Completed Projects

Storied Landscapes: Bridging Ecological and Oral Histories on the Corey Marsh Interpretive Trail CMERC Storied Landscapes.jpg 

Collaborators: Jen Owen, Patricia Norris, Lissy Goralnik, David Wright, Jeno Rivera, Ross Greedy
Units/Partners: MSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, MSU Department of Community Sustainability, MSU Bailey Scholar’s Program
Funding Source: Michigan Humanities Council
Timeline: 2019-21

Description: The Corey Marsh Interpretive Trail was established to inspire care for ecological systems and special places through stories. The ways people interact with nature have changed significantly over the last century; that change has been accelerated by technological changes that result in youth and adults spending more time with technology than with one another or the outdoors. This project combined ecological education with historical narrative and outdoor activity through an interpretive and educational trail, creating a new opportunity to connect people to nature and enable community members to participate in the re-storying of the land. We weaved stories about land use history, oral histories, and information about ongoing habitat restoration and scientific research at the CMERC site and connected them to a series of interpretive stops along an already existing 1.5 mile trail that winds through a portion of the property. This trail provides visitors with views of wetlands, bird habitat, abandoned agricultural land, forests, and open water, and it is a haven for bird watchers. The overarching goal of this project was to strengthen connections to and concern for natural systems through experiential education that imbeds current experience within its historical context. 

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