July 2009 - June 2010 Annual Report

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Poin

t

Schmeeckle Reserve

SchmeeckleReserve

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University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Schmeeckle Reserve

A field station of the College of Natural Resources, serving the University and greater community

July 2009 - June 2010 Annual Report

Prepared November 2010

Schmeeckle ReserveUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

2419 North Point DriveStevens Point, WI 54481

Phone: (715) 346-4992E-mail: schmeeckle@uwsp.edu

Internet: http://www.uwsp.edu/schmeeckle

Director: Ron ZimmermanAssistant Director: Jim Buchholz

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Schmeeckle Reserve 2009-10 Annual Report

Schmeeckle Reserve

Since its beginning in 1976, Schmeeckle Reserve has held a special place in the community. It is a location where students, faculty, city residents, and visitors can gather and celebrate the unique qualities that make central Wisconsin a great place to live. To some, the Reserve is a quiet refuge from urban and campus life; to others, it is a living laboratory for research and classes; and for many, it defines our campus’ and community’s sense of place and rich history.

The Reserve continues to grow in size and popularity with more people than ever before. The student staff has been increasing to better maintain and improve trails and natural habitats and to serve visitors. Special events and public programs continue to attract thousands of local supporters. Class use and research are growing, and the visitor center hosts more statewide environmental meetings than ever before.

Contributing to a Sense of Community in Central Wisconsin

Panorama photo of Lake Joanis. October 2009.

Schmeeckle Reserve is an integral component of the central Wisconsin community. It is a peaceful sanctuary where area residents mingle casually with university students, faculty, and staff. When surveyed, citizens consistently identify the Reserve as a place that contributes greatly to their quality of life in Portage County.

A goal of the Reserve has always been to preserve and celebrate the unique landscape of central Wisconsin; maintaining select habitats for study, research, and the spiritual enjoyment of the visiting public. Schmeeckle helps residents and visitors to feel a sense of place. It allows people to develop a relationship with the land, experience the rhythm of the seasons, and just as importantly, to participate in festivals and celebrations that help bind us into a central Wisconsin community.

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Serving the Local Community

Candlelight Hike Festivals

Enthusiastic crowds grow larger at every candlelight hike celebration! These free, community events feature a trail lit by tiki torches, an educational program presented by environmental education/interpretation students, science research stations, thematic crafts, snacks, and door prizes.

On October 30, 2009, our largest crowd yet of nearly 800 people joined the fall festival featuring nighttime insects of Schmeeckle Reserve.

Despite a freak late spring snowfall, about 200 people participated in the festival on May 7, 2010, which featured different animals that migrate during the spring.

Large crowds gather around the campfire to learn about Schmeeckle’s nocturnal insects in October 2009.

Families enjoy thematic crafts and research stations in October 2009.

Wetland Exhibit Renovation

In August 2010, renovation began on a wetland exhibit in the front lobby of the visitor center. A beautiful mural of a marsh scene was painted by Schmeeckle artists as a backdrop to the project. Aquariums house common residents of the Schmeeckle wetlands, including painted turtles, a green frog, a tiger salamander, and several fish from Lake Joanis. When complete, the exhibit will feature interactive booklets and signs.

Schmeeckle student artists paint a wetland mural.

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Schmeeckle Reserve 2009-10 Annual Report

Serving the Local Community

New Plank Trail Boardwalk Construction

In April 2009, Schmeeckle student staff constructed a new accessible boardwalk on the Plank Trail. The former trail segment was a series of long, warped planks that limited access for people in wheelchairs and with strollers. The new boardwalk is four feet wide and artistically winds through the wet woods. This is a major route for Schmeeckle’s annual Candlelight Hike Festivals.

Schmeeckle maintenance staff construct the new Plank Trail boardwalk in April 2009.

