Welcome to Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Immerse Yourself in Nature
What's New at the Institute?
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!
Creative Retreats at Batts Cottage
Apply for the 2026 Season! We are now accepting applications for the 2026 season.
Inside the Biological Field Station
Fellowships and Grants Have Closed: Steeby Natural Resource & Creative Arts Fellowships and Environmental Research Grants have closed. Reviews are underway!
Chelsea Bivens' Art Exhibit
Big, Bold, and Full of Life: The Art of Chelsea Bivens on display at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute now through April 28.
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute for Environmental Education
Set on 850 acres in rural Barry County, Michigan, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute serves as an environmental education center, biological field station, and nature preserve. PCCI offers visitors opportunities for education, recreation, research, and exposure to a variety of habitats, including wetlands, forests, prairies, and agriculture.
News and Announcements
Big, Bold, and Full of Life: The Art of Chelsea Bivens
Students in the Field: The Story of the Biological Field Station
Spring Calendar of Events
What's Happening at the Institute?
25sep01aprChelsea Bivens' Art Exhibit(September 25) 9:00 am - (April 1) 5:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Event Details
Chelsea Bivens is a local artist whose work is heavily influenced by her experiences living in this community. “Nature continuously fuels my creativity. I love
Event Details
Chelsea Bivens is a local artist whose work is heavily influenced by her experiences living in this community. “Nature continuously fuels my creativity. I love hiking the trails at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and the North Country Trail in the Yankee Springs area. I often come out of the woods with a sense of clarity, renewed inspiration, and an eagerness to get to my easel. I believe that every connection with nature is genuine and sacred. My work explores many different interactions with nature, hoping viewers find a piece that resonates with their own unique relationship with the natural world.”
“25% of sales will be donated to the Institute to further our mission: To inspire appreciation and stewardship of our environment.
Time
September 25, 2025 9:00 am - April 1, 2026 5:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
marMarch and April Storybook Hike: She Heard the BirdsMonth Long Event (March)(GMT-05:00)
Event Details
By Andrea D’Aquino Follow the journey of pioneering naturalist Florence Merriam Baley, who loved birds and became an
Event Details
By Andrea D’Aquino
Follow the journey of pioneering naturalist Florence Merriam Baley, who loved birds and became an activist to protect them.
Free (self-guided on the purple and green trails)
Time
Month Long Event (March)(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
marPoetry on the TrailsMonth Long Event (March)(GMT-05:00)
Event Details
Read poetry written by former creative arts fellows as well as Institute volunteers. Free (self-guided on the green trail)
Event Details
Read poetry written by former creative arts fellows as well as Institute volunteers.
Free (self-guided on the green trail)
Time
Month Long Event (March)(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
25sep01aprChelsea Bivens' Art Exhibit(September 25) 9:00 am - (April 1) 5:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Event Details
Chelsea Bivens is a local artist whose work is heavily influenced by her experiences living in this community. “Nature continuously fuels my creativity. I love
Event Details
Chelsea Bivens is a local artist whose work is heavily influenced by her experiences living in this community. “Nature continuously fuels my creativity. I love hiking the trails at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and the North Country Trail in the Yankee Springs area. I often come out of the woods with a sense of clarity, renewed inspiration, and an eagerness to get to my easel. I believe that every connection with nature is genuine and sacred. My work explores many different interactions with nature, hoping viewers find a piece that resonates with their own unique relationship with the natural world.”
“25% of sales will be donated to the Institute to further our mission: To inspire appreciation and stewardship of our environment.
Time
September 25, 2025 9:00 am - April 1, 2026 5:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
marMarch and April Storybook Hike: She Heard the BirdsMonth Long Event (March)(GMT-05:00)
Event Details
By Andrea D’Aquino Follow the journey of pioneering naturalist Florence Merriam Baley, who loved birds and became an
Event Details
By Andrea D’Aquino
Follow the journey of pioneering naturalist Florence Merriam Baley, who loved birds and became an activist to protect them.
Free (self-guided on the purple and green trails)
Time
Month Long Event (March)(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
marPoetry on the TrailsMonth Long Event (March)(GMT-05:00)
Event Details
Read poetry written by former creative arts fellows as well as Institute volunteers. Free (self-guided on the green trail)
Event Details
Read poetry written by former creative arts fellows as well as Institute volunteers.
Free (self-guided on the green trail)
Time
Month Long Event (March)(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
01apr4:00 pm5:00 pmSTEAM at the Library4:00 pm - 5:00 pm(GMT-04:00) FREE - Register Now!
