ODC Network

Advancing Outdoor Education & Conservation in West Michigan

Who We Are

The ODC Network is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that strives to advance outdoor education and conservation in West Michigan. 

Since 2000, ODC Network has served more than 1.3 million people through hands-on, outdoor learning experiences and conserved thousands of acres of native habitat through restoration and preservation projects.

To achieve our mission, 12 business divisions create the ODC Network. Our vision is building a better community by connecting people, land and nature. 

What we do

We are pioneering nature based education by changing how and where learning happens. The ODC Network provides nature based education for all ages through early childhood centers, partnerships with local k-12 schools and community programs. 

We are protecting natural ecosystems by promoting, preserving and restoring natural habitats. The ODC network has conserved thousands of acres of habitat through restoration and preservation projects. 

We are providing outdoor access through furthering our community and improving its connection to the natural world.  Our nature preserves are free and open to the public from dawn to dusk 365 days a year. 

Our History

In 1999, the Wildlife Unlimited of Allegan & Ottawa Counties, Inc. and the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District (OAISD) partnered to create the Outdoor Discovery Center to advance outdoor education and conservation in West Michigan.

The 100-acre parcel of land purchased by Wildlife Unlimited was an ideal site because of its diverse ecosystems. It had been decades since it was farmed and one of the first projects the ODC undertook was to restore the land to its pre-settlement condition. Subsequent land acquisitions have added to the natural diversity including ponds, remnant dunes, wetlands, meadows, remnant prairie, and lowland hardwood forest. Visitors are able to experience these unique surroundings while walking on three miles of trails, many that are ADA accessible, on the 160 acre site.

1999Outdoor Discovery Center is founded
2008ODC Explorer Network is launched
2009Merger with Macatawa Greenway Partnership
2012ODC Conservation Services is established
2013Project Clarity is launched
2013Little Hawks Discovery Preschool Opened
2013First Nature Playscape Constructed
2016ODC Education Network is established
2017Rabbit River Preserve Opens
2018DeGraaf Nature Center joins the ODC Network
2018Kalamazoo River Greenway is established
2019Nature-rich Community Initiative is launched
2020Seedlings Discovery Preschool Opened
2020Outdoor Discovery Schools Established
2022Dragonflies Discovery Preschool Opened
2024Woodlands Discovery Preschool Opens
2023River Junction Preserve Opens

Our Partners

ODC Network

Outdoor Discovery Center

Phone: (616) 393 – 9453

Visitor Center Hours:

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday-Friday
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Saturday

All Trail Hours:
Sunrise to Sunset
No Entry Fee – Donations Welcome

Advancing Outdoor Education and Conservation in West Michigan
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4214 56th Street Holland, MI 49423

ODC Network 2023. All Rights Reserved