6/1/08   Sunday
1:30 - 5:00 pm

Free Admission
All Ages

Homestead Sunday
Take a break from your busy schedule and enjoy a peaceful afternoon at the Homestead Farm. Staff and volunteers will be on hand at our log cabin and one-room schoolhouse to answer your questions, give tours of the farm and teach lessons from long ago. Kids of all ages can help with chores, play traditional games and visit the farm animals. The Homestead and Schoolhouse are open Sundays, May 25 - August 31.

6/1/08   Sunday
2:00 - 5:00 pm

Registration
Deadline: 5/28/08

Member: $5
Non-member: $7
Ages: 14-18

Y08-05 Teen Trex: Ride the River in a Kayak
It's time to get wet in the Chippewa River. (It's also possible to kayak without getting soggy if you prefer!) We will hit the river at the Chippewa Cabin and make our way down to the Nature Center. Along the way we'll look for turtles, fish, herons and hawks. We'll provide all of the equipment and snacks and you can bring along your friends. Meet at the Visitor Center.

6/2/08   Monday
9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Registration
Deadline: 5/27/08

Member: $30
Non-member: $35
Ages:15+, under 18
w/adult

F08-36 Exploring a Bog
Here is your chance to visit a very unique wetland habitat with CNC's Jeanne Henderson and Phil Stephens. We will visit the bog at the Alma College Biological Station near Vestaburg, MI. We should find spaghnum moss, lady's slipper orchids, sundew, bog rosemary and pitcher plants, to name a few. Bring a lunch and we'll leave CNC at 9am and return by 3pm.

6/3/08   Tuesday
6:00 - 9:00 pm

Registration
Deadline: 6/2/08

Member: $12
Non-member: $15
Ages: 18+

F08-20 Local Kayak Trip
Join Kyle Bagnall on a leisurely kayak trip down the Chippewa River. Interesting facts about the natural and cultural history found along the way will be pointed out. This trip is an easy way to relieve the pressures of the week and get a little exercise and is a great way to get out and enjoy the outdoors! If weather or water conditions are not favorable, this trip will be canceled (determined the afternoon of the trip at CNC's discretion) and participants will be refunded.

6/3/08   Tuesday
7:00 - 9:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 9+, under 18
w/adult

Mid-Michigan Gemcraft and Mineral Society
Instructor(s): Pam & Bob Kirchoff

6/4/08   Wednesday
7:00 - 10:00 am

Free Admission
Ages: 9+

Bird Hike at the Wetlands Area
CNC's Wetlands Area offers a tremendous diversity of habitats, from second growth deciduous woods and grasslands to a remnant bog and the marshy wetlands. Senior Naturalist Janea Little will lead this hike to look for a variety of birds, including resident nesting species such as Marsh Wrens, Common Yellowthroats, Green Herons and Warbling Vireos. Meet at the Visitor Center and we'll carpool to the Wetlands Area (approximately 1/2 mile). Loaner binoculars are available.

6/5/08   Thursday
9:30 - 10:30 am

Free Admission
Ages: 3-5

Preschool Story Hour: Life in the Pond
Come spend an hour learning about nature! The hour will include a story and may include songs, art, rhymes and other age-appropriate activities.

6/5/08   Thursday
6:00 - 11:00 pm

Registration
Deadline: 5/29/08

Members: $15
Non-members: $20
Ages: 18+

F08-21 Nayanquing at Night
Nayanquing Point, located on the Saginaw Bay just north of Linwood, is well-known as an outstanding area for wetlands species. Yellow-headed Blackbirds, American and Least Bitterns, Sedge and Marsh Wrens, Swamp Sparrows, Black-crowned Night Herons and many other species can be seen and heard here. On this evening trip, we'll enjoy viewing many species from an observation tower and while walking some of the dikes along the wetland areas. But the show isn't over once the sun goes down, as the "thunder pumper," the American Bittern, then starts its unique call. Join Senior Naturalist Janea Little for this evening field trip to enjoy a great birding spot.

6/5/08   Thursday
7:00 - 9:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 9+, under 18
w/adult

Valley Herb Society
Instructor(s): Laura Dawson

6/5/08   Thursday
7:00 - 9:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 18+

Midland Hiking Club
If you enjoy taking hiking trip, both long and short, check out this new group to learn about the various trips members have done. At each bi-monthly meeting members will share information about recent trips and special speakers will share photos/slides from trips they've done.  To get on the e-mail list or for more information register at http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/midlandhikingclub.

