Aldo Leopold Festival - Les Cheneaux Islands

Aldo Leopold Festival - Les Cheneaux Islands Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Aldo Leopold Festival - Les Cheneaux Islands, 3206 W Cedar Street, Hessel, MI.

Les Cheneaux welcomes you to celebrate the legacy of Aldo Leopold — one of America’s most influential naturalists — during this springtime festival, when birding is at its best, and the natural world is yours to explore.

06/01/2026

Thank you to everyone that participated in the 2026 Aldo Leopold Festival this year! What an amazing weekend of birdwatching, nature hikes, highly informative lectures, art projects, and friendship (and perfect weather!) Here’s a brief video recap of this jam packed event. Hope to see you all again next year. ❤️

Save the date next year - June 2-6, 2027

A huge thank you to our sponsors who help make this event possible.
- Chippewa Luce Mackinaw Conservation District
- The Nature Conservancy in Michigan
- Little Traverse Conservancy
- Islands Wildlife
- Applecore General Store
- Northern Properties of Drummond Island
- Beavers on Drummond Island
- Woods and Waters
- The Pine Cone
- Islands Insurance
- Viking Boat Harbor
- Carmeuse
- Les Cheneaux Chamber of Commerce

Our natural dye students had a wonderful time with Jasmine from Howl at the Moon during day one of the Aldo Leopold Fest...
05/27/2026

Our natural dye students had a wonderful time with Jasmine from Howl at the Moon during day one of the Aldo Leopold Festival.

Our first tours are already heading out for their adventures for the 11th annual Aldo Leopold Festival. It looks like it...
05/27/2026

Our first tours are already heading out for their adventures for the 11th annual Aldo Leopold Festival. It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day to explore the EUP.

Sphagnum 101: Field ID and Peatland EcologyThis tour is offered twice! Thursday morning, May 28 • 8:00 AM - 11:00 AMThur...
05/09/2026

Sphagnum 101: Field ID and Peatland Ecology
This tour is offered twice!
Thursday morning, May 28 • 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Thursday afternoon, May 28 • 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

On this guided walk, we’ll learn how to recognize several common groups of Sphagnum using simple, hands-on field identification features—no microscope required.

Along the way, we’ll explore how these humble mosses act as ecosystem engineers, influencing water chemistry, storing carbon, and gradually building the peatlands themselves. By slowing down and looking closely, participants will gain a deeper appreciation for how Sphagnum mosses create and sustain some of the most distinctive landscapes in our region. This walk is ideal for curious beginners, naturalists, and anyone interested in wetland ecology.

Guide: Quinn Sommer, Little Traverse Conservancy

To register online, visit https://www.eventeny.com/events/ticket/?id=28686&action=ticket&action_ticket=51576

Keeping a Nature JournalOffered twice during the festival!Friday Afternoon, May 29 • 3-6 PM OR Saturday Morning, May...
05/09/2026

Keeping a Nature Journal
Offered twice during the festival!
Friday Afternoon, May 29 • 3-6 PM OR Saturday Morning, May 30 • 9 AM - 12 PM
Hessel School House

“The journal is a room of your own, as a place of retreat…as well as a way of participating in the life around you…”

This nature journaling workshop features fun and engaging activities that build the skills of a scientist, naturalist, artist, and observer. This program will connect science, language arts, visual arts, and mindfulness through a series of fun and engaging activities. Bring your camera or smartphone to capture nature during a short walk through the storybook trail then return to the classroom for sketching, coloring, and interpreting the world you explore. All materials will be supplied.

