▁Lower ▁Pen ins ula ▁of ▁Michigan , ▁en comp ass ing ▁over ▁ ▁of ▁forest , ▁rivers ▁and ▁wet lands . ▁Loc ated ▁in ▁Mid land ▁County , ▁they ▁are ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁and ▁most ▁prominent ▁private ▁non - pro fit ▁nature ▁cent ers ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁Mid land ▁Nature ▁Club ▁began ▁discuss ions ▁about ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁local ▁nature ▁center ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁the ▁club ▁reached ▁out ▁to ▁the ▁Herbert ▁H . ▁and ▁Grace ▁A . ▁Dow ▁Foundation ▁for ▁support ▁of ▁a ▁separate ▁nature ▁center . ▁The ▁foundation ▁owned ▁a ▁ 1 9 8 - acre ▁par cel ▁where ▁the ▁P ine ▁River ▁joined ▁the ▁Ch ipp ew a ▁River ▁that ▁would ▁be ▁an ▁ideal ▁location . ▁The ▁new ▁organization ▁was ▁granted ▁a ▁ten - year ▁le ase ▁for ▁the ▁land , ▁which ▁was ▁later ▁expanded ▁to ▁include ▁eight ▁other ▁properties ▁as ▁new ▁programs ▁were ▁added ▁by ▁the ▁center . ▁ ▁A ▁Nature ▁Day ▁Camp ▁was ▁offered ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁center ' s ▁longest ▁running ▁program . ▁A ▁Nature ▁Study ▁Building , ▁designed ▁by ▁architect ▁Ald en ▁B . ▁Dow , ▁was ▁dedicated ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁and ▁serves ▁as ▁the ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁camp ▁program . ▁During ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁the ▁C NC ▁and ▁Mid land ▁Public ▁School s ▁joined ▁forces ▁to ▁develop ▁the ▁Cooper ative ▁Environment al ▁Education ▁Program .