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Huron Pines and the Pigeon River Country Discovery Center are excited to help bring the MSU Extension Michigan Naturalist North Country program back to Northern Michigan in 2024. This program aims to foster an appreciation for the natural world by providing hands-on experiences in local habitats. Participants will learn about Michigan’s unique habitats, and the plants and animals that inhabit this region. The program also covers environmental challenges and the strategies employed to mitigate them. Certification in essential natural resource conservation topics is offered upon completion as part of the Michigan Naturalist program.

This program is six monthly sessions, May through October, with classroom and field components. The indoor sessions will take place at the Pigeon River Country Discovery Center, near Vanderbilt, MI (20 miles NE from Gaylord).  The outdoor sessions will take place in various locations around the Pigeon River Country State Forest. These sessions will run from 10 am - 4 pm each Saturday listed below. 

Topics/Dates for 2024:
May 18 - Geology and History of the Pigeon River Country State Forest
June 15 - Michigan Wetland Habitats 
July 20 - Beneficial Insects and an Overview and Impacts of Invasive Species
August 17 - River and Lake Ecology and Macroinvertebrates
September 21 - Michigan Grassland Habitats, Prescribed Fire, and Elk Habitat
October 19 - Michigan Forest Types, Tree Identification and Forest Habitat Structure for Wildlife

Capacity is limited.