PCCI Fact Sheet

Introduction

PCCI Fact Sheet

Researcher /Fellow Information

List of Projects

BFS Information

Data Management Plan

Local Information

Barry County Directory

Forms

Progress Report

Expense Reimbursement

Housing Check-out Form

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

701 W. Cloverdale Road Hastings, MI 49058

Phone: 269-721-4190

Fact Sheet

History

In 1950 Willard “Bill” Pierce, his wife Jessie and their two young sons, Gary and Joe, moved to Hastings, Michigan from Battle Creek. Later Bill partnered with Doug DeCamp and they founded Flexfab, which grew into Flexfab Horizon’s International, Inc. or FHI.

In 1988 Bill and Jessie formed The Willard G. Pierce and Jessie M. Pierce Foundation as a way to give back to the community that meant so much to them. Bill and Jessie passed away in 1998, but just prior to their deaths, the idea of building an environmental education center was conceived while sitting on the deck of a friend’s house and enjoying the natural beauty of BarryCounty.

The Institute hired its first employee and director, Dr. Gary Pierce, in November of 1998. In August of 1998, 555 acres in BaltimoreTownship were purchased. The land came with a conservation easement that is held by the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy. Construction of a research laboratory, visitor center, education building, and housing began that same year. By February of 2001 the current facility was substantially completed.

Work since then has progressed with the development of a professional education program, a research program, a diverse curriculum for K-12 teachers, along with a community outreach program. In 2005 the Institute brought together 12 colleges and universities, forming a consortium of educational institutions interested in enhancing undergraduate research opportunities and field-based learning experiences.

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is a wholly owned DBA of The Willard G. Pierce and Jessie M. Pierce Foundation, a 501(c) (3) corporation. The Foundation and Institute offices are located at 701 W. Cloverdale Road, Hastings, Michigan. The Foundation is a private operating foundation with the Institute as its primary mission. The Institute was founded “to protect and enhance our quality of life through ecological education, research, and stewardship of the natural world.” This mission is accomplished through the Institute’s efforts as a biological field station and through educational outreach to citizens of BarryCounty and Southwest Michigan.

Mission

The mission of Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is to promote environmental education, research, preservation and appreciation.

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, as a biological field station, is a living laboratory where:

Environmental education results in the preservation, restoration and management of natural habitats.
Knowledge about species and natural habitats is increased and shared.
People grow in appreciation and love for native plants and animals and their habitats.

Pierce Cedar Creek Consortium Members

In 2004 the Institute created a partnership with 11 West Michigan colleges and universities called the Pierce Cedar Creek Consortium. Two representatives from each member institution were appointed to an Advisory Board to help guide Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in the development of a research program and curriculum to benefit the faculty and students of the member colleges and universities. In 2005 Valparaiso University in Indiana joined the consortium, in 2006 Kalamazoo College joined, and in 2010 Grand Rapids Community College joined, bringing the total number of members to 14. In the past few years, Alma College and Ferris State University have withdrawn from the Consortium. The following are current consortium members.

Albion CollegeAquinas College Calvin College Central Michigan University Cornerstone University Grand Rapids Community College

Grand Valley State UniversityHope College Kalamazoo College Valparaiso University (Indiana) Western Michigan University

The Institute provides grants to undergraduate students and faculty mentors to conduct summer research on the property through the Undergraduate Research Grants for the Environment(URGE) and the Gordon Art and Nature in Words Fellowships. From 2005 to 2015, 179 research projects were funded.

Physical Plant Description

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute has a physical plant capable of simultaneously hosting a number of different events and/or classes. With an auditorium, classrooms, housing, and dining facilities, along with 80 parking spaces and an overflow lot that increases parking to 200, the Institute can accommodate four classes at one time and/or a conference with up to 175 attendees.

The visitor center and education building are earth-berm buildings that utilize passive solar heating. The earth-berm construction, combined with south-facing windows and a ground-source heat pump heating and cooling system make the facility energy efficient. A series of twosmall wetlands, or retention ponds, retain and purify the storm-water runoff from the Institute’s parking lots. The buildings were designed by Slocum Associates, Inc., and built by

Miller Davis, both of Kalamazoo, MI.

Building Facts:

1)Education Building:5,000 square feet, barrier free, total of 8 rooms

Completed in October 2000

a)Classroom – Seats 24 to 30

b)Laboratory Classroom – Seats 24

c)Study Carrels – For 12 students

d)Library –a variety of titles on organisms, habitat, wetlands, etc.

