Chippewa Nature Center Inc

THE CHIPPEWA NATURE CENTER IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO FACILITATE THE ENJOYMENT AND UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NATURAL, HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES AS RELEVANT TO THE SAGINAW VALLEY, TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND TO FOSTER RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP.

DEPARTMENT OF PROGRAMS: WHILE 2021 WASNT THE FULL RETURN TO NORMAL MANY OF US EXPECTED AND HOPED FOR, IT WAS FILLED WITH MANY FAMILIAR AND EXCITING SUCCESSES AS WE CONTINUED TO ADAPT AND INNOVATE. NATURE DAY CAMP RETURNED AND NATURE PRESCHOOL CONTINUED TO OPERATE WITH BOTH PROGRAMS SERVING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN MEANINGFUL WAYS. VISITS TO SENIOR CENTERS AND SERVICE CLUBS RESUMED AND COME FALL, SCHOOLS SCHEDULED FIELD TRIPS. VISITORS ENJOYED SEVERAL MAJOR FESTIVALS, AND TRAIL USE CONTINUED TO BE HIGHER THAN PRE- PANDEMIC YEARS. THROUGHOUT THE UNCERTAINTY OF 2021, ACCESS TO NATURE, WHETHER THROUGH PROGRAMS OR UNSTRUCTURED EXPERIENCES, CONTINUED TO MEET A DEEP NEED FOR ADVENTURE, PEACE, SOLACE, LEARNING AND WELLBEING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND BEYOND. THE VISITOR CENTER REMAINED OPEN FOR ALL 12 MONTHS, AND APPROXIMATELY 19,500 PEOPLE STEPPED THROUGH THE DOORS TO VISIT THE NATURE CENTER STORE, EXPLORE THE ECOSYSTEM GALLERY, WORK OR VISIT WITH FRIENDS IN THE RIVER OVERLOOK OR TO SEEK ADVICE OR A REST STOP BEFORE HITTING THE TRAILS. HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES REMAINED OFF-EXHIBIT, BUT THE WILDLIFE VIEWING AREA AND LIVE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS CONTINUED TO DRAW PEOPLE IN FOR A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. WHILE THIS VISITOR CENTER ATTENDANCE NUMBER IS SEVERAL THOUSAND VISITORS FEWER THAN IN RECENT YEARS, IT IS IN-LINE WITH THE ATTENDANCE WE WERE SEEING FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO AND REFLECTS THE RELUCTANCE OF SOME PORTION OF THE PUBLIC TO VISIT INDOOR VENUES. MASKS WERE REQUIRED INDOORS FROM JANUARY TO JUNE AND FROM AUGUST THROUGH DECEMBER. WHILE TRAIL USE DROPPED SLIGHTLY FROM 2020, IT REMAINED HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER YEARS. NEW AND RETURNING VISITORS CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE THE WELL- MAINTAINED TRAILS THAT HIGHLIGHT SO MANY SPECIAL PLACES AT CNC. THE ADDITION OF WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATIONS IN THE VISITOR CENTER AND RESOURCE BUILDING OVER THE SUMMER WAS WELCOMED BY RUNNERS, WALKERS AND BICYCLISTS. FROM BABIES IN STROLLERS AT WEE STROLL TO LIFE-LONG BIRDERS SEEKING SPRING WARBLERS, JUST OVER 5,000 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN NATURALIST-LED PROGRAMS DURING 2021. PROGRAMS WERE HELD ENTIRELY OUTDOORS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW SEVERE-WEATHER SITUATIONS AND PARTICIPANTS REGISTERED AND DROPPED-IN TO PROGRAMS IN HIGH NUMBERS. LONG-LASTING SNOW COVER RESULTED IN SNOWSHOE HIKES TWICE A WEEK FOR MOST OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. MARCH WAS FILLED WITH A MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION OF THE MAPLE SYRUP SEASON COMPLETE WITH STORY HOURS, ART, MUSIC, TAP-A-TREE EXPERIENCES AND AFTERNOONS AT THE SUGARHOUSE. SPRING GAVE WAY TO WILDFLOWER AND BIRD HIKES AND COME SUMMER, WE