Swinging Bench Renovations

Hanging over a small pond, the swinging bench in Schmeeckle Reserve is a popular resting place for trail users. Over the years, it has served as a place for watching wildlife, relaxing, and even proposing for marriage! In March 2010, Schmeeckle student staff renovated the swinging bench with a new support system and a wide deck that provides universal access off of the Trail of Reflections. It is now a place that everyone can share.

Schmeeckle staff renovated the swinging bench with more sturdy supports and a wide deck.

New John Deere Gator Purchased

In September 2009, Schmeeckle Reserve purchased a John Deere Gator for trail maintenance work. The vehicle enhances the maintenance staff’s ability to remove trail hazards, fix trail surfaces and boardwalks, manage invasive species, and haul materials while minimizing damage to the trail system.

Schmeeckle staff load the new John Deere Gator with tiki torches for the fall Candlelight Hike Festival.

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Exotic Invasive Species Control

Schmeeckle Reserve is escalating efforts to irradiate exotic species of plants in the natural area. In 2009, the College of Natural Resources funded the purchase of specialized equipment and supplies to physically extract, cut, and chemically treat common and glossy buckthorn and other woody invasive plants. The Schmeeckle student maintenance crew has substantially reduced the buckthorn population around Lake Joanis.

Serving Natural Communities

As the Maintenance Supervisor, I have developed confidence and fine tuned my leadership abilities which will apply to any future supervisory position I may have. I truly enjoy being a part of Schmeeckle Reserve and everything we provide for the community.

Jeremy Lebrick, Schmeeckle’s student maintenance supervisor, guides over 40 students in controlling invasive species, maintaining trails, building boardwalks, and constructing cedar signs.

Schmeeckle staff cut through a wall of buckthorn near Lake Joanis. The plants are treated with herbicide after being cut.

Moses Creek Research

Nearly 30 acres of the Moses Creek Restoration Area has been cleared of buckthorn and will be monitored and treated through a ten year agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.Stream flow and biological diversity of Moses Creek is being monitored and researched by Dr. Steve Seiler, UWSP Biology Department, and students from the Ichthyology and Aquarium Science Society. They surveyed the ditch prior to restoration, during the reconstruction process, and continue to monitor biological changes in the new stream ecosystem.

—Jeremy Lebrick, Maintenance Supervisor

The Moses Creek Restoration provides unique research opportunities for faculty and students.

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Schmeeckle Reserve 2009-10 Annual Report

Serving Natural Communities

Restoration of Moses Creek

Moses Creek has been restored to a free flowing stream through a $1.3 million mitigation project funded entirely by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

In the 1930s, Moses Creek was ditched in an effort to drain wetlands for farming. The creek was reduced to a dry and sterile streambed during summer droughts. During periods of rain and snow melt, the creek swells to flood the Brillowski Subdivision east of Schmeeckle Reserve. In the 1970s, floodwaters clogged storm sewers on campus, filling basements and spilling out over athletic fields.

Public input was gathered in spring of 2010 through a series of community meetings. Neighbors were personally contacted for their opinions and questions and plans were developed that incorporated their ideas. A detailed Moses Creek website (www.uwsp.edu/schmeeckle/moses_creek)

was frequently updated to keep all interested people fully informed of the restoration goals and progress. Radio, television, and print media also covered the progress.

Nearly 18 acres of wetlands have been created that serve as a floodplain for the rejuvenated streambed of Moses Creek. The creek now flows in a swift, natural, meandering channel. Islands of oaks and maples rise above the new sedge meadows and a half mile of boardwalk trails invite walkers and bikers to explore the new habitat, which also serves as a gateway from campus to the Green Circle Trail. The project will be officially completed on November 12, 2010. The trails and boardwalks have already been reopened.

Visitor response to the project has been overwhelmingly positive. Neighbors living next to the project area are unanimous in their approval of the resulting habitat and boardwalk.