6/7/08   Saturday
1:00 - 2:30 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 5-9

Nature for Youth: Insects
This program is designed to help kids develop a connection to the natural world through fun, hands-on activities including experiment stations, games, crafts and more. Each session is held on the first Saturday of the month at the Visitor Center.

6/7/08   Saturday
9:30 - 10:30 am

Free Admission
Ages: 3-5

Preschool Story Hour: Life in the Pond
Come spend an hour learning about nature! The hour will include a story and may include songs, art, rhymes and other age-appropriate activities.

6/8/08   Sunday
1:30 - 5:00 pm

Free Admission
All Ages

Homestead Sunday
Take a break from your busy schedule and enjoy a peaceful afternoon at the Homestead Farm. Staff and volunteers will be on hand at our log cabin and one-room schoolhouse to answer your questions, give tours of the farm and teach lessons from long ago. Kids of all ages can help with chores, play traditional games and visit the farm animals. The Homestead and Schoolhouse are open Sundays, May 25 - August 31.

6/10/08   Tuesday
6:00 - 9:00 pm

Registration
Deadline: 6/6/08

Member: $12
Non-member: $15
Ages: 18+

F08-22 Local Kayak Trip
Join CNC's Staff in a leisure kayak trip traveling down the river. Interesting facts about the natural and cultural history found along the way will be pointed out. This trip is an easy way to relieve the pressures of the week and get a little exercise and is a great way to get out and enjoy the outdoors! If weather or water conditions are not favorable, this trip will be canceled (determined the afternoon of the trip at CNC's discretion) and participants will be refunded.

6/11/08   Wednesday
6:30 - 9:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 18+

Woodcarvers
Instructor(s): Barb and Willy Stewart

6/12/08   Thursday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 5+, under 18
w/adult

Bird Banding Research
If you missed the opportunity last year to see how birds are caught in mist nets and banded for the purpose of research, there are several chances again this summer for you to make such observations. This third year of bird banding research at the Chippewa Nature Center provides a great chance for you to see resident and migratory birds up close.

You can drop in at the east wetlands parking lot off of Grey road (the gate will be open during banding hours) and see these birds and learn from Chippewa Nature Staff and researcher and president of the Michigan Bird Banding Association, Mike Bishop.

If it is raining or windy banding will not take place. If you are questioning whether the banding will be taking place, you can call the front office after 8am to finalize whether it's worth making the trip.

6/12/08   Thursday
2:00 - 5:00 pm

Registration
Deadline: 6/9/08

Members: $12
Non-members: $15
Ages: 5+, under 18
w/adult 

F08-23 Family Voyageur Canoe Trip
Pack up the family, grab a paddle and join Dennis Pilaske for an exciting adventure as we paddle a section of the Chippewa River in a 29-foot Voyageur Canoe. The canoes are fiberglass reproductions of the birch bark canoes used by voyageurs to haul loads of trade goods and valuable animal pelts in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the trip we'll explore the natural and cultural resources of the area and share stories of the past, all while having a truly unique outdoor experience. If weather or water conditions are not favorable, this trip will be canceled (determined the afternoon of the trip at CNC's discretion) and participants will be refunded.

6/13/08   Friday
9:30 - 10:30 am

Free Admission
Ages: 6 mos.-2 yrs.
w/adult

Wee Stroll
This program is designed for parents to take a guided walk with their child, learn about the outdoors and learn ways to introduce children to the natural world around them.

6/13/08   Friday
7:00 - 9:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 9+

Wildlife Walk
What do you do if you encounter a skunk on a trail? What does the slap of a beaver's tail on the pond sound like? Join Senior Naturalist Janea Little for this evening walk to look and listen for wildlife, and get answers to these and many other questions about animals that are active at night. At this time of year, we are likely to encounter a wonderful light show by fireflies, hear a chorus of Gray Treefrogs, and possibly spot a doe with a newborn fawn.

6/14/08   Saturday
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 12+

Using a GPS
Have you always wanted to learn how to use a handheld global positioning system (GPS) but been confused by the space age technology in your hand? Dennis Pilaske will take you through the basics of using a GPS, explain how to use it for navigation in the outdoors and give you a chance to use one outside. Explore the outdoors in a new way by trying out these popular navigation devices. There is no fee for this program, but you must call and ahead and reserve your space in the class.

6/15/08   Sunday
1:30 - 5:00 pm

Free Admission
All Ages

Homestead Sunday
Take a break from your busy schedule and enjoy a peaceful afternoon at the Homestead Farm. Staff and volunteers will be on hand at our log cabin and one-room schoolhouse to answer your questions, give tours of the farm and teach lessons from long ago. Kids of all ages can help with chores, play traditional games and visit the farm animals. The Homestead and Schoolhouse are open Sundays, May 25 - August 31.

