Recent Blog Posts

posted by Barbara Dixson, photos by Steve Faber As Steve wandered the Reserve in March, varieties of beauty met his camera. The most dramatic is of the prescribed burn in the cattail marsh, about which Steve said, “The fire picture is from one of the recent burns. The flair-up only lasts a few seconds,...

by Chris Thompson As spring approaches, visitors to Schmeeckle may notice many seasonal changes are happening.  Some common sights are robins returning, turtles basking on sunny days, plants beginning to pop through the leaf litter, and the chipmunks running about.  Another creature that you may not have noticed starting to move around in spring...

text by Barbara Dixson and Rae Henneman, photos by Rae Henneman At the end of the fall 2024 Candlelight Hike, when some Schmeeckle visitors were taking refuge in the bird viewing area of the Visitor Center to warm up, and others were zipping up their jackets and lingering on the deck, Rae Henneman spotted...

by Chris Thompson After a brief hiatus, the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve trail cameras are back in action. For the winter, the cameras have been relocated to some creekside locations in the reserve in hopes of catching some of Schmeeckle’s inhabitants in action.  This month, we are highlighting the little seen and smallest of Wisconsin’s member...

posted by Barbara Dixson, photos by Steve Faber Steve Faber barely had to step outside his house last week to find beauty near and far: shining in the distant clouds, sparkling at his feet, and fiercely gripping the trunk of a nearby tree. Just walk into Schmeeckle with your eyes open, and you’ll meet...

posted by Barbara Dixson, photos by Rae Henneman Rae has been wandering in the Reserve (when she is not working there or taking a class there or volunteering there) and taking photos since she first came to UWSP. Here’s what she said when I asked about this group of photos: “I got a new...

posted by Barbara Dixson, photos by Steve Faber And the answer is… Red tailed hawk!...

posted by Barbara Dixson, photos by Steve Faber A bright autumn morning drew Steve out wandering in the Reserve with his camera. Maples at their glorious peak Sunday morning on Moses Creek, just before the sun went behind the clouds...

by Chris McCart, introduced by Barbara Dixson Each semester, students in Dr. Chris McCart’s environmental education and interpretation practicum create signs to post around Schmeeckle Reserve to invite passers-by into yet another dimension of this magical space. Up now on the Trail of Reflections: glimpses of forest homes. The signs from the spring semester...

by Barbara Dixson The Fall Candlelight Hike Festival is just around the corner, this Friday, November 1 from 6-9 p.m. Most falls, several thousand visitors walk the trails by torchlight and jack-o’-lantern glow. To make these visitors welcome, our fabulous volunteer crew–the Tuesday crew–has been working diligently to put everything in good order. Above:...