Public Programs

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Treehaven provides public program opportunities periodically throughout the year. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page, and subscribe to our mailing list to stay updated!

Can't make it to Treehaven? We can bring select programs or booths to your event! This is a great environmental learning opportunity for classrooms, libraries, parks, campgrounds, youth groups, festivals, and more. For more information about off-site programs, please email fcorvus@uwsp.edu, call 715-346-2435, or fill out our Interest Form.

Yoga, Nature, and Soulfulness
September 10-12, 2021

Let's restore, explore, and discover by immersing ourselves in the gifts of yoga and nature to unite with our soulfulness! This weekend includes physical yoga practices, meditation, hiking, and dharma discussions. Some of our sessions will be held outdoors as Mother Nature allows. Both yoga and nature can help us open gateways to our innermost selves. When we soulfully touch nature, we touch ourselves. By going outward, we journey inward finding a soulful connection to spirit and the divine.

Included in the retreat: two nights of lodging(dorm-style with private bathroom), 6 meals, 4 sessions with the instructor, Gigi Heinz. The retreat begins with dinner at 5 p.m. on Friday and ends with lunch on Sunday.

Cost: $312.50 lodging with a roommate or $382.50 for single lodging.

Register by texting Gigi at 715-297-6540. Payments can be sent online through Venmo, or a check payable to: Gigi Heinz at W6606 Sunset Drive, Merrill, WI 54452.

Have questions?

Call Treehaven's Education Office at 715.346.2435 for registration or program details.

December 2023 Programs

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Breakfast with Santa
December 9, 2023 - 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Register here by December 7

Celebrate the holidays by joining us at Treehaven on Saturday, December 9th to enjoy a delicious breakfast of pancakes, sausage, and hash browns with Santa! Sit by the fire in our rustic dining hall as you enjoy a beautiful view of the chilly outdoors. Winter-themed crafts and photo opportunities with Santa (bring your own camera) will be available for kids!

Tickets are $15 per child and $20 per adult (meal included). For an additional $5 per person, add on the Guided Winter Hike option to attend a 1 hour guided hike with our naturalist, where you will experience the beautiful scenery of our trails and discover what changes winter brings to Treehaven's forests!

Please contact treehaven@uwsp.edu or call 715-346-2435 with any questions.

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Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW)- Winter Workshop

February 9-11, 2024

Join us for Winter BOW. Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) offers hands-on, outdoor workshops held in a safe, supportive atmosphere with patient, enthusiastic instructors. No experience or special equipment is necessary. BOW is for adult women of all ages and fitness levels.

Classes offered include: Winter Animal Tracks, Dutch Oven Cooking, Cross-country Skiing, Firearm Safety and Handling, Sewing with Fur, Winter Survival, Fish Cleaning and Cooking, Ice Fishing, Journal Making, Indoor Rock Climbing, Snowshoeing, Kayaking, Archery/Bowhunting, Map and Compass, Fly Tying, Feather Craft, Winter Travel Safety, Knot Tying, and Woodworking.

Registration starts at $529 with some classes requiring an additional materials fee.

More info can be found here.

Spring Forward Luminary Hike
March 16, 2024 - 7-9 p.m.

Register here

Celebrate Daylight Savings Time with a family-friendly luminary hike through the woods of Treehaven! This 1/2 mile hike will take you through colorfully illuminated nighttime trails. Afterwards, enjoy a warm fire with s'mores. Glowsticks provided to all families!

Cost: $7 per person. Children 3 and under free. Admission includes trail access, s'mores, and 1 glowstick. Attendees are welcomed and encouraged to bring their own additional glowsticks!

Treehaven Dinner and a Speaker Series
Wisconsin Waters: the Ancient History of Lakes, Rivers, and Waterfalls
March 27, 2025 - Doors open 5 p.m., Dinner 6 p.m., Speaker 7 p.m.

Registration Closed

Author Scott Spoolman invites you to explore Wisconsin’s many and varied waterways and to learn of how they came to be as they are today. From the placid Mississippi, to waterfalls crashing over hard rock ledges near Lake Superior, to life bursting forth in one of the world’s largest freshwater marshes, these waterways each have a fascinating story to tell. Scott will sample a few of the 19 stories and several photographs from his book Wisconsin Waters: the Ancient History of Lakes, Rivers, and Waterfalls, including some discussion of local waterways in the Tomahawk area. He will include readings from the stories and from the travel guides that follow each story, helping readers to get out and explore each site on their own.

