Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center

While this list is not all-inclusive, there are many ways to help support the work and education of our nature center. Please contact the Nature Center Coordinator to discuss your donation further.

Financial Support

Adopting an animal, supporting nature center programs and events, and your financial contributions to our donation bin are all great ways to help us defray our costs. Donations of Amazon or local pet store gift cards-even with a partial balance also go a long way to assist in nature center upkeep.

Gifts In Kind

Donate new or gently-used goods or services that would benefit the nature center’s cause. Animal care items, mounted specimens, live specimens, and natural material exhibits are always a good fit, as are taxidermy and veterinary services.

Planned Giving

Leave a lasting impression by including the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center in your will, living trust, or by naming us as a beneficiary on your insurance policies.

The Shelby Township’s Nest Box Monitoring Program is powered by the efforts of dedicated volunteers who monitor nest boxes in River Bends Park. Every year, a small but mighty team actively monitors 16 nest boxes, each built to target four native species – Eastern Bluebirds, House Wrens, Tree Swallows, and Black-capped Chickadees. They contribute to real bird conservation by collecting and submitting data to the CornellLab’s NestWatch program, a national citizen science effort.

Further, they actively deter nesting attempts by House Sparrows, an invasive and aggressive species. House Sparrows invade native bird nests and will destroy eggs and harm chicks. Thanks to our volunteers, House Sparrow populations are dropping and our target native species’ populations are on the rise in River Bends Park!

We are looking to grow our conservation efforts! If you live near one of Shelby Township’s beautiful parks and are ready to commit to monitoring at least one pair of nest boxes from March – August, visiting them twice a week and following all Nest Box Monitoring procedures to ethically collect and submit data, e-mail our Nature Center Coordinator Elizabeth “Lizzy” Schultz-Correll at eschultz@shelbytwp.org. You will be making a difference for bird conservation in your own neighborhood!

A list of Shelby Township’s parks can be found HERE.

Not ready to commit to traveling to a park twice a week, but still want to participate? You can be a CornellLab’s NestWatch volunteer at home by installing the correct bird house(s) in your backyard and actively monitoring them following CornellLab’s code of conduct. Learn more on their WEBSITE.

The Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center is unable to take in injured or orphaned animals. If you have found an animal in need of assistance, please follow the below instructions. Be aware that it is illegal to try and care for any Michigan native wildlife yourself.

 Injured Animals

The following are signs that an animal needs help:

• The animal is brought to you by a cat or dog.
• There’s evidence of bleeding.
• The animal has an apparent or obvious broken limb.
• A bird is featherless on the ground.
• The animal is shivering.
• There’s a dead parent nearby.
• The animal is crying and wandering all day long.

If you see any of these signs, the animal must be taken to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible. A list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators can be found HERE.

Be sure to call the wildlife rehabilitator first as they usually have specific instructions for drop-off.

If you are waiting to hear back from a wildlife rehabber or it is after-hours, you can keep the animal warm in a quiet place away from people and pets until given further instructions. Avoid spending any amount of extra time interacting with the animal (no photos, no petting, no showing off to friends/family) as this can further stress out an already distressed animal. This can lead to capture myopathy (muscle damage caused by extreme exertion, struggle, or stress) and/or death.

Be aware that it is illegal to try and care for any Michigan native wildlife yourself.

Baby Animals

Before touching an animal, always consult a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for guidance first. A list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators can be found HERE.

Animal mothers spend much of their time away from their babies to avoid attracting predators, visiting their offspring only to feed. This can give off the impression that the babies are “abandoned.” Removing a baby animal can cause more harm than good. When possible, always try and reunite the baby with its parents. (It is a myth that moms will abandon their young if they smell humans.)

For guidance on reuniting baby animals with their parents and when to intervene, follow the guidelines found HERE. This guide is organized by species.

Be aware that it is illegal to try and care for any Michigan native wildlife yourself.

Enjoy our award-winning Teaching Gardens when you visit the center. The Pollinator Garden is a great way see just how important pollinating animals and insects are to plant life. The Herb Garden identifies the delicious herbs usually found in our kitchen. The Deer-Resistant Garden is a fenced area to keep out deer and demonstrate the impact those animals have on the ecosystem.