HIT THE RIVER WITH LOCAL KAYAK PROGRAMS AND WELCOMED VISITORS TO HOMESTEAD SUNDAYS. WITH THE COOLER WEATHER OF AUTUMN, PROGRAMS TURNED TO FALL COLOR EXPERIENCES, TURKEYS AND EVERGREENS. EACH MONTH, STORY HOURS, WEE STROLLS, FULL MOON STROLLS AND FAMILIES IN NATURE PROGRAMS CELEBRATED THE SEASONS AND CONNECTED PEOPLE WITH THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE AND WILDLIFE. IN ADDITION TO ON-SITE PROGRAMS, CNC PARTNERED WITH LITTLE FORKS CONSERVANCY, CHIPPEWA WATERSHED CONSERVANCY AND SAGINAW BASIN LAND CONSERVANCY TO DELIVER PROGRAMS AT THEIR SITES. THIS YEAR MARKED A RETURN OF SEVERAL OF CNCS ANNUAL EVENTS. THE NATIVE PLANT SALE RESUMED IN-PERSON SALES IN EARLY JUNE AND GARDENERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE REGION ENJOYED SELECTING THEIR WILDFLOWERS, GRASSES, SHRUBS AND TREES IN THE POP-UP NURSERY AROUND THE CHIPPEWA TRAIL PAVILION. OCTOBER WELCOMED THE RETURN OF BOTH FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL AND NATURE AT NIGHT. BOTH EVENTS WERE HOSTED ENTIRELY OUTDOORS WITH MANY HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES AND DEMONSTRATIONS SUPPORTED BY STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. JUST OVER 800 PEOPLE ENJOYED FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL AND 900 PEOPLE CAME OUT FOR NATURE AT NIGHT. THE NATURE ART SHOW AND SALE ONCE AGAIN FILLED THE VISITOR CENTER WITH ART AND ENERGY THE FIRST WEEKEND IN DECEMBER. AT APPROXIMATELY 500 ATTENDEES, ATTENDANCE WAS SIMILAR TO RECENT YEARS, AND ARTISTS WERE THRILLED TO BE BACK FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT. CNC ALSO WORKED WITH THE MID-MICHIGAN ROCK CLUB TO FACILITATE THE RETURN OF THE ROCK SHOW AND SALE IN EARLY NOVEMBER. THIS EVENT WAS WELL-RECEIVED BY THE PUBLIC AND BROUGHT OVER 1,300 PEOPLE TO CNC DURING THE WEEKEND EVENT.

LAND AND FACILITIES: CNC ACQUIRED APPROXIMATELY SIX ACRES OF LAND FROM THE CITY OF MIDLAND. THE PROPERTY IS NEAR WHITMAN DRIVE, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL CHIPPEWA RIVER FRONTAGE. CNC NOW HAS 1,504 ACRES OF LAND AND 9.22 MILES OF RIVER FRONTAGE. THE CHIPPEWA TRAIL BRIDGE LOCATED AT THE RIDGE PROPERTY WAS REPLACED DURING THE SUMMER. THE NEW BRIDGE HAS HELICAL PILINGS THAT SHOULD PREVENT HEAVING DUE TO FREEZE AND THAW CYCLES. DUE TO DAMAGE SUSTAINED IN THE 2020 FLOOD, STAFF AND CONTRACTORS RENOVATED THE NATURE STUDY BUILDING. DUE TO THE FREQUENCY OF FLOODING SUSTAINED BY THIS BUILDING, THE BATHROOMS AND KITCHEN WERE REMOVED, ALLOWING FOR A MORE OPEN FLOOR PLAN FOR A VARIETY OF SEASONAL PROGRAMS. THIRTY-FIVE TREES WERE PLANTED IN THE ARBORETUM IN 2021, INCLUDING 25 CEDAR TREES PLANTED BY EARTH DAY VOLUNTEERS, AND 10 PAPER BIRCH. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 107 SPECIES REPRESENTED IN THE ARBORETUM AND 416 SPECIMEN TREES AND SHRUBS. AFTER THE 2021 SEASON, APPROXIMATELY 761.75 ACRES (51% OF CNC LAND) ARE NOW CONSIDERED RELATIVELY INVASIVE EXOTIC PLANT-FREE. NEW AREAS INCLUDED 3.8 ACRES NORTH OF THE WETLANDS TOWER, 8.31 ACRES IN THE OXBOW, 33.3 ACRES AT THE ARBURY PROPERTY, 1.34 ACRES IN THE OUTER EDGE OF THE MAPES WOODS, 6.3 ACRES IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE RIDGE PROPERTY, 6.08 ACRES NORTH OF SIX ISLAND POND AND 2.32 ACRES ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE WETLANDS. A TOTAL OF 17 GALLONS OF MAPLE SYRUP WAS MADE DURING THE SEASON.

