News from the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve
Fall 2014
’Round
the Reserve
2419 North Point Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54481 • 715-346-4992 • www.uwsp.edu/schmeeckle
Friends elect
three board
members
Friends board
member Jerry
Lineberger
shared the
history of the
Friends with the
40 members
who attended
the first Annual
Member
Meeting on
Sept. 30.
Three new board members were
elected at the Annual Member
Meeting on Sept. 30.
Friends hold first annual meeting
By Bill Berry
Friends Board President
It was gratifying to be among
almost 40 people at our first annual
meeting last month.
The board
and members
conducted lots of
business, including
the addition of
three new board
members. Bernie
Hlavac, Jim Rogers,
and Rick Rothman
each bring valuable
Bill Berry
skills to the board.
They’re profiled in
this edition of the newsletter.
Board member Jerry Lineberger
reported on our accomplishments
in these few short months. We have
about 85 members, and our goal
is to top 100 by year’s end. Our
financial resources have grown
accordingly.
Board member Nisha Fernando
reported on our new Friends Writing,
Art and Photography Contest.
Details are in this newsletter, and the
deadline is Nov. 1.
My personal highlight was
remarks by founding board member
Al Engebretson. Injured in a
bicycle race years ago, Al is often
seen scooting around town in his
motorized wheelchair. During the
gorgeous September warm spell, Al
was out on the Schmeeckle trails one
day. He told of encountering scores
of folks, and smiled as he recalled
that everyone he met remarked
about the beauty of our “island of
green” on a picture-perfect autumn
day. It made his week, Al said, and
he made our day by sharing it.
Bernie Hlavac:“Our family
moved to Stevens Point
in 1973 when I assumed
a financial role at Sentry
Insurance’s home office.
Now, being empty-nesters,
we have downsized and
have built a home bordering
the Reserve.
While in
the past we
visited the
Reserve,
walked the
trails, and
admired
the wildlife,
Bernie Hlavac
we now
feel a greater part of it and
recognize that we all have
a role in the stewardship of
this Reserve.
“In the past four weeks
I have met the Reserve staff
and many board members
and others of the Friends
See Board, Page 2
gardener, and all-around art and
nature lover. He frequently can be
found appreciating the changes in
plant and animal life that each season
brings to the Reserve.
Board, From Page 1
group. I’ve been impressed by their commitment and
dedication and am looking forward to being a part of
the efforts to promote and preserve
Schmeeckle.”
Jim Rogers: A Stevens Point
native and Marquette University
graduate, Jim Rogers returned to his
hometown this summer after many
years in Milwaukee, where he most
recently worked as media and traffic
coordinator at Laughlin Constable, a
Jim Rogers
large advertising and public relations
agency. Jim has savored spending
time with family and friends at Schmeeckle Reserve
since its inception and is an avid biker, hiker, birder,
Rick Rothman: “I retired from UWStevens Point, where I worked in
the Budget Office. Biking, kayaking,
Rick Rothman cross-country skiing, camping, and
volunteering are activities I enjoy
doing in retirement. While still working, I would
often walk the trails of the Reserve during my lunch
hour. I still take the opportunity to take walks and
bike rides through the Reserve. In addition, my wife
and I also enjoy the variety of informative programs
put on by students throughout the year. Stevens Point
is blessed to have such a natural jewel right in the
center of town.”
Friends of
Schmeeckle Reserve
2014 Charter Membership Information
Be a Charter Member!
Member Names: ____________________________________________________
Join by Dec. 31, 2014,
to be listed as a charter
member of the Friends!
How to Join
• Online: www.uwsp.edu/
schmeeckle
Click on “Get Involved”
• Mail this form and a
check made payable to
Friends of Schmeeckle
Reserve to:
Friends of
Schmeeckle Reserve
2419 North Point Drive
Stevens Point WI 54481
• Walk In: Sign up at the
visitor center
• Call: Schmeeckle Reserve,
715-346-4992
2
Address: ___________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip: ______________________________________________________
Phone: __________________________ Email:_____________________________
Newsletter delivery preference: E-mail
Annual Membership Level
Student — $10 (Any grade level)
Seeker — $25 (Individual)
Mail
This is a gift membership.
