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In this issue:
- Welcome, Jacob Napieralski
- Upcoming Programs
- Partner Events
- Pollinator Photo Contest
- Tails From the Trail: Light Up the Night
- Greenways: "Island" Life
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“In summer, the song sings itself.”
-William Carlos Williams
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Welcome, Jacob Napieralski
On July 1, the EIC staff welcomed Dr. Jacob Napieralski as our new Director. As a way of introduction, Jacob shared some information about his background, research interests, and his ideas for future collaborations. We look forward to working on these collaborative projects moving forward under Jacob's direction.
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How did you become interested in leading the Environmental Interpretive Center?
The EIC has always struck me as the ultimate place for work that integrates community engagement and various elements of practice based learning, particularly since environmental interpretation, education, and science are all interdisciplinary and require a hands on approach. When the opportunity came to take on a leadership role and continue the impressive work of previous directors, it was an easy decision to make!
What are some of your research interests?
My research interests vary but frequently involve the use of geospatial technologies to understand the role of humans in landscape modification, especially with water and the use of space in cities. Much of my recent research is focused on the hidden hydrology and flood risks of the Rouge River and equitable uses of land in Detroit and other post-industrial cities.
My PhD research involved studying glacial changes in Northern Europe, so I am still interested in the glacier - climate - landscape interactions. In 2012, I had the privilege of being a U.S. Fulbright Research Scholar to Cyprus to help with soil and water conservation projects.
What courses do you teach?
I teach several undergraduate and graduate courses in watershed analysis and landforms, glaciers and environmental change, and geospatial technologies. I developed and have directed the undergraduate GIS certificate program since it’s inception in 2009, and am currently the director of the Master of Science in Environmental Science (MSES) program.
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Students enjoyed the beauty of Iceland during a summer 2022 Study Abroad experience. Photo by Professor Jacob Napieralski | |
You have offered field courses that take students to some unique places in the world. What are some of the unexpected benefits in practice-based learning, with students doing actual research, that you have witnessed? Has this influenced your teaching when you’re back on campus? | |
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I have developed and led 13 study abroad courses to 5 different destinations (Iceland-left, Puerto Rico, Cyprus, Montserrat, and Norway) and recently co-developed and co-taught a course on social and environmental equity.
Teaching in the field and abroad is uniquely different than teaching in a classroom or even in the familiarity of campus.
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Most of the courses abroad have tried to train students on how to use scientific inquiry to develop or enrich their understanding of a rather complex natural world. Much of the experience students get in the field with my classes reflects the reality of career positions in the environmental field: making observations that lead to good scientific inferences, working as an individual but also contributing to a small team, and preparing for the unknown. Students become adaptive learners because of the different culture, environment, weather, and expectations. | | |
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What connections do you see between your academic interests and the EIC’s role on campus as well as the region?
My interests in the physical environment and how humans see or interact with the natural world overlaps nicely with the goals of the EIC.
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For many young students, the EIC provides a first opportunity to truly explore a natural space and for many of our university students, the EIC plays a critical role in preparing them to be stewards of the environment and to be better informed citizens.
As we see the impacts of climate change increase heat, shift natural resources, and change ecosystems, we will need scientists to continue asking the difficult questions and finding solutions, training the next generation of environmentalists, and ensuring all people can access and enjoy the benefits of nature. This all happens at the EIC and I am excited to share in the mission!
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Year-Round Young Naturalist Program
This year-round program offers four seasons of exciting outdoor science and nature investigations for children 9 to 12 years old. Monthly sessions take place on Saturdays from 9:30 am to noon, starting in September and continuing through May.
Session topics include pond studies, insects and spiders, creatures of the soil, birds and migration, owls, animal tracking, wildflowers and trees, and learning about how maple syrup is made right here at the EIC. Participants receive a field pack, field guides, and assorted field equipment. There is a fee for this program, which requires pre-registration.
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Crickets (and other insects) Go A'courtin'
Friday, August 25
8:00-9:30 PM
The birds may have mostly finished their courtship singing, but “songs of love” are still in the air! A chorus made with a few more legs, wings (like this Handsome Trig), and other bodily “instruments” has just begun! Join us for a nighttime stroll through the Environmental Study Area to learn more about the songs of late summer, provided by insect musicians. We’ll observe what insects visit an illuminated sheet and trees slathered with fragrant “moth broth.” Meet at the EIC--all ages are welcome. Feel free to bring flashlights!
This is the first of a series, featuring guided seasonal nighttime walks.
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1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month through the end of August,
5 - 5:45 p.m. | Meet at the EIC
All students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to join! These 45 minute strolls, hosted by Planet Blue Ambassadors, Counseling & Psychological Services Mental Health & Wellness Peer Educators, and the Environmental Interpretive Center, are meant to help you press pause on the chaos of life and reconnect with nature and your well-being. Look for our fall schedule of walks next month.
For more information, contact Alexis Kott (ankott@umich.edu)
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UM-Dearborn Observatory
Friday, Aug. 11, 9:30-11:30 p.m.,
Need something different to do with your Friday night? Come out and enjoy the night sky at the UM-Dearborn Observatory.
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Dearborn Centennial Library
Iconic America: the Bald Eagle
Thursday, August 30, 6:30 PM
To celebrate the Bald Eagle episode of the PBS series Iconic America, we will be talking in-person with the Program Coordinator and Interpretive Naturalist from the Environmental Interpretive Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dorothy McLeer.
