ANREP 2022

Conference Participant Optional Tours

The tours listed below are open to registered conference participants. Tour cost listed below will be additional to conference registration fees. Participants can choose additional tour options as part of conference registration. Please see tour descriptions and detailed information below to aid in tour selection.

Due to low registration numbers a few tours have been cancelled. The registered participants for these tours have been notified by email with options to reschedule with another tour option or for a refund. If you should have any questions related to tours please contact Shelby Warner with ANR Event Services at warner80@msu.edu.

Pre-conference Tours-

South Haven Lake Michigan Tour- Cancelled

Tuesday, May 31st - Full day tour

Cost- $35

Radisson departure at 8:00 a.m. return 5:00 p.m.

Maximum number of participants- 30

Join us for a whirlwind tour of Lake Michigan. We will start with a guided tour of one of Lake Michigan's beaches and dunes with Dr. Alan Arbogast. Next we will stop at a blueberry market and then on to the birthplace of Liberty Hyde Bailey in downtown South Haven. From there we will stop at the South Beach Pavilion for lunch. We will finish the day with the Maritime Museum and refreshing ice cream from Sherman's Dairy.

Important things to note: Cost includes transportation and museum admission. Participants will be responsible for their lunch and ice cream purchase. This tour includes a lot of walking. Sections of Van Buren State Park is ADA compliant however the actual beach and dune climbing is not. Natural paths can be uneven and steep. Attendees should wear clothing appropriate for the weather with sturdy hiking shoes. Carrying a day pack/bag is recommended. There is a changing house at the beach.

Kalamazoo River History & Current Issues- Paddling Tour

Tuesday, May 31st- Half day tour

Cost- $30/participant

Radisson departure at 12:30 p.m. return 4:30 p.m.

Maximum number of participants- 20

On this 2 hour river tour we will paddle a beautiful stretch of the Kalamazoo River from Plainwell to Ostego, Michigan. Along the way, Dr. Kenneth Kornhesier will discuss Kalamazoo River history and current issues. The Kalamazoo River has a long history of abuse including several major environmental tragedies but with the help of improved regulation, passionate conservation and stewardship, and years of natural attenuation, the river is now one of the areas most protected and most beautiful natural resources.

Important things to note: cost is $30 per participant and includes transportation to the livery as well as rental of single kayak. Participants will sign a liability waiver provided by the outfitter upon arrival. There is a kayak weight limit of 300 lbs. Total time of this tour will be 3.5 hours, leaving the Radisson at 12:30 p.m. and returning to the Radisson at 4:30 p.m. Personal floatation devices will be provided and are required to worn while kayaking. Participants should be able to swim and be comfortable around water as well as able to walk in the water to get in their kayak. Please wear comfortable clothing and suitable footwear for kayaking in the forecasted weather.

MI Paddle Stewards Kalamazoo River Paddle

Tuesday, May 31st- Half day tour

Cost- $30/participant

Radisson departure at 7:45 a.m. return 11:00 a.m.

Maximum number of participants- 15

Paddlers are invited to join MSU Extension Sea Grant and partners for a half day trip about our MI Paddle Stewards education program for protecting water trails from aquatic invasive species (AIS). Participants will enjoy a leisurely paddle down the picturesque Kalamazoo River, learn about the dangers of AIS, how to identify them, and how to report sightings through the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network. At the conclusion of the paddle, participants will take part in a hands-on boat cleaning demonstration designed to prevent the spread of AIS.

Important thins to note: cost is $30 per participant and includes transportation to the livery as well as rental of single kayak. Participants will sign a liability waiver provided by the outfitter upon arrival. There is a kayak weight limit of 300 lbs. Total time of this tour will be 3.5 hours, leaving the Radisson at 7:45 a.m. and returning to the Radisson at 11 a.m. Personal floatation devices will be provided and are required to worn while kayaking. Participants should be able to swim and be comfortable around water as well as able to walk in the water to get in their kayak. Please wear comfortable clothing and suitable footwear for kayaking in the forecasted weather.

Prescribed Burn Field Tour- CANCELLED

Tuesday, May 31st - Full day tour

Radisson departure at 9:00 a.m. return at 4:30 p.m.

Cost- $35

Maximum number of participants- 30

Join us to learn more about how prescribed fire is used to restore native ecosystems in southwest Michigan. Throughout the day, we'll visit with federal, state and local professionals about the role of fire in the landscape, fire needs assessments, and accompanying research as we wander through restored prairie, savanna and woodland ecosystems. The first tour stop will be at the Fort Custer Training Center where we will visit native ecosystems restored or maintained using prescribed fire. Lunch will also take place at the Training Center. Following lunch we will head to the Recreation Area with presentations on the effects of prescribed fire on the Eastern Box Turtle and visit restored prairie systems and learn about native grasses.

Important things to note: tour cost includes transportation. Participants will be responsible for the purchase of their lunch at the Fort Custer Training Center cafeteria. The cafeteria on base features a vegetarian menu and the cost is $8.25 per person. The tour will be outside rain or shine. Please bring all weather gear. We will be walking on uneven terrain, please plan to wear sturdy hiking shoes or boots.

Fire, Fish, and Food

Tuesday, May 31st - Full day tour

Radisson departure at 8 a.m. return at 5:00 p.m.

Cost- $35

Maximum number of participants- 50

This tour provides a full day opportunity to learn about how Michigan is restoring it's unique oak savannas with prescribed fire, the role of state hatcheries in supporting Great Lakes fisheries, and finally sustainable food and drink production, processing and distribution.