Scott Spoolman is a science writer who has focused on the environmental sciences, especially those stories of natural science and the environment related to Wisconsin and surrounding states. He grew up in northern Wisconsin and earned a master's degree in journalism with an emphasis on science reporting. He worked for several years in the publishing industry, and since then as a freelance writer. He has coauthored several editions of a series of environmental science textbooks. His latest books are Wisconsin Waters: the Ancient History of Lakes, Rivers, and Waterfalls, the award-winning Wisconsin State Parks: Extraordinary Stories of Geology and Natural History, both published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, and Wisconsin Rocks: A Guide to Geologic Sites in the Badger State, published by Mountain Press Publishing Company.

Gourmet dinner options include:

1) Veal Mushroom Marsala

2) Sole Meuniere

3) Spinach, Artichoke, and Goat Cheese Portobello (Vegetarian)

All entrée selections will include Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Potato Grain and Zucchini, and Beignet with Lemon Curd dessert.

Cost: $37 per person

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Wildlife Wednesday: River Otters
March 26, 2025 - 5-6 p.m.

Registration Closed

Discover wildlife that calls Wisconsin's Northwoods home through Wildlife Wednesdays at Treehaven! Join us monthly for this FREE all-ages program series, and explore the natural history of each month's focus animal through interactive activities, guided walks, and/or specimen observation. From fur to feathers, woods to water, predator to prey, and more, experience the diversity of the animal world right outside our windows!

Sit and relax outdoors at a casual campfire chat all about a beloved animal—the river otter! This marvelous mustelid, or member of the weasel family, is well-known for having a playful and energetic nature. All that play helps to hone hunting skills, which are a necessity for an important predator of aquatic ecosystems! We'll discuss the unique traits and lifestyle of river otters, paying special attention to the roles they play in nature. What can the presence of otters tell us about the health of a freshwater ecosystem? Learn how little actions can have a big impact on not only their populations, but all living creatures who depend on clean lakes and rivers to survive!

Meet at the main entrance (double doors with Treehaven sign). Talk will occur outdoors seated around a fire ring. Doors at 4:50 PM, talk begins at 5:00 PM. All ages welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

October 2025 Programs

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Fall Hike Series
Every Sunday from September 7 through October 12, 1-5 PM

Registration Closed

Experience Treehaven's 14 miles of trails during these weekly adventures beginning on Sunday, September 7th! Recurring every Sunday from 1-5 PM until the 12th of October, each experience features a multi-hour guided hike with a different route each week. We'll take many opportunities to look, listen, and learn about the diversity of life surrounding us as we explore a variety of Northwoods habitats including northern hardwood forests, bogs, sedge meadows, old growth pines, and more. With each consecutive week, fall colors will become more vibrant—and the "grand finale" on October 12th will lead us to the Ridgetop High Point Vista for a spectacular view of (estimated) peak color!

Schedule:

Sept 7, 1-5 PM: Beaver Beginnings

Sept 14, 1-5 PM: Red Oak Rove

Sept 21, 1-5 PM: Cordwood Cruise

Sept 28, 1-5 PM: Sugarbush Sojourn

Oct 5, 1-5 PM: Pine Promenade

Oct 12, 1-5 PM: Fall Colors Finale

View registration page for full descriptions of each hike!

All hikes meet in the main parking lot (follow posted signs). Each is about 2-3 miles long, with variance in difficulty that increases each week. Weeks 1-2 are least strenuous, while Weeks 5-6 involve lots of hilly terrain that may be challenging for some. We will move at a casual pace that best suits all members of the group, and will make periodic stops to learn about flora, fauna, and habitats we encounter. Hike attendees should consider their stamina and comfort with moderate to difficult hikes before registering. Hikes may vary slightly in length based on distance, group walking speed, and sightings along the trails. Most sessions will likely conclude around 4-4:30 PM, but due to variability please ensure your schedule is open until the listed end time (5 PM) if planning on registering.