These beautiful and educational gardens are maintained by a crew of volunteers coordinated by dedicated Shelby Township resident, Dianne Granthen. Break out your camera to capture the beauty or just take a stroll and let nature find you - these gardens are a must-see.

Symbolically adopt your favorite animal at the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center. While your animal will continue to live with us, your donation will go towards daily care, toys, enrichment and any unexpected expenses such as veterinarian bills. In addition, with 24-hours notice, adopters age 13 and older can assist with cleaning, feeding and enrichment for their adopted critter.

• Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center Animal Adoption Flyer

You can hold your child’s next birthday party at the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center. The party includes close encounters with live animal ambassadors and a guided nature hike. In the event of inclement weather, a craft will replace the hike. Your reservation will include the use of our multi-purpose room for three and a half hours. The room holds about 40 adults and children.

Hosts are responsible for decorations, food, table covers, cake and party favors. Parties are available select days, typically Saturday or Sunday afternoons when nature center events don’t conflict. The fee is $145 for Shelby Township and Utica residents and $185 for non-residents. The reservation is confirmed when payment is made. You can register in person at the nature center with cash, credit or check.

• Use of AV equipment:
  • An 85 in. 4K TV available for your slideshow, home movie or photos. Must bring your own flash drive that is compatible with Microsoft.

Call the nature center at 586-323-2478 or email naturecenter@shelbytwp.org for more details.

Archery Fun Theme (AGES 5+)

Ready, aim… FIRE! Kids will learn the basics of archery followed with fun archery games. Equipment and instructor included.

Thanks to a covered pavilion, archery can run rain or shine. However, in the event of lightening, we are not able to be outside. You will have the option of going with the “Junior Naturalist” theme instead, or rescheduling.

Junior Naturalist Theme (ALL AGES)

▪LIVE ANIMALS: Learn about wildlife by meeting four of our live animal ambassadors.

▪GUIDED HIKE: Explore nature with a guided hike along our trails to learn about plants and animals.

If inclement weather, a nature-based craft will replace the hike.

Birthday Party Flyer

It's always a good time to head outside and explore nature. Each season has unique plants, animals and features to observe. Whenever you head out to on a hike or walk outside, take a bingo card with you and see what you can find. Share your finds with us on social media using the hashtag #ShelbyTwpBingo and we may share your pictures on our Facebook page.

• Spring Bingo
• Summer Bingo
• Fall Bingo
• Winter Bingo

Appreciating nature is at the core of everything we do at the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center. It is paramount that we make sure we safeguard our environment so future generations can enjoy it as well. This is why we have many programs that promote conservation, recycling and other steps you can take here and at home to promote an environmentally- friendly lifestyle. Follow the links below for more information of some of our programs, educational resources and facilities to help us ensure our township’s and planet’s continued well-being.

Help the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center raise funds for Animal Care & Programming. Use the Paper Retriever Dumpster located near the River Bends Shooting Range.

Rethink Food Waste with the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center

In the United States alone, 31 percent of the food produced across the country is wasted at the retail or consumer level. That means that, annually, we discard 133 billion pounds of food that is perfectly good to eat. Changes that you and your friends can make in your homes and communities will go a long way toward limiting food waste.

Raising Recycling Awareness Through Education

Though a grant from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and working with Recycle, Michigan, the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center developed a series of informative educational resources to highlight the environmental impact of modern life. Whether it is water use, composting or reducing energy consumption, these resources show how small, everyday changes in our lives can have lasting impacts on the planet. Download the educational posters below to share with your class, friends or families.

The Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center welcomes individual scouting groups, school groups, and organizations to schedule programs with us. All ages are welcome, and we are excited to plan an event suited to your wishes. We invite you to contact the nature center for a listing of topics that we offer or to tailor a program to badge, classroom, or other learning requirements. At least one adult leader is required for every 6 youth attending the program. Please contact the nature center for details and availability.

• Nature Center's Education Programs
• History of River Bends Park and Shadbush Tract