History
Treehaven
W2540 Pickerel Creek Ave
Tomahawk WI 54487
715-453-4106 Phone
715-453-1811 Fax
Regular Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
If you wish to be added to our mailing list, please email us your contact information.
Fifty years ago,
Dorothy and Gordon Kummer of Milwaukee purchased some rural acreage
southwest of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and began a remarkable legacy of
stewardship and conservation education
that continues today.
They called this land "Treehaven ", and under their care and supervision the Kummers planted nearly 140,000 trees on the property, ultimately creating one of the nation's finest examples of sustainable forest management by a private landowner. Following Gordon Kummer's death, Dorothy remarried a Milwaukee school science teacher named Jacque Vallier, also an avid conservationist. The Valliers eventually donated the land to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and helped mould Treehaven into the leading natural resources education and conference facility it is today. It now provides education and training to more current and future natural resource managers than any other center in the United States.
Treehaven's
facilities rest on an ancient glacial ridge that overlooks 1,400 acres of
forest and wetland habitat that hosts an abundance of wildlife species
including osprey, deer, black bear, wolf, coyote, and fisher. Facilities
include a large classroom/conference center, two residential dormitory
buildings that provide overnight accommodations for up to 125 people, and
full food service capability. Of course, the featured "facility" is natures
own handiwork 1,400 acres of outdoor classroom" space with rustic trails.
Eight permanent employees and over 20 affiliated staff - mostly teachers and educators - help Treehaven serve over 25,000 people each year with courses, seminars, workshops, Elderhostel's, school and youth programs, and business gatherings. A public, non-profit facility operated by the UWSP College of Natural Resources - the nation's largest undergraduate natural resources program - Treehaven relies on usage fees and donations for much of its operating budget, with limited support from state tax dollars.
Treehaven's mission is guided by the Treehaven Board of Advisors with support from the Friends of Treehaven , a group of volunteers who raise funds to support programs, land management and buildings of the center.