Oakland 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 Oakland County cohort will host their weekly evening sessions from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesdays, from Sept. 13 to Nov. 15, 2023. Weekly evening sessions will meet throughout Oakland county. Exact locations and speakers will be announced once available. Please note, there will not be weekly evening sessions on Nov. 1 and Nov. 8, 2023.
The Oakland County cohort's field trips will be on Oct. 7 and Oct. 21, 2023.
Oakland County Schedule
Date |
Topic |
Location |
Speaker |
Sept. 13 |
Program Orientation; Foundations of Conservation: Ecological Foundations; What is a Natural Community? |
Oakland University |
Dr. Scott Tiegs, Oakland University; Kristen Wiltfang and Ryan Dividock, Oakland County Economic Development Dept. |
Sept. 20 |
Foundations of Conservation: Society & Conservation |
Drayton Plains Nature Center |
Ian Ableson, Six Rivers Land Conservancy; Kathleen Dougherty, Oakland Audubon |
Sept. 27 |
Aquatic Ecosystems: Lakes |
Living Water Church at Seymour Lake; Independence Oaks County Park |
Cleyo Harris, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) |
Oct. 4 |
Aquatic Ecosystems: Streams |
Stoney Creek Metropark Nature Center |
John Buszkiewcz, Michigan DNR; TBD, Clinton River Watershed Council |
Sat., Oct. 7, 1/2-day field trip |
Terrestrial Field Day |
Holly Township Library; Lost Lake Nature Preserve |
Julie Laughlin, Michigan Natural Features Inventory; Vern Stephens, Designs by Nature |
Oct. 11 |
Aquatic Ecosystems: Wetlands |
Addison Township Offices; Lakeville Swamp |
Ayden Ehgotz, Michigan Nature Association |
Oct. 18 |
Terrestrial Ecosystems: Forests |
TBD |
Gerry Pink, City of Rochester Hills |
Sat., Oct. 21, 1/2-day field trip |
Aquatic Field Day |
Independence Oaks County Park; Shiawassee Basin Preserve |
Erick Elgin, MSU Extension; Eric Diesing, Oakland County Parks & Recreation; Mike Losey, Springfield Township Parks & Recreation |
Oct. 25 |
Terrestrial Ecosystems: Grasslands |
Paint Creek Cider Mill |
Ben VanderWeide, Oakland Township Parks and Recreation |
Nov. 1 |
No Class |
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Nov. 8 |
No Class |
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Nov. 15 |
Putting it All Together: Capstone Project Celebration |
Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center |
TBD |
For cohort and content related questions, please reach out to Cathy Morris at morri735@msu.edu.
For general questions and registration assistance, please contact Shelby Warner at warner80@msu.edu or 517-884-7076.