Welcome to Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

Immerse Yourself in Nature

Pierce Pickup Favorites

Order by Thursday of each week and pickup on the following Fridays at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute from noon-2 pm and at Anne's Health Food Store during normal store hours.

Pierce Pickup Favorites continue until August 22.

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.

 

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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News and Announcements

Finding Fiddleheads: Fern Identification Hike Postponed

Due to forecasted thunderstorms this Saturday, we have decided to postpone the Finding Fiddleheads: Fern Identification Hike scheduled for this Saturday, June 29. We have rescheduled it for Saturday, July 6 from 10 am - Noon.

There are a few spots left for this hike.  To reserve your spot, call (269) 721-4190.

Gala in the Garden Tickets are Now On Sale!  The Gala is Saturday, July 27, 6-9 pm

This year, we're bringing the festivities indoors, offering breathtaking views from the Visitor Center. Enjoy an enchanted evening of delicious food, delightful drinks, and festive music at our annual fundraiser. Tickets are available here!

Sponsored in part by the Douglas A. & Margaret E. DeCamp Foundation, Commercial Bank, Highpoint Community Bank, and Burnham and Company.

 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!

01jul8:00 am31(jul 31)8:00 pmJuly Storybook Walk: I AM SMOKE by Henry Herz; Illustrated by Merce LopezNarrated by Smoke itself, learn how humans have used and benefited from smoke over the centuries from cooking to communication.8:00 am - 8:00 pm (31)(GMT-04:00) Free

01jul8:00 am31(jul 31)8:00 pmThe Nature of FireFire can be frightening but also foundational.8:00 am - 8:00 pm (31)(GMT-04:00) Free

03jul9:30 am12:00 pmStewardship WorkdaysGet outside with the stewardship crew!9:30 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Register Now!

05jul10:00 am12:00 pmFun Fridays in the Play Space Sponsored by FlexFabJoin us for nature play in the Play Space this Summer!10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Register here!

06jul10:00 am12:00 pmFinding Fiddleheads: Fern Identification HikeGet an up-close look at the fascinating world of ferns. Learn about their vast diversity, identifying characteristics, how they are different from other plant species, and their variety of habitats. Due to forecasted thunderstorms, we have decided to postpone the Finding Fiddleheads: Fern Identification Hike scheduled for this Saturday, June 29. We also have rescheduled it for Saturday, July 6 from 10 am - Noon.10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00)

09jul9:30 am12:00 pmStewardship WorkdaysGet outside with the stewardship crew!9:30 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Register Now!

09jul6:30 pm7:30 pmSummer Scavenger HuntsJoin us for a scavenger hunt while learning about nature. This event is sponsored by Barry County Great Start Collaborative. 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm(GMT-04:00) Register Here!

11jul10:00 am12:00 pm2024 Trail Blazers Social Hikes - Thursdays Join us in this years’ social hikes to make new hiking buddies, enjoy good conversation, and feel comfortable hiking the trails. 10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Registration closed.

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11jul(jul 11)10:00 am17aug(aug 17)12:00 pmTrail Blazers Social Hikes-Drop-insCan't committ to the entire challenge? Register for the months you can attend!10:00 am - (August 17) 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Register Now!

augAnimal Tracks on the TrailsBe a nature detective and learn about common animal tracks you may encounter on the trails.Month Long Event (August)(GMT-04:00) No registration needed!

01aug8:00 am31(aug 31)8:00 pmAugust Storybook Walk: Poo-Dunit? A Forest Floor Mystery by Katelyn Aronson; Illustrated by Stephanie LaberisMouse wakes up one morning to a disgusting odor outside her door and a mystery on her paws — POO-dunnit! 8:00 am - 8:00 pm (31)(GMT-04:00) Free

02aug10:00 am12:00 pmFun Fridays in the Play Space Sponsored by FlexFabJoin us for nature play in the Play Space this Summer!10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Register here!

07aug9:30 am12:00 pmStewardship WorkdaysGet outside with the stewardship crew!9:30 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Register Now!

07aug6:30 pm8:30 pmField Station End of Summer CelebrationJoin us for an end of summer learning celebration with the Institute’s Field Station. 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm(GMT-04:00) Register here!

09aug6:00 pm8:00 pmDive-in Movie: Migration StyleThis event is hosted by the Hastings Community Education & Recreation Center, Barry County Great Start Collaborative, Hastings Public Library, and Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. Doors open at 6 pm. Movie starts at 6:30 pm.6:00 pm - 8:00 pm(GMT-04:00) No registration needed!

10aug9:00 am12:00 pmWild Rice Workshop -- For Barry County Private LandownersJoin Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and the Gun Lake Tribe, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Potawatomi Indians for education and discussion of wild rice.9:00 am - 12:00 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.