2019 ANNUAL REPORT Inspiring people to be stewards of the natural world Perspective Time passes quickly, and we again find ourselves looking back regional partnerships to reflect on the value of building positive nature connections and projects extend and say thank you to the many supporters in the community the mission of who make it all possible. We started 2019 by accepting an Chippewa Nature incredible donation of an additional 272.33 acres from Kriss Center to a broader and Carol Arbury, ensuring the conservation and stewardship audience while helping of this land along the Chippewa River with high banks, mature inspire people to forests and open fields. We remain humbled by this gift and be stewards of the excited to preserve these lands as green space, program space natural world. and a natural area for generations to come. Our dedicated Chippewa Nature Center has enjoyed regional support for many staff are at the decades, and 2019 saw continued growth and development of heart of building Bird Watching Trip programming throughout the counties of the Great Lakes Bay these partnerships Region. CNC was the recipient of a grant from the Great Lakes Bay and one of a kind nature experiences for the residents of Regional Alliance and MiStem to pilot Understanding the Nature of our region. In 2019, we bid farewell to Jeanne Henderson, STEM in Kindergarten, a partnership with Bay City Public Schools. Interpretive Naturalist, as she retired after 29 years of building This program allows CNC staff to develop and provide rich nature- nature connections for people of all ages. Victoria Zablocki, based experiences focusing on science, exploration and inquiry for School Program Coordinator, received the Outstanding over 500 kindergarten students in Bay City! New Interpreter Award from the Great Lakes Region of the Through a 2019 grant from the Saginaw Bay Watershed National Association for Interpretation. Initiative, we are also partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife On behalf of the board and staff of Chippewa Nature Center, we Service (USFWS) to restore wetland, grassland and pollinator want to extend our most sincere thanks to you – our members, habitat at outdoor classrooms on selected elementary, middle donors, participants, partners and volunteers for your continued and high school properties throughout the 22 county Saginaw support of nature education and access to the wonders of the Bay Watershed. Habitats will be restored through the USFWS’s natural world. We are excited to continue to build these nature Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, and CNC will lead the connections throughout the region, and we invite you to join us curriculum and program development for each school site as we continue this work in 2020 and beyond. selected, enabling the continued expansion of nature education to additional regional partner schools. Throughout the year, Respectfully submitted, CNC staff also assisted with land restoration projects and native plantings for the city of Midland at upper Emerson Park and Midland Public Schools at Central Park Elementary. In Kirk W. Fisher Dennis E. Pilaske addition to the hundreds of programs happening onsite, these Board President Executive Director 2019 Board of Directors Kirk Fisher, President • Rob Maxwell, Vice President Jordan Summers, Treasurer • Mark Robertson, Secretary Jenni Bush, Executive Committee Member-at-Large Barbara Allen Melissa Haswell, Ph.D. Carol Van Wert Sharon Caldwell Brian Holmes Michelle Wilkins Nancy Carney Kimberly Reinhardt Dr. Michael Witt John Davis Jamie Ross, M.D. 1 Financial Report Financial stewardship continues to guide and keep operations in great shape to allow for meaningful activities that bring the mission alive. In 2019, expenses were $2,343,281 with revenue of $1,036,338 and endowment support of $1,306,943. Both the board of directors and endowment committee watch consumption of endowment dollars to ensure long term operational support for the Nature Center. Endowment dollars, along with generous individual donors, sponsors and memberships continue to provide support for free admission to many of the wonderful experiences here at Chippewa Nature Center. Nature Preschool 3.79% Volunteer & Outreach 2019 Expenses 6.19% Administration $221,943 Marketing & Communications Marketing & Communications $145,066 9.47% Finance & Operations $264,264 Administration Volunteer & Outreach $88,727 11.28% Programming $1,135,486 Finance & Operations Land & Facilities $487,795 20.82% Land & Facilities Total $2,343,281 48.46% Programming 2019 Revenues 0.80% Miscellaneous Membership $46,467 1.98% Memberships Contributions $336,367 14.35% Programs $634,681 Contributions Miscellaneous $18,814 27.09% Programs Endowment Supplement $1,306,943 55.77% Total $2,343,281 Endowment Supplement The figures shown here represent 2019 operations at Chippewa Nature Center. Audited reports are available. 