“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” — Rachel Carson

Pink Spring Cress photo by Marge Faber

June 2020

A Letter from the Executive Director

Hours

Visitor Center and Education BuildingClosed

TrailsOpen Daily

Dawn – Dusk

Mission Statement“To inspire appreciation and stewardship

of our environment.”

Board of DirectorsCarl Schoessel, President

Jim DeCamp, Vice PresidentJim Toburen, TreasurerWillard L. “Joe” Pierce

Sharon Van LoonMatt Zimmerman

Hilary Snell, Emeritus Trustee

Naturally Speakingis published quarterly by

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute701 West Cloverdale Road

Hastings, MI 49058Tel (269) 721-4190Fax (269) 721-4474

CedarCreekInstitute.org

EditorCathy Hart-Jansma, Development Director

DesignBarb Matyasic, Marketing Coordinator

Contributing WritersMichelle Skedgell, Executive DirectorMatt Dykstra, Field Station Manager

Ellen Holste, Community Program Manager

Copyright 2020Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

All rights reserved

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Adapting—That’s What We Do!Who could have imagined just a few short weeks ago what our world currently looks like? The coronavirus pandemic has changed life as we know it, and we are all dealing with it as best we can. That, of course, includes all of us here at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. Since the Governor’s first announcement, we have taken proactive measures. As of March 16, we have canceled or postponed all our public community and educational events through June. We’ve also canceled all our facility rental events to date. We have a cleaning and disinfecting system for our buildings, and we’ve implemented a schedule of only essential staff members in the office at staggered times to limit contact. We applied for and received a Payroll Protection Plan Loan that will help us in the short-term with payroll costs, and we’ve put some employees on a temporary work leave or cut work hours for others—but only those who would not be negatively affected by this change. I don’t need to tell you, it’s a tough time, but we are tough, and we will get through this and begin working our way to our “new normal.”

I’m sure life won’t look the same once we get to our “new normal,” and I must admit, I’m feeling a bit of trepidation about what it will look like. I just keep reminding myself, though, of a saying I used to hound my children with: “80% of your altitude is your attitude.” I think this saying is more important now than ever.

Here at the Institute we are blessed in so many ways: we have an endowment fund, although much smaller now; we have members and supporters who believe in us and continue to support us despite facing their own challenges; and our team here, including our Board of Trustees, is strong, supportive, and smart, again, despite facing their own challenges! Our team members are also very adaptable and cooperative, traits I have come to greatly appreciate. All of this will help sustain us as we react and adapt to our “new normal.” Through all of this, your continued support is more important than ever. Please keep in touch and know that we’ll get together again when we safely can.

Fortunately, we have found a way to run our summer research program and are looking forward to having students here this summer. We are developing online hikes, educational webinars, and other online ways to keep connected and continue to fulfill our mission of inspiring the appreciation and stewardship of our environment. We are also evaluating when we might be able to resume in-person programs.

With all of this uncertainty, we have decided, at least through this summer, to issue electronic, monthly newsletters. This, of course, is our first issue! Please stay home as much as you can to stay safe and healthy and know we are doing the same.

A little something to look forward to: in our July issue, I will share the exciting news of the full transfer of the 153-acres of the Kensinger and Alice Jones property to the Institute. Talk about an amazing gift—and talk about feeling grateful!

Take care,

A picture from my home office with my home coworker Rhea. (I had to bribe her with a treat to get her to pose. She’s usually sleeping on the bed!)

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Biological Field Station Update2020 Biological Field Station Student ProjectsThe Institute is excited to announce the fellows and researchers for the 2020 season. This year brings several new programs. The first program will have two students helping with the Cedar Creek Watershed Planning Project that is funded in part through Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s Nonpoint Source Program by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The other new program is called the Ballo Water Resources Fellowship, where a student will help land management staff with water and wetland monitoring and restoration at the Institute. To hear more from the students and to learn about their projects, attend the Virtual Biological Field Station Research Tour on June 25; see below for more information.