Trekker — $50 (Family/Household)
Gift donor’s name, phone,
and email:
Adventurer — $100
___________________________
Trailblazer — $250
Explorer — $500
Other Amount: $_______
Contributions to the Friends of
Schmeeckle Reserve Inc. are tax-exempt.
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
Makes a great holiday gift!
’Round the Reserve
Friends of
Schmeeckle Reserve
Annual Report 2014
About the Friends
Land Management
The mission of the Friends is to
support the work of and advocate
for Schmeeckle Reserve through
engaging our local and wider
communities.
Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve
Volunteer Day, June 2014
The Friends supports the Reserve
through programs and outreach;
land management and acquisition;
and funding and resources.
Accomplishments:
Organizational
4Total number of individual
and family memberships: 85
4Board of directors formed
in November 2013
445 volunteers x 3-hour
projects = 135 service hours
4Woodchips spread on 600
feet of trail
4Buckthorn and honeysuckle
removed from visitor center
area
4Invasive earthworm samples
sent to Great Lakes Worm
Watch at the University of
Minnesota-Duluth
Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve
Volunteer Day, September 2014
4Bylaws adopted
450 volunteers x 3-hour
projects = 150 service hours
4State articles of
incorporation filed
4Crushed granite and
woodchips spread on trails
4IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
organization application
in progress
4Shelter Building walls
stained and wooden
signs removed for refurbishing
4Business checking account
established at UW Credit Union
4Membership brochure
printed and distributed
4Website created
Outreach
4Sponsored the Candlelight
Hike Festival in spring
2014, attended by 800+
people; sponsoring fall 2014
Candlelight Hike Festival
4Launched the inaugural
Friends Writing, Art, and
Photography Contest (Nov. 1
entry deadline)
4Planned: Speaking about
the Friends at community
civic organization meetings
4Planned: Staffing a table in
the Dreyfus University
Center on Oct. 13 to promote
the Friends to faculty, staff,
and students
Funding and Resources
Memberships:
$5,235
Total membership
revenue YTD
4Oak wilt logs de-barked
Total donations Y
4Buckthorn removed along
Green Circle Trail
4Spotted knapweed removed
from Green Circle Trailhead
4Monarch butterflies tagged
for MonarchWatch at the
University of Kansas
Donations:
$4,785
4Total revenue: $10,025
4Expenses year-to-date: $770
4Balance: $9,255
Fall 2014
3
Writing, Art,
and Photo
Contest entries
due Nov. 1
The campfire program is one of the highlights of the Candlelight Hike Festival at
Schmeeckle Reserve. This fall’s event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24.
Candlelight Hike to highlight
raptors of Schmeeckle Reserve
Schmeeckle Reserve’s biggest
event of the year is coming up.
Join us at the fall Candlelight Hike
Festival from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday,
Oct. 24. The event is sponsored by
the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve.
Walk a half-mile or one-mile
trail lit by torches and jack-o’lanterns through the woods and
along the lake. The theme of this
fall’s event is raptors. Discover
the high-flying adventures of
Schmeeckle’s birds of prey.
A special program called
“Raptors of Schmeeckle Reserve”
will be presented at 7 p.m. and
8 p.m. at the campfire ring. Meet
Schmeeckle’s winged predators and
discover their impressive hunting
and survival strategies that allow
them to seek and capture their next
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meal. Eagles, hawks, falcons, and
owls come to life in fun campfire
program for the entire family! The
program is presented by students in
the environmental education and
interpretation practicum course.
Arrive early for a good seat.
As a special feature this year,
the Raptor Education Group, Inc.,
of Antigo will showcase several live
birds of prey.
Other events all evening will
include raptor Discovery Stations
featuring interactive activities, craft
and snack stations, and free door
prizes.
The event is free, with a
suggested donation of $2 per
person or $5 per family. All
donations benefit the Friends of
Schmeeckle Reserve.