6/17/08   Tuesday
9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Members: $50
Non-members: $50
Ages: 18+

EW08-02 POW! The Planning of Wetlands
Are you looking for a wetlands curriculum to use in your classroom? Are you interested in building a wetland habitat in your schoolyard? Environmental Concern and the Chippewa Nature Center are presenting a one-day workshop to provide you with the hands-on information you need to begin a schoolyard wetland habitat project and the tools to keep your students learning for years to come. This workshop includes the POW! The Planning of Wetlands publication, which combines the expertise of Dr. Edgar Garbisch, a pioneer in the field of wetland restoration, with hands-on, creative activities to keep your students involved every step of the way. The POW! publication is correlated to national science standards so schools can combine science curriculum with actual environmental stewardship.

Come Explore the Wonders of Wetlands! Leave this one-day workshop with the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to plan and build a schoolyard wetland habitat and integrate wetlands across the curriculum. Scholarships are available. Space is limited to 30, so be sure to register two weeks in advance to secure your spot. Lunch, snacks, and supplies are included.

6/18/08   Wednesday
9:30 - 11:30 am
1:00 - 3:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 5-9

Summer Sizzlers: Those "Wild" Flowers!
This program is designed to help kids develop a connection to the natural world through fun, hands-on activity stations including experiments, games, crafts and more!

6/18/08   Wednesday
7:00 - 8:00 pm

Free Admission
All Ages

Night Crawlers: Those "Wild" Flowers!
Couldn't make it to the Summer Sizzlers program during the day? This program is designed to help kids develop a connection to the natural world through fun, hands-on activity stations including experiments, games, crafts and more!

6/18/08   Wednesday
9:00 - 11:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 9+

Full Moon Walk
The full moon in June is often called the "Strawberry Moon," but it will be too dark for most of this hike to see strawberries. Join Senior Naturalist Janea Little for this nighttime walk to look and listen for wildlife, and enjoy the view of the full moon. We'll try to walk without using flashlights, but bring one along, just in case! Please wear dark clothing so we will be less visible to the wildlife.

6/19/08   Thursday
9:30 - 10:30 am

Free Admission
Ages: 3-5

Preschool Story Hour: Are You a Bee?
Come spend an hour learning about nature! The hour will include a story and may include songs, art, rhymes and other age-appropriate activities.

6/19/08   Thursday
6:00 - 9:00 pm

Registration
Deadline: 6/13/08

Members: $12
Non-members: $15
Ages: 15+

F08-24 Adventures for Women Kayak Trip
Enjoy a quiet paddling trip down the Chippewa River, a wide, slow-moving river perfect for either beginners or experts who want to relax. We'll drive to CNC's Chippewa Cabin (about seven river miles upstream), put the kayaks in the river and float down to our main canoe launch just downstream of the Pine/Chippewa River confluence. Along the way, we'll watch for herons, eagles, map turtles, orioles, flycatchers, muskrat, mink, fish, and other wildlife who call the river "home." Kayaking (or canoeing) is a wonderful way to gain a new perspective of the river, with close-up views of tree trunks battered by breaking spring ice, contrasting scenes of peaceful forest versus lawns with mowers ablazing, and the different habitats within the river itself provided by varying water depths and substrates.

6/20/08   Friday
8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Registration
Deadline: 6/13/08

Contact Creative Spirit Center to Register: 989-837-1885

Members: $45
Non-members: $49
Ages: 18+

Harvest Wind Farm Tour
In collaboration with Chippewa Nature Center, Creative Spirit Center is hosting a tour of the Harvest Wind Farm in Pigeon, Michigan. With naturalist Janea Little and global warming educator Peter Sinclair, we will leave Midland at 8.30 a.m. and travel together to Pigeon for a guided tour of the wind farm and, as a bonus, tour the Laker High School biofuel installations. Bring journals, cameras, sketching materials and other media to capture your impressions of this visionary and beautiful installation. Then we will have lunch together (going Dutch) and share our experiences and impressions, before returning to Midland between 4 and 5 p.m. Transportation and water en route provided.

6/21/08   Saturday
7:00 - 9:00 am

Free Admission
Ages: 9+

Short-N-Sweet Bird Hike
Beginners and experts alike are welcome to join Senior Naturalist Janea Little for this two-hour bird hike. Migration is behind us and nesting season is in full-swing, so our ears will be bombarded by birds singing to defend their territory. Many species have already raised their first clutch, so we may also spot some recently-fledged cardinals, chickadees, woodpeckers and other early-nesters. Loaner binoculars are available.

