Algae: Diversity beyond Imagination

Collect and identify the algae of northern Michigan.  We will tromp to and through swamps, bogs, streams, beach pools and the Great Lakes in a quest for the region's most fascinating organisms.

Rex Lowe is Professor Emeritus of Biology at Bowling Green State University and a legendary Biological Station instructor.  His current research interests include algal diversity in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and on the South Island of New Zealand.

Aquatic Vascular Plants of Northern Michigan

This mini-course will include the identification and ecology of the major floating and submersed aquatic plants of the lakes and rivers of Northern Michigan. Trips will be divided between the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula to observe and collect plants of the alkaline waters of the Lower Peninsula and the acidic waters of the Upper Peninsula. Material will be brought back to the lab for study. Presentations of aquatic plants will be conducted during the evenings of the mini-course.

You should be prepared to get wet, so hip boots or water shoes will be appropriate. Plastic bags for collecting and newspapers for pressing of plants are recommended. No text is required, bring any aquatic plant identification books you have.

C. Barre Hellquist is a Professor Emeritus at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.  He has taught Aquatic Plants at UMBS, the University of Oklahoma Biology Station and Humbolt Institute at Eagle Hill, Maine.  He is coauthor of “Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Northeastern North America.”  His present research interests are the water-lilies of tropical Australia, the taxonomy of the Potamogeton of the world.

C. Eric Hellquist is an Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Oswego and a faculty member at the University of Michigan Biological Station.  Eric’s interests include the ecology of wetland and aquatic plants.  Eric has worked in peatlands of New England and northern Michigan, marshes of upstate New York, salt marshes of Puget Sound, and wetlands of Yellowstone National Park.

Barre and Eric have just completed a 40 year follow-up study of the aquatic flora of Ossipee Lake, New Hampshire, to observe floral differences during that period.  The father-son team also studies the wetlands of Yellowstone National Park together

Art in Nature

Come experience UMBS from an artist's perspective! This class will focus on the rich visual experience and inspiration that the Biological Station's woods, fields and shorelines provide us.

Demonstrations, instruction, and inspiration in plein-air sketching, simple watercolor painting techniques, and the elements of design will be provided by the instructor. Students will learn to keep a field sketchbook, take visual notes and capture both the detail and the broader essence of the natural world on paper. Those who are looking for a challenge or just want to break out of a rut will be given special assignments.

Working on location and in the studio, you will learn to sketch or paint with minimal equipment that you can carry on your back, providing a new way to document your travels. Field trips to local scenic destinations and plenty of time to paint on your own in or out of camp. Art supplies are provided but you may choose to bring your own, along with a comfortable, portable, chair and hat with a brim.

Ann Singsaas has been teaching drawing and watercolor for over 17 years. Her love of the northern forest is apparent in her work and classes. She is particularly skilled in conveying the tips and techniques essential for success in watercolor.  View her professional website for examples of her work.

Birds of Northern Michigan

This class, which takes place when early summer singing and nesting are underway, features lots of time in the field. The focus is on learning to identify birds by sight, sound and habitat.

The class begins early in the mornings and early-risers are regularly rewarded with the traditional bird class breakfast and coffee. During this course there is an overnight field trip to the Seney National Wildlife Refuge in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  

Mary Whitmore has a rich background in ornithology and is very familiar with the birds of northern Michigan.  Bob Hess is especially interested in the connection between birds and habitats and is the former director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Wildlife Program.