Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center

01/23/2026

Jan 23, 2026: The trails are groomed! Thanks to Jed Asher for braving the elements. Be aware, the Green trail is a bit rocky and currently isn't in optimal condition. It could improve as more snow blows in. Enjoy it while we have snow cover!

12/02/2025

Dec 1, 2025: Woohoo- our first trail status report for the 25/26 winter season. The trails are groomed, including for the first time, the purple trail. Enjoy while we still have cold temps to maintain snow cover!

10/17/2025

For those joining for CMERC symposium today, please note that Clark Rd is closed between Upton and Peacock Rds. You can take Peacock Rd north from M78 instead of taking Upton north.

10/12/2025

🌾 Save the Date! CMERC Fall Research Symposium 🌾

Join us this coming Friday, October 17, from 2:00–4:30 PM for the 3rd Annual Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center Fall Research Symposium!

Come celebrate the amazing work happening at Corey Marsh through student and faculty lightning talks and poster presentations. Discover new research, connect with our community, and help us celebrate another year of growth and discovery.

After the symposium, stick around to enjoy the trails and experience a sunset walk to the marsh — one of Corey Marsh’s most beautiful traditions. 🌅

👉 Register here: https://forms.gle/SNKyM1JYucgSCXGU7
For ADA accommodations, please contact [email protected] by October 14.

Let’s come together to support our students, share ideas, and celebrate the spirit of Corey Marsh! 💚

09/26/2025

🌍✨ Reminder: Tomorrow — Climate Change Theatre Action at Corey Marsh! ✨

📅 When: Sunday, September 27, 2025 • 1:00–4:00 PM
📍 Where: Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center (CMERC), 9422 E. Herbison Rd, Laingsburg, MI (Bath Township)
🎟️ Cost: Free (pre-registration recommended)
🚍 Free transportation between MSU campus & CMERC

🎶 Live music kicks things off at 1:00 PM, followed by powerful theatre performances, interactive booths, and community conversation as part of the international Climate Change Theatre Action festival.

Why come?

Enjoy live music & creative performances tackling climate issues

Connect with local climate organizations

Be part of the discussion and community movement

This is more than theatre — it’s a call to action. Bring friends, share this post, and help spread the word!

👉 For more info & registration, visit: elansingclimateaction.art
Or check out the event page: climatechangetheatreaction.com

What do we want? Climate Action! When do we want it? Now! Well, we’re in luck. You’re invited to the Climate Change Theatre Action Festival – a global celebration of community, creativity, and climate action. Climate Change Theater Action (CCTA) - East Lansing, will be hosted by Michigan State...

09/14/2025

Another great event happening at Corey Marsh! The Climate Change Theatre Action Festival - a global celebration of community, creativity, and climate action.

🎭 Climate Change Theatre Action comes to MSU, Sept 26-27 from 1-4PM.

This event includes:
🌍 Short plays from international playwrights
🔬 Presentations from climate researchers
🤝 Conversations with environmental activists in a garden setting

Learn more or register to attend: https://elansingclimateaction.art/

08/26/2025

Meet Paige Greene! A student at Michigan State University studying Fisheries and Wildlife, with a concentration in Wildlife Biology & Management.

This summer, Paige worked with Rachael Griffin and Mikayla Datka on three avian research projects focused on cavity-nesting birds, sedge wrens, and secretive marsh birds. Paige worked under the mentorship of Dr. Jen Owen, Dr. Olivia Smith, and Alex Johnson at the Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center.

🪺Cavity-Nesting Bird Project🪺

Paige, alongside Rachael and Mikayla, contributed to a long-term study examining the reproductive success of cavity-nesting species such as Eastern Blue Birds and Tree Swallows. The project involved recording important dates of the nesting process, as well as banding and measuring nestlings. The project aims to better understand how monotypic vegetation, such as Reed Canary Grass, impacts the reproductive success of cavity nesting species at Corey Marsh.

Paige's research is supported by Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Undergraduate Research Program and the Glassen Summer Undergraduate Research Program

08/22/2025

Meet Mikayla Datka, a Michigan State University undergraduate student studying Environmental Biology and Zoology! Mikayla is a part of the Avian Team at Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center with Paige Greene and Rachael Griffin. She worked under the mentorship of Dr. Jen Owen, Dr. Olivia Smith, and Alex Johnson this summer.

