MICHIGAN BOTANICAL CLUB

SOUTHWESTERN CHAPTER FIELD TRIP

Wetlands at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

With Matthew Dykstra

Saturday July 16, 2022, from 10 AM to Noon

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute (PCCI) is an 850-acre nature center, environmental education center, and biological field station located in south-central Barry County.  Wetlands cover approximately 35% of PCCI and on trip, we’ll visit Hardwood-Conifer Swamp, Rich Conifer Swamp, Rich Tamarack Swamp, Southern Wet Meadow, and Southern Shrub-Carr natural communities.  For more information about the flora of PCCI, see:  Slaughter, B. S. (2020) Vascular Flora of Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, Barry County, Michigan.  The Great Lakes Botanist 59:99-158.

Wear rubber boots or expect to get your feet wet.   There may be ticks at this time of year.  Insect repellant, sunscreen, as well as suitable clothing are suggested.  The trip difficulty level is rated moderate.

Matthew Dykstra is the Field Station Manager at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. He has spent the past 15 years serving in different capacities at the Institute, though always trying to carry out the Institute’s mission of “Inspiring appreciation and stewardship of our environment.” His primary responsibilities include running the summer research and creative arts programs for students from the twelve colleges and universities connected to the institute. At the Institute, Matt has worked on several vegetation inventories and monitoring projects, along with leading a wide variety of education programs. Plant ecology is an area of particular interest to Matt, going back all the way to a Field Botany class he took as an undergrad at AuSable Institute. Matt has an BA in Biology from Trinity Christian College, and an MS degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

We will meet at the Visitors Center at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute.  Address is 701 W. Cloverdale Rd, Hastings, MI 49058.

Directions from the Kalamazoo area.  Take M-43 (Gull Road) through Delton to the village of Cloverdale.  Look for the Michigan Department of Transportation sign “Pierce Cedar Creek Nature Preserve.”  Turn right (east) on Cloverdale Road and travel 4.5 miles (portions of the road are unpaved).  The entrance is on the right (south).  If you reach the intersection of Cloverdale and M-37 you have gone too far.