Exhibits

Opens March 5, 2025 in KNC’s Exhibits Hall

Kalamazoo Nature Center’s upcoming exhibit, Forest Mosaic: How Forests Transform and Sustain, explores the vital role of forests in our world. Visitors will learn about the complex and interconnected web of interactions amongst plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms that comprise the forests of Southwest Michigan. Interactive displays will include a touch-sensitive map that helps locate different forest biomes on KNC’s trails, old-school view-masters for intimate observations of ecological succession and forest changes over time, and a series of manipulatives that help young visitors investigate the relationships that make up forest ecosystems.

Visitors will experience firsthand how forests recycle nutrients, regulate water, and influence climate, while understanding the impact of human actions, such as the spread of invasive species and conservation efforts across Southwest Michigan. The exhibit will leverage the inspiring work of KNC’s own Conservation Stewardship team and the sugarbush project to illustrate key ideas in forest conservation. Forest Mosaic will engage an estimated 18,000 visitors over the course of the exhibit. We will further extend this educational impact through fieldtrips for Kalamazoo County schools, exhibit-based programming during our large public events such as Maple Sugar Fest and through workshops for area teachers that help them to incorporate exhibit content into their curriculum. Engaging with Forest Mosiac will deepen visitors’ appreciation of the delicate balance of forest ecosystems and help them consider their own role in supporting forest health and sustainability.