Have your visits to
Schmeeckle Reserve inspired
you to take photographs, create
art, or write about the natural
area? You are invited to submit
your work for a new Writing,
Art, and Photo Contest.
The Friends of Schmeeckle
Reserve is hosting this contest
to raise awareness of the
Reserve and the friends group,
which supports the natural
area. Entries are due Nov. 1.
Contest submissions will
be posted on the Friends of
Schmeeckle Reserve website,
and the winning entries will
be displayed in the visitor
center. First- and second-place
winners in each category will
be honored in a ceremony
at a friends board meeting.
First-place winners also will
receive a $25 gift certificate to
the Browse Shop, a gift shop in
the Schmeeckle Reserve Visitor
Center that features natural and
cultural gifts.
Submissions must be
accompanied by a 75-100
word statement describing
how the entry was inspired
by time spent in Schmeeckle
Reserve. All ages are welcome
to participate. For the entry
guidelines and submission
form, call Megan Espe at
Schmeeckle Reserve at
715-346-4992 or visit
http://goo.gl/UHYmi2.
’Round the Reserve
Upcoming Natural and Cultural Programs at Schmeeckle Reserve
Earthworms:The Good, the
Bad, and the Ugly
Sunday, Oct. 12, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Favorites of gardeners and farmers,
earthworms are prized for creating
healthy soils. But when found outside
their native range, these wriggling
creatures turn from friend to foe.
Find out how these exotic invaders
are wreaking havoc in Upper Midwest
forests and what you can do to help.
Mystery Flyers
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 5-6 p.m.
Taking flight in the cover of night, bats
are cloaked in mystery and rooted in
myths. Seek out these flying mammals
of Schmeeckle Reserve and discover
how bats and people can help each
other. Stay for an optional bat-house
building demonstration.
Tour de Schmeeckle
Saturday, Oct. 18, 1-2 p.m.
Enjoy a seasonal leisurely bike tour
that is sure to get your wheels
turning. Explore Schmeeckle Reserve’s
unique habitats through an interactive
nature search by bike. Dress for the
weather and bring your bike, helmet,
and smiling faces!
Sculpture Park Secrets*
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 5-6 p.m.
With its unique natural sculptures,
the Stevens Point Sculpture Park
combines art with the community’s
love for the outdoors. Discover
the secret treasures of this hidden
gem. Park on the road near Zenoff
Park and meet at the Sculpture Park
entrance at 900 2nd St. N.
Fall Harvest Traditions
Thursday, Oct. 30, 5-6 p.m.
Farmers harvesting their crops aren’t
Fall 2014
the only ones preparing for winter.
Gather around the Schmeeckle
campfire ring to explore the
preparations we make as winter
approaches. Optional pumpkin carving
to follow — bring your own pumpkin!
Fly with Monarchs
Thursday, Nov. 6, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Journey alongside the monarch
butterfly to experience its extreme
fall migration to Mexico. Explore the
monarch’s life cycle and the struggles
these insects face.
My Underwater Home
Saturday, Nov. 15, 2-3 p.m.
The Largemouth Bass is one of the
most popular and prolific sporting
fish in Wisconsin, yet its home is very
fragile. Take a trip through this fish’s
neighborhood to see how we can help
protect it.
Who Goes There?
Sunday, Nov. 16, 3-4 p.m.
As we drift off to sleep at night, some
of Wisconsin’s wildlife are just waking
up to begin their busy day. Use your
senses to experience what it takes to
be a creature of the night!
What’s the Buzz on Bees?
Monday, Nov. 17, 7-8 p.m.
Do you know where your food comes
from? The honeybee is a critical link
in growing fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
Hear the buzz on what it takes to
be a honeybee and why they are so
important to our communities.
Wisconsin’s Green Gold
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 7-8 p.m.
Wild rice harvesting is a tradition
passed on from early native tribes
to Voyageurs. It perseveres in our
About The Programs...
