Last updated June 3, 2026
LANSING, Mich. – Fenner Conservancy has received a $115,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation to support Fenner Nature Center’s Sustainable Ecosystem Restoration project.
The grant will help restore and protect prairie, woodland, and wetland habitats throughout Fenner Nature Center while providing opportunities for visitors to learn about conservation and stewardship. Through this work, Fenner will improve habitat for native plants and wildlife, strengthen ecosystem health, and help preserve some of Michigan’s most vulnerable natural environments.
Project activities will include removing invasive species, planting native vegetation, restoring shoreline and wetland areas, and implementing land management practices, such as prescribed burns, to support long-term ecosystem health. These efforts will improve habitat quality while contributing to cleaner air and water across the landscape.
A key focus of the project is the restoration of Fenner’s prairie habitat, an ecosystem considered critically imperiled in Michigan. By restoring native plant communities and ecological processes, the project will help ensure these important habitats continue to thrive for future generations.
“Fenner is so close to so many people in Lansing and further afield, and we are in a way striving to conserve these habitats for them. The Consumers Energy Planet Award grant will give us the opportunity to restore and enhance these habitats, which is exciting in and of itself, but the aspect that gives me the most excitement is the opportunity to involve the Lansing community with these efforts in any way we can, educational presentations, volunteer work, you name it!” said Dylan Lallemand, Volunteer & Stewardship Coordinator at Fenner Conservancy.
In addition to on-the-ground restoration, the project will connect visitors with interactive learning and volunteer opportunities that demonstrate how conservation practices can be applied throughout the community.
About Fenner Conservancy
Fenner Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the managing body of Fenner Nature Center and Fenner Nature Preschool, connects people to nature in the heart of Lansing through conservation, education, and stewardship. Through the efforts of this organization, Fenner Nature Center continues to serve as a place of connection for our community and a regional resource for environmental education.
About the Consumers Energy Foundation
The Consumers Energy Foundation is the charitable arm of Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider. The Consumers Energy Foundation enables communities to thrive and grow by investing in what’s most important to Michigan – its people, our planet and Michigan’s prosperity. In 2020, the Consumers Energy Foundation, Consumers Energy and its employees and retirees contributed over $20 million to Michigan nonprofits. For more information about the Consumers Energy Foundation, visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/foundation.