Open to all ages, but attendees under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Cost: $15 per person, per individual session. Attend just one or two sessions, or all six! $80 full registration is valid for all 6 sessions, with a $10 discount off total price. ($90 value)

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Wildlife Wednesday: Spiders
October 29, 2025 - 5-6 p.m.

Register Here

Spiders—even just the word is enough to invoke chills in some people, and maybe you're one of them. Arachnophobia (the fear of spiders) is one of the most prevalent phobias in the world, which has led spiders to receive a negative reputation of danger, disgust, and fright. Thus, the spookiest month of the year is the perfect time to learn how spiders aren't exactly the terrifying monsters you might be imagining! Join us on a friendly adventure into the wonderful world of spiders, where you will discover spider families found in Wisconsin and learn what makes each one unique and beneficial as we head outside to observe them in various habitats. From fishing spiders that can walk on water, crab spiders that make a home in flowers, and jumping spiders that can jump many times their body length, you may come to find spiders more fascinating than frightening. Unpopular animals are often underrepresented in conservation and research, so you will leave as a spider spokesperson that can help others recognize the benefits of extending some compassion towards these amazing arachnids!

Meet in the main parking lot. Dress for the weather, it may be chilly! Program will not be stationary, but total distance walked will be less than a half mile with frequent stops near seating areas as we explore good "spider spots" around main buildings. All ages welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

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Halloween Luminary Trail at the Tomahawk School Forest
October 30, 2025 - 5-9 p.m.

More Information

Treehaven will be hosting an Environmental Education Station with fun family activities and spooktacular specimens including bones, bugs, and more at the 2nd annual Halloween Luminary Trail! This event is hosted in partnership between Treehaven and the School District of Tomahawk, and takes place at the Tomahawk School Forest. For more information and directions to this event, please visit the School District of Tomahawk page.

Admission: $2/person, $5/family -OR - 1 non-perishable good per person as a food pantry donation.

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January 2026 Programs

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Winter Snowshoe Hike Series
Every Saturday from January 17 through January 31, 1-4 p.m.

Register Here

Experience Treehaven's winter snowshoe trails during these weekly adventures beginning on Saturday, January 17! Recurring each Saturday from 1-4 PM until January 31, every experience features a multi-hour guided snowshoe hike with a different route each week. We'll take many opportunities to look, listen, and learn about the diversity of life surrounding us as we explore a variety of Northwoods habitats including northern hardwood forests, bogs, meadows, old growth pines, and more. This season, you will discover the significant changes winter brings to the Treehaven landscape as we search for tracks and signs of wildlife, observe ways plants and animals adapt to the cold, and discuss why the winter snowpack is crucial to our ecosystems!

Schedule:

January 17, 1-4 PM: Meadow March

January 24, 1-4 PM: Tamarack Tromp

January 31, 1-4 PM: Ridgetop Ramble

View registration page for full descriptions of each hike!

All hikes meet in the main parking lot (follow posted signs). Each is about 2-2.5 miles long, with variance in difficulty. We will move at a casual pace that best suits all members of the group, and will make periodic stops to learn about flora, fauna, and habitats we encounter. Hike attendees should consider their stamina and comfort with moderate to difficult hikes before registering. Hikes may vary slightly in length based on distance, group walking speed, and sightings along the trails.

Open to all ages, but attendees under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Cost: $15 per person, per individual session. Attend your choice of sessions, or all three! $40 full registration is valid for all 3 sessions, with a $5 discount off total price. ($45 value)

Bring your own snowshoes, or rent a pair of ours for $10/session.

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Wildlife Wednesday: Squirrels
January 21, 2026 - 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Register Here

Squirrels are some of the most common wild animals to spot year-round—even during the winter! There are five species of tree squirrels in Wisconsin, and each has a different lifestyle and traits that set it apart from the rest. Through an indoor presentation with a variety of specimens, explore what makes these tree squirrels special and discover the ways they have adapted to stay active throughout harsh winters. We'll discuss the positive effects squirrels have on ecosystems, and how you can minimize squirrel damage to your property or belongings while still preserving the benefits of keeping these curious critters around!