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980’

1,020’

300’

730’

80’

590’

320’

360’

1,450’

1,665’

820’

215’ 405’

450’

365’

740’

155’

115’

310’

320’

150’

1,490’

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950’

280’

590’

620’

380’

275’1,370’

860’

290’

170’290’

170’

125’

825’

585’

690’ 1,050’

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375’200’

740’305’210’740’

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310’1,900’1,630’

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XX XX

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New Moses Creek Channel

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Old Mose

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Old Moses Creek Channel

Visitor Center

South Fork

Lake Joanis

StudentMemorial

RappellingTower

Treehouse

ReflectionPond

Compost Gardens

Marsh Overlook

Green Circle Trail

North Point Drive

Maria Drive

Wood Lane

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Wilshire D

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To I-39 / Hwy 51Exit 161

Michigan Avenue

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Reserve S

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Illinois Avenue

Michigan Avenue

Minnesota Avenue

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Stores,Hotels,

Restaurants

UWSP Baseball

Field

UWSP Parking Lots S & J

(Permit only)

UWSP Track

UWSP Dorms

North Point Drive

Maria Drive

RossAmphitheater

Plan

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(Visitor Center to Lake Loop: 0.3 mi)

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Lake Loop Trail (1 m

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Sedge Meadow Trail (0.3 mi)

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Chilla Woodlot

Frog Chorus Trail (0 .2 m

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(0.1 mi)

Residential Subdivision

BatStation

Pine Meadows Trail (0.1 mi)

North Shore

South Shore

Savanna Trail (0.2 mi)

Service Drive

Indiana Avenue North

Green CircleTrailhead

Green Circle Trail

To I-39 / Hwy 51

Exit 159

North P

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Hwy 66

/ Stan

ley S

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Hwy 66

Green Circle Alternativefor pets and easier biking

Stevens Point AreaVisitor Info Center

John JoanisMemorial

4th A

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To DowntownStevens Point

K-Mart

Fron

tage

Rd

Wetlands

Moses Creek Restoration Area Map

New trails and boardwalks

Main Restoration Area

Lake Restoration Area

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Schmeeckle Reserve 2009-10 Annual Report

Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame

Schmeeckle staff again helped to coordinate and facilitate this year’s Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame (WCHF) Induction Ceremony held on April 24, 2010. George Becker, Emily Earley, and Ruth Hine were inducted.

Schmeeckle Reserve’s graduate assistant, Elise Kahl, will be developing exhibit concepts and video vignettes that tell the interwoven stories of the inducted members of the WCHF.

Serving the Conservation Community

“At Schmeeckle Reserve I am able to get hands-on experience with teaching undergraduate students, organizing events, and helping run the visitor center. Because of all of this experience, with the help of my mentors, I will have an advantage when looking for jobs.”

—Elise Kahl, Schmeeckle Graduate Assistant

Schmeeckle Reserve Environmental Monitoring Station

With base funding from the College of Natural Resources, an upgraded environmental monitoring station was installed by Schmeeckle staff near the visitor center. The station monitors air and soil temperatures, wind speed and direction, relative humidity, soil moisture, and precipitation. Students, faculty, and the general public can now access real-time and historic monitoring data online. The station will have major benefits for natural resources, ecology, and biology classes, as well as research projects such as bat and flying squirrel monitoring. More information can be found at: www.uwsp.edu/schmeeckle/weather.

Schmeeckle student staff install a wind vane/speed sensor at the top of the Environmental Monitoring Station tower.

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Community Meeting Room and CNR-funded Renovation

A public meeting room located in the visitor center is a popular gathering place for agencies, organizations, and classes. It is provided free of charge to conservation and non-profit organizations.

Dr. Christine Thomas, Dean of the College of Natural Resources, generously provided $30,000 to renovate the meeting room in fall of 2009. When completed, the room will house new padded chairs, moveable tables, durable carpeting, window blinds, presentation lighting, and a digital projection system.

The room offers excellent exposure for Schmeeckle Reserve and the CNR to diverse groups of people from around the state. These are potential supporters of the program.

