This is a list of nature centers and environmental education centers in the state of Michigan.
To use the sortable tables: click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.
| Name | Location | County | Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay City Recreation Area | Bay City | Bay | Flint/Tri-Cities | 2,100-acre state park, Saginaw Bay Visitor Center features an exhibit hall with interactive natural history displays, a 100-seat auditorium, environmental education programs are offered year round for the public, school groups and other groups |
| Blandford Nature Center | Grand Rapids | Kent | West Michigan | website, 264 acres[1] |
| Boardman River Nature Center | Traverse City | Grand Traverse | Northern Michigan | 505 acres, operated by the Grand Traverse Conservation District |
| Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center | Shelby Township | Macomb | Southeastern Michigan | website, operated by the town in River Bends Park |
| Calvin Ecosystem Preserve & Native Gardens | Grand Rapids | Kent | West Michigan | website, 104 acres, Bunker Interpretive Center, native demonstration gardens, education programs |
| Chippewa Nature Center | Midland | Midland | Flint/Tri-Cities | Over 1,348 acres with 15 miles of trails, hands-on exhibits of the different types of ecosystems found at the center |
| Dahlem Environmental Education Center | Jackson | Jackson | Central Michigan | website, operated by the Dahlem Conservancy, almost 300 acres |
| Degraaf Nature Center | Holland | Allegan | West Michigan | website, operated by the city, 18 acres |
| DeVries Nature Conservancy | Owosso | Shiawassee | Central Michigan | website, 136 acres, over 4 miles of trails, farm, historic carriage and sleigh museum, nature playscape, nature programs, gardens |
| Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve | Rochester | Oakland | Southeastern Michigan | website, 16 acres including Paint Creek, trails connect to Paint Creek Trail, owned by City of Rochester, operated by non-profit Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve. Open Friday, Saturday, & Sunday afternoons, trails open dawn-dusk 7 days. nature programs for all ages, birthday parties, Children's Garden |
| Drayton Plains Nature Center | Waterford | Oakland | Southeastern Michigan | website, 137 acres, operated by the town |
| Eddy Discovery Center | Chelsea | Jackson | Central Michigan | Located in Waterloo State Recreation Area, features exhibits on the geology, natural history and cultural history of Waterloo State Recreation Area, 21,000 acres |
| Farmington Hills Nature Center | Farmington Hills | Oakland | Southeastern Michigan | website, located in 211-acre Heritage Park, exhibits, backyard habitat bird viewing area, native fish aquariums, a nature library, hands-on tables, Discovery Cove, operated by the city |
| Fenner Nature Center | Lansing | Ingham | Central Michigan | website, 130 acres with 4 miles of trails |
| Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve | Niles | Berrien | West Michigan | 105 acre (42 ha) arboretum, botanical garden and nature preserve with a nature center |
| Flynn Township Nature Center | Flynn Township | Sanilac | The Thumb | Flynn Township Nature Center and Conservation/Game Area is open to the public and allows hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities.[2] |
| For-Mar Nature Preserve and Arboretum | Burton | Genesee | Flint/Tri-Cities | website, operated by the county, 383 acres, 7 miles of hiking trails, gardens, education programs |
| Grass River Natural Area | Bellaire | Antrim | Northern Michigan | website, 1,443 acres, Grass River Center, managed by Grass River Natural Area, Inc. |
| Harris Nature Center | Okemos | Ingham | Central Michigan | website, operated by the town |
| Hartley Outdoor Education Center | St. Charles | Saginaw | Flint/Tri-Cities | 300 acres, owned and operated by the Saginaw Intermediate School District |
| Hawk Woods Nature Center | Auburn Hills | Oakland | Southeastern Michigan | website, 80 acres, operated by the City |
| Hoffmaster State Park | Muskegon | Muskegon | West Michigan | Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center features exhibits and programs about the dunes ecosystem |
| Howard Christensen Nature Center | Kent City | Kent | West Michigan | website, 130 acres, Red Pine Interpretive Center |
| Howell Nature Center | Howell | Livingston | Southeastern Michigan | website, about 300 acres, education, recreation and wildlife facility, residential and day programs |
| Hudson Mills Metropark | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw | Southeastern Michigan | 1,549 acres, Activity Center features exhibits on butterflies, Hudson Mills history and tree identification, nature trails, programs |
| Huron County Nature Center | Port Austin | Huron | Flint/Tri-Cities | website, 280 acres |
| Indian Springs Metropark | White Lake | Oakland | Southeastern Michigan | 2,215 acres park including the Environmental Discovery Center with an underwater pond viewing room |
| E. L. Johnson Nature Center | Bloomfield Hills | Oakland | Southeastern Michigan | website, 40 acres, over 2 miles of trails, visitor center with exhibits, 1800s homestead, operated by the school system |
| Kalamazoo Nature Center | Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo | West Michigan | website, 1,487 acres, over 14 miles of trails |
