first time, could use a little guidance about how to stay safe. The Rec-
reate Responsibly guidelines offer a starting point for getting outside to keep yourself
healthy and to maintain access to our beloved natural spaces.
For more information, visit: https://www.recreateresponsibly.org/

Join Six Rivers and the Detroit Zoological Society
     for a free evening bat hike this summer!

Don’t miss several free evening bat hikes this summer
taking place at several Six Rivers-affiliated properties.
Participants will use the Echo Meters with phones and
iPads to monitor for bats.

Along the way, keep an eye and an ear out for owls, frogs,
moths and stars as hike leaders discuss how scientists
monitor various creatures of the night.

If the skies are clear, we will do some stargazing as well.

Parking is limited, so please call our office at
248-601-2816 or email info@sixriversrlc.org to register.
We will try to minimize the use of flashlights to maintain
our night vision, but you are welcome to bring your own
flashlight.

      Anchor Bay Woods Preserve in New Baltimore
                  September 10, 2021
                       7:30 p.m.

Note: If you would like the opportunity to try out one of the
Echo Meters with your own phone, download the Echo Meter
Touch Bat Detector, Recorder & Analyzer App before the event.

Michigan Invasive Species Watch List species
Balsam Woolly Adelgid Detected in Kent County

                                                                                                      WHAT TO LOOK FOR
                                                                                                      • Tiny one-to-two-millimeter white
                                                                                                        woolly tufts on the lower trunk of the
                                                                                                        tree and possibly on large branches in
                                                                                                        the spring and summer.
                                                                                                      • Swelling and distortion of the twigs,
                                                                                                        commonly called "gout".
                                                                                                      • Flagging - a branch or branches that
                                                                                                        turn brick-red.
                                                                                                      • Tree crowns that become narrow and
                                                                                                        misshapen with few needles.

REPORT THIS SPECIES
If you notice white, waxy material on twigs, branches or stems, or twig gouting
on fir trees, do not move them! Take photos, note the location and report it to:
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, MDA-Info@Michigan.gov or
  phone the MDARD Customer Service Center, 800-292-3939.

Or - use the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) reporting tool.

Or - download the MISIN smartphone app and report from your phone - MISIN.MSU.edu/

Have a Bushel of Fun Picking Pine Cones
Looking for an outdoor side hustle? Col-
lecting a bushel of pine cones next
month will net you $75 and help the
Michigan Department of Natural Re-
sources plant trees in state forests.

Sept. 1 - 30, 2021, you can pick red pine
cones and drop them off by appoint-
ment at six DNR locations: three in the
Upper Peninsula and three in the Lower
Peninsula.
Find out more: https://
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/
MIDNR/bulletins/2ec52c8

  Edited and compiled by: Bindu Bhakta, Extension Educator, Michigan State University Extension - Community, Food and Environment Institute - Bldg 26E, 1200 N
  Telegraph Rd, Pontiac, MI 48341 Tel: 248.858.5198 FAX: 248.858.1477 / Cathy Morris, Account Clerk, Clerical Support 248.858.1639

  MSU is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race,
  national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, or veteran status.