The Penguin

I'd like to write about one of my favorite places in Lansing, a sort of natural oasis in the middle of the city. Fenner isn't big; it's mainly open grassland, surrounded by mixed-growth woods; they have a nice nature center with small exhibits. I worked there for about six months back in 2012. It's the sort of local place that, without being really famous or distinguished, attracts fanatical devotees from the local populace. I'm not at the "fanatical" stage yet, but I'm still very fond of the place, and half-consider it my stomping ground. The Fenner Conservancy performed a radical "habitatectomy" of the main area within the last couple of years, converting what was once a tussocky patch of field into a shortgrass prairie, complete with all-native grasses (although it's a bit hard to tell, so you'll have to take their word for it). Surprisingly, it has improved the walk. Where once they used to mow the grass down to the nubbins an...