2)Research Laboratory:2,400 square feet, barrier free

Completed in August 2000

a)Herbarium

b)Wet lab capability

c)Classroom - Seats 24

3)Visitor Center:13,000 square feet, barrier free

Completed in February 2001

a)Dining Hall – Seats 85 to 100

b)Full Kitchen – With walk-in refrigerator and freezer

c)Auditorium – Seats 150 - 200

d)Lounge – With fireplace

e)Gift Shop

f)Fish Tank – 1,000 gallon fresh-water tank

g)Administrative Offices

4)Hyla House: Lower level is barrier free, purchased and remodeled in 2000

a)Nine single rooms

b)two double room

c)Four full baths

d)Full Kitchen

e)Living/Dining Room

5)Meadow Lodge: Barrier free

a)Seven double rooms

b)Two triple rooms

c)Two single rooms

d)Four full baths

e)Lounge

f)Full Kitchen

6)Prairie View:Barrier free

Completed in June 2001

a)Four, two-bed units with private baths

b)Sidewalk access to visitor center and education building

7)Batts Cottage: Residential cottage near BrewsterLake

a)Two bedrooms with bunk beds

b)Full kitchen

c)Living/dining room

d)Full bath

e)Wood-burning fireplace

Landscape Description

The Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is situated in South-central Barry County on a recessional moraine, which provides a physical setting for a great diversity of ecosystems. The total area available for educationand research is 661 acres on four parcels, most of which is in the central parcel of 555 acres. Only one parcel, the “Little Grand Canyon,” is not contiguous with the main parcel.

Below is a brief list and description of the Institute’s property, with estimates of the total acreage of each of the major habitat types. Approximately 41% of the land is forested, 40% is wetland (of which over one-half is fen), about 17% is upland field, sand prairie, and constructed prairie, and about 2% is open water in the form of a kettle lake, stream, vernal ponds, and retention ponds.

Seven hiking trails, a total of just over 7 miles, are available to visitors daily from dawn to dusk.

Parcels and Ecosystem Facts:

Central Parcel (555 acres)
Wetland – 255 total acres
Prairie Fen – 152 acres
Mixed DeciduousSwamp – 55 acres
Southern Wet Meadow (Sedge Meadow) – 10 acres
RelictConiferSwamp (Cedar and Tamarack) – 35 acres
Vernal Ponds – 2 acres
Retention Ponds – 1 acre
Forest – 220 total acres
MesicSouthernForest (Beech-MapleForest) – 70 acres
DrySouthernForest (Oak Forest) – 65 acres
Dry-Mesic Southern Forest (Mixed Deciduous Forest) – 85 acres
Field – 70 total acres
Mesic Prairie (Constructed) – 50 acres
Old field – 20 acres
Open Water – 13 acres
Brewster Lake – 13 acres
Cedar Creek – 1.2 miles

This parcel was purchased from Dr. H. Lewis and Jean Batts, who bought the property in 1970 to protect it from development. Dr. Batts was a visionary conservationist, prominent, internationally known environmentalist, and co-founder of the KalamazooNatureCenter and the Environmental Defense Fund. Dr. Batts was also a faculty member at KalamazooCollege.

Prior to their ownership, the majority of the land suitable for agriculture was farmed. After the Batts purchased the property all but approximately 70 acres was managed as natural land. This preserved and protected the nearly pristine condition of the property.

Hyla House Parcel (13 acres)

*purchased in 2000 from the Rolfe Family. Primary use as property buffer and housing.

Hay Field – 10 acres
Farmstead – 2 acres
Southern Wet Meadow (Sedge Meadow) – 1 acre

Little Grand Canyon Parcel (50 acres)

*Not contiguous with main parcel. Purchased at auction from the estate of Lyle Gorham, a farmer and longtime resident of Baltimore Township.

Glacial gorge over 150 feet deep with MesicSouthernForest (Beech-MapleForest) – 20 acres
Southern Shrub Carr – 10 acres
Agricultural Field – 20 acres

Burpee Parcel (43 acres)

*Cedar Creek runs through center of property. Purchased from Burpee family in

July, 2003.