Summary Meeting Room Use: July 2009-June 2010

• Approximately 3,500 people met in the community meeting room.

• The room was used 226 days of the year, meeting for an estimated 1,099 hours.

A few representative groups include: Wisconsin Conservation Congress, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Rural Development, Wisconsin DNR (Stewardship, Air and Waste Management, Forestry Leaders, Environmental Grants, Disabled Advisory Council, Wisconsin Tree Farm, Urban Forestry, Streams Team, Fisheries Management), Wisconsin Woodland Owners, Aldo Leopold Audubon

Serving the Conservation Community

The Schmeeckle Reserve meeting room is heavily used by statewide natural resources agencies and organizations, educational public programs, and classes.

Society, Master Woodland Steward Program, U.S. Forest Service: Great Lakes, AIG Travel Guard, Wisconsin River Academy (SPASH), LEAF (WCEE), Blue Bird Restoration Association, Wisconsin Wastewater Operators’ Association, North Central Conservancy, 4-H Work Team, Marathon County Health Department, Focal Point Camera Club, Green Circle Trail Committee, Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame board, Wisconsin Bow Hunters Association, American Red Cross, Big Brothers/Big Sisters

The renovated meeting room, which includes new portable tables, chairs, and carpeting (above), provides a more comfortable and convenient space for groups to meet in.

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Schmeeckle Reserve 2009-10 Annual Report

Serving the UWSP Community

UWSP Student Staff

UWSP students keep Schmeeckle Reserve vibrant. A large student staff is essential in providing personal services and maintaining the natural area. All positions are made possible through SGA funding.

During the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year:• 37 students were hired in Summer 2009• 83 students were hired from August 2009

to May 2010• 42 students were hired in Summer 2009

Trail Ranger Internship Program

The Trail Ranger Internship program is a successful continuing partnership among Schmeeckle Reserve, the CNR Law Enforcement program (led by Dr. Bob Holsman), and Protective Services (directed by Bill Rowe). It provides real world experience for students interested in natural resources law enforcement.

Four UWSP students, Wes Powers, Tyler Gagner, Brandan Macha, and John Hagermann, successfully completed the internship from April 2008 to October 2009.Two new interns, Jared Fringer and John Schreiber, were hired in April 2009 and are currently finishing their programs.

The trail ranger program has been a positive tool in reducing rule violations, while maintaining a safe and friendly environment for visitors.

Trail ranger interns John Schreiber (left) and Jared Fringer (right) patrolled trails from spring to fall of 2010.

“My time at Schmeeckle Reserve has been a great experience. As Office Manager, I have developed professional skills that I will keep the rest of my life through first-hand opportunities such as hiring staff and handling finances.”

—Nikki Heiden, Office Supervisor

In May 2010, Schmeeckle was voted as one of the best places to work on campus by student employees for the third year in a row.

The student Office Supervisor, Nikki Heiden (right), handles hiring, training, payroll, and financial reporting for the Reserve.

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Serving the UWSP Community

Coursework and Research

Schmeeckle Reserve is an outdoor classroom and laboratory for UWSP. In 2009-2010, the Reserve continued to serve the ever expanding educational and research needs of faculty and staff.

Summary of class and research use in Schmeeckle: July 2009-June 2010

4,881 students attended a class or conducted research in Schmeeckle Reserve.

Students spent 10,699 hours attending class in the Reserve. This doesn’t include the uncountable hours spent conducting studies for classes and student organizations.

