Join this episode of Connecting Communities to hear about how wild adventure can be more accessible that you might think. K College has become a resource for students and community members to learn and experience rock climbing, backpacking, and more. They want to create a community, connect people, and design programs that are of interest to the community. It is a perfect time to get involved with this group - so connect with Hannah and Jory in this episode!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kzoooutdoor/?hl=en

Website: https://outdoor.kzoo.edu

EB Precopia shares about her passion for food and how it led to her building her blog and food tours in Kalamazoo.

Mia Breznau is a young climate activist in Kalamazoo. She has been participating and planning service projects, advocating for legislation, and organizing other young people for public demonstrations. In this episode, Mia shares her story and some of the influential mentors and organizations that have guided her journey.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Urban Bird Treaty (https://www.fws.gov/program/urban-bird-treaty)

Ardea Youth Climate Coalition (https://www.instagram.com/ardeayouthcc)

Ardea Youth Climate Coalition applications will be open spring 2026 (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9bx5qs2YSxjVU5buYAomcnoasY6rKen9o7qB5t9Z7P98Xqw/viewform)

Kalamazoo Climate Crisis Coalition (https://www.kalamazoocrisis.org)

Michigan Climate Summit, September 9 (https://www.miclimateaction.org/2025_michigan_climate_summit)

Michigan Student Power Alliance (https://www.mistudentpower.org)

Michigan for the Many Campaign

Starlite Collective is an artist community led by Erica and Val to support and promote artists in Southwest Michigan. The way they have designed the collective to remove all barriers for their artists, from physical to financial ones. They have applied the same thought and inclusive attitude toward their inaugural Starlite Arts and Music Festival, in Kalamazoo on August 15-17, 2025.

Find out more about the festival and purchase tickets at www.starlitecollective.org

Follow them on Instagram to find out what food trucks will be attending the festival!

The city of Kalamazoo has a calendar full of programs for residents that will help them get out and enjoy nature safely. Destiny Stetina joins us to talk about the programs and the impact such programs have had on her own life.

Contact info for Destiny: stetinad@kalamazoocity.org

After October 1, contact: gishj@kalamazoocity.org

Relevant links:

City Sustainability Webpage -

City Recycling -

Social media:

https://www.facebook.com/KalamazooCity/

https://www.instagram.com/kalamazoocity/?hl=en

Other orgs:

Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones - https://kalamazoo.wildones.org

Homegrown National Park - https://homegrownnationalpark.org

iNaturalist + Kalamazoo Invasive Species Project - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/invasive-species-monitoring-in-kalamazoo

Only a few hundred years ago, our ancestors were just as familiar with the night sky as they were with the daytime sky. Now we are quite separated from it. Steven Crawford, the Planetarium Technician at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, visits the podcast to discuss the night sky, and how to planetarium can help people access the wonder and majesty of it.

For information about the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, and to purchase tickets to the planetarium, visit https://kalamazoomuseum.org/planetarium

Patrick Hershberger visited the June TrashLoveKzoo clean up to document their progress. The volunteers journeyed into the woods near where the Sprinkle Road road crosses over the Kalamazoo River. The images of the garbage have to be seen to be believed! Even faced with that amount of trash, the group completed their goal and then some!

Battle Creek Unlimited is an economic development non-profit that has aquired 10 acres along the Kalamazoo River that runs through downtown. For decades, this area has been a highly industrial one, with the banks of the river reflecting that. A cement channel was created in 1962 to prevent flooding. The buildings along the channel have been removed, and now the property sits behind a chain link fence. What is the plan for this area? Kris Martin, Urban Planner with Battle Creek Unlimited, sits down with us to explain the plans for the property - including how the river can be naturalized and contribute to habitat and recreational opportunities along the Kalamazoo River.

Complete the survey to provide feedback on the future design of the downtown Battle Creek naturalization project: www.battlecreekmichigan.gov

(Will be open through Fall 2025)