The first tour stop will be at the Allegan State Game Area, dedicated to wildlife conservation and management by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Division. At this stop participants will visit a unique Oak Savanna complex that has been managed with prescribed fire over many years. It represents one of the best remnant Oak Savannas in the area, and includes many native plant species. It is one of the remaining homes to Karner Blue butterflies, a federally listed endangered species and is listed as a Michigan threatened species and whose larvae feed only on wild lupine, as well as box turtles, wild turkey, deer and many other animals.

The second stop on this tour will be at the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery, established in 1972, and operated by the Michigan DNR. This facility and visitor center will unveil the tale of the Great Lakes fisheries and the vital role played by this hatchery, which currently  produces steelhead trout, Chinook salmon, walleye and Great Lakes muskellunge for both inland and Great Lakes waters. Participants will have the chance to see lake sturgeon, northern pike, large mouth bass and a variety of sunfish. 

The final afternoon stop will take participants to Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s Food Innovation Center (FIC), a living learning laboratory where students and community members come to experience sustainable food production, processing and distribution.

Based out of the FIC, the ValleyHUB program is a farm, food hub and education center. The five-acre site located on the outskirts of downtown Kalamazoo, is a former brownfield that was remediated to demonstrate the potential range of urban agricultural practices and scales. Participants will learn how Michigan State University Extension and the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems have been key partners of ValleyHUB since the development phase, providing support and capacity in planning, educational programming and more, as well as tour the indoor grow-room with hydroponic grow stacks, greenhouse with aquaponics system, solar hoophouses and outdoor growing areas.

This tour closes out with a second KVCC stop to the to the Culinary and Allied Health Building to see how student learn in onsite production kitchens and food service environments. Participants will tour the Culinary lab as well as learn about the Sustainable Brewing Program, the first of its kind in the United States when launched in 2015, and tour the teaching brewery, complete with custom-made equipment that gives students the opportunity to learn industry equipment and the science of brewing.  

Important things to note: tour cost includes transportation and lunch. Participants should wear comfortable shoes/boots for walking/hiking on uneven ground. Dress in layers as portions of the tour will be conducted outdoors. 

Kalamazoo Green Infrastructure Walking Tour

Wednesday, June 1st - Half day tour

Radisson departure at 8:30 a.m. return at Noon

Cost- free

Maximum number of participants- 20

This walking tour of downtown Kalamazoo will explore different applications of green  infrastructure around the conference venue. The session will be lead by Jamie McCarthy, Sustainable Development Coordinator at the City of Kalamazoo. It will include additional speakers at various stops along the way. The tour will begin along Arcadia Creek with a stop at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. At the museum we will see the outdoor rain garden exhibit and see how permeable pavers help reduce stormwater runoff. Next we will visit Kalamazoo City Hall to see a green roof installation. From this vantage point, you will see and hear about other green building projects in the City. Last, the tour will visit the Kalamazoo Valley Culinary and Allied Health Building. The campus was designed to the avoid flooding from Portage Creek and improve the stream corridor. The tour will return to the conference venue by way of the historic Kalamazoo Mall where we will hear about the City’s efforts to improve the downtown streetscape with new design and green infrastructure elements. 

Things to note: Participants should dress for the weather. Most of the tour will be conducted outdoors on city sidewalks and streets. Participants are encouraged to bring comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunglasses, and water. The total walking distance for the tour is just over 1.5 miles with several stops in between where participants with stand to hear brief presentations.

Post Conference Tours

West Fork Portage Creek Watershed Tour- CANCELLED

Friday, June 3rd - Half day tour

Radisson departure 1:00 p.m. return at 4:00 p.m.

Cost- $35

Maximum number of participants- 20

This local micro-watershed tour explores three locations on the West Fork of Portage Creek a watershed to the Southwest of the 2022 ANREP Conference venue. This driving and walking tour will explore watershed issues, natural history, and stormwater management at key locations in the watershed: Au Sable preserve, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Asylum Lake, and the Lakes of Parkview Hills (Cherry Creek Lake, Willow Lake, Lime Kiln Lake, and Lake Hill N Brook).

Important things to note- Participants should dress for the weather. This driving tour will stop at four locations where participants will exit vehicles and take short walks (less than 40 minutes at each location). Comfortable close-toed shoes are recommended. Most of the areas will have either paved or well maintained trails. Participants are encouraged to bring a hat, snack, sunglasses, water, bug repellent, camera and binoculars. 

Kalamazoo Nature Center- CANCELLED

Friday, June 3rd - Half day tour

Radisson departure 1:00 p.m. return at 4:30 p.m.

Cost- $35

Maximum number of participants- 20

The Kalamazoo Nature Center is a not-for-profit organization located in Kalamazoo, Michigan whose mission is to create relationships & experiences that welcome and inspire people to discover, enjoy, value, and care for nature. KNC envisions a resilient community where all people have strong interconnections with the natural world.

KNC was founded October 31, 1960 when a group of community leaders came together to purchase the land to establish an outdoor environmental education center. Today, KNC is recognized by its peers as one of the top nature centers in the country and has expanded to include 1,100 acres of wooded, rolling countryside five miles north of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Participants on this tour will explore the nature center by guided tour as well as walk the Beach Maple Trail.

Important things to note- Tour cost includes transportation and guided tour. Participants should dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Most of the tour will be conducted outdoors on trails including a mix of gravel, paved and natural surfaces.