The following list includes a sampling of the diverse classes and groups that used the Reserve in the past year:

College of Natural ResourcesFOR 322- Forest Mensuration FOR 327- Forest ProtectionFOR 424- Forest PathologyFOR 426/626- Forest EntomologyFOR 431- Tree Structure and & FunctionFOR 432- Urban SilvicultureFOR 435- Nursery Operations & MgmtNR 151- Ecological Basis for NRNR 250- Fisheries, Forestry, and WildlifeNR 251- Soil and Water ResourcesNR 301/501- Foundations of Env. Ed.NR 367/368/568- Oral Interp. MethodsNR 369/569-Interpretive MediaNR 374-Env. Interpretation PracticumNR 392-Law Enforcement TheoryNR 457/657- Ecological MonitoringNR 482- EE/Interp. PracticumNR 483- Professional Development EE/ISoils 465- Soil PhysicsWater 389- Hydrology

Water 480- Water ChemistryWildlife 350/550- Wildlife Mgmt TechniquesWildlife 372- Wildlife of North America

College of Letters and ScienceBIO 160- Introduction to Animal BiologyBIO 306- Ecological MethodsBIO 351- Plant PhysiologyBIO 367- General EntomologyBIO 490- Mushroom IdentificationGEOG 358- Biogeography

College of Professional StudiesAdv. Ed. 250- Camping/BackpackingIA 415- Problems in Interior ArchitectureMSL 101- Military Science and LeadershipMSL 301- Adaptive Team LeadershipWellness 199- Wilderness Orientation

UWSP Student GroupsThe Wildlife SocietyFisheries SocietyStudent Athletic Advisory CommitteeSociety of Ecological RestorationUWSP Sports Medicine Club

Other Educational OrganizationsMid-State Technical CollegeDivepoint ScubaLEAF K-12 Forestry Education (WCEE)Wisconsin River Academy, SPASHContinuing Education

Students in FOR 335, Recreation Use of Parks and Forests, determine the Recreational Opportunity Spectrum of Lake Joanis in Schmeeckle Reserve. September, 2008

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Schmeeckle Reserve 2009-10 Annual Report

Public Programs: Environmental Education/Interpretation Practicum

People from Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, and Marshfield eagerly await the arrival of Schmeeckle Reserve’s public programs every fall and spring. Students in the Environmental Education/Interpretation Practicum (NRES 482) and Practicum in Interpretation (NRES 374) fine tune their interpretive skills under the guidance of Dr. Brenda Lackey.

Each student develops and presents several natural or cultural history programs that are free to students and community members.

Summary Public Program Attendance:July 2009-June 2010

• Approximately 760 visitors attended the students’ individual public programs

• Nearly 500 additional visitors experienced the students’ group presentations at the Candlelight Hike Festivals

Spring 2009 Practicum students dressed up as different Schmeeckle animals that migrate during the spring.

Fall 2009 Practicum students dressed in elaborate costumes to interpret the nighttime insects of Schmeeckle Reserve.

“Schmeeckle Reserve provides a fabulous resource for the practicum students majoring in Environmental Education and Interpretation at UWSP! The students are able to practice their naturalist skills first hand with members of the Stevens Point community, providing educational programs for all ages...Students recognize the value of gaining this experience at Schmeeckle Reserve as they prepare to head into the job market.”

—Dr. Brenda Lackey, Assistant Professor of Environmental Education/Interpretation

This year’s diverse topics included: worms, witch hazel, Schmeeckle history, prescribed burns, stars, sandhill cranes, bats, owls, underground creatures, conservationists, weasels, moon, oppossums, Menominee folklore, spring sounds, woodcocks, and maple syrup.

Group presentations included character interpretation of the Reserve’s nocturnal insects (October 2009) and Spring Migrations (May 2010).

Serving the UWSP Community

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Serving the Interpretive Community

Interpretive Handbooks Series

The Interpreter’s Handbook Series is a collection of training manuals written by Schmeeckle Reserve staff. The purpose of the books is to enhance the skills of students and professionals in the field of interpretation.

These guidebooks serve a national and worldwide audience. Just in the past year, Schmeeckle sent books to customers in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Brazil, Peru, England, France, Romania, and Finland. In fall of 2010, the Handbooks Series will be translated into Chinese for yet another new international audience.