Mesic Sand Prairie – 5 acres
Open Field – 5 acres
Dry-MesicSouthernForest (MixedDeciduousForest) – 33 acres

Overall, Institute property can be broken down into the following plant community types:

Habitat / Plant Community Type / % of total acreage
Forest
Mesic Southern Forest (Beech-MapleForest) / 13.6 / Total: 41.3%
DrySouthernForest (Oak Forest) / 9.8
Dry-MesicSouthernForest (Mixed Deciduous Forest) / 17.9
Wetland
Prairie Fen / 22.7 / Total: 39.5%
RelictConiferSwamp (Cedar and Tamarack) / 5.3
Mixed Deciduous Swamp / 8.3
Southern Wet Meadow (Sedge Meadow) / 1.7
Southern Shrub-Carr / 1.5
Open Field
Mesic Prairie (Constructed) / 7.6 / Total: 16.9%
Mesic Sand Prairie / 0.8
Old Field / 8.6
Open Water
BrewsterLake / 1.5 / Total: 2.3%
Cedar Creek / 0.3
Kettle Hole Ponds / 0.3
Retention Ponds / 0.2

2015 Research Grants

Calvin College
Kara Smit and Phil Tubergen, mentored by Dr. Dave Dornbos, will be studying the influence of autumn olive on its rhizosphere soil chemistry and neighboring plant community composition. (Note: Kara is in New Zealand this spring semester).
Central Michigan University
Alec Zuhorski and OlaniyiAjala, mentored by Dr. Brad Swanson, will be investigating the factors affecting infestation of Canada thistle by Urophoracardui.
Cornerstone University
Whitney Lambert and Darien Lozon, mentored by Dr. Rob Keys, will be studying the influence of habitat and landscape associations on breeding birds in managed grasslands of Southwest Michigan.

Grand Rapids Community College
Nico Simon and Jacob Swets, mentored by Dr. Pam Laureto, will be looking at the effects of purple loosestrife on wetland biodiversity and the impacts of biocontrol insects.
Grand Valley State University
Danielle Bradke, Nate Kudla, and Jeff Bartman, mentored by Dr. Jennifer Moore, will be investigating the implications of effecting population size and demography in three populations of eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes.
Nick Preville and Olivia Cooley, mentored by Dr. Eric Snyder, will be studying aquatic insect drift as a tool for evaluating food web dynamics.
Valparaiso University
Paula Stoller and Adithya Subramanian Sahasranamam, mentored by Dr. Kristi Bugajski, will investigate how predator presence influences blow fly oviposition through chemical and visual cues.

2015 Gordon Art Fellowship

Hana Christoffersen, mentored by Paul Krieger, both of Grand Rapids Community College, will be working on a project entitled, “Knock Knock, Who’s There?” This project will explore and showcase species of woodpecker that inhabit the deciduous forests and wetlands of the Institute. This project will produce a series of linoleum prints.

2015 Nature in Words Fellowship

Thomas D’Addario, mentored by Dr. Susanna Childress, both of Hope College, will be completing a project entitled, “Cedar Creek: Linked Short Stories Inspired by Nature.” This project will create a series of five linked, fictional stories that are inspired by the resources found at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute.
Alice Kinney, mentored by Dr. Alisha Siebers, both of Western Michigan University, will be working on a project entitled, “Children in Nature: An Exploration.” This project will include a research report on the effects of nature on children, a brochure about the impacts of nature on children, a children’s book, journaling, and a series of public readings.

Research Experience for Teachers

Sandy Breitenbach, a high school science teacher from Plainwell Community Schools, will be working at the Institute from mid-June through August.

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Biological Field Station

2015 Researcher Information

Communications

All mail should be sent to the following address:

c/o Your Name

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

701 W. Cloverdale Road

Hastings, MI49058

Periodically check in with staff in the Main Office at the Visitor Center. Please be sure to forward your mail at the end of the summer.

Messages can be left with Institute staff during office hours through the main phone line, 269-721-4190. Each housing unit has a phone. Long distance calls can only be made with a credit or calling card. The numbers are:

Hyla HouseBatts CottageMeadow LodgePrairie View

269-948-8317269-945-8940269-945-3365269-721-4479

Students are expected to carry phones with them at all times while they are at the Institute. Emergency information will be communicated to researchers via group text message.

Emergencies - Researchers and mentors must complete an Emergency Contact Information form and return it to Sara. It will be filed in the main office.

Each housing unit has a fire extinguisher. For fire and/or police emergencies, call 911. In the Visitor Center and the Education Building, dial 9 to get an outside line first.

Call Tadd Wattles, facilities manager at (616) 862-3115 for all maintenance issues and non-life threatening emergencies during work hours and after hours.

