The center at 6005 J Road was its sixth stop of the tour through northern lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, with the bus scheduled to travel to nine more sites late Monday and into today.

The roughly 60 MSU faculty and administrators got to hear about forest genetics; silviculture, or the center’s growth and cultivation of trees; biomass energy, or renewable energy sources; how maple syrup is made and more.

MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz and his wife, Amy, were among those on the road trip.

“We’re very engaged with it. I’m learning along the way, and this is really about trying to find how we can better partner with other communities through the U.P. This is a perfect example of where we’re already having an impact,” Guskiewicz said.

While the Michigan State University Forestry Innovation Center conducts research on multiple aspects of the forestry industry, they also sell maple products such as maple sugar, maple cotton candy and, of course, maple syrup. The center's secretary, Adrienne St. Vincent, talks with Michigan State faculty about the center's maple sugar and maple barbecue rubs. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

The center’s director and outreach academic specialist, Jesse Randall, oversees all aspects of the 9,000 acres. Randall was hired at the center seven years ago, which was when he began his outreach work in the community.

“We bring groups all the way from kindergarten to adult learners, and we teach them about forestry, wildlife, maple syrup, Christmas trees — anything that we’re doing in terms of research,” Randall said.

Kwesi Brookins, vice provost for university outreach and engagement, said the tour group was thoroughly enjoying the trip.

“It’s interesting, the first day you get on the bus, it is so loud because people are engaging with each other,” Brookins said. “That’s the biggest value of the tour, I think, is getting people together who have not met each other, learning about their interests, and some folks build collaborations out of that.”

The Spartan Bus Tour stops through 15 communities was intended to provide the group with a closer look at these unique parts of the state that many MSU students and alumni call home. More than 1,400 students from the U.P. and northern Michigan currently attend MSU, and 17,000 alumni now live in those regions, according to the university.

The Michigan State University Spartan Bus Tour on Monday morning made its sixth stop at the MSU Forestry Innovation Center, 6005 J Road in Escanaba. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

Some of the tour’s other stops include the Iron Mountain Iron Mine in Vulcan on Monday, Marquette U.P. Health System and the Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse in Gulliver.

The Michigan State University Forestry Innovation Center presented its forestry research methods and equipment to participants in this year's MSU Spartan Bus Tour. Forest Technican Cole Reese shows bags filled with tree sap during Forest Technician Tyler Tankersley's presentation. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

Michigan State University Spartan Bus Tour participants walked throughout the MSU Forestry Innovation Center in multiple groups to learn about the research the center conducts. MSU Forestry Innovation Center Director and Outreach Academic Specialist Jesse Randall explains the process of heating maple sap and making products such as whiskey to MSU faculty members. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

Michigan State University Spartan Bus Tour participants Monday watched as Forest Technician Tyler Tankersley discussed the MSU Forestry Innovation Center's maple syrup boiling process. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)