To register online, visit https://www.eventeny.com/events/ticket/?id=28686&action=ticket&action_ticket=51649

Restoring Our Relationship with Manoomin (Wild Rice)Friday, May 29 • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PMHessel School House - Assembly Roo...
05/09/2026

Restoring Our Relationship with Manoomin (Wild Rice)
Friday, May 29 • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Hessel School House - Assembly Room

Frank Zomer, Lead Inland Fisheries Biologist for the Bay Mills Indian Community, and Katie Schultz, Wildlife Program Manager for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians will introduce the audience to the significance of manoomin—wild rice—as more than a plant: a relative, a teacher, and a cornerstone of Anishinaabe lifeways. They will share how their respective Tribal Nations are working to restore manoomin beds, protect watersheds, and rekindle reciprocal relationships with this sacred species, with a special focus on efforts happening right here in the local area. Grounded in Indigenous knowledge and contemporary science, this presentation offers insight into what it means to care for manoomin—and how that care sustains both ecosystems and communities.

For more information and to reserve your seat for this evening presentation, visit https://www.eventeny.com/events/ticket/?id=28686&action=ticket&action_ticket=51653

The Cormorant IssueFriday, May 29 • 2:00 - 4:00 PMHessel School HouseResearch has shown a direct correlation between the...
05/09/2026

The Cormorant Issue
Friday, May 29 • 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Hessel School House

Research has shown a direct correlation between the managing of cormorants with the rise and fall of the local perch population. Matthew Curry, Wildlife Biologist QAWB, USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services - MI, will share research and how the organizations are cooperating on controlling the numbers of both species.

For more information or to reserve your seat for this informative talk, visit https://www.eventeny.com/events/ticket/?id=28686&action=ticket&action_ticket=51650

Birding by EarThursday, May 28 • 5:30 AM - 9:00 AMMeet at Hessel School House and carpool to locationGreet the sunrise a...
05/08/2026

Birding by Ear
Thursday, May 28 • 5:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Meet at Hessel School House and carpool to location

Greet the sunrise and listen to the dawn chorus as birds awaken the landscape. This guided walk will be led by two of Les Cheneaux’s most passionate bird lovers, Duane and Clifford Utech, who will share their knowledge, keen eyes, and love for local birdlife. Perfect for beginners and experienced birders alike, this early-morning outing offers a quiet, memorable way to connect with nature.

Space is limited. To reserve your tickets, visit https://www.eventeny.com/events/ticket/?id=28686&action=ticket&action_ticket=51572

FREE EVENT - Recycling in the E.U.P.: Challenges, Changes and OpportuntiesFriday, May 29 • 1:00 - 2:00 PMHessel School H...
05/08/2026

FREE EVENT - Recycling in the E.U.P.: Challenges, Changes and Opportunties
Friday, May 29 • 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Hessel School House - Assembly Room

This presentation will explore the current landscape of recycling in the region, examining what services are available today, where they are located, and how materials are collected and processed once they leave our communities. We’ll also take a practical look at what happens to the materials we recycle and why certain items are more challenging to manage than others.

Finally, the discussion will focus on opportunities for improvement under the new legislation, including potential solutions, partnerships, and the real-world challenges of expanding or enhancing recycling services in a rural region like ours. Attendees will come away with a clearer understanding of the system as it exists today—and what steps could lead to a more effective, sustainable future for recycling in the EUP.

For more information and to reserve your seat, visit https://www.eventeny.com/events/ticket/?id=28686&action=ticket&action_ticket=51646

Avian Coloration: When Nature Breaks the RulesFriday, May 29 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PMHessel School HouseJoin us for a fasci...
05/08/2026

Avian Coloration: When Nature Breaks the Rules
Friday, May 29 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Hessel School House

Join us for a fascinating one-hour presentation exploring the science behind avian coloration. Dr. McGraw’s research into bird coloration took a compelling turn following widespread interest in an unusual snowy owl spotted in Michigan’s Thumb region that displayed striking orange coloration. This rare and eye-catching phenomenon prompted deeper scientific investigation into how pigments are produced, altered, and expressed in birds, and what these color variations can reveal about diet, environment, physiology, and evolutionary biology. Whether you’re a bird enthusiast, student, or simply curious about the science of color in nature, this presentation promises to be both informative and captivating.

For more information and to register online, visit https://www.eventeny.com/events/ticket/?id=28686&action=ticket&action_ticket=51645

Address

3206 W Cedar Street
Hessel, MI
49745

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+19064841333

Website

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