Event Details
1st Wednesday of each month at Hastings Public Library 4 – 5 pm Wednesday, January 7
Event Details
1st Wednesday of each month at Hastings Public Library
4 – 5 pm
Wednesday, January 7
Wednesday, February 4
Wednesday, March 4
Wednesday, April 1
Learn about science, technology, engineering, art, and math! Join Hastings Public Library’s youth librarian, MSU Extension, and Institute employees as they share their favorite books, activities, and crafts with young scientists in grades one through five.
Free (please register online)
Time
April 1, 2026 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Location
Hastings Public Library
227 E State St, Hastings, MI 49058
02apr10:00 am11:00 amPlaydates in the Playspace10:00 am - 11:00 am(GMT-04:00) FREE - Register Here!
Event Details
(Ages 6 and under with an adult) Thursday, April 2 from 10 – 11 am Every season is outdoor
Event Details
(Ages 6 and under with an adult)
Thursday, April 2 from 10 – 11 am
Every season is outdoor season! Bring your little ones to explore nature through free play, activities, books, and more. This program is designed for children and their accompanying caregivers. Please plan to attend and be engaged with your child for this program.
Free (please register below)
Time
April 2, 2026 10:00 am - 11:00 am(GMT-04:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Event Details
Sunday, April 12 Brunch seatings at 11:15 am & 1:00 pmProgram at 12:15 pm & 1:00 pm
Event Details
Sunday, April 12
Brunch seatings at 11:15 am & 1:00 pm
Program at 12:15 pm & 1:00 pm
Join us in celebrating nature! Delight in seasonal menu selections and enjoy a talk by Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy about their work and a new project right here in Barry County. Explore the Institute and enjoy the current exhibit by Chelsea Bivens.
You do not need to attend brunch to enjoy the free program.
Member Adults: $24; Children ages 6 – 12: $14 (plus tax)
Non-Member Adults: $30; Children ages 6 – 12: $18 (plus tax)
Children 5 and under are free
Time
April 12, 2026 11:15 am - 2:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Event Details
Monday, April 13 at 9:00 am Join Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and your guides, Anne and Doug Klein, for a social birding morning. Enjoy
Event Details
Monday, April 13 at 9:00 am
Join Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and your guides, Anne and Doug Klein, for a social birding morning. Enjoy a beverage and chat with new and experienced birders. Then, hit the trails to look for some of Barry County’s very best birds!
Important Information:
– Please be prepared to hike up to one mile on uneven trails
– We will have a limited number of binoculars available to borrow
– The program will occur rain or shine
– In the event of inclement weather, we will offer a shorter information session
on birding topics
– Please meet in the Education Building
Time
April 13, 2026 9:00 am - 11:00 am(GMT-04:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
21apr10:00 am12:00 pmNature Book Club10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) FREE - Register Now!
Event Details
Ages 15+, under 18 with an adult 10 am – Noon Tuesday, April 21 – Land Marks: A Novel – by MaryAnn Lesert
Event Details
Ages 15+, under 18 with an adult
10 am – Noon
Tuesday, April 21 – Land Marks: A Novel – by MaryAnn Lesert
Join us on the third Tuesday of the month for our nature book club! With a solid mix of fiction and nonfiction biographies, this book club is for readers who share a keen interest in the natural world. There is no commitment other than to enjoy reading and sharing books about nature.
Feel free to join us even if you have not read the book (and be inspired to read it). Participants are required to obtain the books themselves. Many local libraries and bookstores carry these titles.
This club will be led by institute staff and volunteers.
Free (please register online)
Time
April 21, 2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
22apr6:00 pm8:00 pmEarth Day Dive-in Movie6:00 pm - 8:00 pm(GMT-04:00) FREE - Register Now!
Event Details
Wednesday, April 226:00 pm to 8:00 pm, movie begins at 6:30 pm Come enjoy a swim and a movie to celebrate Earth
Event Details
Wednesday, April 22
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, movie begins at 6:30 pm
Come enjoy a swim and a movie to celebrate Earth Day at the Hastings Community Education and Recreation Center.
This event is ideal for families with children.
Free (please register online)
Time
April 22, 2026 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Location
Hastings Community Education & Recreation Center
520 W. South Street
25apr10:00 am1:00 pmEarth Day Community Expo at Hastings High School10:00 am - 1:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Event Details
Join us at the Earth Day Community Expo to meet with local organizations and businesses to celebrate Earth Day.
Event Details
Join us at the Earth Day Community Expo to meet with local organizations and businesses to celebrate Earth Day.
Free (no registration required)
Time
April 25, 2026 10:00 am - 1:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Location
Hastings High School
520 West South St
(269) 948-4409
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.