The three books in the Interpreter’s Handbook Series are shipped worldwide.

Interpretive Consulting and Training

Schmeeckle Reserve’s directors serve as environmental interpretation consultants, helping agencies and organizations throughout the country plan for programs and media at nature centers, parks, trails, scenic byways, and other sites. The projects help people to find greater meanings in natural and cultural sites and resources.

These consulting services accomplish several significant needs:

• Provides external funding for the daily operations and improvements at the Reserve.

• Promotes the environmental reputation of the College of Natural Resources and UWSP to a national and international audience.

• Allows students to view real world projects as case studies in their interpretation classes and makes them aware of professional opportunities at these locations.

Schmeeckle Reserve developed unique chrome interpretive wayside exhibits for Illinois Route 66.

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Schmeeckle Reserve 2009-10 Annual Report

Illinois Historic Route 66 Scenic Byway: Wayside ExhibitsStatus: Completed in September 2010Funding: $379,991Description: Plan, design, and fabricate 32 unique, stylized interpretive wayside exhibits along the legendary highway.

The Teller Wildlife Refuge: Conservation Education Master Plan, MontanaStatus: OngoingFunding: $60,000Description: Research and plan for new visitor center, education program, and exhibits

The Ridges Sanctuary: Interpretive Master Plan, Door County, WisconsinStatus: OngoingFunding: $60,000Description: Research and plan for new visitor center, trails, and media.

Interpretive Consulting Projects

The team of Ron Zimmerman, Jim Buchholz, and Mike Gross (Professor Emeritus) provide professional master planning and design services to parks, nature centers, and historic sites throughout the country.

In the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year:

Interpretive planning projects generated $348,352, with a net revenue (after expenses) of $195,018. This funding supports operations and special events for the natural area.

Professional Interpretive Master Planning Projects included:

South Denali Visitor Center Complex: Interpretive Master Plan, AlaskaStatus: Completed in August 2009Funding (over 2 years): $149,000Description: Plan to guide the development of a multiple-use visitor center and trails on Curry Ridge

Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area: Interagency Visitor Center Plan, CaliforniaStatus: Completed in March 2010Funding: $53,380Description: Assisted in planning for interpretation at a newly designed visitor center.

Funding Schmeeckle ReserveOnly about 1/3 of Schmeeckle Reserve’s operational budget is funded by the University. The other 2/3 comes from a variety of funding sources that Schmeeckle staff consistently develop and maintain on a yearly basis.

Ron Zimmerman meets with stakeholders of The Teller, a private wildlife refuge in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana

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Cedar Sign Sales

Schmeeckle Reserve has been constructing hand-crafted cedar signs for over 20 years. Signs are sold to organizations, agencies, businesses, and individuals. Student staff design, construct, rout, and paint signs in the visitor center basement workshop. All proceeds support Schmeeckle Reserve

In the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year:

Sales of cedar signs generated $24,016, with a net revenue (after expenses) of $10,348.

Clients included: • Schwalbe Construction Company,

Wabasha, MN• Village of Whiting, WI• Pulaski Academy and Central School,

Pulaski, NY• Pointer Place Townhouses, Stevens

Point, WI• Lake Ripley Management District,

Cambridge, WI• Jefferson County Parks, Jefferson, WI• Wisconsin Department of Natural

Resources-Chiwaukee Prairie State Natural Area, Sturtevant, WI

• Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Monona, WI

• Birnamwood Veterinary Services, Birnamwood, WI

• Idyllbrook Village, Peoria, IL• Wisconsin Woodland Owners

Association, Burlington, WI• Town of Stockton, WI• Northwoods Land Trust, Eagle River, WI• Midwest Prairies LLC, Milton, WI• Indiana University Northwest, Gary, IN• Riverfront Arts Center, Stevens Point,

WI• Multiple gift signs for UWSP students,

faculty/staff, and community residents

Indiana University Northwest in Gary contracted with Schmeeckle Reserve to develop rustic signs for their Little Calumet River Prairie and Wetlands Nature Preserve.