Each semester, UW-Stevens
Point students enrolled in an
environmental interpretation
capstone course at the Reserve
present programs about the
natural and cultural history of
central Wisconsin. Programs are
intended for all ages. Programs
are free, and registration is not
required. * Unless noted with
an asterisk, programs meet at
the Visitor Center.
= Dress for the weather!
Wisconsin culture today. Discover
more about this unique grain and the
harvesting techniques still used by
contemporary gatherers.
Lake Joanis Jellies
Saturday, Dec. 6, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Here today and gone tomorrow,
freshwater jellyfish are mysterious
creatures found around the globe
and in our local lakes. Discover these
captivating creatures that live beneath
the surface of Lake Joanis.
Warriors of Winter
Sunday, December 7, 2-3 p.m.
Winter presents many challenges
for the animals of Schmeeckle. Join
us for a hike to discover how these
animals prepare to battle winter.
Forest Tricksters
Thursday, Dec. 11, 7-8 p.m.
Ever wonder what critters are
sneaking about while you’re in
Schmeeckle? Find out how elusive red
and gray foxes keep such a low profile
while going about their everyday lives.
5
Why I Love the Reserve: ‘Looking and seeing’
By Megan Espe
Schmeeckle Reserve
Outreach Coordinator
Photographer Bob Mosier
sometimes loses the forest for the
trees.
“There’s so much to see, so
many smaller images of a birch
tree or a fallen birch with leaves
or a backlit plant or a small tree
against the green
background
with yellow
leaves,” Mosier
said, describing
his daily walks
to photograph
Schmeeckle
Reserve. “It
doesn’t have to
Bob Mosier
be the big views.
There are so many
just really pretty smaller views.”
Mosier, of Plover, is known
throughout the community for
his stunning nature photographs.
From April through October,
Mosier walks Schmeeckle
Reserve’s trails every weekday
with his camera in hand, capturing
both the sweeping views and the
tiny details.
“It doesn’t really matter
whether I take pictures or not, it’s
just looking and seeing. That’s
the really relaxing and energizing
part for me, is looking and seeing
what’s around me,” he said.
Mosier, who retired in 2007
from his position as director
of Residential Living at UWStevens Point, has always loved
photography. After many years
of not practicing his craft, he got
6
Photographer Bob Mosier captured a photo of this fawn in Schmeeckle Reserve.
started again about 15 years ago.
“Schmeeckle was a big part
of that, actually, and being able to
look for images,” he said. “There
are a lot of beautiful environments
that change fairly rapidly as
you walk through, so I began to
look and figure out what kind of
lighting, what kind of images I
could enjoy.”
Growing up, Mosier moved
around until his family settled in
New Jersey. He earned a doctorate
in counseling psychology at The
Ohio State University.
In 1971, having never visited
Wisconsin before, he moved to
Stevens Point for a counseling
position on campus. During his
first weekend in town, he met his
wife, Mary.
In 1978, Mosier changed
course and began working for
“Why I Love the Reserve”
will appear regularly in the
Friends newsletter. If you
would like to be interviewed
for this feature, or if you want
to write a first-person account,
please contact Megan Espe at
mespe@uwsp.edu or 715-3464992.
Residential Living, serving as
assistant and associate director
and then as director. His duties
included working with hall
directors and staff on residential
education, managing the budget,
and overseeing facilities upkeep,
construction, and renovation.
“It was a lot of fun. The best
part of it was the people I worked
with,” Mosier said. “I love the
’Round the Reserve
Bob Mosier often visits Schmeeckle Reserve at sunrise to capture the varied views of Lake Joanis, which change depending on light,
clouds, fog, and mist. Photo by Bob Mosier
community and the university. It’s
a great place to live, a great place
to work.”
Mosier recalls first visiting
Schmeeckle Reserve in the late
1970s. He started walking around
the natural area during his lunch
hour.
“It’s like entering another
world. You’re on the campus and
there’s a lot of people and activity
and you come up here and it’s
quiet and peaceful and calm,” he
said. “I always felt so much better
and so much more energized and
at peace after I had been up here. It
Fall 2014
gave me a chance to reflect, to just
be quiet, and to enjoy the moments
when I was up here.”