You may also contact Sara Syswerdaat 269 721 4434 (cell 616-322-3632) or

Michelle Skedgell, Executive Director, at 269-721-4470 (cell 269-838-2947).

Other important numbers are:

Pennock Hospital in Hastings*Poison Control

269-945-34511-800-764-7661

*In the case of rattlesnake bites, seek treatment at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, 1521 Gull Rd., Kalamazoo, MI 49048, 269-226-7000.

In case of severe weather, seek shelter immediately by going to one of the following locations:

Meadow Lodge – lower level kitchen

VisitorCenter – auditorium

Education Building – middle hall by restrooms

Resident Manager’s Home – basement

Research Lab – back storage room

Newsletter - The marketing department will publish several newsletters over the summer. We encourage you to read the newsletter, because we will put important reminders, updates, and information that you may need to know in it. If you would like to write an article or have information regarding your project to share with other Researchers and faculty, please inform Dave DeDecker, Communications Director.

Food Service

Food service will begin on Monday, May 11, 2015 and will be continue Monday through Friday through August 14, 2015. Breakfast will be served in the Visitor Center dining room from 7:30 am to 9:00 am. A variety of food, including cereals, oatmeal, yogurt, bagels, hard-boiled eggs, toast, milk, coffee, and juice will be available. In addition, a hot breakfast will typically be available.

Lunch service will be provided from noon to 1:00 pm. Lunches will vary but will generally include an entrée, vegetable, salad, starch, and dessert. Beverages will include water, tea, and coffee. Menus will be posted the Friday prior and available in the Dining Room. If you have dietary restrictions, notify Sara before your arrival at the Institute.

The Institute will be closed and there will be no meal service on Monday May 25 for Memorial Day and July 3 for Independence Day. Students are welcome to stay in housing, but there will be no food service on the holidays.

To help us plan meals and keep track of housing numbers you will need to fill out the Food Service and Housing Request form on a weekly basis. This form needs to be completed by the Thursday of the prior week (we will normally do that at the weekly meetings). If you are not onsite to fill out the form, you need to let Sara Syswerda know by Thursday what days you will be staying onsite and requiring food service.

Housing and Residential Life

Housing units - Pierce Cedar Creek Institute has four housing units, but students will be staying at Meadow Lodge, located on Cloverdale Road, 0.25 miles west of the entrance to the Institute. The air-conditioned Meadow Lodge has nine double/triple rooms, two single rooms, four bathrooms with showers, and a full kitchenequipped with dishes, cups, pots and pans, microwave, coffee pot, toaster, refrigerators, and stove. There will be shelving available in the kitchen for you to store your dry food items. All food items must be clearly marked with your name and date on the items being stored using the sharpies that are provided.

Students should bring their own sheets and bedding (twin long) and towels.

To keep the facilities clean, please remove or clean muddy shoes prior to entering buildings. Bring a pair of sandals (e.g., flip-flops) or slippers to change into.

Batts Cottage, Prairie View, and Hyla House will also have occasional guests over the summer. Students from the classes held at the Institute typically stay at Hyla House and faculty stay in Prairie View. The Institute also hosts facility rentals of which these guests could be housed in Meadow Lodge occasionally.

Keys - Housing keys can be picked up from Sara Syswerdain the education building during office hours, Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 5 pm. If you cannot find Sara, go to the Visitor Center for assistance. A third possibility (and the least preferred) is to arrange to pick up your key from the mailbox with the keypad at the main entrance of the Institute.

If you are locked out, contact the Facilities Manager or other Institute staff member to unlock your room. There will be a $5 lockout fee after the first incident and if you lose a key, there will be a $10 replacement fee. These costs will be deducted from your stipend.

Overnight Guests - No overnight guests are allowed without prior approval. There will be a $10/per night fee for overnight guests. Large gatherings must not be held without prior written arrangement. Please submit any such request to Sara Syswerda, Education Director.

Housekeeping - Cleaning supplies are provided and residents must keep their space and the commons areas neat and orderly. Institute staff will clean common areas and empty trash in rooms every week but surfaces with personal items will not be cleaned. This means that personal products should not be stored in the bathrooms or other common areas. Students are responsible for washing their own dishes and cooking utensilsdaily. Students are also responsible for taking out the trash on a regular basis (to avoid insect problems). There is a dumpster in the parking area that can be used to dispose of materials going to the landfill. There will be containers provided for recyclable items and for compost.