Friends of
Schmeeckle Reserve
Vol. 8, Issue 1
Winter/Spring 2021
‘Round the Reserve
2419 North Point Drive, Stevens Point, Wisconsin 54481
www.uwsp.edu/schmeeckle
friendsofschmeeckle@gmail.com
715-346-4992
Photo courtesy of Ryan Michalesko
Learning to adapt By Jerry Lineberger Friends Board President Have you walked the trails in the Reserve lately? I’m guessing you have. I probably passed you, but you likely wouldn’t recognize me with my face mask, Packers stocking cap, sunglasses, and down jacket. We all seem to look the same right now, unrecognizable, until we speak. And that’s the point—we all are having a similar experience. Jerry We all need Lineberger to be in the woods, on the savanna, on the boardwalks, breathing, listening, smelling, and just feeling the outdoors. We are fortunate to have such a place here in our own backyard. And we have learned to be respectful of others’ space on the trail, knowing that if we are, we can see the possibility of “normal” on the horizon. Over the past long year, we have learned to adapt and See President, Page 3
In early January, the trails were bustling with people who came out to enjoy the incredible display of rime ice that decorated the trees in Schmeeckle.
Change is in the air By Jim Buchholz Schmeeckle Reserve Director As the frigid winter air transitions to the warming rays of spring (seemingly overnight this year!), it’s a perfect time to reflect on the many changes taking place at Schmeeckle. Some of these changes are natural. Birds, Jim Buchholz migrating north from their wintering grounds, will soon fill the trees and feeders. Wetlands and ponds, expanding with the influx of
melting snow, will soon serve as breeding grounds for a choir of frogs and toads. Other changes at Schmeeckle are being spurred on by people. The ongoing oak savanna restoration near the visitor center and Berard Oaks strives to improve the natural habitat over time by removing diseased trees and planting hardier native species. Prescribed burns set back invasive and woody species so that prairie grasses and wildflowers can thrive. Large stands of invasive buckthorn have been cut and sprayed to allow the establishment of native vegetation. See Director, Page 3