Schmeeckle student staff install a Veterinary Services sign in Birnamwood, Wisconsin.

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Schmeeckle Reserve 2009-10 Annual Report

Interpreter’s Handbook Series Sales

The Interpreter’s Handbook Series is a collection of training manuals written by Schmeeckle Reserve staff. Books are distributed throughout the world from the visitor center.

In the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year:

Sales of the Interpreter’s Handbook Series generated $12,709, with a net revenue (after expenses) of $11,561.

Three books are currently available for sale through Schmeeckle Reserve:

• Signs, Trails, and Wayside Exhibits. 2006• Interpretive Centers. 2002• The Interpreter’s Guidebook. 1994

Browse Shop Sales

The Browse Shop, located in the Schmeeckle Reserve Visitor Center, features unique natural and cultural merchandise that connects customers to central Wisconsin’s heritage.

In the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year:

Sales from the Browse Shop generated $20,776, with a net revenue (after expenses) of $1,800.

The gift shop’s student manager, Nicki Feiten, trains staff, orders merchandise, works with regional artists, and maintains inventory.

“Working at Schmeeckle over the past 3 years has given me the opportunity to bring together my love of nature and working with people. As the Browse Shop manager I have been able to strengthen my leadership skills and provide the public with tools to strengthen their own environmental knowledge. Being able to work with the public and go to school has not only helped me grow as a student, but also gain practical experience necessary for future employment.”

—Nicki Feiten, Browse Shop Manager

Athena Salzer, a UWSP student, manages the Interpreter’s Handbook Series business. She fills orders, maintains inventory, coordinates sales, and develops marketing strategies.

“I am very grateful to have this position at Schmeeckle. Not only do I love the work environment here, but it has really helped me build my professional skills working with different clientele.”

—Athena Salzer, Handbooks Series Manager

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Student Government Assoc. Funding

UWSP students provide the largest single funding base for the operation of Schmeeckle Reserve through Student Activity Fees.

According to a survey in 2006, 95% of UWSP students visited the Reserve and 98% believed that supporting Schmeeckle was a good use of their fees. Nearly 80% felt that Schmeeckle was a valuable part of their UWSP experience.

Without annual student support, Schmeeckle could not provide the quality outdoor experiences that visitors have come to expect from the natural area.

In the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year:

UWSP students provided $70,000 in funding through the Student Activity Fee.

This funding supports:• Salaries for UWSP student employees

(45-50 each semester)• Office supplies and services• Trail and boardwalk maintenance supplies

and services• Land management

supplies and services

• Facility maintenance supplies and services

• Community programs and events

• Construction of new trails, boardwalks, and structures

College of Natural Resources Funding

Schmeeckle Reserve is a field station of the College of Natural Resources, serving the academic needs of several courses in forestry, wildlife, soils, water, and human dimensions.

The Director’s salary is provided through the CNR budget. In addition, the CNR supports specific projects and expenses annually that benefit the Reserve’s academic mission.

In the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year:

• Assistant Director float: $7,131 Provides savings in position benefits• Graduate Assistant: $13,124

Shared with Dr. Brenda Lackey for teaching of interpretation courses

• Operations budget: $2,652Supports CNR’s Environmental Education/Interpretation courses

• Technology support: $2,059Laptop, Adobe software, and memory upgrades for CNR’s Environmental Education/Interpretation courses

• Travel to conference: $450Partial funding of travel expenses for Director and Assistant Director to professional interpreter’s conference

• Continuing renovation of Meeting Room: Total of $30,000

New chairs, tables, blinds, carpet, lighting, painting, and trim

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Schmeeckle Reserve 2009-10 Annual Report

Planning for the Future

University Financial Support

Securing a GPR Funded Assistant Director Position

On March 12, 1979, a memo to the UWSP Administrative Council gave authorization to recruit positions for the newly created Schmeeckle Reserve, which included:

• 1 full-time Director• 1 full-time landscaper• 1 full-time law enforcement officer• 1 half-time secretary

This was considered a minimal level of staffing to maintain the 127 acre natural area, which did not, at the time, include a visitor center. When Ron Zimmerman was hired as the Director in July 1979, the landscaper and law enforcement positions had already been eliminated in response to a UWSP budget crisis. In 1986, the half-time secretary was given notice and the position was absorbed by the CNR to make up for budget shortfalls.

