Kellogg Biological Station (KBS), which is Michigan State University's largest off-campus education complex, is located in Ross Township, south of Hickory Corners, Michigan (about 65 miles (105 km) from the main campus). Many of the buildings there were originally constructed by Will Keith Kellogg, after whom the station is named. KBS covers nearly 16.5 square kilometers (4,100 acres) of land. Together with nearby state lands and preserves, this area supports large-scale scientific studies by biologists. The National Science Foundation operates a Long-Term Ecological Research site at KBS.
KBS provides classes for undergraduate and graduate students in biology-related fields. One example is the Enhancing Linkages between Mathematics and Ecology (ELME) program, which includes three weeks of mathematics classes and four weeks of field work.
W.K. Kellogg Manor House
A notable part of the Biological Station is W.K. Kellogg's Manor House. It is located at 3700 E. Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners, Michigan. The house sits 110 feet (34 m) above Gull Lake, offering beautiful views of the lake.
The Manor House was designed by the architectural firm Benjamin and Benjamin. Built in 1925, it was used as a summer home by W.K. Kellogg and his second wife, Dr. Carrie Staines. They lived there until 1942. The house was built in a Tudor Revival style and includes leaded glass bay windows, oak coffered ceilings, a Ludowici roof, and Rookwood tile in the bathrooms and fireplaces. The 32-acre (13-hectare) estate also has a carriage house, greenhouse with a potting shed, a caretaker’s cottage, boathouse, an authentic Dutch windmill, and several gardens.
After World War II, the need for rehabilitation centers grew. As more soldiers were injured, the Manor House was changed into a home for wounded veterans. In 1951, ownership of the estate changed. After Mr. Kellogg’s death, the house and surrounding land were given to Michigan State University. From the 32 acres (13 hectares) and buildings, the Kellogg Biological Station was created. In 1998, the Kellogg Foundation provided a grant to restore the Manor House to its original condition. The project was completed. Today, the two-story house is used for conferences and weddings.
Kellogg Bird Sanctuary
A destination at the biological station is the Bird Sanctuary. Based on a similar wildlife refuge in Canada, the Bird Sanctuary is home to many wild birds and waterfowl, such as trumpeter swans, Canada geese, diving and dabbling ducks, herons, cranes, songbirds, and others. The Sanctuary has played an important role in helping Canada geese and trumpeter swans return to the Midwest. It also serves as a stop for birds traveling during migration. The Sanctuary keeps birds of prey and game birds in captivity on-site. Originally opened as a refuge in 1927, the Sanctuary was given to the Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science (now Michigan State University) in 1928 for use in research and education. Today, the Sanctuary continues to welcome visitors throughout the year, offering tours, classes, and programs for the public.
Kellogg Experimental Forest
Located at 7060 N. 42nd St., Augusta, the 716-acre Kellogg Forest was created in 1932 on land that was once used for farming but is no longer used. The forest is famous for research on growing trees, including how to breed and genetically improve trees, plant them, and manage forests. Much of the work to develop the Spartan spruce, a tree that combines the blue color and ability to survive without much water from a blue spruce with the softer needles and faster growth of a white spruce, was done here. The forest is open to the public for activities such as biking, hiking, jogging, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. It has more than 15 miles of trails with educational signs. Visitors may also bow hunt, fish for trout, and have picnics.
Gull Lake Library
The Gull Lake Library, which is also called an MSU branch library, is part of Michigan State University's W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. The library has more than 12,000 books, many of which are bound journal volumes.
About 150 current serial titles are received regularly. The library's collection helps support the research needs of KBS faculty, staff, students, and visiting scientists who study topics such as aquatic and terrestrial ecology, evolution, behavior, and agro-ecology.
The first director of the station, Dr. Walter F. Morofsky, was an entomologist at MSU. Today, the library holds a large historical entomology collection. Research and teaching related to the Early Bird Sanctuary helped create a strong waterfowl collection. When the year-round research station was established in 1965, and the branch library was created, a strong research program in limnology began. Currently, the station has strong research programs in limnology, microbial ecology, plant ecology, agricultural ecology, fish ecology, and vertebrate behavioral ecology.