Those walks reignited his love
of photography. He began coming
at different times of the day. Earlymorning sun backlit the natural
features. Dew covered the grass,
and mist rose off the lake.
He has many favorite places in
the Reserve, though the Reflection
Pond is near the top of his list,
especially when it is surrounded
by fall colors.
Mosier also enjoys nature
photography in Pfiffner Park and
capturing river scenes along West
River Drive. But Schmeeckle is his
go-to place, the only spot he visits
daily. Those regular visits have
given Mosier a familiarity with
the Reserve that helps him predict
when and where he can capture
the best shots.
“You can go other places, but
as long as I’ve been here, I have a
pretty good knowledge of where
the deer might be grazing, where
the mothers and fawns might be,
and obviously the frogs around the
pond, the butterflies outside the
visitor center,” he said.
7
Research Update: Milfoil weevils in Lake Joanis
By Dan Miller
Several years ago, thousands of
milfoil-eating weevils were stocked
in Lake Joanis. Two months later,
they were gone. Where did they go?
Our research project attempts
to answer that question using the
cages that have been placed in the
lake the past couple of summers.
Eurasian watermilfoil
(Myriophyllum spicatum) is an
aggressive invasive plant. Since its
introduction into Lake Joanis, it has
spread throughout the lake and has
become the dominant vegetation in
all but the deepest areas.
The milfoil weevil (Eurychiopsis
lecontei) is a native insect that
evolved to eat native milfoils but
prefers Eurasian milfoil where it
can find it. It lays its eggs on the
tips of the plant and its larvae
burrow through the center of the
stem, killing the top of the plant
and preventing it from flowering.
Since a lot of the problems
associated with milfoil come from
its tendency to form thick, tangled
mats at the surface, weevils can
control the impact milfoil has on a
lake.
The lake is also full of small
Above: UW-Stevens Point graduate
student Dan Miller is studying the effects
of fish predation on weevils, which
were introduced into Lake Joanis to
eat the aquatic invasive plant Eurasian
watermilfoil. Miller installed exclusion
cages in Lake Joanis in 2013 and 2014.
Right: Miller captured this close-up
photo of a milfoil weevil in Lake Joanis.
bluegills. Our research is based on
the idea that they may have caused
the dramatic weevil declines
after stocking. The cages create a
bluegill-free weevil sanctuary.
We stocked weevils into
the cages in early summer and
collected the milfoil at the end to
see if the weevils had reproduced
successfully. It appears from
the results that this is the case.
Cages without bluegills had
far greater numbers of weevils.
This information will help guide
future weevil-stocking practices in
Wisconsin.
We would like to thank the
staff at Schmeeckle Reserve for
their help and patience.
Dan Miller is a graduate research
assistant in the Waters Department at
UW-Stevens Point.
Welcome Your New Friends!
Thank you to the following charter
members who have joined since Aug. 1.
Madey Anderson
Jennifer Anderson Richmond, Dennis Richmond & Diana Anderson
Hunter Bailey
Emma Bartelt
Bob and Paula Bell and Katie & Marshall
8
Bruce Bertelsen
Bill and Kim Fisher
Becca Franzen and Edith & Aloysius
Spring and Vern Gardner
Bonnie Grubba
Jim and Madeleine Haine
Karin Hyler
Saoirse Keely-Zinkel
Bob and Mary Mosier
Mike and Linda Orella
Brenda Ryther
Bonnie Samuelson Fritz and Jeff Fritz &
Sam, Sarah, Noah, and Caroline
Jane Maya Shippy
Katie and Vern Schroth
Riley Smith
Alex Thomas
Benjamin Vogel
’Round the Reserve
Speaker series
to highlight
research
projects
Above: Schmeeckle
Reserve Outreach
Coordinator Megan
Espe asked for a show
of hands by those who
had participated in a
previous Volunteer Day
at the Reserve.
Right: Quinn Hofacker,
a UW-Stevens Point
student, tagged a
monarch butterfly at
the Volunteer Day.
