Refuge, research, education and recreation.
These are the core priorities of Schmeeckle Reserve, the 280-acre natural area located on the north end of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point campus and run by the College of Natural Resources. Since 1978 Schmeeckle has been a fixture of campus life, providing a place for students and community members alike to recreate and learn more about the natural world.
Thanks to the efforts of conservationist Fred Schmeeckle and decades of student and community volunteerism, generations of students have enjoyed an easily accessible living classroom and recreational area. However, the reserve has a rich history that predates UW-Stevens Point ownership.
To discover how Schmeeckle became a beloved campus and community resource, you must travel along a winding path of history.
Pre-acquisition
Aerial photo of historic moses creek and north campus area, 1938.
More than 100 years ago, a large dairy farm and former logging site occupied a plot of land north of Stevens Point Normal School. According to Schmeeckle Reserve director and historian, Jim Buchholz, Meadow Farm Dairy was made up of large wet grassland areas that were eventually trampled by livestock and unable to sustain plant growth. As these farmers moved on to “greener pastures,” this land was left abandoned by the early 1920’s, allowing the area to return to its natural state.
“In 1923 Fred Schmeeckle came to teach future educators about agriculture, because students in rural areas would likely become farmers,” said Buchholtz, “But he also had a strong interest in conservation. In 1945 he created what became the first conservation education major available in the whole country, housed at UW-Stevens Point.”
As a pioneer in conservation education, Schmeeckle also worked at the legislative level to ensure conservation as a part of statewide curriculum and expanded natural resources programs at Stevens Point Normal School by hiring faculty from a variety of specialized disciplines.
In the following years, the natural area would see many changes in ownership and physical structure. Wisconsin State University- Stevens Point acquired 145 acres of land to be used as a conservation area in 1956, and in 1968 the newly established University Foundation acquired the remaining 50.
“Schmeeckle would bring his students to this area north of campus. What a perfect place to learn about conservation methods.” Buchholtz said, “He and the early faculty really felt that this was a place that should be preserved as an environmental laboratory, a place for students to learn about natural processes.”
Excavation of Lake Joanis took place from 1975-1976.
The biggest project that the area has seen to date, spearheaded by Chancellor Lee Sherman Dreyfus in 1973, was the excavation of Lake Joanis, named for John Joanis, the Sentry Insurance president and CEO that helped make it happen. Dreyfus was a champion of the natural area, and upon completion of lake excavations wanted to make sure this property was being put to good use. He worked with Joanis on a plan and in 1974 an agreement was made for Sentry to cover the cost of excavating the lake in exchange for using the fill in their headquarters project.
With the help of a grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund with a match from the university foundation, Schmeeckle Reserve was officially dedicated on July 17, 1978.
Post-acquisition
In 1979, Ron Zimmerman was hired as the first director of Schmeeckle Reserve. Until his retirement in 2016, Zimmerman spearheaded a variety of projects including the conversion of the Waycheck family’s home into the Schmeeckle Reserve Visitor Center which housed the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame.
Construction of the Visitor Center began in 1982 and included a basement workshop where students craft signs like this one.
The central idea behind Zimmerman’s work was to encourage the community to experience and explore the trails of Schmeeckle. The center would be a hub for visitors to learn more about the species and habitats that could be found within the reserve. A team of students helped this vision became a reality, and the center opened in 1985.
At the same time, the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame began development in large part by Daniel Trainer, then the dean of the College of Natural Resources. The partnership between Schmeeckle and the hall of fame was a natural fit, allowing the visitor center to house inductee plaques and further attract tourists.
In the years following, the Visitor Center would welcome expansions including space for an exhibition gallery, meeting room, hall of fame awards and a basement workshop for wooden sign making.
Zimmerman is still actively involved in the organization as Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve Board President. Buchholz and Zimmerman have dedicated decades of service to the reserve, but student volunteers and employees remain the source of Schmeeckle’s livelihood.
“We usually hire 20-30 students per semester,” Buchholz said, “These students are integral to our operations. Everything from staffing our visitor center to trail restoration and building revenue through sign making is all thanks to our students.”
Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame inductee plaques were housed in the visitor center starting in 1985.
The Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve
Before becoming director, Buchholz served in a variety of roles at Schmeeckle. During his time as graduate assistant in 2002, he and Zimmerman came up with the idea of a non-profit organization that would support reserve operations through fundraising and volunteering.
The Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve Board of Directors works to continue Schmeeckle’s mission through fundraising and volunteerism. Ron Zimmerman (bottom left), Melissa Ruether (second from bottom left) and Jerry Lineberger (top right) pictured.
It wasn’t until 2011 when Megan Espe took on the graduate assistant role that this would come to fruition. Espe had taken on the development of what is now The Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve as her thesis project, and the focal point of her work at the reserve. Jerry Lineberger, former associate director of the Dreyfus University Center, was heavily involved in Espe’s preliminary research on the benefits of a “Friends Of” organization.
“After Megan graduated and wrote her master’s thesis, I got a call from [Ron] Zimmerman,” Lineberger said, “He told me they were starting a friends group, and asked if I wanted to be in it. I said sure, and a dream became a labor of love.”
What started as a group of 11, became a cross-disciplinary team of more than 300 volunteers and donors. Lineberger served as president of the board of directors for nine years and now supports the organization as past president.
Friends now has a board of directors from a variety of professional backgrounds, including two student representatives and five board officers, who strive to support the reserve and its mission. Melissa Ruether, Schmeeckle Reserve outreach coordinator, works as a liaison with Friends to put on events such as the biannual candlelight hikes and coordinate volunteers to work on trail restorations and builds.
“The candlelight hikes started 19 years ago, and have since become a huge hit,” said Lineberger. “The first one only saw about 25 people, but our most recent hike had 5,000 in attendance. It is a great opportunity to get people in, and usually they feel more comfortable coming back.”
Moses creek viewing deck was dedicated in memory of Susan Lineberger.
Since its inception, the candlelight hike has connected with the Stevens Point community. The event focuses on a central theme or topic in outdoor education, taught by students in the environmental education program and acted out in skits. The most recent hike program was titled “Night of the Living Decomposers” and taught attendees about native decomposing insects in Schmeeckle.
“We couldn’t do these events without the amazing volunteers and partnerships we have, especially the Friends partnership,” Ruether said, “There’s about a dozen of us that start meeting months in advance and plan the hikes, and they are a huge help in the planning process.”
In addition to events, volunteerism is at the core of the Friends of Schmeeckle’s mission. A group known as the Tuesday Morning Crew comes to Schmeeckle and helps with trail restoration and fixture building around the reserve every week.
“We do trail and hazard clearing to make sure the reserve is safe, but we also build things,” said Lineberger. “We have built accessible boardwalks, but my favorite build was an overlook at Moses Creek. When my wife passed away 13 years ago, we took donations in her honor to do something for Schmeeckle, and we rebuilt the overlook it in memory of her.”
What’s next?
Frequent patrons may have noticed some changes to the Visitor Center and may wonder what new things are on the horizon for this space.
Alex Mentele, Schmeeckle graduate assistant and master of science in environmental education candidate, is focused on providing community tailored educational experiences through the renovations at the visitor center.
Museum renovations in the Visitor Center are underway, graduate assistant Alex Mentele will look to the community for renovation suggestions.
“They started dismantling the museum back in January,” she said, “I was really drawn into focusing on the museum after talking to Jim about the potential for community input. I am now working on the preliminary stages of redesigning the center with that input, starting with networks available through my professors and colleagues.”
Mentele is currently studying literature around “Participatory Action Research,” which involves community input from a project’s beginning to its end. She hopes to design a visitor center that explores themes of community interest.
Schmeeckle Reserve has been a fixture of the UW-Stevens Point campus for more than 40 years. For many who interact with the natural area, it has an emotional role in their lives, serving as a place of solace and escape. Staff and Friends alike attribute this connection and success to one thing, the strong tie Schmeeckle has to the campus and community.
“Schmeeckle is a very emotional place that I love,” said Lineberger, “I love the idea of Schmeeckle as a natural area, and I want to preserve it for years to come. Everyone involved with the Friends of Schmeeckle feels the same.”
The Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve works year-round to protect and enhance the natural area. For more information about how you can get involved and support Schmeeckle visit Join/Renew Today – Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve. To learn more about volunteering with the reserve, contact Melissa Ruether at mruether@uwsp.edu .
