Together, striving for healthy and sustainable Newaygo County waters, land, and skies.
Environmental Allies are people, organizations, and departments who are actively doing the work of environmental education, promotion, protection, and recreation in the Newaygo County region. Your organization can join the list of Environmental Allies by clicking here:
Environmental Ally Application.
NCEC will promote your organization, events, activities and volunteer needs! Click here if you’d like to add an event that you would like us to promote:
Discovery Wilderness Website
Discovery Wilderness School began as a dream in my heart in 2017 when Chelsea was just a couple years into homeschooling her daughters. She was looking for real, meaningful relationships for herself and her girls, deeply rooted in nature. In 2018, with the help of her aunt, she launched their small nature-program in a park. Chelsea’s family moved to their more permanent location of Little Pine Island Camp in 2019, and they’ve been learning and growing in such wonderful ways since then. The students, their families, and teachers found our program and joined at just the perfect time along the journey. Its been such a magical experience to be part of. Check out our available classes.
Michigan Green Schools is dedicated to assisting all Michigan schools public and private achieve environmental goals that include protecting the air, land, water and animals of our state along with world outreach through good ecological practices and the teaching of educational stewardship of students pre-kindergarten through high school.
Newaygo County Recycling website
Since June, 2017, the Newaygo County Board of Public Works has overseen the recycling sites across the county. The Board of Public Works is housed within the Drain Office. Household recycling is a way to reuse items so they do not end up in a landfill. In order to sell the recycled materials, they must be clean and only the items listed must be put in the provided containers.
The Michigan Recycling Coalition fosters sustainability by leading, educating, and mobilizing business, government, nonprofit, and individuals to advance their own and collective resource use and recovery initiatives in Michigan.
Western MI Chapter NCT Website
The Western Michigan (WMI) Chapter has over 450 household memberships, representing over 700 individual members. We are a fun and diverse group of people of all ages who love the outdoors. The WMI Chapter organizes activities for our members and volunteers, such as trail workdays, hikes, and events. We have a “working” volunteer board, consisting of up to 11 members who coordinate operations of the Chapter. There are designated volunteer Trail Coordinators on the Board for Kent County and Newaygo County. They oversee trail development and workdays, and about 50 dedicated Trail Adopters. In past years, our members have received awards from the NCTA for trail building, group hikes, communications, and leadership.
Michigan’s Dragon at Hardy Dam is a premier adventure sports destination providing world-class mountain biking, hiking, running experiences and more! Michigan’s Dragon at Hardy Dam is a natural surface trail following t a full bench design to minimize water runoff and impact on the natural environment. The final trail system will be a 40+ mile linear County Park jointly managed by the Newaygo and Mecosta County Park Commissions. Michigan’s Dragon encircles 4,000 acres of Hardy Pond and boasts some of the best natural areas and scenic views in the state.
Newaygo Parks & Recreation Website
The Newaygo County Parks System includes a Marina and five County Parks with day use and modern campground facilities. To enhance your outdoor experience, we are surrounded by the World Class Muskegon River, North Country National Scenic Trail, 4,000-acre Hardy Pond, and the 538,000-acre Manistee National Forest. Our newest addition, currently under construction, is the 40+-mile natural surface trail around Hardy Pond known as Michigan’s Dragon at Hardy Dam.
Newaygo County Exploring Website
Newaygo County offers abundant and affordable opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast in you to get away from the city without having to endure long drives and traffic for an Up North adventure. In our website, find suggestions of all the wonderful things to do in Newaygo County-winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Newaygo County Conservation District
Newaygo Conservation District (NCD) is an independent unit of state government which has a philosophy and commitment to the stewardship and conservation of the environment. The NCD consults with landowners to educate them in the planning and use of their land. All programs and services are available without regard to race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, family status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, because of all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program.
West Michigan Conservation Network
The West Michigan Conservation Network is an effective, diverse, and sustainable partnership of environmental groups, educational institutions, governmental organizations, and private citizens working to conserve and enhance our natural communities through ecosystem restoration and public education. We are organized to manage:
Habitat Restoration and Management
Maintain and improve the ecosystem quality, function and resilience of a targeted group of sites within the WMCN service community.
Maintain and/or enhance the ecosystem services and recreational opportunities for the benefit of citizens throughout the WMCN region.
Strengthen the long-term success and effectiveness of restoration projects through complementary strategies.
Newaygo County Invasive Plants Project Website
The Newaygo County Invasive Plants (NIPP) was established in 2010 by the husband-and-wife team of Randy Butters and Sarah Pregitzer. NIPP’s creation was in response to increased sightings of invasive plants on the area wild lands and private holdings of Newaygo County residents. At that time, invasive plant species were rare, few residents were aware, and there was no formal local group or agency to find information or seek assistance in controlling their spread.