Virtual Lunch and Learn: Biological Field Station Research Tour Thursday, June 25 11 am – 1 pm

Learn about the exciting work happening this summer at the Institute’s biological field station. Participants will hear from researchers and fellows and discuss the research questions they are exploring, the art they are creating, and the stewardship work they are involved in. Free (donations accepted)

Environment Research Grants Andrew Vander Tuig of Calvin University will be working with Professor David Dornbos and fellow student Nathan Wilkes on multiflora rose. They will be comparing the competitiveness of multiflora rose to a number of native trees and shrubs with an ultimate goal of improving control of this species.

Josh Arnold is a graduate student at Grand Valley State University (GVSU). He will be investigating the effects of transplanting mussels on their survival. This research has implications for improving mussel translocations in dam removal and other construction projects. His advisor is Eric Snyder.

Megan Nippa and mentor Kathryn Docherty from Western Michigan University will be investigating the microflora of Baptisia species in restored prairies. The ultimate goal will be to improve the recruitment of this species and others in restored prairies.

Megan Moma and Faith Kuzma, returning students from GVSU, are working with Paul Keenlance and Jen Moore and continuing the eastern box turtle project from last year. This summer they will release headstarted turtles back into the environment and monitor their movement and survival.

Michela Coury, a graduate student at GVSU, will be monitoring spotted turtles at the Barry State Game area. Part of her work will be determining the impacts of predation on this state threatened species. Jen Moore is her faculty advisor.

Rachel Catoni and Ethan Jacobs will be working with mentor Brad Swanson to continue work with wild rice. They will be looking at a number of environmental factors that impact the success of wild rice plantings. This group is from Central Michigan University.

Natural Resource Fellowships and InternshipsAna Wassilak and Grayson Kosak, both from GVSU, will be working with Institute staff to complete work on the Cedar Creek Watershed Planning. Most of their work will involve collecting biological, chemical, physical, and social data on lakes and streams within the watershed.

Micah Meindertsma from Calvin University and Zach Whitacre from Western Michigan University will be the Steeby Land Management Fellows. They will be working with the Institute’s stewardship staff to maintain and restore the natural areas at the Institute.

Sarah Grimes from Hope College is the Ballo Water Resources Fellow. Sarah will be working with stewardship staff on aquatic restoration and conservation projects, including wild rice research that the Institute is doing in conjunction with the Gun Lake Tribe.

Gordon Art Fellowship Ruby Henrickson of GVSU will explore the natural world through a number of semi-abstract oil paintings that are inventive in terms of color, shape, and representational form. Ruby will be working with Jill Eggers.

Ashley Postema will be working with a variety of mediums to explore changing natural systems through the passage of time and from both long- and short-time scales. Ashley is from Aquinas College and will be mentored by Chris LaPorte.

Nature in WordsAddissyn House, a student at Kalamazoo College, will be working with Isabela Agosa to create a collection of poems that explore nature-based stories and fairy tales titled Forest of Stories.

Gabriella Rosa Lantinga of Grand Rapids Community College will be working on a collection of non-fiction, poems, and paintings titled Homebody. This project will focus on how life and changing landscapes affect an individual’s perception of home. Katie Kalisz will be serving as her mentor.

Elizabeth Walztoni from Aquinas College, a 2019 Steeby Land Management Fellow, will be returning for a second summer. This year she will be working on a series of short stories and maps, connecting characters and places.

To keep our participants safe, the programs offered this month are available via Zoom or our YouTube Channel, which can be accessed from our website.

Register online at CedarCreekInstitute.orgIf you are interested in learning more about Zoom, there are some tutorials on our website.

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Calendar of Events

Summer Storywalk: Take a Walk, Read a Book, Go on an Adventure! Bugs! They are everywhere: eating plants in our gardens, getting in our houses, making us itch, and just bugging us. But bugs are also important for pollinating plants and eating other pests. Quite often we use the term “bug” to describe any very small creature with legs, but, really, what is a bug? This summer we will explore what are “bugs” and why they important to us and our environment through stories in our Storywalk series. Every two weeks, we will post a new book along the Black Walnut Trail for you to discover and to learn more about bugs. This summer, come take a walk, read a book, and go on a buggy adventure!

