ROSCOMMON — The Academy of Natural Resources, a professional development program in Michigan for teachers wanting to experience a science-based, hands-on, high-quality and engaging week of residential training, returns to full flourish.

This year, the Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support — run by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy — returns to the ANR programming schedule for the first time since 2017. MEECS brings its full complement of activities and materials, recently updated to align with Michigan’s Next Generation Science Standards, to the academy for MEECS Week July 9-14.

Units on water quality, biodiversity, ecosystems, energy, air quality, land use and climate change have been developed and updated over the years. Individual workshops on these focus areas are offered statewide, but the Academy of Natural Resources provides training in all units at one place at one time.

The ANR Classic program at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center in downstate Roscommon offers two more sessions: “Forests, Fields and Fins” and “Teachers Into the Wild,” both of which are nearly closed to enrollment. ANR North, held at Michigan Tech’s Ford Center, is debuting a new course this year: “Forest Frenzy.”

Find information on scholarships and registration at Michigan.gov/ANR.Ac