Conservancy’s Winter Programs Continue to Grow

 

Each year, the Conservancy’s Environmental Education programs continue to
grow, now reaching more than 7,000 students in northern Michigan. The programs are offered in all of our service area counties (Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Emmet, and Mackinaw) and are often held at Conservancy protected nature preserves and natural areas. One of the most popular outings is our Snowshoe Program, which introduces children to the beauty and uniqueness of the northwoods in winter.


With more than two feet of snow on the ground, the trails were perfect for the start of this year’s Snowshoe Program on January 10. Over 1,800 students participated in our third season of snowshoeing. During a snowshoe hike, students use Conservancy snowshoes and break into small groups to follow a guide into the woods. On their hike they may cover topics such as tracking animals, winter adaptations, or how our native plants and animals survive long Michigan winters.

Whether it is their first time on snowshoes or their 30th, kids enjoy being out in the snow. Snowshoeing is a simple activity that enables all sizes to go from rookie to pro in an hour’s time. If a snowshoe falls off, the kids laugh as they put it back on, anxious to get back to walking on top of the snow, following deer trails, finding scat, and looking for missing buds.

A whole new world opens up when young people discover this new way to enjoy winter in northern Michigan. Students realize the freedom that snowshoes allow them, taking them off the beaten path into the middle of the woods. So often, we hear teachers and parents comment about how important it is that these young people are outdoors and getting physical activity. Even more important is that they are gaining appreciation for the recreational and aesthetic value of the lands we work so hard to protect.

Marci Birkes, the Conservancy’s Environmental Education Coordinator, remarked, "Experiencing the students’ enthusiasm for their discoveries on the trail reminds me that we may never know the extent of the influence these outings have on young people. We may never know how many of the kids that come through our programs go off to college with dreams of a career in conservation, and we may never know how many people will fondly say, years from now, ‘I remember once in grade school we went on this hike...’"