Dates BookJune 1 – 14 Some Bugs by Angela DiTerlizzi June 15 – 28 Give Bees a Chance by Bethany Barton June 29 – July 5 An Extraordinary Ordinary Moth by Karlin GrayJuly 6 – 19 A Beetle is Shy by Diana Hutts Aston July 20 – August 2 Are You A Dragonfly by Judy Allen and Tudor HumphriesAugust 3 – 16 Noisy Bug Sing-Along by John HimmelmanAugust 17 – 31 100 Bugs! A Counting Book by Kate Narita

Science Storytime: Rocks Rock!Tuesday, June 2 10:30 – 11:15 am

Hear stories, sing songs, and engage in play and hands-on activities while learning about different types of rocks and rocks that can be found in Michigan in this storytime hosted by the Hastings Public Library and Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. This storytime will be live-streamed through Zoom, so you will have an opportunity to interact with and ask questions of the Hastings Public Library Youth Services Librarian Paige Brandli and Pierce Cedar Creek Institute Community Program Manager Ellen Holste. Although open to all ages, this storytime is geared towards toddlers through early elementary. Free (donations accepted)

Beginner’s Botanical Drawing: A Guide to Wild EdiblesWednesday, June 3 7 – 9 pm

Celebrate nature’s bountiful harvest this summer while learning to draw many wild edible plants from the comfort of your home! Join Dayna Walton of Solstice Handmade for a virtual class to explore the basics of botanical drawing with pen and ink and wild edible plant identification. This class will include all the necessary supplies—plant photo references, handouts, and art supplies—to make your very own wild edible guidebook or illustrated recipe. If black and white drawings are not your style, keep your watercolors, colored pencils, or crayons handy, and she will cover tips for coloring your drawings. You must register by May 23 to ensure your supplies arrive in time. The live class will be held via Zoom and will include time for questions and critiques. The class also will be videotaped as a reference for participants to watch at a later time. Space is limited to 25 participants. Members $30 | Non-Members $40

Virtual Coffee Talk: Stories from the Field with Dr. Brad SwansonTuesday, June 9 10 – 11 am

From counting blades of grass in the desert to trying to outfox foxes in Yellowstone National Park, Dr. Brad Swanson of Central Michigan University has studied it all and has the stories to prove it. Join him as he recounts some of his escapades working with black bears and bobcats in Michigan; wolves in Wisconsin; and ringed seals in Alaska. This talk will be live-streamed through Zoom, so you will have an opportunity to interact with Dr. Swanson and other participants. Dr. Swanson will give a 30 minute presentation, and then everyone will be broken up into “coffee tables” (aka break-out rooms) to discuss a few questions in smaller groups. After some small-group discussion, we will all join together again for closing thoughts. Although open to all ages, this talk is geared towards upper middle school students through adults. Free (donations accepted)

Virtual Stroll with Nature: Praying Mantis—Masters of Disguise!Wednesday, June 10 10 – 11 am

Praying mantises can camouflage perfectly into almost any environment. Learn the many ways they disguise themselves to hide from predators and catch prey through stories, hands-on activities, and suggestions for short “strolls” on trails or through your neighborhood. This program will be live-streamed through Zoom, so you will have an opportunity to interact with and ask questions of Community Program Manager Ellen Holste. Although open to all ages, this program is geared towards preschoolers through elementary students.Free (donations accepted)

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Calendar of Events

Science Storytime: Creepy CrawliesTuesday, June 16 10:30 – 11:15 am

Come hear stories, sing songs, and engage in play and hands-on activities about creepy, crawly, slimy, and icky creatures in this storytime hosted by the Hastings Public Library and Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. Although open to all ages, this storytime is geared towards toddlers through early elementary. Free (donations accepted)

Family Science Night: Boat ChallengeWednesday, June 17 Video posted at 6:30 pm on Facebook and on our YouTube Channel

“Whatever floats your boat” is a common saying, but what makes a boat float? Is it the materials, the design, or both? Be an engineer and join us in building and testing boats in this family-friendly STEM challenge! We will walk you through the activity, and then let your imaginations fly, or um, float away!