Since 1979, demands for safety and services have increased. The original property has more than doubled to 285 acres, over 2/3 of the entire campus. A visitor center is open 7 days a week to serve the needs of Reserve users. The number of trail users, including students and community members, continues to grow every year. The popularity of public programs and events is also increasing.

Despite these major enhancements, only one GPR funded position, the Director, is still assigned to the entire natural area.

In 2000, Schmeeckle Reserve hired an Assistant Director to help meet the needs of the expanding workload, enhanced level

of services, and large student staff. The Assistant Director position is program funded, requiring a tremendous amount of Schmeeckle’s professional staff time be devoted to external revenue generating projects. The directors work long days and numerous weekends, while relying on many donated hours from a professor emeritus—a situation that is unsustainable. If this position was funded by UWSP, more time could be devoted to Schmeeckle Reserve activities, which would benefit the university as a whole.

The College of Natural Resources administration is continuing to help provide position assistance (fringe benefits) in the upcoming Fiscal Year, a critical step toward more reliable annual funding.

Secure position and budget support would lead to enhanced connections between Schmeeckle, UWSP, and the community.

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New Schmeeckle Reserve Visitor and Education Center

The existing Schmeeckle Reserve Visitor Center is popular and heavily used by university classes, students, conservation groups, and visitors. Unfortunately, the remodeled facility is inadequate for this increasing level of use. The multipurpose room, for example, is filled nearly 250 days of the year, but is too small for many public programs and conservation meetings. Office space, the cedar sign workshop, the exhibit hall, and the interpretive technology lab are all crowded and outdated.

A new and improved visitor and education center would serve greater numbers of people and facilitate events and activities that cannot be conducted in the present building. Expanded meeting areas and classrooms will be available for university faculty and staff using the natural area. A large multipurpose room will permit public

meetings and community events. The scale and architecture of the building will be harmonious with the landscape and serve as a model of sustainability on this environmental campus. Its primary purpose will be to serve as a gateway to the natural area and to guide visitors to use the area responsibly.

A new Schmeeckle Reserve facility is proposed in the next phase of the UWSP Campus Master Plan. To be successful, however, Schmeeckle must have sufficient financial support from the university to fund operating costs and staff salaries.

A significant amount of money will need to be raised outside of the university system. Schmeeckle Reserve is ready to begin a fund-raising campaign to support the new facility.

Conceptual idea for a new and improved Schmeeckle Reserve visitor education facility.

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Schmeeckle Reserve 2009-10 Annual Report

Schmeeckle Reserve continues its long tradition of providing a special place for students, faculty, staff, community members, and visitors to connect with the central Wisconsin landscape.

Fall colors on the new Plank Trail boardwalk constructed by Schmeeckle student staff. September, 2010

—Student Survey, November, 2006

“The thing that I value most about Schmeeckle Reserve is that not only does it serve the general public, but also university students. I like to get away from all the hustle and bustle of school life and connect with the land around me, whether it’s sitting on the rocks by Lake Joanis or spending time at the ‘wildlife viewing window.’ Schmeeckle Reserve takes you on a journey of discovery. It might be encountering one of those ‘Schmeeckle deer’ or an early morning hike looking for birds. Whether you’re a child, university student, or an adult, Schmeeckle holds a special place in the hearts of those who enjoy the true beauty of Stevens Point...”