Join Jeremy Siegrist for a nature walk of wilderness awareness, ecological observation, forest bathing, and earth meditations inspired by Tom Brown Jr. and the local landscape.

Celebrate the start of Summer with an evening Wildflower walk on the longest day of the year. We will explore the landscape taking time to admire the colorful bounty of the earth and also to learn some practical botanical skills that will help you get better at identifying plants for yourself. Hike led by Jeremy Siegrist. 

The earth is greening up and so much of the new growth around us can be tasty and nutritious food if we know what to look for. Learn how to identify and harvest the local wild edible plants of the season. Hike led by Jeremy Siegrist.

Ever wanted to cut up a tree that fell in your yard, prune a shrub, or cut firewood? You can do this! Learn some basics on how a chainsaw works, simple maintenance and how you can safely operate one. There will be a cutting demonstration. Hearing protection will be provided, but if you have your own headphones or ear plugs, please bring them! Instructor: Anna Snoeyink
This class is for women only.

Going for a walk in the winter can be such a magical experience. The snow, the animal tracks, being able to see farther without those green leaves in the way. It can be a time to notice what might be passed over in a lush green setting. Let’s focus on twigs in an indoor classroom, noting the differences in bud shapes, colors, how they are arranged along the twig. Then we will go for a walk and take a look at what we can see in our outdoor classroom. Instructor: Anna Snoeyink

This a two part class, the first part of which Jeremy will highlight useful philosophical concepts and practical potentials of Ecological Restoration to help combat our current global environmental crisis.  We will then wander through the winter woods doing different guided activities and playing fun games that help develop our wilderness awareness as we continue learning to listen and respond to the land.

Don't write off winter as a wash for birds. What can in one moment look like a lifeless landscape can soon be awash with a bustling, foraging flock. Many species survive and thrive during the winter months and indeed there are some that we only see in SE Michigan during the winter.
This winter walk will cover the identity of common winter birds both at the feeder and in the forest as well as how to find them. Also covered will be the strategies that birds adopt for winter survival. Come prepared with warm winter clothes and a guide book + binoculars if you have them! Instructor: Silas Bialecki

Learn the patterns and methods of plant identification through fun card games as developed by Thomas J. Elpel author of Botany In A Day. 

Fall is a wonderful time to go trapsing through the woods and observe wildlife as they hustle to prepare for winter. This kids hike will focus on finding and reading animal tracks as we discuss who made the tracks, where they were going, and what they were doing. All kids must be accompanied by and adult. Dress for cold weather and mild off trail action.

The oak hickory forests and savannas of southern Michigan are full of good wild food, free to be gathered each fall. The acorn was once the staff of life to cultures worldwide and was important as wheat or rice is today. Hickory nuts were a staple in the diet of many indigenous people of North America. But most of us have not been taught how to gather, process, and use this food, so we leave huge quantities lying unused on the lawn and drive to the grocery store to buy our bread.

This class will be a hands-on workshop taking acorns and hickories off the ground and turning them into a nutritious, delicious meal.

Fall is a great time to forage for fungi!  Join Carley Kratz for a hike around the Kellwood property to find and identify fungi.  We will learn some basics of fungal identification including gills, stems, caps and pores.  We will then hit the trails to discover mushrooms and slime molds.  Dress for off-trail hiking as we will wander to where the fungus grows.

We’ve all been spending long hours this summer pulling invasive garlic mustard and hedge parsley, or turf grass from our lawns. Another significant part in restoring native habitat is adding plants back to the landscape! We can learn to identify when and how to gather seeds of native plants to replenish the land - add plants to where we have removed pests. In this class we will go for a hike and learn to identify seed heads in addition to discussing how to gather seed and use it effectively.

The art of the bowdrill fire has often been romanticized to the point of mythology. Don't let the mystery of history confound you any longer. Gather around as this class unpacks the secrets of turning carefully selected sticks of wood into a bright and blazing fire with no more than a pocket knife and string. Instructor: Silas Bialecki

Join Silas Bialecki in this hike around the Kelllwood property focusing on the appreciation and identification of butterflies. Identification characteristics of butterflies that will be covered include obvious items such as size and color as well as habitat, time of year, and flight patterns. This class will be for beginners and experienced butterfliers alike, being sure to stop at familiar favorites and less common occurences. Dress for a hike and anticipate some off trail action!

I don't know about you, but hiking often makes me hungry. Good news is, this time of the year there is lots to eat. On this hike for the kids we will go for a walk in the woods and eat some of the summer's sweet treats! If we are able to collect any without eating them, we will make some berry art. Please dress for mild off trail action. Kids must attend with a parent/guardian. Instructor: Anna Snoeyink

* Please note that the date of this class changed to one day earlier from its originally posted date.

OGS is going to school! A large part of the OGS mission is to familiarize ourselves with the outdoors and we feel that other people’s experiences and presence are essential to that. Thus we are continuing our “field trips” to various properties, preserves, and other accessible outdoor spaces. One field trip per semester, these are intended to be informal, open ended hikes that allow for any manner of curiosity to be expressed while exploring new places. The hikes will be hosted by an OGS instructor and take place throughout the tri-county (Jackson, Lenawee, Washtenaw) area. As with any hikes in the area there is the potential for steep and uneven ground. Please contact us if you have questions regarding accessibility. Spring Semester Field Trip Location: TBD

It turns out there is a whole slew of nutritious plants growing in our own yards. Plants that we may have learned are ‘bad.’ In this class we’re going to learn to love them and appreciate all the goodness they provide. We will go for a modest hike and pick common plants considered weeds and make soup and salad!

Join Silas Bialecki in this hike around the Kelllwood property focusing on the appreciation and identification of butterflies. Identificaiton characteristics of butterflies that will be covered include obvious items such as size as color as well as habitat, time of year, and flight patterns. This class will be for beginners and experienced butterfliers alike, being sure to stop at familiar favorites and less common occurences. Dress for a hike and anticipate some off trail action!

The songs and calls of birds are often the most accessible clues we have to identifying these feathery neighbors of ours. Especially during spring migration when tiny woodland warblers are hidden high up in the treetops or down in the thick brush at the edge of a wetland. We'll start by learning some of the songs we are hearing around us and then also incorporate bird sign that can be comprehended with all of our senses. We'll also explore the importance of habit, and also hopefully see a bird or two as well. The early bird gets the worm! Come prepared for an early class. Taught by Jeremy Siegrist

This will be a wildly wonderful walk through the woods to appreciate the glory of spring’s first flowers! Please note the date change from Saturday the 22nd to Sunday the 23rd. Same time, same place! Led by Sarah Felder

Fire has been our companion through the ages. Everywhere on this earth, for all of human history, whenever we have lived in environments with enough natural fuel we have set fire to the land. Many plants and ecosystems are fire dependent. 19th and 20th century policies of fire suppression have upset the balance of nature, and undermined the health and biodiversity of North America. Modern restorationists use prescribe fires to help to heal damaged landscapes. This class will cover fire ecology and history, and will teach the basic techniques and tools for conducting effective burns. If the weather is good we'll do a burn together as a class. Taught by Jeremy Siegrist

A hike to identify woody plants in winter without the aid of leaves and flowers. Beyond ID we'll explore how these basic features of trees and shrubs supply sustenance for resident animals trying to make it through the cold, dark part of the year. Led by Anna Snoeyink and Jeremy Siegrist.