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.jpgYoga, 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.

March 2025 Programs​

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Isermann-small.jpgTreehaven Dinner and a Speaker Series
Women and Water: Woven Portraits from Around the World
March 18, 2025 - Doors open 5 p.m., Dinner 6 p.m., Speaker 7 p.m.
Registration Closed
 
Water is the source of all life. This presentation and exhibit by artist Mary Burns celebrates and honors water, as well as the women who work with it, protect it and advocate for it. Featured are women from across the world who are scientists, water-walkers, teachers, farmers, activists and healers, who hold deep connections with water. The intent of this globally-inspired exhibit is to help develop and strengthen our own ties with water and inspire actions to protect our waters. 

Twenty-nine handwoven jacquard portraits form the core of the exhibit. Each of these women have powerful connections with water and Mary will share some of these stories and weavings in her presentation.

Mary Burns is an award-winning fiber artist and master weaver. Mary has participated in numerous art exhibitions, science and art collaborations, and has been an artist in residence at Andrews Forest, Oregon and UW-Trout Lake Station, Boulder Junction, WI. She weaves custom-designed jacquard weavings and wall pieces in addition to felting, natural dyeing and eco-printing. She also teaches various fiber arts workshops.

Gourmet dinner options include:

1) Salmon Wellington
2) Seared Duck Breast Blackberry Port Reduction (Gluten Free)
3) Wild Mushroom Risotto (Vegetarian)

All entrée selections will include Seafood Bisque*, Asparagus, Wild Rice Pilaf, and Crème Brûlée​​ dessert.

*Vegetarian meals will include a vegetarian soup.

Cost: $37 per person


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Isermann-small.jpgTreehaven 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.

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April 2025 Programs

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Intro to Citizen Science Workshop
April 19, 2025 - 9-11:30 a.m.
Registration Closed

Did you know April is Citizen Science Month? Citizen science allows anyone regardless of age, occupation, or skill level to participate in volunteer data collection and classification to benefit scientific research! Join Treehaven's naturalist Fox Corvus alongside guest presenter and experienced citizen scientist Paul List for an introductory workshop exploring numerous digital projects focused on natural resources, including iNaturalist, eBird, Snapshot Wisconsin, BudBurst, and more. Through hands-on demonstrations and walkthroughs, learn how to navigate citizen science apps and websites—including accessing and/or downloading each resource, exploring supplemental digital tools, and logging sightings. After setup, we will head outside to explore Treehaven's ecosystem and practice identification skills while contributing our data to various projects! The best part? You'll be leaving with all the knowledge you need to continue making contributions wherever you go, whenever you'd like! This is a great opportunity for anyone who would like to learn more about digital citizen science projects, and how they can supplement your outdoor hobbies as you lend support towards research and conservation.

A smartphone/tablet will be necessary for participation. Bringing your own device is highly recommended, but a limited quantity of tablets may be available for participants to borrow for the duration of the program.

Meet at the main entrance (double doors with Treehaven sign). Workshop will begin with a 1-hour seated indoor demonstration before moving outdoors for further instruction. Dress for the weather and come prepared for an easy, slow-paced hike with frequent stops! Total distance hiked will be less than 1 mile over wide, even trails with a few light inclines.

All ages welcome, but workshop experience will be in-depth and best suited for adults. Young scientists must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Cost: $7 per person

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Wildlife Wednesday: Woodcocks
April 23, 2025 - 7-8 p.m.

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!

Introducing the silliest bird of the Northwoods—the American Woodcock, also known as the timberdoodle or bogsucker! Well-known for stunning moves on both the ground and in the air, there is much to discover about this odd little shorebird of the forest. Learn what curious traits and behaviors of the woodcock have fascinated observers for generations, including conservationist Aldo Leopold, during a casual fireside chat at scenic Dragonfly Pond! Enjoy the sunset over the pond as dusk sets in and male woodcocks become active throughout the forest. We'll listen for their "peent" calls and keep our eyes to the sky in search of their iconic springtime courtship flights!

Meet in the main parking lot. There is a brief (less than a quarter mile) walk to the pond across the parking lot and down a short trail. We will walk to the pond as a group; attendees with mobility concerns are welcome to follow behind in a vehicle and park in a smaller lot near the trail entrance for a reduced walking distance. Trail is overall wide and even, but the fire ring is located on a hillside so there will be a partial incline when departing. Talk will occur outdoors seated in a shelter around the fire ring. Participants are welcome to bring flashlights/headlamps for use as it gets dark. Cameras are also recommended for photos of the pond, sunset, and potential woodcocks in flight! All ages welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

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December 2023 Programs

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

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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2018-marketing-photo-FOR-WEB-BOW.jpgBecoming an Outdoor​s​ ​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 Ma​​king, Indoor Rock Climbing​, Snowshoeing, Kayaking, Archery/Bowhunting, Map and Compass, Fly Tying, Feather Craft, Winter Travel Safety, ​Knot Tying, an​d Woodworking​.   

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

More info can be found here.

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

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!




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.

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—and learn how you can help protect it!

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.

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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​December​​​​​ 2025 Programs

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Wildlife Wednesday: Beavers
December 10, 2025 - 5-6​ p.m.

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—and learn how you can help protect it!

Beavers are known as "ecosystem engineers", because these intelligent rodents are capable of altering the environment around them through construction to suit their habitat needs. Beavers have even changed the landscape at Treehaven in dramatic ways that are still apparent today! The wetland habitats created by beaver dams are hotspots for biodiversity that provide many crucial ecosystem services, but likewise, the changes they bring to an ecosystem can cause conflicts with human infrastructure, recreation, and land management. Through a seated indoor presentation with visuals and specimens, discover the traits that make beavers so unique and discuss the complicated relationships humans have held with this crafty critter throughout history. Wisconsin's Beaver Management Plan is due for an update as we head into 2026, a task that considers the stance of conservationists, trappers, anglers, land managers, and many other stakeholders. You'll have the chance to explore the values held by each group, and even learn about future opportunities for the public to share input on beaver conservation and management!

Meet at the main entrance (double doors with Treehaven sign). Doors will open at 4:50 PM, talk begins at 5:00 PM. This is a seated indoor presentation that will take place in the upper auditorium, Room 200. All ages welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

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January 2026 Programs

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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.

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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More January programs to come! Dinner and a Speaker events for 2026 will be announced around the new year.

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February 2026 Programs

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2018-marketing-photo-FOR-WEB-BOW.jpgBecoming an Outdoor​s​ ​Woman (BOW)- Winter BOW In the Snow

February 6-8, 2026
Register here​​

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: 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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More February programs to come!

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