VOLUNTEERS AND OUTREACH: WHILE THERE WAS A SLOW START FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS IN 2021, AS THE WEATHER WARMED, CNC BEGAN TO SEE THE RETURN OF MANY OUTSIDE COMMUNITY EVENTS. THIS PAST YEAR, THE NATURE CENTER PARTICIPATED IN 13 EVENTS, DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES WE PARTICIPATED IN DURING 2020, BUT STILL ABOUT HALF THE NUMBER OF BOOTHS WE HAD DONE IN PREVIOUS YEARS. THE MAJORITY WERE HANDS-ON, INTERACTIVE BOOTHS WITH FURS, BIRDS, SKULLS AND CRAFTS AT EVENTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO EARTH DAY AT DOW HIGH SCHOOL, RIVER DAYS AND PARK-A-PALOOZA, BOTH HELD AT THE TRIDGE, AND THE MIDLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS STEM EVENT AND HALLOWEEN BASH. A FEW BOOTHS WERE MORE PROMOTIONAL IN NATURE, BUT AS ALWAYS, STILL HAD A SMALL EDUCATIONAL ANIMAL OR BIRD DISPLAY. THESE EVENTS INCLUDED THE SMALL BUSINESS DAY AT A GREAT LAKES LOONS GAME, THE DOW RUN WALK AT THE GREATER MIDLAND COMMUNITY CENTER AND NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT. AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO 2022, WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE SEVERAL PREVIOUS WINTER/EARLY SPRING OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES RETURNING AND HOPE TO CONTINUE SEEING OTHERS RETURN AS THE WEATHER WARMS. WE WISH TO THANK ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING AS WE NAVIGATE THE EVER-CHANGING COVID PROTOCOL. SINCE 2020, CHIPPEWA NATURE CENTER VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN WEARING MASKS AS REQUIRED, COMPLETED NECESSARY SELF-SCREENING FORMS AND BASED ON THE TWINKLE IN THEIR EYES, THEY CONTINUE TO SMILE (UNDER THEIR MASKS), REMAINING HELPFUL AND FRIENDLY WHILE VOLUNTEERING AND WORKING WITH OUR VISITORS. IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO SEE THE RETURN OF SO MANY VOLUNTEERS AS THE NATURE CENTER BEGAN TO OFFER A MAJORITY OF OUR MAJOR EVENTS (FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL, ROCK SHOW, NATURE ART SHOW & SALE AND AN IN-PERSON NATIVE PLANT SALE). OXBOW ARCHAEOLOGISTS RETURNED TO IN-PERSON WORK, WHILE EVAPORATOR AND HOMESTEAD VOLUNTEERS, LAND & FACILITIES VOLUNTEERS AND BOARD MEMBERS CONTINUED TO REMAIN ACTIVE THROUGHOUT THE PAST TWO YEARS. WITH THE RETURN OF NATURE DAY CAMP, 2021 SAW A RECORD NUMBER OF TEENS VOLUNTEERING AS CITS (COUNSELORS-IN-TRAINING) WITH CAMP.