| Kensington Park Nature Center | Milford | Oakland | Southeastern Michigan | 4,481 acres |
| Lake St. Clair Metropark | Harrison Township | Macomb | Southeastern Michigan | 770 acres, nature center features live reptiles and amphibians, exhibits on Lake St. Clair, the wetlands, wildlife, and use of the area by French Voyageurs |
| Leslie Science & Nature Center | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw | Southeastern Michigan | website, animal house open on weekends, grounds, trails, and raptor enclosures open every day |
| Love Creek Nature Center | Berrien | Berrien | West Michigan | website, located in Love Creek County Park |
| Marshlands Museum and Nature Center | Brownstown | Wayne | Southeastern Michigan | Located in Lake Erie Metropark, natural and cultural history of Southeastern Michigan |
| MooseWood Nature Center | Marquette | Marquette | Upper Peninsula of Michigan | website, located in Presque Isle Park |
| Nankin Mills Nature Center | Westland | Wayne | Southeastern Michigan | Operated by the county in a historic grist mill |
| Nature Discovery | Williamston | Ingham | Central Michigan | website, features Michigan reptiles and amphibians |
| Nature Education Center at Hemlock Crossing Park | West Olive | Ottawa | West Michigan | website, 239 acres, exhibits, wildlife viewing area and a gift shop, operated by the County |
| Nichols Arboretum | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw | Southeastern Michigan | 123 acres, operated by the University of Michigan, features the James D. Reader Jr. Urban Environmental Education Center in Washington Heights |
| Oakwoods Park Nature Center | Belleville | Wayne | Southeastern Michigan | 1,756 acres, nature center features 700 gallon turtle tan, live snakes, frogs, toads, salamanders and fish on display |
| Outdoor Discovery Center Macatawa Greenway | Holland | Ottawa | West Michigan | website, 136 acre nature preserve, protects 1200 acres along the Macatawa River |
| Pierce Cedar Creek Institute | Hastings | Barry | West Michigan | website, 742 acres, mix between a nature center and biological field station |
| Pine River Nature Center | Goodells | St. Clair | Metro Detroit | website, Approximately 80 acres, focus is programs for area schools, owned and operated by the St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency. Universally Accessible Treehouse. Free. |
| Raven Hill Discovery Center | East Jordan | Charlevoix | Northern Michigan | Indoor and outdoor exhibits on science, nature, art and history, 157 acres |
| Red Oaks Nature Center | Madison Heights | Oakland | Southeastern Michigan | website, operated by the Fox Valley Parks District, located in the George W. Suarez Friendship Woods, formerly the Madison Heights Nature Center |
| Sarett Nature Center | Benton Harbor | Berrien | West Michigan | website, eight miles of trails through its 1000 acres |
| Seven Ponds Nature Center | Dryden | Lapeer | Flint/Tri-Cities | website, 468 acres on two sites |
| Stage Nature Center | Troy | Oakland | Southeastern Michigan | website, programs operated by the Troy Nature Society, 100 acres owned by the city |
| Sterling Heights Nature Center | Sterling Heights | Macomb | Southeastern Michigan | website, operated by the city |
| Stony Creek Metropark Nature Center | Shelby | Macomb | Southeastern Michigan | 4,461-acre park with over 8 miles of trails, nature center features live displays, snakes, turtles and fish |
| Stubnitz Environmental Education Center | Adrian | Lenawee | Southeastern Michigan | website, operated by the Lenawee Intermediate School District, located in Heritage Park |
| Thorne Swift Nature Preserve | Harbor Springs | Emmet | Northern Michigan | website, 30 acres, includes the Elizabeth Kennedy Nature Center, operated by the Little Traverse Conservancy |
| Thurston Nature Center | Ann Arbor | Washtenaw | Southeastern Michigan | website, 20 acres including 7 acre pond, managed by a volunteer committee of Thurston Elementary School |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn Environmental Interpretive Center | Dearborn | Wayne | Southeastern Michigan | website, 300 acres, operated by the University of Michigan-Dearborn |
| Whitefish Point Bird Observatory | Paradise | Chippewa | Upper Peninsula of Michigan | Seasonal public programs |
| Whitehouse Nature Center | Albion | Calhoun | West Michigan | website, operated by Albion College, 135 acre outdoor education facility |
| Wint Nature Center | Clarkston | Oakland | Southeastern Michigan | website, operated by the County in 1,276-acre Independence Oaks Park |
| Wittenbach/Wege Environmental Center | Lowell | Kent | West Michigan | website, 140 acres, owned by Lowell School District, outdoor learning center, community garden |
| Woldumar Nature Center | Lansing | Eaton | Central Michigan | website, 178 acres, over 5 miles of trails, outreach and on-site Environmental Education programs for children as well as adults |
Resources
editReferences
edit- ^ Smith, Sydney (8 September 2019). "Blandford Nature Center Begins Demolition as Part of $6.6M Highlands Restoration Project". MiBiz. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ "Sanilac Conservation District". Archived from the original on 2016-08-05. Retrieved 2016-06-02.