February 2020
Wisconsin Dells School District Wellness Day
Upham Woods is excited to join the Wisconsin Dells School District's wellness program initiative. We hosted our first joint Wellness Day program with the school district on January 22nd. Over 40 educators and administrators came to Upham Woods to cross-country ski and snowshoe. There was a range of experience from folks who owned their own ski and snowshoe equipment and aspired to join the Birkebeiner to others who had never tried it before. The recent snowfall still hung on the trees as our groups navigated their way through our woods and trails. 

Cross country skiers winded through the blue diamond trail and onto the Riverbend trail to view the icy river and Blackhawk Island. We meandered to the top of Cabin Hill where some tried their skills on the downhill slope from the bath house towards the bat houses. Some fell, as to be expected, but all enjoyed the journey and the opportunity to warm up in the lodge. We had games, hot cider and cocoa ready for the teachers to warm up and decompress in the bottom of the lodge. 

Snowshoers traversed the new trail to South Beach and across the street on the Westridge trail. They explored the winter ecology abundant in the snow and ice at Upham Woods. 

We're looking forward to our second wellness day in April where we will hike on Blackhawk Island! 
comfort of the lodge or cabins.
Baraboo Schools Outreach
Last week Taylor visited eleven 4K classrooms in Baraboo. She brought Aldo, our leopard gecko, and Junior, the painted turtle with me. All the kids shared their favorite animal and we talked about where those animals live. We learned that an animal’s home is called a habitat. Next, we met Aldo and talked about his colors and his spots. Aldo is camouflaged to blend in to his desert habitat so he can catch prey and hide from predators like hawks. Next we met Junior, the painted turtle. We talked about Junior’s beautiful colors and where to look for painted turtles like him around Baraboo. We learned two clues to look for if we are wondering if a creature is a reptile: claws and scales. In February we will bring more animal friends and we will learn the difference between a reptile and an amphibian. 
User Group Meeting 2020
We had one of the greatest turnouts for our annual User Group Meeting this January! A total of 34 people attended for the day to learn more about Upham Woods, take part in team-building, and connect with one another. Most of the attendees were program coordinators and educators through WI 4-H, which will all be back at Upham Woods for their summer camps! Other participants included Madison School and Community Recreation as well as Monona After School Program through Monona Parks and Recreation. The participants learned about Upham’s updates that included information about incorporating DOTS (Digital Observation Technology Skills) into all our onsite programming, the construction of our new Welcome Center, free Conservation Events happening at Upham, and Summer Camp 2020 updates. Attendees also participated in a team-building training on our very own Peanut Butter Mountain Challenge Course led by Naturalist Kate. The meeting ended with a focus group session centered around community engagement involving specific summer camp questions and idea sharing. We want to thank all the participants that took time our of their busy lives to share ideas and connect with us! We value all the partnerships we have and are excited about creating new ones! Check back in with us about next year’s annual meeting that will include not just users of Upham, but all past, present, and potential partners. 
Outreach in Milwaukee & Science Strikes Back!
January Research Accelerators: Our Program Coordinators have been visiting Milwaukee schools for Research Accelerators help students prepare to present their projects at the Science Strikes Back! Science Fair. During these sessions, the students have been exploring the outdoors and brainstorming questions to form hypotheses to test. On January 14-16, they visited Escuela Verde and took the students to Hank Aaron State Trail to look for animal signs. One really fascinating animal sign that the students found were beaver chew marks on trees by the Menomonee River. This led one of the students to question “what types of trees do beavers use to build their lodges?” After doing some research she hypothesized that the beavers would choose deciduous trees instead of coniferous trees to build their lodges.

Other students came up with questions related to animal tracks and trails. On our walk by the river, students observed tracks from rabbits, raccoons and deer. We used this data and compared it to footprints in the neighborhood and in an open field. We discovered that the neighborhood had the most diversity in animal tracks. This led us to believe that the neighborhood probably had more food available or places to hide. All of these questions were thought of by just taking a walk outside.
Science Strikes Back!: February 5, 2020: Science Strikes Back is a community science fair open to anyone and everyone with a focus on empowering participants to engage with community issues and present their research and solutions on what is important to them.  This year it will again be hosted by Escuela Verde in Milwaukee. Any student can participate in Science Strikes Back! The purpose of Science Strikes Back is to bring a collection of curious people together to engage in questions and scientific investigation. We place the emphasis on inquiry rather than perfecting the scientific process and we find this opens the door to novice scientists as well as experienced researchers to share their discoveries in a community event fueled by curiosity and passion rather than strict academics. 
Introducing Zoe Goodrow
Zoë Goodrow is a newly minted member of the Upham Woods staff. She joined our team as the Research Program Specialist. Zoë is a recent graduate from the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, where she got her master’s degree in conservation ecology. So far, she has done an exceptional job at finding employment in the most incredible places, from remote Yukon, Canada to mountainous Western Montana, to beautiful Northern Michigan - and now to Upham Woods! When she isn't working, she enjoys cheering for the Michigan Wolverines, traveling, and adventuring. She loves identifying plants, birdwatching, and studying mammals (her dog Tiger being her favorite).  
Thank You to Our January 2020 Groups
  • Cub Scout Pack 79
  • Wisconsin Dells Science Teachers
  • High Marq Environmental Charter School
  • Wisconsin Alumni Student Board
  • Scout Troop 117
  • UW River Falls Management Assessment Center
  • Lincoln Middle School
Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center
N194 County Rd N
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
(608) 254-6461
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The University of Wisconsin–Madison does not discriminate in its employment practices and programs and activities on a variety of bases including but not limited to: age, color, disability, national origin, race, or sex. For information on all covered bases, the names of the Title IX and Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinators, and the processes for how to file a complaint alleging discrimination, please contact the  Office of Compliance , 361 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison WI 53706, Voice 608-265-6018, (relay calls accepted); Email:  uwcomplianceoffice@wisc.edu .