A sanctuary is a protected place where animals can feed, nest, and live, and birds use such places in backyards, local parks, and wild habitats. In Michigan, as elsewhere, millions of farms, roads, buildings, and factories have replaced once abundant native forests, prairies, and ponds, and wild places that sheltered birds for generations no longer exist. In 1927, W.K. Kellogg set aside this former farmland as a haven for Canada Geese, and a year later he donated the land to Michigan State University, which created the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. Over time, these conservation efforts by W.K. Kellogg and others saved the Canada Goose from extinction. Today, the sanctuary offers refuge for birds and wildlife and, as part of the Kellogg Biological Station, works with researchers from MSU and other institutions to study the ecology of living systems, including birds, fish, and water quality.