Developing the Kiwanis Environmental Education Preserve

Abstract

In 2017, the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor Foundation purchased a 17-acre property to the west of Ann Arbor at 100 N. Staebler Road, Scio Township. This property has 7.6-acre vegetated area that includes a small pocket of wetlands including two ponds. It was historically used for agriculture followed by a book manufacturing facility, and was poorly managed. Upon acquiring the property, the Kiwanis sponsors, Margaret Krasnoff and Dan Devers visioned this parcel as an opportunity to pursue and practice Environmental Education. Ever since, they have been pushing their vision to bring the Kiwanis Environmental Education Preserve (KEEP) into existence. During Phase I (2019 – 2020), a SEAS Masters Project conducted a census and inventory of vegetation and wildlife, a baseline characterization of existing ecosystem types, and modelled stormwater runoff from the Kiwanis warehouse and parking lot. Phase II continued the vision and expanded the project by completing the site inventory, refining preliminary designs for the KEEP parcel, developed educational materials and displays, and initiated the restoration and educational process. It resulted in a package of landscape design that will be built mostly by volunteers in the future and will help visitors from all ages to better experience the KEEP. Management options and education module suggestions were also provided as reference to initiate the next phase of work.