6/22/08   Sunday
1:30 - 5:00 pm

Free Admission
All Ages

Homestead Sunday
Take a break from your busy schedule and enjoy a peaceful afternoon at the Homestead Farm. Staff and volunteers will be on hand at our log cabin and one-room schoolhouse to answer your questions, give tours of the farm and teach lessons from long ago. Kids of all ages can help with chores, play traditional games and visit the farm animals. The Homestead and Schoolhouse are open Sundays, May 25 - August 31.

6/24/08   Tuesday
9:30 - 11:30 am

Free Admission
All Ages

Plant Prowl
Come and explore the Meadow Mouse Area with CNC Naturalist Karen Breternitz. This area has a variety of trees and shrubs - not to mention the incredible variety of woody vines along the riverbank. We will also talk about fungi, lichens, ferns and whatever else we find.

6/25/08   Wednesday
9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 18+

Quilters
Instructor(s): Betty Thayer

6/25/08   Wednesday
9:30 - 11:30 am
1:00 - 3:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 5-9

Summer Sizzlers: A Spider's World
This program is designed to help kids develop a connection to the natural world through fun, hands-on activity stations including experiments, games, crafts and more!

6/25/08   Wednesday
7:00 - 8:00 pm

Free Admission
All Ages

Night Crawlers: A Spider's World
Couldn't make it to the Summer Sizzlers program during the day? This program is designed to help kids develop a connection to the natural world through fun, hands-on activity stations including experiments, games, crafts and more!

6/25/08   Wednesday
6:30 - 9:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 18+

Woodcarvers
Instructor(s): Barb and Willy Stewart

6/26/08   Thursday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 5+, under 18
w/adult

Bird Banding Research
If you missed the opportunity last year to see how birds are caught in mist nets and banded for the purpose of research, there are several chances again this summer for you to make such observations. This third year of bird banding research at the Chippewa Nature Center provides a great chance for you to see resident and migratory birds up close.

You can drop in at the east wetlands parking lot off of Grey road (the gate will be open during banding hours) and see these birds and learn from Chippewa Nature Staff and researcher and president of the Michigan Bird Banding Association, Mike Bishop.

If it is raining or windy banding will not take place. If you are questioning whether the banding will be taking place, you can call the front office after 8am to finalize whether it's worth making the trip.

6/26/08   Thursday
2:00 - 4:00 pm

Free Admission
Ages: 9+

Butterfly Hike
The Butterfly Count is only a few weeks away, so it's time to practice identifying these winged jewels! Senior Naturalist Janea Little will take you afield to show you how to identify, and sometimes capture, the variety of butterflies that call CNC "home." We are likely to give chase to a few of the less-cooperative individuals, so long pants are a wise choice to prevent the thistles and stinging nettle that lurk just off the trail from becoming a problem.

6/28/08   Saturday
9:00 am -
6/29/08   Sunday
5:00 pm

Registration
Deadline: 5/30/08

Member: $120
Non-member: $150
Ages: 15+, under 18
w/adult

F08-25 Wildlife Safari at Seney
Seney National Wildlife Refuge, located between the towns of Germfask and Seney in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, provides wonderful wildlife watching opportunities. The 7,000+ acre refuge is home to over 200 species of birds, including breeding populations of Common Loons, Sandhill Cranes, Trumpeter Swans, Ospreys and Bald Eagles. It is also an easy refuge to access, with several miles of roads and dikes that can be walked, bicycled or driven. In this two-day field trip, led by Senior Naturalist Janea Little and Educator Jeanne Henderson, we'll explore these easily-accessible parts of the refuge, including a 1-1/2-mile walking trail near the Visitor Center. Our time will be split between driving the roads of the refuge and walking various trails and roads to look and listen for wildlife.

For details on transportation, lodging, meals, the itinerary, accommodations, and recommended equipment/food list, see the full trip description.

6/29/08   Sunday
1:30 - 5:00 pm

Free Admission
All Ages

Homestead Sunday
Take a break from your busy schedule and enjoy a peaceful afternoon at the Homestead Farm. Staff and volunteers will be on hand at our log cabin and one-room schoolhouse to answer your questions, give tours of the farm and teach lessons from long ago. Kids of all ages can help with chores, play traditional games and visit the farm animals. The Homestead and Schoolhouse are open Sundays, May 25 - August 31.