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!
Apply for the 2026 Season!
The Creative Retreats at Batts Cottage are currently closed for the 2025 season. The Retreats will be available again starting in April 2026.
We are now accepting applications for the 2026 season.
Holiday Building Closures
Our Visitor Center and Education Building will be closed on the following dates for the holidays:
- Thursday, November 27
- Friday, November 28
- Wednesday, December 24
- Thursday, December 25
- Wednesday, December 31
- Thursday, January 1
Starting December 1, our trails will reopen to regular operating hours.
Trails are free to hike and open from dawn to dusk. Bathrooms and drinking fountains are available at the south end of the Visitor Center during the same hours.
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, nature center, and biological field station. PCCI offers visitors opportunities for education, recreation, research, and exposure to a variety of habitats, including wetlands, forests, marshes, streams, lakes, and prairies.
News and Announcements
Apply to be a Vendor for our 2026 Holiday Gift Show
December Pierce Pickups
Check out this month's Pierce Pickups menu! Order your next delicious dinner now!
Check Out Our Winter Upcoming Events Flyer
Winter Upcoming Events Flyer
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
Event Details
Many animals call the forest their home, but how do they learn to coexist? Some animals are awake during the day, and some are nocturnal.
Event Details
Many animals call the forest their home, but how do they learn to coexist? Some animals are awake during the day, and some are nocturnal. Compare these two groups of animals that live amongst the trees!
Free (self-guided on the purple and green trails)
Time
Month Long Event (November)(GMT-04:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
novWhose Track is That?Month Long Event (November)(GMT-04:00)
Event Details
Check out the tracks of our most frequent visitors! Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is home to many species of mammals. Can you follow their tracks?
Event Details
Check out the tracks of our most frequent visitors! Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is home to many species of mammals. Can you follow their tracks?
Free (self-guided on the green trail)
Time
Month Long Event (November)(GMT-04:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
decGifts That Give BackMonth Long Event (December)(GMT-05:00)
Event Details
Visit our expanded Gift Shop during the holidays to discover unique, nature-inspired gifts that support the Institute’s mission: To inspire appreciation and stewardship of our
Event Details
Visit our expanded Gift Shop during the holidays to discover unique, nature-inspired gifts that support the Institute’s mission: To inspire appreciation and stewardship of our environment. The selection features items from local artists, students, and fair trade.
Members receive a 10% discount on their purchases every day and 25% off one item during their birthday month.
Time
Month Long Event (December)(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Event Details
Mondays in December and January 11 am – 4 pm Monday, December 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
Event Details
Mondays in December and January
11 am – 4 pm
Monday, December 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
Monday, January 5, 12, 19, and 26
Stay warm indoors and work with your hands this winter! A seed cleaning station is set up with everything you need to get started. Tea, coffee, and snacks are free. Drop in anytime between 11 am – 4 pm in the Education Building to get started.
Free (no registration required)
Time
December 1, 2025 11:00 am - January 26, 2026 4:00 pm(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Event Details
Sunday, December 14 Brunch Seatings: 11:15 am and 1 pm Concert: 12:15 – 1 pm Join
Event Details
Sunday, December 14
Brunch Seatings: 11:15 am and 1 pm
Concert: 12:15 – 1 pm
Join us in celebrating the holiday season! Delight in festive menu selections and seasonal music by the Kalamazoo Concert Brass. Explore the Institute and enjoy the current exhibit by Chelsea Bivens. Chelsea will be available for conversations throughout the day.
Member Adults $24; Children $14 | Non-Member Adults $30; Children $18 (plus tax)
Children ages 6 – 12; 5 and under are free
Time
December 14, 2025 11:15 am - 2:00 pm(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
19dec(dec 19)9:00 am28(dec 28)5:00 pmWinter Break Kits9:00 am - 5:00 pm (28)(GMT-05:00)
Event Details
(Ages birth to 18) Friday, December 19 to Sunday, December 28 Stop by the Institute near the southside bathrooms,
Event Details
(Ages birth to 18)
Friday, December 19 to Sunday, December 28
Stop by the Institute near the southside bathrooms, Hastings Public Library, Delton District Library, or Dowling Library to pick up a free kit filled with winter fun and hands-on activities to keep learning and exploring during the break. Kits are grouped by age or grade level: birth to 2 years old, preschool, early elementary, upper elementary, and teens.
Sponsored by the DeCamp Foundation and Bradford White.
Free
Time
December 19, 2025 9:00 am - December 28, 2025 5:00 pm(GMT-05:00)
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
novWhose Track is That?Month Long Event (November)(GMT-04:00)
Event Details
Check out the tracks of our most frequent visitors! Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is home to many species of mammals. Can you follow their tracks?
Event Details
Check out the tracks of our most frequent visitors! Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is home to many species of mammals. Can you follow their tracks?
Free (self-guided on the green trail)
Time
Month Long Event (November)(GMT-04:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Event Details
Mondays in December and January 11 am – 4 pm Monday, December 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
Event Details
Mondays in December and January
11 am – 4 pm
Monday, December 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
Monday, January 5, 12, 19, and 26
Stay warm indoors and work with your hands this winter! A seed cleaning station is set up with everything you need to get started. Tea, coffee, and snacks are free. Drop in anytime between 11 am – 4 pm in the Education Building to get started.
