HCMA and HRWC staff assessed a lovely tamarack swamp at Hudson Mills Metropark. Watch out for the poison sumac!

HRWC is thrilled to announce that the Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority (HCMA), also called the Metroparks,  will be using our Bioreserve project’s field assessment methodology to assess the natural areas in their park system.  A University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and the Environment Master’s Project study recommended HRWC’s method over four other methods they studied.

On June 15, HRWC conducted a field training for the HCMA Natural Resource Department staff.  HCMA will work with their staff and volunteers as well as HRWC Bioreserve staff and volunteers to assess all of their natural area properties. HCMA will use the HRWC database entry system, which will generate scores and reports for each assessment.  The data will be used by HCMA to create management plans for their natural areas, including plans for invasive species management.

If you like hiking, identifying native plants, and learning about the watershed’s ecology, check out our Field Assessment Volunteer page, or contact Kris Olsson. You too could join a team to hike a nearby wetland or forest either in HCMA parks or other natural areas throughout the watershed!

HCMA staff pose in front of a large black oak tree.