Elmer P. & Irene Jasper Woods Memorial, commonly referred to as Jasper Woods, is a nature sanctuary located in St. Clair County, Michigan in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. It is maintained and preserved by the

Michigan Nature Association Michigan Nature Association is a nonprofit conservation organization established in 1952. It has 176 nature sanctuaries in 58 counties throughout Michigan under its jurisdiction. History In 1951, a bird study group in the Macomb County Mac ...

History

Jasper Woods was acquired in 1977 from Elva Rabidue. Known then as Schenck Woods, the land had been in her family since 1869. She wanted to see it preserved for wildlife and was persuaded to sell it in a bargain sale. In 1982, it was renamed Jasper Woods as a memorial to Elmer and Irene Jasper who were founding members of the

and both served as officers and directors in its early years.

About the Sanctuary

Jasper Woods is a northern-type woods primarily made up of hemlock, white pine, maples,

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

s, white and yellow birches, and wild

black cherry ''Prunus serotina'', commonly called black cherry,World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference, Second Edition'. CRC Press; 19 April 2016. . p. 833–. wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a deciduous tree or shrub of the ...

. The groves of hemlock are the most prominent feature.Elmer P. & Irene Jasper Woods Memorial
Michigan Nature Association {{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927032525/http://www.michigannature.org/home/sancts/elmerP/elmerP.shtml , date=2011-09-27 Jasper Woods is home to three kinds of trillium, which bloom at slightly different times. Earliest is the

red trillium ''Trillium erectum'', the red trillium, also known as wake robin, purple trillium, bethroot, or stinking benjamin, is a species of flowering plant in the family (biology), family Melanthiaceae. The plant takes its common name "wake robin" by anal ...

, which blooms in early May, depending on spring weather conditions. Later comes the

white trillium ''Trillium grandiflorum'', the white trillium, large-flowered trillium, great white trillium, white wake-robin or french: trille blanc, is a species of flowering plant in the family (biology), family Melanthiaceae. A monocotyledonous, herbace ...

. In mid-to-late May the

painted trillium ''Trillium undulatum'', commonly called painted trillium, painted lady (not to be confused with the painted lady butterfly), or trille ondulé in French, is a species of flowering plant in the bunchflower family Melanthiaceae. It is also known as ...

, a Michigan Endangered species, blooms. It is found only in St. Clair County and Sanilac County. Image:Jasper Trillium.jpg, Painted trillium ''(Trillium undulatum)'' at Jasper Woods Image:Jasper sign.jpg, Entrance sign at Jasper Woods

References

Protected areas of St. Clair County, Michigan Nature reserves in Michigan 1977 establishments in Michigan Protected areas established in 1977