The Friends of Schmeeckle host several programs and events throughout the year. Explore upcoming events below.
From songbirds to raptors, a timeless hobby is taking flight at Schmeeckle—birding! Practice using old-school binoculars and new-school birding apps on your phone. Go bird watching. Discuss how you can log your sightings online and contribute to science and research! Experienced, novice, and aspiring birders are all welcome! Email us to register for this program.
FALL in love with nature in a new way! This season, discover the secret beauty hidden within Schmeeckle through art, your senses, hands-on activities and nature exploration, then create your own masterpiece. Email us to register for this program. Include the program title, number in your group, and phone number.
Just as humans can be invaded by germs that make them sick, Schmeeckle has been invaded by exotic species that impact ecosystem health. Join us for a guided walk where we will diagnose Schmeeckle’s illness by identifying different invasive species. Discuss actions you can take to prevent their spread. Email us to register for this
Come join Ant Man and shrink down to discover the insect superheroes of Schmeeckle. Discuss adaptations that make them so super and explore their habitats. Email us to register for this program. Include the program title, number in your group, and phone number.
Pop into a pollinator’s world. Explore their habitats. Participate in positively popular pollinator activities. Find out how you can make the world safer for pollinators. Email us to register for this program. Include the program title, number in your group, and phone number.
Join us for a guided hike and explore the towering oak trees and prairie grasses of the oak savanna - one of the rarest habitats in the Midwest. Find out what animals depend on this unique community, and what makes it so special. Email us to register for this program. Include the program title, number
Get to know the trees of Schmeeckle and their connection to Wisconsin’s heritage. Join us for a short hike to meet some trees. Learn how trees provide for forest critters and how they provide for us! Email us to register for this program. Include the program title, number in your group, and phone number.
Join us as we explore the "Lights of the Night" and walk half-mile, 1-mile, and 1.5-mile loop trails lit by torches and hundreds of jack-o’-lanterns through the autumn woods and around Lake Joanis. Arrive and leave when you like! Cost: Suggested donation of $2/person or $5/family helps fund future programs and events. "Lights of the
Join us for a "fluttering frenzy" and walk torch-lit half-mile and 1-mile loop trails through the spring woods. Arrive and leave when you like! Cost: Suggested donation of $4/person or $10/family helps fund future programs and events. "Fluttering Frenzy" character programs: Family-friendly programs presented by environmental interpretation students take place at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Are bats the bloodsucking monsters of our nightmares or nature’s helpful heroes? Come learn about how these creatures of the night benefit us and our ecosystem with their nocturnal feeding habits! Email us to register for this program. Include the program title, number in your group, and phone number.
Long ago, a certain bird took to the skies in groups large enough to block out the sun. Today not even one remains. Join our flock for a fireside chat to discover how the passenger pigeon went from being one of the most common birds to being extinct in only a hundred years, with a
What is a fossil? How do they form? Where and how can you find them? Join us for this fireside chat to get hands-on experience with real fossils and discover what they can tell us about ancient Wisconsin. Email us to register for this program. Include the program title, number in your group, and phone