Volunteer Day spruces up Reserve
More than 50 students and
community members pitched in at
the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve
Volunteer Day on Sept. 13.
Volunteers removed invasive
buckthorn and spotted knapweed,
spread crushed granite and wood
chips on trails, tagged monarch
Fall 2014
butterflies, and removed plaques
from the shelter building on Maria
Drive and stained the walls.
Friends board members helped
with registration and check-in.
Thank you to all who helped
out! Stay tuned for volunteer
opportunities in 2015.
As a special benefit to
members, the Friends of
Schmeeckle Reserve will host
a Research Sampler Speaker
Series in January and February.
The natural area is heavily
used for research and classes.
During the 2013-14 school year,
more than 5,000 students spent
over 11,000 hours engaged
in classes or research in the
Reserve.
This speaker series offers
a chance for Friends members
to hear about several in-depth
studies. Projects to be featured
include:
Wildflower Census: Brian
Barringer and Tanya Copas
of the Biology Department
conducted the first ever survey
of annual and perennial
wildflowers in Schmeeckle
Reserve in summer 2014. They
will share their findings.
Flying Squirrels: Student
Molly O’Grady and her adviser,
Dr. Shelli Dubay of the Wildlife
Department, will describe
their study on southern flying
squirrels’ use of nest boxes.
Deer Study: Students in
the UW-Stevens Point Wildlife
Society Deer Project will
explain their long-running
deer study in the Reserve, and
describe their upcoming spring
2015 project.
Dates for the speaker series
will be sent to members soon.
9
Hi, friends. My name is
Walden. I am 2 ½ years old. My
daddy works at Schmeeckle as the
assistant director, so I get to visit
the Reserve a lot. I want to tell
you about some of the activities
families can enjoy at Schmeeckle.
One of my favorite things to do
is hike on the Trail of Reflections.
This trail is only a half-mile long
so I can hike the whole thing
myself. We always climb up to the
treehouse and look for squirrels
and deer in the woods. I feel closer
to the birds when I’m up in the
treetops. I also like to visit the
frog pond and sit on the swinging
bench. Sometimes I take a net and
collecting box to catch insects and
watch them move. Mom and Dad
help me let them go before we get
back into the car.
Of course, we bring a snack
and eat it at picnic tables behind
the visitor center. That is a great
place to watch for birds at the
feeders. I never go home without
a visit to the museum inside the
visitor center. I like to look at
the wolf and drive the warden’s
truck. Did you see what was in the
warden’s lunch box?
P.S.: Here are some insiders’
tips for the upcoming Candlelight
Hike Festival. Arrive at least
10
Schmeeckle kids ambassador Walden Buchholz enjoys looking for aquatic critters in the
Reflection Pond along the Trail of Reflections.
15 minutes before the campfire
program offered at 7 and 8 p.m.
so you can get a good seat. That
will help you see better and keep
warm. Stay at the fire after the
program if you want to roast
marshmallows. On the torch-lit
trail, look for the pumpkin with
my name (WALDEN) on it. I’ll
leave something for you behind it.
P.P.S.: Bug boxes, butterfly
nets, identification books, and kids
Schmeeckle t-shirts and onesies
can be purchased in the gift shop.
They make great birthday and
holiday gifts!
Raptors of
Schmeeckle
Word
Search
talon
soar
eagle
prey
feather
owl
hunt
hawk
’Round the Reserve
Fall 2014
10
11
Parting View:
The Tortoise
and the Hare
For a scenic place to
rest and reflect on
the eastern shore
of Lake Joanis, look
for the new bench
adorned with handcarved turtles and
rabbits. The bench
was built this year by
UW-Stevens Point
students working in
Schmeeckle Reserve’s
cedar sign shop. The
bench was made
possible thanks to a
generous donation
from Dan Marx,
a Friends board
member, and his
wife, Donna.
<<FIRST NAME>> <<LAST NAME>>
<<STREET>>
<<CITY>> <<State>> <<Zip>>
2419 North Point Drive
Stevens Point, WI 54481
Friends of
Schmeeckle Reserve