Courtesy Photo People are seen exploring the North Point Nature Preserve in Alpena. The preserve will feature a field tour this fall during the Conservation Stewards Program, led by Huron Pines in partnership with Michigan State University Extension.

ALPENA — Michigan State University (MSU) Extension’s Conservation Stewards Program (CSP) is now enrolling participants for its fall 2025 program.

The Michigan CSP is an educational program for adult learners, offered by MSU Extension. It involves partnerships with various partner organizations, according to a Huron Pines press release. CSP is tailored for those who are interested in learning science-based ecosystem management principles, on-the-ground stewardship efforts, sharing knowledge and experiences with the public, and empowering others to get engaged in local stewardship.

Huron Pines states that in the CSP, participants learn strategies to understand and help restore and conserve ecosystems in Michigan communities.

The CSP will run from September through November in Alpena and Mio. This weekly, hybrid program will combine virtual, self-paced lessons with in-person evening sessions at various locations within Alpena County.

The release states that the cohort will host their weekly evening sessions from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday evenings, from Sept. 9 to Nov. 11.

In addition to the evening sessions, there will be two in-person field trips — the first on Sept. 27 at North Point Nature Preserve and the second on Oct. 25 at Mio Prairie. Participants will also complete capstone projects alongside local mentors. These projects will relate to restoring and conserving Michigan’s ecosystems.

Huron Pines is the lead planning organization for the Alpena County cohort and collaborator with MSU Extension.

Chris Engle, Huron Pines communications associate, told The News that their conservation efforts are most effective when they are supported by communities.

“It’s our vision at Huron Pines to have local conservation efforts that are driven by engaged and empowered communities,” Engle said. “Over the last five decades of restoring rivers, managing invasive species and protecting land for recreation, we’ve learned that the most successful projects are those which have strong local partnerships.”

Engle said that community members want to be involved in stewardship opportunities that enhance and protect ecosystems in the communities they live in.

“People want to be involved in protecting and enhancing their natural resources,” Engle said. “The CSP is one way we equip people with the tools and knowledge to better understand the threats to our land and water and to more effectively address those problems in their own communities.”

Engle explained that because Huron Pines doesn’t have the bandwidth to address all the needs of the region, CSP allows them to have a larger impact.

“We’re a small organization of 19 people and we cover 12 counties in Northeast Michigan — we can’t possibly be everywhere at once — but having more people across our service area who have a good understanding of environmental challenges and the ways they can help multiplies the power of our conservation efforts many times over,” Engle said.

Those interested in participating should register by Sunday, Aug. 17 at events.anr.msu.edu/micsp2025. Huron Pines states that scholarship opportunities are available.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.