Materials needed for this activity include:

1. A container filled with water to test the boats such as large plastic tub, sink, bathtub, baby pool, etc.;

2. Whatever building materials you can find around your house or backyard such as sticks, vines, plastic containers, lids, craft sticks, foam, Styrofoam, straws, skewers, paper, aluminum foil, etc.;

3. Adhesives such as tape, clay, playdough, glue, etc.; and

4. Weights such as rocks, pennies, blocks, paperclips, bouncy balls, etc.

Native Plant SaleSaturday, June 13 9 am – 3 pmThe Pierce Cedar Creek Institute Native Plant sale will have over 40 species of native grasses and wildflowers available to provide diversity for your garden or natural area. There will be no “day-of” sales. All sales will be done through pre-orders, and all orders can be picked up in a drive-thru format. All sales support the Institute. If you would like to increase your support, which is especially appreciated during these uncertain times, please feel free to make a donation with your order.

The deadline for pre-orders is June 1.

Just a few of the native species that will be available:wild lupine (L), wild bergamot with a little butterfly milkweed mixed in (center), lanceleaf coreopsis (R).

Virtual BioBlitz Hike: Climbing Plants Thursday, June 18 4 – 5 pm

From poison ivy to Virginia creeper, Michigan is home to many vines and lianas that are important food and habitat for many birds and other wildlife. Learn the differences between different “climbing” plants, their identifying characteristics, native vs. non-native species, and species we should be concerned about. Participants will learn about climbing plants in a Zoom presentation and then given the tools to go outside and try to identify and record their plant observations through smartphone apps and online reporting.Free (donations accepted)

Virtual Stroll with Nature: Bees and Butterflies—Pollinator Power!Wednesday, June 24 10 – 11 am

Many plants rely on bees and butterflies to pollinate their flowers. Learn how these “bugs” are responsible for giving us many of the foods we eat through stories, hands-on activities, and suggestions for short “strolls” on trails or through your neighborhood. This program will be live-streamed through Zoom, so you will have an opportunity to interact with and ask questions of Community Program Manager Ellen Holste. Although open to all ages, this program is geared towards preschoolers through elementary students.Free (donations accepted)

Virtual Lunch and Learn: Biological Field Station Research Tour Thursday, June 25 11 am – 1 pm See page 3 for more information. Free (donations accepted)

Science Storytime: Amazing Animal AdaptationsTuesday, June 30 10:30 – 11:15 am

Hear stories, sing songs, and engage in play and hands-on activities while learning about adaptations animals use to move, eat, and just survive in this storytime hosted by the Hastings Public Library and Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. Although open to all ages, this storytime is geared towards toddlers through early elementary. Free (donations accepted)

Supporting the Mission

Art for the EarthIn celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, we asked youth to submit artwork to answer a simple question—“Why I love the Earth”— and were amazed by the answers we received. Over 80 youth submitted artwork in four age categories: under 5, 5–7, 8–10, and 11–14. Artwork ranged from simple crayon drawings to watercolors to collages of sand and moss and was evaluated on the following criteria: originality, quality of art, and how well they addressed the question.

Thank you to all the young artists for submitting your work and

for your love of the Earth!

And the winners are….

Josiah Woodall, under 5, showed his love for his home: “I love our Earth because I really love all of the farms we have on Earth. I love cows and how tractors give them hay bales.”

Isabella Gibbons, 5–7, took a more natural approach: “I love the Earth because it’s home to many beautiful plants and animals. It is also home to me!”

Mabel Hackett, 8–10, observed nature from a very different perspective: “I love how nature makes the old thing new and beautiful. For example, [in my drawing] this is a fence that has grown into an old tree. It is covered with raspberry and blackberry vines.”

Teagan Redmond, 11–14, had more of a place-based love of the Earth: “I love the Earth because my favorite place on it is Michigan. I love exploring the planet and it makes it even more fun when I get to explore with my friends and family.”

Annika Solmes, winner of the popular vote taken at the Institute’s Intersection of the Environment and Politics Conference in February, won the most votes by saying, “I love the Earth for many reasons like how much diversity there is. I tried to show this by drawing different animals having a diverse background. We should also protect the Earth, and I showed this by having one of the eggs each animal is protecting have an Earth pattern on it. Also, the Earth protects us, like the tree [in my drawing] with the Earth on it helps protect the bird.”