"Ms. McLeer will talk about how the number of breeding pairs of Bald Eagles in Michigan, after being threatened with extinction, has rebounded significantly during the past decade." The featured eagle above was photographed in the campus Environmental Study Area by EIC volunteer Frank Ianello!
You will need to register for this program by visiting the Library website (www.dearbornlibrary.org) and click on the Events Calendar and Registration Link.
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Get Your Entries in to the
Pollinator Photo Contest!
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The 2023 Pollinator Photo Contest has begun! The EIC at the UM-Dearborn is once again sponsoring its annual Pollinator Photo Contest. The Center will accept photo entries from June 1 - September 30. Please visit our website to learn more about the contest details! It's all the buzzzzzz!
(2021 pollinators up-close winner Yi Guo,
"In the Heart of the Lily"-)
And speaking of buzzzzz.....
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Scientists are abuzz — they've figured out where bees originated!
An international team of scientists has found that the world's first bees emerged more than 120 million years ago from an ancient supercontinent encompassing Africa and South America. Much of what we know about the fossil record of bees comes from specimens that are preserved in amber, a semi-precious gemstone that is actually fossilized tree resin. Resin is produced by some trees when they are injured. Some ancient organisms (especially bugs) became stuck in this resin before it hardened, entombing them in exquisite detail.
Sweat bees (family Halictidae) preserved in amber. Photo by Michael S. Engel
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Light Up the Night!
They are diminutive and delightful, but our bioluminescent nightlights are in peril. The biggest threat facing fireflies today is the loss of their habitats. But with about 2,000 different species of fireflies, 200 of which live in North America, there’s a wide variety of environments in which they thrive—including wetlands, forests, and even city parks—which is why some species are more threatened than others. In the U.S., 18 species face extinction—and experts say global species are endangered too.
Due to habitat loss, as well as both chemical and light pollution, humans are negatively impacting these nocturnal pollinators. And, some of these species are habitat-specific, which means they could be lost forever if their habitat isn’t preserved. Much of the research around the decline of the firefly is fairly new, but the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) suggest these steps we can take to help:
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Turn off the lights. Lights at night not only confuse fireflies and can interfere with their reproduction, but also interfere with other species, like birds and nocturnal creatures. For more information, check out the International Dark-Sky Association.
- Avoid using pesticides or chemical fertilizers. These chemicals have negative impacts on many species — especially our glowing friends.
- Cut down on mowing. Fireflies stay on the ground during the day and mowing can disturb them. Try incorporating areas in your parks where mowing is restricted or even eliminated — this helps all pollinators!
- Plant native. Plant native trees and grasses to help support habitat loss — this helps all wildlife!
- Protect marshes and wetlands. Fireflies love humid and moist areas. Incorporate or keep water-rich areas in your parks.
- Leave the leaves. Don’t over-rake or clean up a site too much, since this is where firefly larvae live — you don’t want to throw them away.
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There are a number of other ways you can help fireflies beyond your backyard—from supporting a national conservation organization like Xerces Society to working with your community to establish a firefly sanctuary. | |
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For more information on firefly flash patterns,
look here.
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Sara Lewis, co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Firefly Specialist Group says the group is working to assess the conservation status of fireflies in other parts of the world beyond the U.S. and Canada. But, she adds, we already know enough about the environmental threats facing the most at-risk species, and protecting fireflies from these threats can benefit the entire ecosystem they depend on.
“Every one of those species has a particular niche that it fits into,” Lewis says. “Here is an amazing portal to the miraculous that’s worth protecting.”
Let your lights shine!
-Dorothy McLeer
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As the warm season approaches its peak, you may have noticed the days becoming hotter and hotter. If you live in or near an urban city, you probably experience even higher temperatures, as you also live in a heat island.
Heat islands are areas where the concentration of roads and buildings cause an increase in the temperature, making days up to 7 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than in non-urban locations. So, how do we cool down without blasting the air conditioning all day long? Trees, in fact, are a simple and sustainable way to mitigate the heat.
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Through a process called evapotranspiration, plants both remove heat from the air and produce water vapor, naturally decreasing the temperature in surrounding areas by about 2-5 degrees Fahrenheit. | |
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In addition, trees provide shade, decreasing surface temperatures up to 45 degrees Fahrenheit in comparison to non-shaded surfaces. As a result of these processes, trees will reduce your air conditioning costs as well as improve air and water quality, reduce risk of floods, and decrease pavement erosion.
Photos of EIC rain gardens by D. McLeer
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So, by planting trees in residential and public areas, cities can drastically improve the climate and health in your local environment.
You can visit the MSU website to learn how to best plant a tree in your own yard!
Valerie Osowski - EIC Parkhurst Fellow
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Venturing outdoors and encountering nature is good for your health. Our trails are accessible, so please visit our Environmental Study Area. Stay engaged in learning activities and check out our Remote Learning Activities & Resources page for ideas to create a “Neighborhood Nature Journal” and “Family Nature Walk” activities!
We also hope to see you in person at our upcoming programs!
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Please remember...
The EIC Environmental Study Area is open daily from sunrise to sunset. We would like to remind nature-goers that fishing on site is prohibited and to leave bikes and dogs at home because they cause disruption and stress to the EIC wildlife.
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