Welcome to Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

Immerse Yourself in Nature

April Pierce Pickups

Pickup up at the Institute Noon-2 pm or at Anne's Health Food during normal business hours.

Order by 4/18 for pick up on 4/26.  Click here to Order.

Pierce Pickup Favorites

Pickup is available at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute from noon-2 pm and at Anne's Health Food Store during normal store hours.

Click the link below for more order and pick up dates.

Click here to Order.

2024 Holiday Gift Show Vendor Application

The 2024 Holiday Gift Show is Sunday, November 10 from 11 am - 3 pm.  We are accepting vendor applications until August 31, 2024.

Click here for the application.

 

Pre-Order Your Native Plants until May 27.

Pre-order your plants at www.CedarCreekInstitutePlants.com.

Join us at the annual Native Plant Sale on Saturday, June 1, 9 am-Noon. Plant stock will be subject to availability so we entourage per-ordering to obtain your favorites. FREE Event!

Membership

Of all the many things that matter at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, members matter most! Without their dedication, participation, and generosity, the Institute would not be what it is today. Nor could it be what it aspires to be in the future!

Become A Member

Creative Retreats at Batts Cottage are Now Available!

The Creative Retreats at Batts Cottage are available from April -- September and are offered on a one-,two-,or three-week schedule for writers, artists, photographers, and musicians of all backgrounds and genres.

Learn more here.
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Pierce Cedar Creek Institute Executive Director Michelle Skedgell Announces Retirement

Michelle Skedgell, Executive Director of Pierce Cedar Creek Institute since September 2001, has announced her plans to retire from the Institute as of December 31, 2024.   Michelle joined the Institute shortly after its opening. The Institute is a nature center, an environmental education center, and a biological field station, a destination of learning, research, and natural resource management on 850 acres in rural Barry County. The Institute's founder, Bill Pierce, and his wife, Jessie, created the Institute to give back to the community that meant so much to them and provide a welcoming space for everyone to connect with the natural world.

Continue reading here.

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, for Environmental Education

Set on 850 acres in rural Barry County, Michigan, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, a mix between an environmental education center, nature center and biological field station, provides visitors opportunities for education, recreation, research and exposure to a blend of diverse habitats including wetlands, forests, marshes, streams, lakes, and prairies.

What's Happening at the Institute?
Dive into the Fun: Explore Our Calendar to See All of Featured Programs and Events!

aprApril Storybook Walk:April Storybook Walk: And the Bullfrogs Sing: A Life Cycle Begins by David L. Harrison, Illustrated by Kate CosgroveMonth Long Event (april)(GMT-04:00)

aprPoetry on the TrailsCelebrate National Poetry Month by walking the trails and reading the writings of past Nature in Worlds fellows at the Institute. Month Long Event (april)(GMT-04:00)

19apr11:00 am1:00 pmConservation in a Changing World Series: Seeing the Forest for More Than TreesJoin us to discuss how healthy forests can help climate challlenges in check. 11:00 am - 1:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Register Now!

25apr3:30 pm4:30 pmWhat's in Your Backyard: What's Up with No Mow May?Learn what all the buzz is surrounding “No Mow May.” Join Logan Rowe, Conservation Associate with MSU Extension and Michigan Natural Features Inventory, as he discusses the science behind “No Mow May."3:30 pm - 4:30 pm(GMT-04:00) Register Now!

26apr(apr 26)8:00 am29(apr 29)8:00 pmCity Nature Challenge 2024Be part of a nation-wide nature scavenger hunt! Information will be available by the Visitor Center’s southside entrance.8:00 am - 8:00 pm (29)(GMT-04:00)

27apr6:00 pm9:00 pmSolar Summit: Connecting People and PowerJoin the Institute for an evening of learning the basics of solar energy and its impact on climate change. Sponsored by Consumers Energy. 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Register Now!

01may8:00 am8:00 pmMay Storybook Walk: Rare & Blue: Finding Nature's TreasuresTake a journey across various ecosystems to discover Earth's rarest and bluest treasures8:00 am - 8:00 pm(GMT-04:00)

01may4:52 pm31(may 31)4:52 pmWhat's in Michigan's Blue Waters4:52 pm - 4:52 pm (31)(GMT-04:00)

03may8:30 am10:30 amMigratory Bird Hike at the Little Grand Canyon-Space is limited. Call 269-721-4190 to register.Join the Barry County Bird Club in welcoming migratory birds to Michigan.8:30 am - 10:30 am(GMT-04:00)

03may10:30 am11:15 pmScience Storytime: Springtime PollinatorsLearn about the importance of springtime insects and how you can help them with stories, songs, and activities this pollinator-themed storytime hosted by Hastings Public Library.10:30 am - 11:15 pm(GMT-04:00) Registration not required.

07may10:00 am12:00 pmSpring Wildflower Accessible Tour - 10am, Full, Please call to be on the waiting list. 269-721-4190.Do you love spring wildflowers but not quite up to hiking the Institute’s trails? This is the program for you! 10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00)

07may2:00 pm4:00 pmSpring Wildflower Accessible Tour - 2 pm, One spot left. Call 269-721-4190 to register.Do you love spring wildflowers but not quite up to hiking the Institute’s trails? This is the program for you! 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm(GMT-04:00)

08may10:00 am12:00 pmSpring Wildflower Accessible Tour - 10 amDo you love spring wildflowers but not quite up to hiking the Institute’s trails? This is the program for you! 10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Register Now!

08may2:00 pm4:00 pmSpring Wildflower Accessible Tour - 2pm.Do you love spring wildflowers but not quite up to hiking the Institute’s trails? This is the program for you! 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Register Now!

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Environmental Education & Sustainable Land Management Initiatives

The Institute offers environmental education and sustainable land management programs to the community, instructing environmental stewards by communicating the core values of land conservancy, environmental responsibility and the pursuit of knowledge; provides scientific research grants and research partnerships with a consortium of area colleges and universities; and features over nine miles of hiking trails open to the public, free of charge, from dawn to dusk year-round.