Rooted in nature: Dennis Pilaske reflects on a life of outdoor learning and community connection

I'm Dennis Pilaske, a lifelong lover of nature, music, and storytelling.

I serve as the Executive Director of the Chippewa Nature Center, where summer means one thing above all else: Nature Day Camp. It is one of the heartbeats of our programming, offering children from as young as three to as old as sixteen the chance to build friendships, learn about the world around them, and grow in confidence and curiosity. It is where many of our deepest community connections begin, and where I have been fortunate to see the next generation fall in love with nature the same way I did.

My journey at the Nature Center started in 1997. I had just finished graduate school at Central Michigan University and spent a year at the Historical Society in Saginaw when I saw a new position open at the Nature Center. I studied history and once thought I might be a high school teacher. But after spending a summer working as a camp counselor, I realized something important. Teaching did not have to happen in a classroom. The outdoors could be the classroom. That realization changed everything.

Over the years, I have moved through different roles at the Nature Center, from working on exhibits and programming to leading trail interpretation and paddling trips. I eventually stepped into leadership and, in 2017, became Executive Director. I would never have guessed it back in the late nineties, but looking back, it feels like every step prepared me for this. I have been fortunate to work alongside people who believe in our mission, community, and the power of getting outside.

I live in Sanford with my wife, Michelle. Our children have both taken advantage of the incredible music programs at Midland Public Schools. Music runs deep in our family. I grew up surrounded by it. My parents and grandparents played at home and gatherings, and I picked up the guitar at a young age. Over the years, I found ways to weave music into my work, writing songs about history and the environment, performing solo and with local friends. It has been a gift to see our kids fall in love with music, each finding their rhythm and voice through Midland's strong music programs.

Nature is still where I go to recharge. I paddle, hike, and ride my fat tire bike through winter snow. In the summer, I garden and preserve food and find peace in the seasonal rhythms that shaped me as a kid on a dairy farm in Port Hope. That deep connection to land has always guided my work and outlook.

As I look ahead, my greatest hope for Midland is that we continue to expand access to green space and safe nonmotorized pathways. These connections help us move through life physically, emotionally, and as a community. I want to see a future where everyone can experience nature, where kids and adults alike can walk, bike, and paddle their way to something meaningful. And I hope we keep making room for one another in the process because places do not just define this community; its people define it.”