🦆Secretive Marsh Bird Project🌾:

Mikayla, together with Paige and Rachael, continued a long-term study focused on the behavior of secretive marsh birds at Corey Marsh. Secretive marsh birds include hard-to-spot species such as Sora, Virginia Rail, Sedge Wrens, and Marsh Wrens. The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of different plant communities on the preferred locations of these birds within the marsh. The Avian Team conducted point count surveys to determine the presence of the secretive marsh birds in different areas of the marsh and visually compared vegetation, especially the presence or absence of cat-tails, between these areas.

Mikayla's work has been supported by the Glassen CMERC Summer Support and MSU’s Office of Undergraduate Research.

08/19/2025

Meet Rachael Griffin, a Michigan State University undergraduate student studying Environmental Studies and Sustainability, and Fisheries and Wildlife with a concentration in Wildlife Biology and Management!

Rachael is part of the Avian team at Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center alongside Paige Greene and Mikayla Datka, and worked under the mentorship of Dr. Jen Owen, Dr. Olivia Smith, and Alex Johnson.

🌾🐤 Sedge Wren Project:

Rachael helped continue a long term study researching the nesting behavior of Sedge Wrens at Corey Marsh. The objective of this research is to better understand the impact of monotypic reed canary vegetation on Sedge Wren nesting success. This project involved conducting point count surveys to understand which parts of the marsh were being occupied by Sedge Wrens, doing nest searches to locate nesting sites, and vegetation sampling to see the vegetation type and diversity at the nesting sites.

The Avian Team’s work has been supported by the Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Undergraduate Research Program

08/09/2025

Meet Makayla Dernberger, a Fisheries and Wildlife major at Michigan State University with a concentration in Wildlife Biology and Management!

Photos: Makayla with a captured fawn. A recently collared fawn shown nursing from one of our CMERC trail cams!

This summer, Makayla is leading a white-tailed deer fawn survival and habitat use study under the mentorship of Dr. Sonja Christensen at the Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center.

🦌 Tracking Fawn Survival and Movement
Building on a pilot study from last year, Makayla’s project uses a combination of traditional fieldwork and emerging technologies to better understand early-life survival in fawns and how different habitat features affect their movements and risk. In the first year, the team captured and monitored four fawns using VHF radio telemetry, revealing that fawns spent about 80% of their time under tree cover—highlighting the importance of shelter in early development.

📡 Expanding the Study with Drones and GPS
This year’s efforts scaled up significantly with the addition of infrared drone surveys and GPS collars. These tools—paired with growing field experience—helped the team locate over 20 fawns and collar seven. The expandable GPS collars are designed to grow with the animal and drop off naturally around one year of age. Early data from this season show an average mass of 4.94 kg, no visible ectoparasites, and a 90% female-to-male ratio among collared individuals.

Makayla’s day-to-day work involves monitoring fawn survival, conducting telemetry, collecting habitat data, and maintaining collar performance—all while strictly following animal welfare protocols to ensure safe and low-stress handling.

She’s especially passionate about applied research that supports wildlife management in landscapes shaped by human activity. This growing dataset will help researchers better understand how young deer survive and thrive in a complex patchwork of habitats.

08/06/2025

Meet Jaylyn Wilder (they/she/he), one of our amazing CMERC summer undergraduate researchers!

This summer, Jaylyn has taken on two exciting projects under the mentorship of Dr. Alexa Warwick as part of CMERC’s H**p Team.

🐢 Turtle Tracking and Nest Protection
Jaylyn helped coordinate the latest round of turtle trapping at Corey Marsh, expanding efforts to begin tracking Blanding’s turtles—a species of special concern in Michigan. They’re especially interested in better understanding the turtles’ nesting habits and finding ways to protect nests on-site.

🦎 Investigating Salamander Differences Across Sites
Jaylyn also led a study using SPARCNet salamander board plots at both CMERC and our sister site, Rose Lake State Wildlife Research Area. Noticing a big difference in salamander numbers between the two locations, they collected detailed environmental and ecological data—looking at soil, vegetation, earthworms, and other invertebrates—to help explain the variation observed by Dr. Warwick’s team.

Jaylyn’s work has been supported by the Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Undergraduate Research Program. We're so excited to see where their curiosity and dedication take them next!

07/27/2025

Michiganders filled social media with confused reactions in response to the first public display of photos of a black bear taken from trail cameras just a half-hour drive from downtown Lansing.

Read: https://bit.ly/4lMJZLJ