From fall camp to summer gatherings, there’s always something happening at Michigan Tech’s Ford Center and Forest. Continuing facility improvements, ongoing community events, and a very special guest in a nest made for a vibrant season leading up to the 2026-2027 school year.
Recognition for Historic Sawmill Preservation
The Ford Center Sawmill’s facelift continued with painting of the exterior trim and new floors. Baraga Historical Society got their hands dirty pulling up the building’s old floors before local industry partner Connor Sports Flooring installed brand-new floors. Jim Tolan, manager of operations at the Ford Center and Forest, expressed gratitude to the individuals, organizations, and companies making upkeep on the historic building possible.
“The sawmill that was showing its age has been preserved for the future,” said Tolan. “A key part of the early history of the Ford Center will remain intact to showcase our roots and connection to a very interesting and significant past. In preserving the sawmill, we preserved an educational opportunity that could have been lost to time.”
As recognition for these and other preservation efforts, the Henry Ford Heritage Association presented Michigan Technological University with the 2026 Friends of Ford award for organizations at its annual dinner in July. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the preservation and interpretation of the Ford story and Ford historical landmarks.
Feathery Friends Make Smokestack Home Sweet Home
A pair of osprey, who have now made their home on top of the sawmill smokestack for the second year in a row, did not have any hatchlings during their first year of occupancy. This year, the pair was observed feeding a nestling many times per day. Tolan said the pair likely chose the nesting spot for its elevation away from ground-based predators and human interaction, allowing them to raise their chick undisturbed.
“They are so isolated on top of the stack that interaction is not a big concern,” said Tolan. “Just be sure to look up at the impressive nest on its high perch, and you may see a slice of osprey life!”
The young osprey is estimated to be more than ten weeks old and has been seen flapping its wings and moving about in the nest while its parents perch on the outer edge. Visitors to the Ford Center may hear the birds chattering to each other, and the fledgling is expected to start leaving the nest very soon.
Center Features Tech’s Second Nature Megaphone
The Center has another new addition—a forest megaphone was installed along the cross-country ski trail. The megaphone was constructed by the Baraga County construction technology class, taught by Mike Randell through the Copper Country Intermediate School District Career and Technical Education program. Installation, completed by Ford Center staff and CCISD Construction Trades instructor Jason Erva, was orchestrated by Joan Chadde, Michigan Tech’s education program coordinator and water resource specialist. It’s the second Nature Megaphone installed at Tech. The first was unveiled on the Tech Trails near Houghton in 2025. The structures are designed to amplify natural sound for visitors who stand at the wider end of the conical shape or sit inside the megaphone.
Events Foster Community and Professional Growth
Multiple happenings united community members, history enthusiasts, faculty, and industry professionals at the Ford Center this year. Lucas Nave, CFRES research associate professor, hosted the National Advanced Silviculture Program for two weeks in June, the last of a four-part program certifying forest professionals. Faculty and students helped facilitate and organize the program, allowing opportunities for industry interaction and networking on top of professional development. The Ford Center hopes to continue hosting this program in the future.
The popular annual Alberta Fest drew craftspeople, vendors, musicians, car collectors, and history buffs to the Ford Center on the last Saturday of June. This year’s speakers discussed Ford history and Ford Center Projects, accompanied by demonstrations and displays in one of the center’s original schoolhouses and pump house.
“Alberta Fest is a chance to showcase the rich history of the village, build community, and introduce the Ford Center to a broader public,” said Tolan.
In late August, the Ford Center hosted about 40 Society of American Foresters (SAF) members and forestry professionals, who discussed projections and plans for the next 50 years of forestry during SAF’s ForestNext50 Leadership Summit.
About the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Michigan Tech’s College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science brings students, faculty, and researchers together to measure, map, model, analyze, and deploy solutions. The College offers six bachelor’s degrees in forestry, wildlife ecology and conservation, applied ecology and environmental science, natural resources management, sustainable bioproducts, and environmental science and sustainability. We offer graduate degrees in applied ecology, forest ecology and management, forest molecular genetics and biotechnology, and forest science.
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