MUCC Welcomes New Huron Pines AmeriCorps Service Member

Kristina Kennedy • January 18, 2023

Hello! I’m Tyler Lancaster, a Huron Pines AmeriCorps service member now serving at Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) as the Engagement Specialist. I grew up in the suburbs of Flint, Michigan. My appreciation for the outdoors happened early in my life when my parents signed me up for the Cub Scouts during elementary school. Through the Scouts, I experienced camping, hiking and being mindful of my activities outside to help better the great outdoors. I would say my love for nature truly started when my family took me to Sleeping Bear Dunes. I was in awe of the size and beauty of the area, not to mention exploring and climbing the dunes. After the experience I was obsessed, taking every opportunity to visit State Parks, conservation areas and National Parks (Death Valley National Park is my favorite). 

It was this love of nature that led me to pursue a career in natural resources, first leading me to Michigan State University as I originally wished to be a geologist. After taking a friend’s suggestion to become an Ecology and Conservation Director at a Boy Scout camp in Wisconsin, I figured out quickly that geology wasn’t the field for me. I returned and I switched colleges from MSU to the University of Michigan (Flint campus). There I pursued my Bachelors of Science with a concentration in wildlife biology. While pursuing my degree, I participated in undergraduate research opportunities such as studying bee habitats along riparian zones of the Flint River and helping to conduct a fish ecology study of the Flint River. Many of my classes focused on conservation and I graduated in 2021 with honors. 

I am incredibly excited to be serving with MUCC through the Huron Pines AmeriCorps program. I’m looking forward to gaining hands-on experience and networking with folks in the conservation field during my service (as well as making a difference!). It’s going to be a great year.

Recent Posts

By Justin Tomei June 30, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MUCC Submits Public Comment in Support of Line 5 Tunnel Project Lansing, MI — Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), the nation’s largest statewide conservation organization, has submitted formal public comments urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to approve the Enbridge Line 5 Tunnel Project. In a letter submitted today, MUCC emphasized the need to move this critical infrastructure forward to protect the Great Lakes while maintaining safe, reliable energy transportation. “MUCC supports the tunnel project as the best available alternative to reduce the risk of an environmental disaster in the Straits of Mackinac while continuing to deliver essential energy products to Michigan families and industries,” said Amy Trotter, CEO of MUCC. “We believe the tunnel project strikes a balance between protecting the environment and maintaining energy security.” MUCC’s position is backed by a formal resolution passed by its membership, which includes thousands of hunters, anglers, trappers, and outdoor enthusiasts across Michigan. The resolution supports the tunnel as a long-term solution that replaces the aging and exposed pipeline segment currently crossing the Straits, offering greater environmental safeguards through secondary containment. The organization cited the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which acknowledges the tunnel’s benefits, including reduced spill risk and a controlled, buried environment for transporting light crude oil and natural gas liquids. MUCC also rejected the "no action alternative," which would allow the existing line to remain in operation without any new protective infrastructure. “Other alternatives, like transporting fuel by truck or rail, are inefficient and carry greater environmental and safety risks,” Trotter added. “Allowing the current line to operate exposed on the lakebed indefinitely is simply not acceptable.” MUCC’s comment stresses that the organization is not weighing in on the type of energy transported, but rather on the environmental risks and safety benefits of the tunnel itself. Originally approved by the Michigan legislature and governor in 2018, the Great Lakes Tunnel Project represents a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure and environmental protection. MUCC urges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue the necessary permits and move forward with construction without further delay. For Media Contact: Justin Tomei jtomei@mucc.org 517-346-6488 #####
By Olivia Triltsch June 26, 2025
Since its inception, MUCC has made great strides in the conservation of natural resources through advocacy, habitat, youth education, and communications.
By Katelyn Helsel June 25, 2025
On Saturday, June 21, 2025, MUCC’s On the Ground program partnered with the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute (PCCI) for a native plug planting day in Barry County. Located on 850 acres, the institute offers both environmental education opportunities and serves as a biological field station for conducting research. Many diverse native communities from wetlands to prairies are present at PCCI, and many rare or threatened species in Michigan like the eastern box turtle call the institute home. 
More Posts