Meet at the main entrance (double doors with Treehaven sign). Doors will open at 4:20 PM, talk begins at 4:30 PM. This is a seated indoor presentation that will take place in the lower auditorium, Sylvester. All ages welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

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Winter Wolf Ecology Workshop
January 24, 2026 - 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Register Here

Join Timber Wolf Information Network (TWIN) wolf biologists and field crew for a Wisconsin Wolf Ecology and Management Workshop. Morning lectures will cover wolves’ natural history and biology, wolf management principles, and human value systems – timely and important topics, given wolves’ status as keystone predators and the continuing controversies surrounding these animals.

After lunch, you will head out to wolf territory with TWIN trackers for a close-up look at how wolves navigate and survive on the winter landscape. You will likely encounter wolf tracks, and other species as well, while you learn more about the winter predator/prey dynamic.

For registration and more information, please visit the Timber Wolf Information Network page.

If interested in overnight lodging for the event, please contact Treehaven directly at 715-453-4106.

Limit 20 participants. Cost: $70/person.

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Winter Tracking Clinic
January 25, 2026 - 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Sold Out!

Ride along and learn field-tracking principles with one of TWIN’s veteran wolf ecologists. The primary goal will be carnivore track identification, focusing on detecting and counting wolves. You will be looking for wolf tracks and scent posts, and other markings that will assist in identifying, counting, and determining breeding in wolves in the Central or Northern Forest area of Wisconsin. While out in the field, you are likely to encounter the full suite of carnivores on the winter landscape – coyote, fox, bobcat, otter, and fisher.

You will also learn how and why winter carnivore track surveys are conducted and how to identify carnivore species through both classroom and field tracking. You will acquire knowledge on how to utilize the TWIN Carnivore Tracking Field Guide to assist in accurate track identification.

For registration and more information, please visit the Timber Wolf Information Network page.

If interested in overnight lodging for the event, please contact Treehaven directly at 715-453-4106.

Limit 10 participants. Cost: $40/person.

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Treehaven Dinner and a Speaker Series
Star Stories: Science, Mythology, and Wonders of the Night Sky
January 29, 2026 - Doors open 5 p.m., Dinner 6 p.m., Speaker 7 p.m., Stargazing 8:30 p.m.

Register here by January 22

Since ancient times, humans have looked to the night sky with wonder and awe! Through an interactive presentation with Treehaven’s naturalist Fox Corvus, explore the history of astronomy—the study of celestial objects—and discover how patterns in the stars have shaped everything from myths to sciences. You will find out which constellations are visible in the winter sky, learn how to spot them, and even enjoy some ancient Greek tales about their origins. We will wrap up by discussing why a dark, star-filled sky is important to many living things beyond us fascinated humans, and you will learn ways you can help reduce light pollution to benefit stargazers and ecosystems alike. After the presentation, bundle up and head outside for some optional stargazing (weather permitting), where you will have the chance to search for constellations and observe celestial objects through a telescope. Get ready for a night full of science, storytelling, stargazing, and fun!

Upscale dinner options include:

1) Twin Creeks Grassfed Beef Ragu with Parmesan Polenta and Roasted Tomato and Zucchini (Gluten Free)

2) Seafood Newburg En Croute with Herbed Red Potatoes and Zucchini

3) Vegetarian Polenta with Garbanzo beans and Balsamic Roasted Vegetables (Vegetarian; Gluten Free)

All entrée selections will include Smoked Salmon Chowder and Dark Chocolate Mousse Crème Chantilly dessert.

Please select your dinner entrée choice with your ticket purchase.

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Important information about stargazing:

Stargazing after the presentation will take place in an open field just off the far end of Treehaven’s main parking lot. The field is a brief (5 minutes or less) walk from the building. Guests may drive and park closer to the field if needed. The field will most likely be snow-covered, so bringing snow boots is advised! Folding chairs or blankets are also recommended for seating, and to preserve night vision red light headlamps/flashlights are advised.

If the sky is overcast the night of the presentation, stargazing will not occur and registrants will be invited to return for a stargazing-only “cloud date”. Date/time TBD; need will be determined based on weather forecasts closer to the event date.

