Branching Out - MAR 2024

Whimsical Woodlands Builder Registration

March Events

Sap Happy - Sunday, March 3rd and Saturday, March 9th & 16th @ 9:30a (All ages)

Diverse Learners Day at the Nature Center* - Saturday, March 9th @ 9am (Ages 2-16)

*designed for children with special needs

March Craft Series: Whimsical Fairy House & Gnome Home Build - Saturday, March 30th @ 1pm (Ages 5+)

April Events

Whimsical Woodlands - A JNC Earth Day Festival - Sunday, April 21st @ 10a (All ages)

- - - - - - Sap Happy (2023) - - - - - -

- - - - - - Diverse Learners Day - - - - - -

Volunteering

Whether you're passionate about nature, love spreading joy, or just want to lend a helping hand, we have a role for you!

Sign up to be part of our upcoming community events or if you're looking for project hours for your Master Gardener certification, we are a registered site ready to support you!

Sap Happy Volunteer Sign-up

Whimsical Woods Volunteer Sign-up

MSU Master Gardener Volunteer Central

“The two most important vegetable foods are maple sugar and manoomin (wild rice). The obtaining of these gifts was attended with much pleasure, though the temporary camps were busy and there was work for young and old.” Frances Densmore (ethnologist with the Smithsonian Institute)

Terrain of Thought

Naturalist Notes: A Short Sweet History

With tubes and pots in hand, folks worldwide gather in late winter to embark on a sweet quest for liquid gold. Why? Lets focus on the origins of maple sugaring!

Creature Feature: Maple Sugaring is Ant-tastic

No ifs, ants, or buts about it...can't hide our sweets very well. If you leak it, ants will come (for an energy drink). Read up on the tiniest visitors seen in the Sugarbush.

Plant Rant: The Norway Maple, A Poetic Prose

Why should the sugar maple get all of the attention this season? Let's pay homage to the norway maple!

Way Elementary: Home to Sap Happy Third Graders

We're sappy to say that this article made us tree-mendously happy. We're sending sweet vibes to you Way Elementary!

StoryWalk

Have you checked out our StoryWalk? Every month there is a new, nature-inspired story displayed along Fox-ridge Trail. The adventure begins in front of the peregrine falcon inclosure and ends at the Sugarbush. This is made possible by our supportive and growing partnership with the Bloomfield Township Library. The book for March will be Ininatig's Gift of Sugar: Traditional Native Sugarmaking. We Are Still Here: Native Americans Today Series., written Laura Waterman Wittstock and photography by Dale Kakkak.

Staff Spotlight - Meet Jamie!

Jamie is our new naturalist!

Hi! My name is Jamie Patterson. I have been in education for 13 years, and am a naturalist at heart. I love being outdoors, interacting with animals, and I look forward to planning and growing my garden each spring. In terms of teaching, I possess a Bachelor's degree from Eastern Michigan University in Elementary Education and a Master's degree from Grand Valley State University in Literacy. When I taught in a classroom setting, I had a passion for connecting the outdoors with our learning goals, which is what drew me to the Johnson Nature Center! I am so excited to be a part of the team.

Early Childhood

Give to Fulfill the Vision of an Outdoor Classroom

You, Me, & the Trees

Fridays, March 1 - April 26

Time: 10-11:30a

Ages 2-3 with parent or guardian

Discover nature's myriad educational benefits! Toddlers aged 2-3, accompanied by a parent or guardian, can immerse themselves in nature's marvels, engaging in sensory-rich experiences and unique learning opportunities. Sessions offer guided hikes paired with activities like storytelling, crafting, thematic pursuits, and exploration of the natural world!

You, Me, & the Trees Registration

Wild Ones North Oakland Chapter

Wild Ones invites guests to attend their free public presentations held on the third Wednesday every month at the Johnson Nature Center. BECOME A MEMBER for access to yard tours showcasing various garden styles, "how-to" sessions for native plant care, and plant/seed sales and exchanges.

March Public Presentation:

Dealing with Invasive Plants

Speaker: Patrick Caniff

Wednesday, March 20th

Time: 7-8:30p

Location: Johnson Nature Center

Summer Camp

Spots are still available for the 2024 summer season!! Reserve yours here before they're gone!

Become a Member or Donate to the Johnson Nature Center

Want More Nature?

We also offer:

>>>>> scout and small group programs

>>>>> birthday parties

Need a Change of Scenery?

Check out our sister site Bowers School Farm

>>>>> Community Classes (dates vary depending on interest)

Bowers School Farm and Johnson Nature Center sit on Land that was made by warm shallow seas and slow-moving glacial formations, with the most recent glaciers receding 14,000 years ago. This is the ancestral Land, Anishinaabewaki, of the Indigenous Peoples of the Ojibway/Ojibwa/Ojibwe, Odawa/Ottawa, and Potawatomi/Bodéwadmi, the Anishinabek. This Land remains the contemporary dwelling of the Anishinabek.

Symbol writing for the Anishinabek county, Anishinaabewaki.

The Johnson Nature Center sits on a forty-acre site and offers visitors a myriad of visual pleasures and learning opportunities. The visitor center is open 10 am - 4 pm on the first Sunday of every month and the remaining Saturdays. The trails are open every day

from 8 am until dusk.

Johnson Nature Center | 3325 Franklin Road, Bloomfield Twp, MI 48302

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