MARQUETTE — MooseWood Nature Center got its start in Marquette 30 years ago as a way to bring a better understanding and appreciation of the beauty and understanding of the Upper Peninsula’s natural history to visitors from out-of-town, and to community members of all

ages.

Programs celebrating the area’s natural history, outdoor recreational opportunities and environmental education have been provided at on and off sites, in area school classrooms and for private groups.

Recently MooseWood received a $5,000 grant from Waste Management, Inc., to provide resources for recycling education to the Marquette area. The center thought an excellent way to increase the value of recycling should involve reach out to a wider range of the community by involving area classrooms in the Marquette area.

Teachers and classes were chosen from elementary, middle school and high schools to

participate. They were each provided with funds to provide field trips to the 906

Recycling facility in Marquette County. There they could see first-hand how recycled

materials were sorted and handled and were encouraged to create various forms of artwork to illustrate the types of materials currently in the area’s waste flow that can be recycled or reused. The winter’s impact on school snow days got the project off to a

slow start, but works being created by students include posters illustrating materials

currently recycled in the facility, how to prepare them for recycling, and how these and

other not currently being recycled materials can also be reused.

Today, a sample of the students’ work will be on display at MooseWood during a celebration of World Environment Day. Students and teachers will be invited to share their insights and knowledge about recycling. In addition to their help, Waste Management will have one of their trucks used to collect recycled materials at MooseWood to show how they work and other information about the area’s handling of plastic, paper, metal and other materials will be provided. It is hoped students, family and the public can join in sharing this important work.

For more information please email Scot Stewart at rockstew4@yahoo.com