Overnight lodging is available at Treehaven upon request. If you would like to stay overnight following the event, contact treehaven@uwsp.edu or call 715-453-4106 for more information. Please note that breakfast will not be available for overnight stays.

Cost: $40 per person

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February 2026 Programs

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Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW)- Winter BOW In the Snow

February 6-8, 2026
Register here

Classes offered include: Home Firearm Safety, Wood Carving, Snowshoeing, Winter Ecology, Sewing with Fur, Soap Making, Embroidery, Archery/Bowhunting, Winter Survival, Ice Fishing, Cross-Country Skiing, Fish Cleaning and Cooking, Power Tools, Winter Plant ID, Land Navigation, Winter Skin Care, Dutch Oven Cooking, Book Binding, and Winter Travel Safety.

Registration starts at $579 with some classes requiring an additional materials fee.

More info can be found here.

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Wildlife Wednesday: Owls
February 18, 2026 - 6-7:30 p.m.

Registration to come. Save the date!

More information coming soon!

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March 2026 Programs

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Treehaven Dinner and a Speaker Series
Central Wisconsin Kestrel Research: Conserving North America's Smallest Falcon
March 3, 2026 - Doors open 5 p.m., Dinner 6 p.m., Speaker 7 p.m.

Registration to come. Save the date!

Treehaven's annual Dinner and a Speaker series invites guests to enjoy upscale dinners in our rustic dining hall, then attend presentations by natural resources professionals for exciting experiences and thought-provoking discussions all about our natural world. With a different menu and topic each event, there is something for everyone to explore!

Join Amber Eschenbauch of the Central Wisconsin Kestrel Research program to learn all about the American Kestrel, the smallest, most colorful falcon in North America. She will discuss the long-term monitoring, nest box management, and data collection being done by this team of citizen scientists at the Buena Vista and Leola State Wildlife Areas. You will enjoy a fascinating slide presentation and be able to get up close and personal with her kestrel ambassador named Goose!

Amber Eschenbauch is a UW-Stevens Point graduate with a degree in Biology and Captive Wildlife. She has been involved in kestrel research since 2006, earned her banding license in 2017, and has enjoyed presenting with her captive falcon since 2020. Amber is passionate about her work with kestrels, loves being able to educate people (especially children), and is excited and ready to answer all of your kestrel questions.

Registration and menu coming in February. Save the date!

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More March programs to come!

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April 2026 Programs

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Treehaven Dinner and a Speaker Series
Pollinators and More: Wisconsin's Invertebrates and What You Can Do to Help Them
April 1, 2026 - Doors open 5 p.m., Dinner 6 p.m., Speaker 7 p.m.

Registration to come. Save the date!

Come take a whirlwind tour of the little-known and little-seen world of Wisconsin's terrestrial invertebrates with Kathryn Prince from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation! We'll explore the wildflower fields where pollinators (and their predators) dwell, dig into soil to learn about the curious creatures that live just beneath our feet, and take to the night skies to meet the strange and beautiful insects that emerge while we sleep. We'll also discuss the threats invertebrates are facing and what you can do to protect Wisconsin's tiniest animals.

Kathryn Prince is a pollinator conservation specialist with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. A big part of her job is helping people create habitat for pollinators and other beneficial invertebrates on farms, gardens, and beyond. She has spent many years working in conservation and sustainability, doing such things as guiding school groups through the wonders of tall grass prairies, battling invasive buckthorn, mucking through rice paddies to survey insects, tracking parrots across Caribbean forests, and organic farming. Kathryn holds a master’s degree in entomology and agroecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied wild bee communities and pesticides in processing vegetable crops in central Wisconsin.

Registration and menu coming in March. Save the date!

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More April programs to come!

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TreehavenCollege of Natural Resources

Public Programs

Have questions?

December 2023 Programs

Becoming an Outdoor​s​ ​Woman (BOW)- Winter Workshop

October 2025 Programs

February 2026 Programs

Becoming an Outdoor​s​ ​Woman (BOW)- Winter BOW In the Snow

March 2026 Programs​

April 2026 Programs

Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW)- Winter Workshop

Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW)- Winter BOW In the Snow

March 2026 Programs