Newaygo County
Thank you for your interest in the Michigan Conservation Stewards Program (CSP), an educational program for those who are enthusiastic about learning science-based ecosystem management principles and sharing this knowledge with others to help improve their local communities. Through this program, participants will learn essential strategies to understand and help restore and conserve ecosystems in Michigan communities.
The Newaygo County cohort will host their weekly classes from 6-8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, from Sept. 9 to Nov. 4, 2025. Weekly classes will meet throughout Newaygo county at the locations listed in the chart below. Location details and more information will be distributed to registered participants in the end of August. Please note, there will not be class on Oct. 28, 2025.
Newaygo County's field days will be on Saturday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Newaygo County Schedule
Date |
Topic |
Location |
Speaker |
Sept. 9 |
Program Orientation; Foundations of Conservation: Ecological Foundations; What is a Natural Community? |
United Church of Christ, |
Tyler Bassett, Michigan Natural Features Inventory |
Sept. 16 |
Foundations of Conservation: Society & Conservation; Conservation Heritage; Indigenous Perspectives on Conservation |
Muskegon State Game Area, |
Amanda Paige, Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, and Corey Wells, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians |
Sept. 23 |
Aquatic Ecosystems: Lakes |
To Be Announced |
Erick Elgin, MSU Extension |
Sat., Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
Field Day: Lakes |
Fremont Park, |
Amanda Paige, Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, and Ashley Elgin, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Erick Elgin, MSU Extension |
Sept. 30 |
Aquatic Ecosystems: Streams |
White Cloud County Park, |
Jake Lemon, Trout Unlimited |
Oct. 7 |
Aquatic Ecosystems: Wetlands |
Camp Newaygo, |
Alexis DeGabriele, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians |
Oct. 14 |
Terrestrial Ecosystems: Forests |
Kropscott Farm Environmental Center, |
Rod Denning, Newaygo Conservation District |
Sat., Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. |
Field Day: North County Trail Ecosystem Tour |
Brooks Prairie, |
Sarah Pregitzer, and Randy Butters, Newaygo County Environmental Coalition |
Oct. 21 |
Terrestrial Ecosystems: Grasslands |
Fremont Area Community Foundation, |
Lucas Dykstra, Land Conservancy of West Michigan |
Oct. 28 |
Program Break - No Class |
||
Nov. 4 |
Putting It All Together: Capstone Project Celebration |
Farr Farm, |
Terry Farr, and Lorri Farr |
For cohort and content related questions, please reach out to Sarah Pregitzer at spregitzer@sbcglobal.net or Sally Wagoner at sally.w@nc-ec.org.
For general questions and registration assistance, please contact Shelby Warner at warner80@msu.edu or (517) 884-7076.