Nearly 2/3 of Schmeeckle Reserve’s annual operating budget depends on outside sources of revenue, including generous gifts from people like you. Please consider supporting the natural area with a tax-deductible donation or volunteer time. Your support helps protect and preserve green space, develop and maintain trails, and promote conservation values in central Wisconsin.
There are numerous ways that you can give! Browse through the options below to see if one of them meets your giving expectations.
If you have any questions or need clarification, please reach out at schmeeckle@uwsp.edu or 715-346-4992 (Schmeeckle’s main office).
Join the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve
We depend on our Friends! The Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve is a nonprofit organization that supports the work of and advocates for Schmeeckle Reserve through engaging the local community. The Friends sponsor educational programs, community events, volunteer activities, and special projects to enhance the natural area.
You can choose to become a Friends of Schmeeckle member, which has numerous benefits including newsletters, discounts in the gift shop and on outdoor gear rentals, and invitations to special Friends-only programs and events. Or you can choose to donate to the Friends organization and direct your gift to specific projects.
Visit the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve website for more information about becoming a member or donating.
Visit the Friends of Schmeeckle websiteMemorial/Tribute Trees and Benches
Honor your loved ones with a handcrafted carved cedar bench or with a native tree planted in Schmeeckle Reserve. Our Memorial/Tribute Bench and Memorial/Tribute Tree programs are coordinated through the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve, a nonprofit community organization that supports the Reserve.
Memorial/tribute trees are planted in sites throughout Schmeeckle that are being restored to forested habitat. Your gift is a long-lasting legacy that will provide shelter and food to wildlife, along with shade and beauty to generations of visitors.
Learn more about Memorial/Tribute Trees (Friends website)Memorial/tribute benches are constructed and carved by our talented student crew with a natural scene that represents the person or people who are being honored. Benches are installed at strategic locations throughout the Reserve to offer the best views of the natural landscape.
Learn more about Memorial/Tribute Benches (Friends website)
Schmeeckle Reserve Endowment (UWSP Foundation)
A donation to the Schmeeckle Reserve Endowment is truly a gift that keeps on giving. The Endowment Fund, held at the UWSP Foundation, generates spendable interest that supports our annual operating expenses, including student salaries and trail maintenance. It also supports major enhancement projects such as land acquisition, facility development, and habitat restoration.
Visit the UWSP Foundation’s website to give to the Schmeeckle Reserve Endowment. Be sure to search for “Schmeeckle Reserve Endowment” when choosing your fund.
Donate to the Schmeeckle Endowment (UWSP Foundation website)Volunteer
Volunteers are the heart of Schmeeckle Reserve. Join other dedicated people who have a passion for the natural area and want to give back with their time and skills. Numerous opportunities are available—build and maintain trails, lead a nature hike, construct boardwalks, control invasive species, or plant native trees.
Our volunteer program is coordinated through the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve, a nonprofit community organization that supports the Reserve. Visit the Friends of Schmeeckle website to learn more about volunteering.
Learn more about volunteer opportunities (Friends website)Bequests and other planned gifts
Leave a legacy that will sustain Schmeeckle Reserve for future generations. Bequests and other planned gifts provide sustaining support for the natural area. Contact us at schmeeckle@uwsp.edu or 715-346-4992 (main Schmeeckle office) for more information about giving options.