“But surely a few logs of my firewood from home won’t hurt anything if I take them camping with me!!! I don’t want to buy firewood when I already have a bunch!”
It’s easy to overlook the creatures we don’t see very often. But lots of little critters feed
Spring is the time when we rethink our whole existing gardens. The more we understand how much wildlife, including our essential pollinators, struggle with traditional constrained lawn and manicured gardens full of exotic plants, the more we might be motivated to change things up a bit!
In preparation for the upcoming growing season, we interviewed NCEC board chair and Master Naturalist Sarah Pregitzer, who has a wealth of knowledge to offer about the role of pollinators in our ecosystem as well as easy ways to get started with planting for pollinators in your yard or in
Tim Duffy of Newaygo, Michigan, has been honored as the first recipient of the Wood Frog Award by the Michigan Vernal Pool Patrol for his outstanding contributions to vernal pool conservation. The award ceremony took place on August 23, 2025, at the Kropscott Farm and Environmental Center during the MI
Every year during the holiday season, we’re surrounded by messaging about what gifts we should buy, what decorations we should put up around the house, what festive traditions we should continue or start, what we should wear for all those holiday parties, and a million other ways to make this
The late-August chill prompted me to start thinking about fall clean-up in the garden. For many of us, tending our vegetable and flower beds, wild corners, and lawns will still be part of our rhythms in the months ahead as we prepare for winter’s rest.
Autumn is the perfect time
A cloud of road dust blanketed the car behind me from my excited acceleration as I passed the Newaygo Prairie Nature Sanctuary. Ignition time was in less than an hour. This was my very first burn.
“Vernal Pools are like our Coral Reefs of the Forest,” states Katie, Vice Chair and Program Manager of the Newaygo County Environmental Coalition (NCEC). “They are small, important wetlands that appear in spring and dry up during the fall. They are ideal breeding grounds for a variety of amphibians and
As humans, it makes sense that we often think of the Earth from our own point of view. We imagine it as a place with trees and meadows and houses and highways. We think of cities as places for people, roads as ways to get from one place to another.
Are you in a toxic relationship? Despite not knowing you, I’m going to boldly answer that inquiry. YES! Yes you are! Here’s a questionnaire to illustrate how I know.
Have you purchased cosmetics from Sally Beauty in the last 6 months?
Have you painted the walls in your
Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas W. Tallamy is a carefully researched and thought-provoking book that has the potential to transform the way we think about the environment. This book is for anyone who is passionate about the environment and looking for practical ways to make a positive impact. Tallamy, a
Welcome to Newaygo County, a place of abundant natural beauty and a haven for water enthusiasts. With over 230 lakes, 356 miles of river, and an extensive network of ponds, swamps, and bogs, this region is a true paradise for environmental enthusiasts. However, one hidden gem remains largely unexplored and
Back to Posts Collection Donate Do you collect Styrofoam for recycling in your home? We do. Have for years. By far the biggest contribution to the collection is from restaurants. We rarely finish the large portions served at most restaurants. So we ask for to-go containers (usually Styrofoam) that we dutifully rinse out after eating the leftovers at home.
Reducing our carbon footprint can mean traveling less, eating less beef, buying less stuff. Sacrificing convenience, comfort or happiness can lead us to feel negatively about our resolutions and we eventually abandon them. But behavioral scientist Jiaying Zhao finds that we can best form lasting habits when we find happiness
The Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) conducted a conservation stewardship class for Newaygo area residents this fall. Hoping to enroll a handful to a dozen participants, the organizers were surprised to get over 30 students from Newago and neighboring counties. The students have various backgrounds, but all are passionate about