Free (no registration required)
Time
December 1, 2025 11:00 am - January 26, 2026 4:00 pm(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Event Details
By Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Jamey Christoph Take a journey through the Great Lakes, tracing a drop of
Event Details
By Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Jamey Christoph
Take a journey through the Great Lakes, tracing a drop of water down rivers, over falls, and through unique Great Lakes environments on its way to the Atlantic Ocean.
Free (self-guided on the purple and green trails)
Time
Month Long Event (January)(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
janWinter BirdsMonth Long Event (January)(GMT-05:00)
Event Details
Friday, January 2 through Saturday, February 28 Learn about the common backyard birds you’ll see during the winter here in Michigan.
Event Details
Friday, January 2 through Saturday, February 28
Learn about the common backyard birds you’ll see during the winter here in Michigan.
Free (self-guided on the green trail)
Time
Month Long Event (January)(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
06jan1:00 pm2:30 pmWinter Shrub Removal1:00 pm - 2:30 pm(GMT-05:00)
Event Details
1st and 3rd Tuesday of January and February 1 – 2:30 pm Tuesday, January 6 and 20
Event Details
1st and 3rd Tuesday of January and February
1 – 2:30 pm
Tuesday, January 6 and 20
Tuesday, February 3 and 17
Join the team of hardcore winter stewards in removing invasive shrubs in the Institute’s prairies and woodlands. This group meets at 1 pm at the Maintenance Building.
Free (no registration required)
Time
January 6, 2026 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
07jan4:00 pm5:00 pmSTEAM at the Library4:00 pm - 5:00 pm(GMT-05:00)
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 (no registration required)
Time
January 7, 2026 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm(GMT-05:00)
Location
Hastings Public Library
227 E State St, Hastings, MI 49058
Event Details
(Ages 15+, under 18 with an adult) Friday, January 9 Program 10:30 am – 2 pm
Event Details
(Ages 15+, under 18 with an adult)
Friday, January 9
Program 10:30 am – 2 pm
Lunch Noon – 1 pm
What’s up with the spongy moths? Join University of Chicago professor Dr. Greg Dwyer and the Barry Conservation District for an update on this invasive species. Learn about the moth, the virus, and what we can do about it! This workshop will include an outdoor ID session in the afternoon (weather permitting), so please come dressed for the outdoors!
Program and Lunch: Members $15 | Non-Members $21
Program only: Members Free | Non-Members $8
Please register by Friday, January 2, to reserve lunch.
Time
January 9, 2026 10:30 am - 2:00 pm(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
20jan10:00 am12:00 pmNature Book Club10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-05:00) Register for Free Here!
Event Details
(Ages 15+, under 18 with an adult) Third Tuesday of the Month 10 am – Noon
Event Details
(Ages 15+, under 18 with an adult)
Third Tuesday of the Month
10 am – Noon
Tuesday, January 20 –Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell – by Sy Montgomery
Tuesday, February 17 – We Loved It All: A Memory of Life – by Lydia Millet
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). This club will be led by Institute staff and volunteers.
Free (please register online) (Participants are required to obtain the books themselves. Many local libraries and bookstores carry these titles. If you can’t find a book, contact the institute for assistance!)
Time
January 20, 2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
20jan1:00 pm2:30 pmWinter Shrub Removal1:00 pm - 2:30 pm(GMT-05:00)
Event Details
1st and 3rd Tuesday of January and February 1 – 2:30 pm Tuesday, January 6 and 20
Event Details
1st and 3rd Tuesday of January and February
1 – 2:30 pm
Tuesday, January 6 and 20
Tuesday, February 3 and 17
Join the team of hardcore winter stewards in removing invasive shrubs in the Institute’s prairies and woodlands. This group meets at 1 pm at the Maintenance Building.
Free (no registration required)
Time
January 20, 2026 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Event Details
Saturday, January 31 Dinner 4:30 – 6:30 pm Candlelight Trails 6:30 – 8:30 pm Enjoy a pancake and sausage
Event Details
Saturday, January 31
Dinner 4:30 – 6:30 pm
Candlelight Trails 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Enjoy a pancake and sausage dinner anytime between 4:30 and 6:30 pm with your family and friends. Throughout the night, take advantage of space-themed videos, crafts, and other fun activities in the Visitor Center Auditorium.
Starting at 6:30, enjoy the quiet, peaceful sounds and sights of winter under the full moon. Choose between a half-mile and a one-and-a-half-mile candlelit trail loop that weaves through prairies, forests, and wetlands. Then, join us by the fire for hot drinks and sweet treats. Please dress in layers and wear proper footwear for winter hiking. Come for just the dinner, program, or both!
Member Adults $20; Children $10 | Non-Member Adults $25; Children $15
Member Family $50 | Non-Member Family $60 (indicate the number of people in a family)
Program Only: Member Adults and Children $5 | Non-Member Adults and Children $8
Children ages 6–12; 5 and under are free
Time
January 31, 2026 4:30 pm - 8:30 pm(GMT-05:00)
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
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.