Community Events
CLASS IS FULL – Sign Up to Become a Master Naturalist
6 Sessions : May 30 – October 17, 2020, 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
Attend all 6 sessions on Saturdays at Pigeon River Discovery Center. This includes indoor and outdoor training!
Who should attend?
This program is open to adults interested in gaining a greater understanding of Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula’s natural environment and conservation techniques, including native flora and fauna.
What will you learn?
Through this program you will learn about the interconnectedness of Michigan’s natural ecosystems and how everyone can contribute to wildlife conservation on their own land. You will also learn about the importance of sharing what you have learned with others in meaningful ways so that they can make changes, too. Sign up today for this exciting course and start your journey to become a Michigan Master Naturalist!
May 30 – Geology, Weather and Climate
June 27 – Michigan Wetland Habitats, Frogs and Toads
July 18 – River and Lake Ecology and Habitats
August 29 (runs until 2:30 pm) – Turtles, Snakes and Upland Habitats
September 26 – Beneficial Insects, Butterflies and Dragonflies and their Habitats
October 17 – Ecology of Trees and Shrubs
Register here:
https://events.anr.msu.edu/MMN_North_Country_2020/
Have Questions?
Please contact:
Julie Crick at Crickjul@msu.edu 989-275-7179 or
Beth Clawson at clawson@msu.edu
Learn How to Take Better Photos Outdoors
June 13, 2020, 9:00 – 11:00 am
Jan Kellogg will teach this class. She is a professional outdoor photographer, specializing in nature, animals and plants. Learn how to take better outdoor photos with a professional outdoor photographer. Jan Kellogg will be leading the class and specializes in nature, animals and plants. This is an adult course and is free to Public!
Photography class limit is 20 people, therefore early RSVP is encouraged. You must RSVP in order to be added to the list. Please RSVP using this Google Form
If you have any questions, please contact Samantha Peterson at PetersonS1@michigan.gov
Animal Tracks : Learn Identification Techniques
June 20, 2020, 2:00 – 5:00 pm
Lots of tracks can be found almost anywhere in Michigan. Have you ever wondered who they belong to and how to tell them apart? Come identify some of them with us in the wild on the first day of summer and make your own cast to take home from one of our rubber tracks!
Family friendly and free to the public!
You must RSVP in order to be added to the list. Class size limited to 30, so please RSVP using this Google Form
If you have any questions please contact Samantha Peterson at PetersonS1@michigan.gov
The World of Macroinvertebrates
June 30, 2020, time TBD
More details to come.
Space is limited to 30. Please RSVP to Samantha Peterson at: (989) 983-4101 or PetersonS1@Michigan.gov.
Ernest Hemingway’s Long History with the PRC
July 11, 2020, 10:00 – 1:00pm
A class on Hemingway’s love for, and experiences in, the PRC will be taught by members of the Michigan Hemingway Society. It will include discussion of Hemingway’s Michigan history and its influence on his writing, especially The Nick Adam Stories.
Field portion of the class will visit forest locations known to have been visited by Hemingway.
This is an adult course and is free to the public!
Hemingway class limit is 20 people, therefore early RSVP is encouraged. You must RSVP in order to be added to the list. Please RSVP using this Google Form
If you have any questions, please contact Samantha Peterson at PetersonS1@michigan.gov
Animal Homes : How to Recognize Them
August 2nd or 8th, 2020, 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Join us to learn about different places animals call home and how to identify them. The program will consist of a short walk in search of animal’s homes. Please come prepared for a hike and for the weather. Family friendly and free to the public!
You must RSVP in order to be added to the list. Class size is limited to 30, so please RSVP using this Google Form
If you have any questions please contact Samantha Peterson at PetersonS1@michigan.gov
Mycology : Learn about the Fungus Among Us
September 13th, 2020, 10:00am – noon
Join us on a nature hike where we will discover the wonderful world of Northern Michigan fall mushrooms. This is an introductory foray, led by Diane Farner, for basic mushroom identification, best practices and spore printing. Please come prepared for a hike and for the weather.
This is an adult course and is free to public!
Class size limited to 20, so please RSVP early. You must RSVP in order to be added to the list. Please RSVP using this Google Form
If you have any questions, please contact Samantha Peterson at PetersonS1@michigan.gov
Natural History and Biology of Cervus canadensis (Elk)
September 19, 2020, 2:00 – 5:00pm
This class will cover the history, characteristics, habits, habitat and management of Michigan’s elk herd, centered in the PRC. The field portion of the class will split into two parts to visit areas of the forest where elk may be viewed in their natural habitat.
This is an Adult course and is free to the public!
Elk class limit is 20 people, therefore early RSVP is encouraged. You must RSVP in order to be added to the list. Please RSVP using this Google Form
If you have any questions, please contact Samantha Peterson at PetersonS1@michigan.gov
Previous 2019 Educational Events
- March 16 Two Owl Prowl sessions (adult and youth class)
- March 25 Forest Ecology and forest firefighting techniques (youth)
- May 11 Astronomy: An Evening Under the Stars (adult and youth)
- May 31 Water Ecology for Girl Scout Troops (youth)
- July 8 Water Ecology (youth)
- July 9 “Reading” the river or lake to locate fish (youth)
- July 10 Understanding fishing equipment; practice casting (youth)
- July 11 Fishing at Pickerel Lake (youth)
- July 27 Sink hole lakes program (adult)
- August 8 Invasive species program (adult)
- August 22 Art and Science of Forestry (adult)
- August 28 Astronomy – Recent discoveries in the cosmos (adult)
- October 8 Nature’s Detective (youth)
- October 13 Changing of the Seasons (adult and youth)
In addition, the Steering Committee is seeking input from PRC visitors about developing additional class offerings. Please contact the Steering Committee below if you have suggestions and remember to include contact information of potential qualified presenters. Lastly, please check our website regularly for confirmed dates and times of scheduled classes.