EEB’s Edwin S. George Reserve will serve as a crucial training ground for the sustainability workforce under the guidance of the Reserve’s Director, Professor Chris Dick. Along with a team led by Dr. Anthony Kolenic of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, and including the School for Environment and Sustainability, the Office of Campus Sustainability, and Custodial & Grounds Service, Prof. Dick has received one of the first ever grants awarded by U-M’s Strategic Initiative Fund.


The fenced-in 1,300 acres northwest of Ann Arbor will join other campus lands to serve as living laboratories for the M|Lands project. According to Prof. Dick, two main goals for ESGR’s role in M|Lands are improving the ecological stewardship of U-M land in southeast Michigan, and providing opportunities for student training in ecological restoration: 


“At the ESGR we are planning to restore endangered ecological communities such as oak barrens and we plan to increase the number of student projects associated with our restoration efforts. We'll provide internships and master's certificate programs that include hands-on experiences like invasive species removal along with scientific studies that will enable us to monitor our restoration impacts and compare them with historical data.”


M|Lands aligns with two of the five primary impact areas of the Strategic Initiative Fund: Life-Changing Education, and Energy, Climate Action, Sustainability and Environmental Equity. President Domenico Grasso announced the $1 billion, 10-year Strategic Initiative Fund in November 2025, encouraging creative and ambitious projects aimed at making real change. A total of $40 million was awarded to 37 projects in this first year. Congratulations to Prof. Dick for bringing this inspiring opportunity to EEB!


You can read more about M|Lands at Look to Michigan.