Kellogg Biological Station facts for kids
The Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) is a big learning center for Michigan State University. It's located in Ross Township, near Hickory Corners, Michigan, about 65 miles (105 km) from the main university campus. Many of the buildings at KBS were first built by Will Keith Kellogg, who founded Kellogg's cereal. The station is named after him.
KBS covers almost 16.5 square kilometers of land. This large area, along with nearby state lands, helps biologists do big research projects. The National Science Foundation also has a special Long-Term Ecological Research site here. KBS offers classes for college students in subjects related to biology. This includes a program called ELME (Enhancing Linkages between Mathematics and Ecology), which combines math and field work.
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Discover the W.K. Kellogg Manor House
A special part of the Biological Station is the W.K. Kellogg Manor House. You can find it at 3700 E. Gull Lake Drive in Hickory Corners, Michigan. It sits 110 feet (34 m) above Gull Lake, offering amazing views of the water.
History of the Kellogg Manor House
The Manor House was designed by Benjamin and Benjamin, a team of architects. It was built in 1925 and was the summer home for W.K. Kellogg and his second wife, Dr. Carrie Staines. They lived there until 1942. The house was built in a Tudor revival style. It has leaded glass bay windows, oak coffered ceilings, and bathrooms and fireplaces made with special Rookwood tile. The estate is 32-acre (13-hectare) and also includes a Carriage house, a greenhouse, a caretaker's cottage, a boathouse, a real Dutch windmill, and lovely gardens.
After the Kelloggs left, the house was used by the United States Coast Guard as a training center during World War II. When the war ended, many injured soldiers needed places to recover. So, the Manor House became a place for injured veterans. In 1951, the estate changed hands. After Mr. Kellogg passed away, the Manor House and its land were given to Michigan State University. This 32 acres (13 hectares) estate and its buildings became the Kellogg Biological Station. The Manor House has been restored to look like it did originally. Now, you can take tours there. This two-story home is also used for conferences and weddings. In 1998, the Kellogg Foundation gave money to help restore the Manor House.
Explore the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary
The Bird Sanctuary is a very popular spot at the biological station. It was created like a wildlife refuge in Canada. This sanctuary is home to many wild birds and waterfowl. You can see trumpeter swans, Canada geese, different kinds of ducks, herons, cranes, and many songbirds.
Helping Bird Populations Grow
The Sanctuary has been very important in bringing back populations of Canada geese and trumpeter swans to the Midwest. It's a key stop for birds traveling during their flyway migrations. The Sanctuary also cares for birds of prey and game birds that live there. It first opened as a refuge in 1927. In 1928, it was given to the Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science (now Michigan State University) for research and education. The Sanctuary is still a favorite place for visitors. It offers tours, classes, and programs for everyone all year long.
Discover the Kellogg Experimental Forest
The Kellogg Experimental Forest is located at 7060 N. 42nd St. in Augusta. It was started in 1932 on old farmland. This 716-acre forest is famous worldwide for its research on trees. Scientists here study how to breed trees, how to plant them, and how to manage tree farms.
Researching New Tree Types
A lot of the research that created the Spartan spruce happened at the Kellogg Forest. The Spartan spruce is a special hybrid tree. It has the color and drought resistance of a blue spruce. It also has the softer needles and fast growth of a white spruce. The forest is open to the public for fun activities like biking, hiking, jogging, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. It also has more than 15 miles of trails with information signs. You can also go bow hunting, trout fishing, and have picnics here.
Visit the Gull Lake Library
The Gull Lake Library is a branch of the MSU Library. It is part of Michigan State University's W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. The Gull Lake Library has over 12,000 books and many bound science journals. It also receives almost 150 current science magazines. The collection helps KBS teachers, staff, students, and visiting scientists with their research. They study things like water and land ecology, evolution, animal behavior, and farm ecology.
Library's Special Collections
The first director of the station, Dr. Walter F. Morofsky, was an entomologist (someone who studies insects) from MSU. Because of him, the library has a strong historical collection about insects. Early research and teaching at the Bird Sanctuary also led to a good collection about waterfowl. When the research station became a year-round center in 1965, and the branch library was set up, a strong research program in limnology (the study of fresh water) began. This research continues today. Currently, there are strong research programs in limnology, microbial ecology (tiny living things), plant ecology, agricultural ecology, fish ecology, and vertebrate (animals with backbones) behavioral ecology.
