Michigan Conservation Stewards Program returns in 2026 with six regional cohorts

Audrey Etzin-Gagner<gagnerau@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Join one of six learning cohorts for eight weeks of hybrid learning, field experiences and hands-on stewardship grounded in 20 years of community impact.

For decorative purposes.
Past Michigan Conservation Stewards Program participants conducting river water sampling during a cohort field trip.

Registration is now open for six regional learning cohorts as part of the Michigan Conservation Stewards Program (CSP), celebrating 20 years of community impact in 2026. CSP is geared toward adult learners who are enthusiastic about exploring natural areas in their local area, diving into science-based ecosystem management principles, getting involved in on-the-ground stewardship efforts, sharing their knowledge and experiences with the public, and empowering others to get engaged in local conservation.  

For decorative purposes.
Two previous participants of the Michigan Conservation Stewards Program collecting data in a local stream.

Through 8-weeks of hybrid instruction, self-paced online lessons are paired with in-person weekly evening sessions at unique indoor and outdoor locations. In addition, each cohort will have two Saturday field day sessions at natural areas within their region to further build on the topics explored during weekly instruction.

As a program through Michigan State University Extension, CSP leverages expertise from colleagues with Michigan Sea Grant, the Michigan Natural Features Inventory and more for course content and instruction. Remaining rooted in and responsive to local conservation needs is also a key tenet of the program, meaning each cohort gets collaboratively planned with a wide range of local conservation partners and organizations to enhance the place-based learning experience and community impact.

For decorative purposes.
MSU's Jeremy Hartsock shares his expertise on sphagnum moss during a field day session as part of the 2025 Michigan Conservation Stewards Program.

Another way CSP remains community-oriented is through an emphasis on applied capstone projects completed by participants under guidance from a local conservation mentor. This allows participants to take the essential strategies they’ve learned online, in the classroom and in the field to address a real-world conservation need right in their own community.

Learn more about previous capstone projects from the Oakland County Times and the Detroit News.

2026 Program Details

As CSP enters its 20th year of programming, the 2026 season will run starting the week of Aug. 24 through the week of Oct. 19. across 6 cohort locations, including:

The last date to register will be Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, with scholarship opportunities available for all. For additional details of the 2026 Conservation Stewards Program and to register, please visit events.anr.msu.edu/micsp2026.

Please note that the Michigan Conservation Stewards Program is for adult learners 18 years and older.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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