Grand Traverse County

Thank you for your interest in the Michigan State University Extension Michigan Conservation Stewards Program (CSP), an educational program for those who are enthusiastic about learning science-based ecosystem management principles and sharing this knowledge with others to help improve their local communities. Through this program, participants will learn essential strategies to understand and help restore and conserve ecosystems in Michigan communities. 

The Grand Traverse County cohort will host their weekly evening sessions from 6-9 p.m. on Mondays, from Sept. 11 to Nov. 13, 2023. Many of the weekly evening sessions will be held at the Boardman Nature Center, 1450 Cass Rd, Traverse City, MI, as well as a few additional locations throughout Grand Traverse County. Exact locations and speakers will be announced once available. Please note, there will not be weekly evening sessions on Oct. 30 and Nov. 6, 2023.

The Grand Traverse County cohort's half-day field trips will be on Oct. 14 and Oct. 28, 2023.

Grand Traverse County Schedule 

Date

Topic

Location

Speaker

Sept. 11

Program Orientation; Foundations of Conservation: Ecological Foundations; What is a Natural Community?

Boardman River Nature Center

TBD

Sept. 18

Foundations of Conservation: Society & Conservation

Boardman River Nature Center

TBD

Sept. 25

Aquatic Ecosystems: Lakes

Boardman River Nature Center

TBD

Oct. 2

Aquatic Ecosystems: Streams 

Boardman River Nature Center

Steve Largent, Grand Traverse Conservation District

Oct. 9

Aquatic Ecosystems: Wetlands

TBD

Elliot Nelson, Educator with MI Sea Grant and MSU Extension

Sat., Oct. 14, 1/2-day field trip

Field Trip

Boardman River Restoration Site

Steve Largent, Grand Traverse Conservation District and Steve Silagy, EGLE Wetland Biologist Emeritus

Oct. 16

Terrestrial Ecosystems: Forests   

Boardman River Nature Center

Julie Crick, MSU Extension

Oct. 23

Terrestrial Ecosystems: Grasslands 

TBD

TBD

Sat., Oct. 28, 1/2-day field trip 

Field Trip

Boardman River Nature Center

Julie Crick, MSU Extension

Oct. 30

No Class

 

 

Nov. 6

No Class

 

 

Nov. 13

Putting it All Together: Capstone Project Celebration

Boardman River Nature Center

TBD

For cohort and content related questions, please reach out to Rachel Straughen at rstraughen@gtcd.org.

For general questions and registration assistance, please contact Shelby Warner at warner80@msu.edu or 517-884-7076.