Johnson Nature Center

Johnson Nature Center Johnson Nature Center is comprised of 40 acres of woods, fields, wetlands, and rolling hills. Nature-based summer camps are available as well.

Students and families participate in outdoor, experiential learning programs throughout the year. The trails are open to the public from 8am to dusk daily.

At the entrance to the Pine Loop, you’ll spot one of the Nature Center’s little mysteries.Visitors often ask us what thi...
05/30/2026

At the entrance to the Pine Loop, you’ll spot one of the Nature Center’s little mysteries.

Visitors often ask us what this old structure was used for - and honestly, we’re not entirely sure. Rumor has it a former owner built it from old telephone poles as a trail entrance for his family to enjoy, though it certainly sparks curiosity.

Have you noticed it on your walks? What do you think its story might be?

Have you seen this Michigan native pine? Its pine cones need fire to open, its needles grow in pairs, and young forests ...
05/29/2026

Have you seen this Michigan native pine?
Its pine cones need fire to open, its needles grow in pairs, and young forests of these trees provide the exclusive breeding habitat for the Kirtland’s Warbler in northern Lower Michigan.

Get your creativity ready for summer at the Nature Center Craft projects are coming soon - join us one Saturday each mon...
05/29/2026

Get your creativity ready for summer at the Nature Center
Craft projects are coming soon - join us one Saturday each month for hands-on fun inspired by nature. Stay tuned for details!

Meet the majestic Eastern White Pine Did you know it’s one of only 3 native pine species in Michigan - and the only one ...
05/27/2026

Meet the majestic Eastern White Pine
Did you know it’s one of only 3 native pine species in Michigan - and the only one with needles growing in clusters of five? Nature’s little high-five!

As the largest conifer in the northeastern U.S. and Michigan’s state tree, this towering giant has deep roots in both the landscape and culture. Known as Zhingwaak in Ojibwe, it also plays an important role in the ecosystem - especially for red squirrels, who love snacking on the seeds tucked inside its pine cones

Next time you spot one, take a closer look … can you count all five needles?

Enjoy a hike at the Nature Center after dark and learn about different nocturnal animals on May 29. Pre-registration re...
05/26/2026

Enjoy a hike at the Nature Center after dark and learn about different nocturnal animals on May 29. Pre-registration required.

Blackfin Cisco, Deepwater Cisco, and Shortnose Cisco. Several cisco fish species found in Michigan have been extirpated ...
05/15/2026

Blackfin Cisco, Deepwater Cisco, and Shortnose Cisco. Several cisco fish species found in Michigan have been extirpated since 1970. While over fishing certainly didn’t help, the final nail in the underwater coffin were invasive species introduced by humans. Parasitic sea lampreys would attach themselves to the defenseless ciscoes and extract their blood, while river herring and rainbow smelt ate any young ciscoes they found. These invasive species are merely trying to survive, but harmed the previous ecosystem.

Arctic grayling. This species isn’t extinct across the world. They are doing fine in Canada and Alaska, as well as parts...
05/15/2026

Arctic grayling. This species isn’t extinct across the world. They are doing fine in Canada and Alaska, as well as parts of the Missouri River. So why not here? There used to be a healthy population in the Great lakes, but habitat destruction, invasive species, and unchecked logging brought an end to their population. How does chopping down trees affect fish? The trees kept parts of the river shaded and cool, just as the grayling liked it. The trees also slowed down erosion, and prevented too many minerals from running into the water where it could get caught in the fish’s gills.

The heath hen was another once wide ranged bird. Some believe it was the first Thanksgiving bird, not the turkey. Huntin...
05/14/2026

The heath hen was another once wide ranged bird. Some believe it was the first Thanksgiving bird, not the turkey. Hunting certainly didn’t help, but domesticated cats also caught and killed these flightless birds. They went extinct in Michigan, and the rest of mainland U.S.A. by the 1840s with the rest surviving on the island of Martha's Vineyard, off Massachusetts. While humans tried to help restore their numbers, a fire in 1916 killed most of the adults and they were never able to recover. The last one was Booming Ben, and he died in 1932. While the heath hens were unable to be saved, they were the first bird species humans tried to rescue, and conservationists learned how to handle restoration efforts better.

Eastern elk were once widespread in Michigan and throughout the northeastern region, but this subspecies was driven to e...
05/13/2026

Eastern elk were once widespread in Michigan and throughout the northeastern region, but this subspecies was driven to extinction by rampant overhunting and habitat loss. The Michigan population went extinct in 1880. Different elk species have since been introduced to fill in the ecological role the eastern elk once played.

This week, we look at recently extinct Michigan animals. The first is the passenger pigeon, which once covered most of N...
05/11/2026

This week, we look at recently extinct Michigan animals. The first is the passenger pigeon, which once covered most of North America. Humans have always hunted passenger pigeons, but some native Americans would only hunt juveniles, as they didn’t want to scare breeding adults away. However, professional hunters could sell meat in city markets with no laws restricting numbers. Laws were passed in the late 1800's to protect them, but was futile as there were too few to reestablish the species. The last known passenger pigeon was Martha, who lived in the Cincinnati Zoo for her entire life. She hatched in 1885 and died of old age in 1914. The one valuable result of the extinction of the passenger pigeon was that it aroused public interest in the need for strong conservation laws.

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3325 Franklin Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI
48302

Telephone

+12483416485

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