Willard G Pierce And Jessie M Pierce Foundation

BIOLOGICAL FIELD STATION PROGRAMS - IN 2020, DESPITE THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, THE INSTITUTE WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTE ITS SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM. THE RESEARCH GRANTS CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON LAND MANAGEMENT AND STEWARDSHIP AS A RESULT OF STRATEGIC PLANNING IN 2018. A TOTAL OF 11 PROJECTS AND 5 NATURAL RESOURCE FELLOWSHIPS WERE FUNDED IN 2020, WITH A TOTAL OF 18 STUDENTS RECEIVING SOME LEVEL OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE INSTITUTE. STUDENTS AND FACULTY MENTORS CONDUCTED SUMMER RESEARCH PROJECTS RANGING FROM STUDIES OF INVASIVES SPECIES AND THREATENED SPECIES TO RESEARCH PROJECTS WITH A WRITING OR ART FOCUS. BECAUSE OF COVID-19 MUCH LESS MONITORING HAPPENED IN 2020, COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS. GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY DID DO WORK WITH EASTERN MASSASAUGA RATTLESNAKE MONITORING, AND MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY DID WORK ON INSECT HERBIVORY ON PLANTS. BOTH PROJECTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 2021.

Expenses: $438K

COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS - THE INSTITUTE HAD SOME WONDERFUL SUCCESS WITH TRANSITIONING OVER TO VIRTUAL PROGRAMS AS A RESULT OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. NEARLY 245 PROGRAMS WERE HELD, WHICH WAS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN WHAT WAS HELD IN 2019, BUT PARTICIPATION, BECAUSE OF THE LARGER VIRTUAL AUDIENCE, GREW FROM APPROXIMATELY 13,234 IN 2019 TO 15,813 IN 2020. A PERMANENT STORYWALK WAS INSTALLED ALONG A TRAIL AT THE INSTITUTE AND THE NO FAMILY LEFT INDOORS PROGRAM ENCOURAGED FAMILIES TO GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY NATURE.

Expenses: $179K

SCHOOL & GROUP PROGRAMS - THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, INSTITUTE STAFF CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SCIENCE CURRICULUM SUPPORT, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND COACHING SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS IN THE 48 HASTINGS AREA SCHOOL SYSTEM ELEMENTARY CLASSROOMS. ALONG WITH THIS, THE INSTITUTE PROVIDED 180 ONLINE AND IN-PERSON PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, MAKING 3,228 CONTACTS. STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, AND MATH) KITS WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT BARRY COUNTY AND DURING THE SCHOOL WINTER BREAK SEASON, WITH APPROXIMATELY 700 KITS DISTRIBUTED.

Expenses: $168K

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION - BECAUSE OF THE INABILITY TO HOLD IN-PERSON MEETINGS THROUGH MOST OF 2020, THE NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WAS GREATLY REDUCED. THE INSTITUTE DID PRESENT A VIRTUAL HERPETOLOGY CONFERENCE THAT ATTRACTED OVER 200 ATTENDEES FROM 11 COUNTRIES. IN THE FALL THE INSTITUTE HOSTED A NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION LEARN TO HUNT AND ALSO WAS ABLE TO HOST PLEIN AIR ARTISTS FOR A RETREAT.