NAPing, Garlic Mustard, and a Glimpse into the Future ... An Experiment in Family Volunteering: Chapter 4

Our Family Volunteering event in April was the first one selected by my older son Connor and I really had no idea what he would pick.  I worried that he might not put much thought or effort into choosing one, but we were all very pleasantly surprised.

The organization he chose to support was Natural Area Preservation (NAP), which works to protect and restore Ann Arbor’s natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic among its citizens. This involves conducting plant and animal inventories, ecological monitoring, and stewardship projects in Ann Arbor parks. Through the combination of hands-on involvement and scientific understanding, NAP hopes to encourage and support a connection between individual volunteers and their surrounding natural environment.

When I asked Connor why he chose this organization, he reminded us that in 9th grade, he did a huge research project on invasive species so he knows how much they harm the biodiversity in an ecosystem.  He has always liked biology and nature and wanted to help protect the native plants in our area.

So in April we joined a NAP event at Marshall Park.  While we often take family walks on the many beautiful trails in Ann Arbor, we had never been to this park of the northeast side of town.  Apparently the hillsides there have many native wildflowers being threatened by invasive species and in particular garlic mustard, which prior to this experience I thought was just a dipping sauce at McDonald’s.  The purpose of the event was to pick up and clear out the weeds of the non-native plants.

When we arrived, my first surprise was that over 20 volunteers showed up and there were clearly some regulars.  I assumed this was way more than would be needed and that we might be sent home. It turns out 20 wasn’t nearly enough.  Our leader was a member of the Ann Arbor Park Service and a recent Plant Biology graduate of University of Michigan. She educated us on what garlic mustard weed looks like, how it got here (Europeans worried that the “new world” wouldn’t have their favorite spices), and why it needed to be removed.

After starting all together in an area massively infested with the invasive weed, we started to get a feel for what it looked like, pulling up as many as we could and quickly filling our garbage bags.  It was great because we could actually work together as a family or at least be near each other the whole time, and ask each other “is this one?” It was clear that Connor was the only one who really seemed to know what he was doing.

Next the group spread out in a sprawling line and moved across portions of the park as I imagine a search party would do.  We were constantly scanning the floor of the forest and I realized I typically don’t pay any attention to what’s down there.  It was interesting to start to notice what looked like it belonged there and what did not, and where the garlic mustard tended to be growing the most.

I could see that my wife was really enjoying the event which made sense since it was outdoors on a beautiful day, but also was a bit like gardening which she enjoys doing at home.  My younger son Donovan seemed to be enjoying it as well, though seemed to be more focused on the competitive aspect of it (i.e. who can find the most).

But most of all, I could see Connor was really loving it.  The group took a short water break halfway through the three hour event, and he literally ran back to continue the work.  My wife and I have observed for a long time that he seems to enjoy science the most of any subject, and he loves exploring the outdoors.  We still think he may end up being some kind of researcher, but couldn’t help but feel that we might be getting a glimpse into his future.  

From my perspective, it was enjoyable being outside with my family and feeling like we were helping, but the most satisfying part was seeing how much Connor was into it.  I felt like it really highlighted the importance of having the kids choose a volunteering event that they feel connected to and inspired me to make sure I have a similar connection to my next selection.  

And now I can dazzle my friends at parties with my knowledge of garlic mustard. :)

This is Chapter 4 of a 12-part series on Family Volunteering.  Previous articles can be accessed below:

• Soccer Balls, Elementary Schools, and Community Support ... An Experiment in Family Volunteering Chapter 3 (Apr 2018)
• Employee Pride, Physical Labor, and Nasty Goop ... An Experiment in Family Volunteering Chapter 2 (Mar 2018)
• Q-tips, Peanut Butter, and a Deck of Cards: An Experiment in Family Volunteering ... Chapter 1 (Feb 2018)
• This Time It’s Personal: An Experiment in Family Volunteering (Jan 2018)