Discover the world around you through nature programs
offered this month at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Schmeeckle
Reserve, including the annual Candlelight Hike Festival.
Taught by UW-Stevens Point students, the free programs
meet at the reserve’s Visitor Center, located at 2419 North Point Drive,
Stevens Point, unless otherwise noted. For more information, call 715-346-4992
or go to www.uwsp.edu/cnr/schmeeckle.
Dress for the weather, as most programs are outdoors.
October programs include:
·
Better Late Than Never, Wednesday, Oct.
8, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Why do certain plants bloom late in the fall instead of
spring or summer? Take a walk through the reserve to look for these late
flowers and learn the strategy involved in their late arrival.
·
Earthworms: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,
Sunday, Oct. 12, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Earthworms are prized for creating healthy
soils. But when found outside their native range, these creatures turn from
friend to foe. Learn how earthworms are wreaking havoc in upper Midwest forests
and what you can do to help.
·
Mystery Flyers, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 5-6
p.m. Bats are cloaked in mystery and rooted in myths. Seek out these flying
mammals in the reserve and discover how bats and people can help each other.
Stay for an optional demonstration on how to build a bat house.
·
Tour de Schmeeckle, Saturday, Oct. 18,
1-2 p.m. Enjoy a leisurely, seasonal bike tour and explore the reserve’s
unusual habitats through an interactive nature search. Bring a bike and helmet.
·
2014 Fall Candlelight Hike Festival,
Friday, Oct. 24, 6-9 p.m. Join in as Schmeeckle Reserve recognizes “Raptors of
Schmeeckle” through family campfire programs at 7 and 8 p.m. Meet live birds of
prey specific to central Wisconsin. Additional activities include half-mile and
one-mile walks along torch and jack-o’-lantern lit paths, discovery stations
with hands on activities and free crafts, snacks and door prizes. The event is
free, with a suggested donation of $2 per person or $5 per family.
·
Sculpture Park Secrets, Wednesday, Oct.
29, 5-6 p.m. This event meets at the Stevens Point Sculpture Park, which
combines art with the community’s love for the outdoors. Park on the road near
Zenoff Park and walk to the sculpture park entrance at 900 2nd
Street North.
·
Fall Harvest Traditions, Thursday, Oct.
30, 5-6 p.m. Gather around the Schmeeckle Reserve campfire ring to learn about
the seasonal preparations made as winter approaches. Bring a pumpkin for an
optional carving session afterward.
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