Location
Michigan State University
Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies
147B Natural Resources Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
Ph. 517-432-0267
Contact:
Shari L. Dann, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist
sldann@msu.edu
Website: www.grandlearningnetwork.org
Primary Goals
The GRAND Learning Network involves mid-Michigan K–12 students and their teachers in school-community partnerships that help them learn about the Grand River watershed region, build their skills and knowledge in science and social studies, and become active stewards of the Great Lakes. The network provides support for teacher-leaders and community volunteers from the headwaters region of the Grand River and its watershed. Materials from the Northwest Center for Sustainable Resources and strategies developed by the Rural School and Community Trust are used in tandem with data and information about the Grand River watershed to enhance existing curricula and provide for new learning experiences.
Community Context
The Grand River watershed region includes the Grand River headwaters and the river itself, which at 260 miles is Michigan’s longest. The watershed’s area is second only to the Saginaw River’s in size. This river system, particularly its headwaters and upper tributaries, is critically important for both Lake Michigan and the entire Great Lakes region. The upper Grand River watershed connects rural, upstream agricultural communities with sprawling suburban areas, industry-dotted urban zones, and Lake Michigan.
Stewardship issues directly relate to the role residents play as inhabitants of communities, the Grand River watershed, and the Great Lakes region. There are signs of an emerging commitment to stewardship. Residents are working with their drain commissioners to establish rain gardens to reduce the impacts of runoff from impervious surfaces. Regional planning efforts are helping to rebuild and diversify the economy while protecting the area’s agricultural heritage, natural areas, recreation spaces, and quality of life. Environmental programs are reconnecting people to their rivers. Sensitive ecosystems, such as bogs, lowland riparian forests, prairie remnants, and mature hardwood forests, are receiving increased attention, protection, and management. This is a fertile ground in which to work.