Recent Blog Posts

posted by Barbara Dixson, photos by Griffin Bray and Shannon Kearney “Go home and watch cooking shows!” What a surprising assignment for a natural resources class! But it’s one that the Environmental Interpretation students in the NRES 374 senior practicum were given by their instructors, Griffin Bray and Natalie McNeely. The students are in...

posted by Barbara Dixson, photos by Steve Faber The mild days of late summer and early fall invite wandering in the Reserve. Steve took his camera with him. The Canada geese find that Schmeeckle offers prime goose family real estate. Just keep your distance from the moms and dads when they have littles nearby!...

Photos by Paul Skawinski and Schmeeckle Reserve, text source Schmeeckle Reserve, article by Barbara Dixson Who would think that a tiny creature this cute could wreak havoc? But that seems to be the job description of the round goby, an invasive species recently found in Lake Joanis. Fortunately, the UWSP College of Natural Resources...

by Barbara Dixson Every year, dozens of Schmeeckle lovers go out into the Reserve creating images in words, art, and photos. The annual Friends of Schmeeckle Writing, Art, and Photo contest invites these creators to submit their pieces. While only some receive awards, all are displayed in downtown Stevens Point, on the Friends of...

by Chris Thompson, photos by Jon Gratton and Rae Henneman This May and June, visitors to Schmeeckle Reserve may have noticed some fuzzy additions to the Reserve. Under one of the many wonderful boardwalks, a mother gray fox decided to make her den! Though the Friends of Schmeeckle trail cameras have captured gray fox...

by Rae Henneman On January 27th, 2026, Schmeeckle felt the loss of our long-term frog ambassador, Hilde. Hilde was an American Bullfrog that was in our care for over 16 years! Living 7-10 years in the wild, our girl survived well into old age. From her evil stares to her size, she was certainly...

by Barbara Dixson Anyone who turned up at the Spring Celebration the first Sunday in May anticipating the spring Candlelight Hike might have been confused. No lanterns! No one on stage! Instead, a whole new adventure! This year when we met the inhabitants of Schmeeckle in human guise, it was in person. Hiking the...

by Chris Thompson This last couple of months, while looking through the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve trail cam photos, a new visitor was noticed.  Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a very large weasel?….. well kind of – It’s a Fisher! Fishers are a medium sized member of the weasel family. They...

posted by Barbara Dixson, photos by Steve Faber Steve was out in winter, observing snow shapes and the whimsical creations of ice sculptors. Spring followed, with the magical creations of nature. Beautiful at every time of the year! Long view of the ice sculptors And then closer–an ice living room on Lake Joanis?...

by Chris Thompson Schmeeckle Reserve has recently experienced several white-tailed deer mortalities. To document the ecological process of scavenging and better understand wildlife interactions, the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve positioned a trail camera near the remains. The camera records the various creatures utilizing the carrion and one animal was an early and constant visitor...