MSU Extension Arenac County

Michigan Sea Grant Extension provides targeted support focusing on marinas and other businesses and restoring coastal habitats and related industries such as commercial and recreational fishing. In partnership with state and federal agencies, Extension educators are responsive and proactive in addressing local, regional and national issues relevant to Michigan. One such partnership is the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (NEMIGLSI) which is a regional network of education and community partners working to promote quality place-based or community-based education opportunities in Northeast Michigan for the benefit of our youth, our community, and the environment. MSU Extension and Michigan Sea Grant serve as leadership partners to this network. The initiative operates and supports programming through three primary areas including schools and educator support, quality professional development and strong community-school partnerships.

MSU Sea Grant Extension enhanced 30 schools across nine counties in Northeast Michigan who participated in programming and activities during 2017. Schools received support through teacher professional development opportunities, network facilitated funding or resources, and/or educational or technical assistance for student place-based stewardship education projects through the NEMIGLSI network.

MSU Sea Grant Extension directly supported 87 teachers (2016-17 school year) through professional development activities and support toward implementing place-based stewardship education efforts with their students.

In 2017, more than 260 Arenac County youth were engaged in hands-on learning through a variety of Great Lakes and natural resource stewardship projects supported through the NEMIGLSI partnership. The goal is to promote research, education and outreach to enhance responsible and sustainable use of our diverse Great Lakes resources.

AuGres-Sims school students are involved in watershed projects like river investigations and vernal pool monitoring. The students also partner to conserve and monitor biodiversity on Big Charity Island, part of Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Students map Pitcher’s Thistle plant, a federally threatened dunal plant. They also plot the density of invasive Phragmites over time as treatment measures are used.