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The SEE-North Center for Outdoor Studies opened July 2007. Construction and renovation of a new and one-of-a-kind facility to support science and environmental education in northern Michigan is underway on a 40-acre parcel of land northwest of Harbor Springs. SEE-North, a non-profit organization that serves children, teachers, schools, community residents and visitors, is excited to bring you the Center for Outdoor Studies! |
The focal point of the SEE-North Center for Outdoor Studies is NorthWings, SEE-North’s popular birds of prey program. For the past six years, the birds of NorthWings — live hawks, eagles, falcons and owls native to northern Michigan — have been featured in programs throughout and beyond SEE-North’s five-county service area. These amazing birds have educated literally thousands of people over the past few years, but the show has always been ‘on the road.' The Center for Outdoor Studies is the place where people can come at all times of the year to see our cadre of education birds and to learn more about our efforts to rehabilitate sick and injured birds of prey that call northern Michigan their home.
The Center for Outdoor Studies is more than a home for birds of prey, however. Several members of SEE-North’s staff are experienced field biologists with a passion for public education. The organization plans to use the Center to demonstrate techniques that professionals use to study plants, animals and habitats. We’ll offer demonstrations of bird-banding, radio telemetry, tracking, censusing — the things that scientists often do to learn about and preserve natural resources in our region.
The Center will also demonstrate techniques that people can use to attract wildlife to their own backyards. A trail of nestboxes, examples of bird-feeders and groupings of native plants will be featured, along with printed information that people can take home as a reference.
A $1.25 million Capital Campaign is generating funds for the Center for Outdoor Studies. When it is completed, the Center will include a 2,000 sq. ft facility to house SEE-North’s birds of prey program, a Hawk Walk and Owl Prowl featuring seasonal outdoor pens for education birds, an interpretive center, a yurt-style classroom and meeting space, an amphitheater for free-flight birds of prey programs and other outdoor events, and a trail system through the meadows and forests on the property. The Center is only open during scheduled programs.
Directions to the Center for Outdoor Studies:
FROM DOWNTOWN PETOSKEY:
Take US31 North 2.5 miles to the intersection with M119
Turn north (left) onto M119
Follow M119 to downtown Harbor Springs (7 miles) (M119 turns right)
Follow M119 for 7 miles passing Birchwood Farms, Pond Hill Farm, and Five Mile Creek Rd.
1 mile past Five Mile Creek Rd, M119 jogs to the left and Terpening Rd. is straight ahead.
Follow Turpening Rd. 1 mile to Troup Rd. (if you come to Stutsmanville Rd. you've gone too far.
Turn left on Troup Rd. COS is .4 miles down on the right.