2 Jenn Kirts Department of Programs Director of Programs This year was a year of transition and change for the staff in the Department of Programs. In January 2019, Michelle Fournier was promoted to Public Program Coordinator and Victoria Zablocki was promoted to School Program Coordinator. These changes position the department for future growth, as well as providing the best support structure for current staff. Jeanne Henderson, Interpretive Naturalist, retired in late September and Cathy Fitzpatrick, Historical Interpreter, moved southward, accepting another position in early September. We welcomed Lindsey Harrell, Interpretive Naturalist, in early October and Corrine Bloomfield, Historical Interpreter joined the team in early January 2020. In addition, Nature Preschool welcomed teachers Haley Smith and Maggie McGuire in August 2019 after the departures of Carri McGuire and Erica Hinston. MAJOR EVENTS BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER A number of major events are offered each year including celebrations of the solstices, Groundhog’s Day, Earth Day, and more. Our long-standing, major festivals have become traditions for many of our guests and 2019 was no different. Event Date Attendance Maple Syrup Day March 16 1,310 Fall Harvest Festival Oct 5 1,112 Nature at Night Oct 25 & 26 667 Nature Art Show & Sale Nov 30 & Dec 1 627 Historical Intern, Tara, washing clothes during the CONNECTING THROUGH THE VISITOR CENTER Victorian Fashion History Program AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS Drop-In Visitors and Programs Adult Outreach Programs Once again, drop-in attendance grew with 28,450 visitors In addition to welcoming guests to CNC, program staff headed out stopping by the Visitor Center over the course of the year. This into the community to provide programs throughout the Great is an increase of 8,000 visitors per year over five years ago. This Lakes Bay Region including senior centers, Audubon clubs, service does not capture the number of visitors who bypass the Visitor groups, gardening groups, 4-H events and more. CNC reached Center and hit the trails, visit the Homestead Farm, visit The more than 2,600 people through the delivery of these programs. Woods Nature Play Area or have a quiet lunch outdoors. While many visitors simply enjoy the exhibits and explore the trails, 4,917 people participated in 214 free drop-in programs such HANDS-ON LEARNING IS THE CORE as Story Hour, Homestead Sunday, Local Bird and Fall Color OF SCHOOL PROGRAMS hikes, and Turtle Times. These programs engage visitors from all Chippewa Nature Center has continued to have a strong presence walks of life and at different places on their journey with their in Bullock Creek and Coleman Schools. During the spring and relationship to the natural world. fall of 2019, CNC Educators made 505 visits to Bullock Creek classrooms and 114 visits to Coleman classrooms delivering Field Trips and Workshops custom curriculum-aligned lessons to students and sharing teaching For those seeking to hone their bird identification skills or methods, activities and plans with teachers. In addition, classrooms develop a new skill, field trips and workshops provide a great in both districts participated in two field trips each to CNC and opportunity to do so. In 2019, 46 workshops and field trips Bullock Creek third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms spent a were offered with a total of 298 attendees. Workshops included week at CNC, participating in daily natural and cultural-history landscaping with native plants and basket-making workshops lessons. Teachers tell us that the lessons students experience while field trips including many paddling trips and several birding during our programming stick with students who recall vocabulary, field trips. content and concepts with ease over the coming months. 3 CNC received a mini grant through the Great Lakes Bay Regional STEM Alliance to provide a program entitled Understanding the Nature of STEM in Kindergarten for all 500 kindergartners in Bay City Public Schools. This program provided for a 1-hour in-class lesson by CNC Educators, a 1.5 guided field trip at CNC, a 1.5 hour self-guided lesson at CNC, follow up activities for the teachers to do in the classroom. This program helped transform some teachers’ understanding of science teaching, engineering principals, and increased their comfort level in teaching outdoors. Bullock Creek Elementary Kindergarten Program Traditional field trips continue to bring value to the teachers and Training (the most ever!). The CITs volunteered over 5,000+ students of area schools. In 2019, CNC Educators welcomed hours of service. The NDC team made a tremendous effort 17,325 students on field trips. This is an increase of nearly 4,000 to develop a supportive staff and together committed to students over 2018. providing a safe, dynamic camp experience for our campers to Groups of children continue to learn and celebrate at CNC connect with nature. Here is just a snapshot of new, engaging through birthday parties and scout programs. 180 children experiences offered this summer: attended birthday parties at CNC in 2019 while 375 girl • The new early childhood Budding Naturalist Series filled scouts and cub scouts attended programs to help them earn (with waitlists).