Newaygo Prairie Nature Sanctuary
MNA purchased this 110-acre prairie sanctuary, composed of oak and pine barrens, in 1969. Prairies are one of the most endangered habitats in the state because many owners converted open acres to farmland in the 19th and 20th centuries. But the steep hillsides and sandy soils brought an early end to farming attempts here, which preserved the prairie community found today. More than 40 years of preservation and recent prescribed burning have helped keep this sanctuary similar to its original state.
McDuffee Creek Nature Preserve-Newaygo County
Upriver Nature Preserve-Newaygo County
As a non-profit land conservancy, we work with private landowners and governmental bodies to permanently protect and care for the land. Our protected land reflects the diversity and beauty of West Michigan and includes lush forests, grassy fields, flowering meadows, marshy wetlands, and rolling sand dunes. These significant habitats and ecosystems are home to a rich variety of plants and wildlife, some of which are now threatened or endangered species. Our land protection area includes all or parts of eight counties: Allegan, Kent, Ottawa, Newaygo, Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, and Lake.
The Michigan Loon Preservation Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve the Common Loon as a breeding bird in Michigan through public education, research, and the protection and management of loons and their habitat.
The purpose of the Michigan Nature Association is to acquire, protect and maintain natural areas that contain examples of Michigan endangered and threatened flora, fauna, and other components of the natural environment, including habitat for fish, wildlife and plants of the state of Michigan and to carry on a program of natural history study and conservation education.
Discover Maple River is a casual, informal platform that encourages our attendees to ask questions about the risks and benefits of the project and to have an open conversation with our featured specialists and experts.
The mission of the Michigan Vernal Pools Partnership is to increase awareness, understanding and protection of vernal pools through conservation, research & mapping, education & outreach and collaboration.
Partnering with the Land, Water, Animals, and Each Other. Regenerative Agroforestry Systems in West Michigan.
AGROFORESTRY IS…
The integration of trees & shrubs with crop and animal production systems. Agroforestry has been practiced by many cultures for centuries, and is now seeing a global resurgence as communities move to diversify & align their food production methods with Natural ecosystems.
Our goal is to be a certified Conservation Burial Ground. This involves guaranteeing the perpetual conservation of the land via an easement or similarly binding and irrevocable agreement with a local land conservancy organization.
Our Mission:
To guide the conservation of Michigan’s biodiversity by providing the highest quality scientific expertise and information.
Our Vision:
To be the authoritative source of information on biodiversity that is widely used to conserve Michigan’s unique natural heritage for current and future generations.
The White River Watershed Partnership
The White River rises from its headwaters deep in Newaygo County, flowing through streams and tributaries, finding its way to the mouth of White Lake, and on to the end of its journey into Lake Michigan. Discover more about this remarkable, precious natural resource, and what you can do to preserve, protect and enjoy it.
Our mission is to protect the unique characteristics and the natural resources of the White River Watershed by promoting education, conservation, restoration and preservation activities.
The Muskegon River Watershed Assembly is dedicated to the preservation, protection, restoration, and sustainable use of the Muskegon River, the land it drains, and the life it supports, through educational, scientific and conservation initiatives.
Schrems West Michigan Trout Unlimited hosted another successful White River Cleanup in the fall, removing trash and debris that poses a threat to fish and wildlife as well as river recreators. This event not only benefits the health of the White River, but it’s a fun and fulfilling community gathering where participants can meet fellow conservationists and enjoy the camaraderie while giving back.
The Economic Opportunity subcommittee and collaborative member West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission (WMSRDC) launched an economic impact study of the White River. With funding through Fremont Area, Oceana, and Newaygo Community Foundations, WMSRDC hired Grand Valley State University to complete the study to help provide an understanding of how much the White River and its users contribute to the local economy, which is incredibly valuable data to support further protection and restoration efforts in the watershed.
It was a busy and productive 2022 and momentum continues to grow in the White River watershed. The Collaborative is looking forward to a fruitful 2023 working with its impactful members and stewards throughout the watershed.
The work of the White River Watershed Collaborative is funded in part by a grant from Fremont Area Community Foundation.
Michigan Environmental Council
MEC combines deep environmental policy expertise with close connections to key state and federal decision-makers, decades of experience getting things done in the political process, and an ability to rally broad and powerful alliances in support of reforms. With our member groups and partners in the public health and faith-based communities, MEC promotes public policies to ensure that Michigan families will enjoy clear waters, clean beaches, beautiful landscapes and healthy communities for years to come.
Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Michigan LCV is the only nonpartisan political organization in Michigan with protecting your land, air, and water at the center of our work. By working together we can make protecting Michigan’s land, air, and water political priorities once again.
There is a beauty in our dunelands, the banks of our rivers, the streams that run through our cities. But this beauty reveals its truest form in the people that are willing to protect it, using their energy and passion for creating change in our communities and ensuring stability in our natural resources. That passion has been seen for 50 years since WMEAC first organized to protect our rivers and streams from pesticides like DDT, and led the efforts to push for the Environmental Protection Act. It is seen today as we continue our work to protect our globally unique dunelands, as we use our communities’ hands to clean our rivers, and teach our young people about how to protect our water for the next 50 years.