Standing Rocks Project- WRA

It was November 15th that the majority of our NRES 370 Class went out with Glen Reindl's Wisconsin River Academy to the back of Standing Rocks Park. We showed up early, So I played frisbee with my colleagues while we waited for the bus from SPASH to show up.

The weather was a beautiful 50 degrees or so. It was very sunny. The surroundings were beautiful. Wisconsin forests are awesome!


The ranger met up with us soon after we got there. When the bus arrived Glen gave us the low down and then gave the students a similar low down. They have been out here before. We haven't


We were going after Autumn Olive, an invasive species that lives around the woods behind and in Standing Rocks Park. Basically we were charged with leading student groups in cutting down and destroying the plant. This involved one person sawing or snipping the plant and a designated herbicide sprayer This Herbicide was a mix of a potent poison and diesel fuel. The diesel was supposed to allow for a quicker destruction of the Autumn Olive and (oddly enough) so that it wouldn't spread to other plants. Apparently, the diesel doesn't wash away as easily


My group was really productive and filled with really nice kids. Some of them were hunters and pointed out deer rubs and other fun tracking signs. We worked for about 3 hours sawing and snipping. I had some gloves with me, so I ran the spray bottle while the students cut down the Autumn Olive.

I noticed the ranger had a contraption on his back that basically showered the plant with the herbicide mix. I thought this was odd as we were making the students cut them. This is supposed to lower the environmental impact. Yet, the ranger had no problem just spraying plants all over the place. I wonder what the over all effects of the spray compared to the Autumn Olive itself? Is it really worth spraying so much? Though I must say, I would hate to chop and spray all by myself.

This was a beautiful pond/lake we found over a ridge. This is technically private land. The own has chosen to selectively cut his land to promote the growing of some plants/tress. I don't really know the benefit of it other than the revenue from selling the wood. Seems counter-intuitive. I guess it might be similar to control burning certain areas.

Disc Golf Series: Big Eau Pleine

I usually don't get a lot of time to visit courses outside of the Stevens Point area.

On another clear, beautiful October day, I visited Big Eau Pleine Disc Golf Course at the Big Eau Pleine County Park just west of Mosinee, WI. I've been here once or twice before.

1. This particular day I did not stay very long. On hole 3, I biffed a throw and managed to lose a brand new disc that was actually being used by my wife at the time. Needless to say, I was a little upset. However, I decided to marvel in the beauty for a while. It was a mild 55 degrees and there was a think layer of freshly fallen leaves on the ground.

2. The course has some very long holes. For an 18 hole course, it certainly is a test of any disc golfer's range and ability. There is a lot of open space and the course is kept up fairly nicely. You can see the Wisconsin River from the first couple holes. This course is constantly being used for tournaments and other events.

3. The course is just one part of a large park complex. Big Eau Pleine has campsites, a beach, a playground, full services bathrooms, and even a ranger station. This park is well managed. I even found a couple guys mowing the lawn. This field is between the disc golf course and the river. You have a really fantasic view of the River and all that is around it. There are a multitude of rodents and birds that hang out all over the place. Though I didn't see many large mammals, I'm sure there are many around.

Disc Golf Series: Memorial Park of Wausau

During an early November weekday, I took a trip to Wausau for an interview at the Bull Falls Brewery. On my way there I stopped at Memorial Park on Business 51 south of the downtown area. It was very beautiful driving down a small little hill to get to an open grassland just next to the Wisconsin River. This park was clean, multipurpose (there was a pool!) and beautiful. The weather was mostly cloudy with a little bit of drizzle. It started to rain as I was leaving. The temperature was very mild. It had to be around 50 degrees.




1. The course was just wonderful. There was a little inlet from the river that you had to throw over. There was a great view of Rib Mountain. It was also very clean!

2. The course was only 9 holes, but there were some harsh water hazards. There was not a lot of elevation, but there were many great views. The course was slightly confusing as it was split in two different parts.

3. The course is part of a larger park, so there is a lot of upkeep from the Park District. In general, the impact on the area is sizable, but the recreation level is high. The placement of the course might be for the best. There isn't a lot of buildings you want to put so close to the water. The course can actually act as a decent floodplain (and I'm sure it does.)

Rib Mountain!

Disc Golf Series: Patch Street

The newest course in Stevens Point is the reopening of the Patch Street course on the south side of Point. However, before I talk about that, I want to speak for a moment about littering.

I HATE PEOPLE WHO LITTER. Ok, we all litter sometimes, but seriously... these next couple of pictures are all pieces of trash I picked up during one outing at Patch Street. This is extreme. I hate to blame it on Punk Kids, but I see a lot of them come out here and just drop stuff. However, the beer cans I can blame squarely on douchey college students. The hard thing is, you can't fix stupid. Then again, it's worth a shot

1.I really like Patch Street course. I've gone out on numerous occassions. This time I went out was around 45 degrees. It was an overcast day and there was no one out at the park at around 10:30am. I like to disc in the mornings. I didn't see too many animals that day, but I you can see a bald eagle everyone once in a while on mcdill pond.

2. The course isn't difficult but it can be particularly challenging. Other than Standing Rocks, Patch is the only course in Central Wisconsin that has good elevation. There are some fun down and uphill shots.

3. Lately, the course itself is doing poorly. People using it for recreation have broken basket rings and chains. Signposts have been torn down and there are no longer any signs. As I mentioned before, there is so much litter of all different kinds. It is really disgusting. Sometimes I think the free rider problem could be solved by punching stupid jerks in the face. That would just solve the problem. But noooo, we have to worry about the constitution... ridiculous!

I get mad when I go out and just see blatant garbage. People are dirty. This is the Boy Scout in me that believes in the Outdoor Code.

Disc Golf Series: Standing Rocks Park

So as part of my Environmental Education observations, I have visited a number of Disc Golf Courses in Central Wisconsin to assess them in very rough terms.  These terms will go as follows.

1. Personal Reflections on Experiences.
2. Quality/ Difficulty of Course
3. Environmental Impact.

I welcome you to 

THE DISC GOLF SERIES

My first stop in the disc golf series was Standing Rocks Park in Plover,WI. As a resident (and season pass holder) at Standing Rocks, I can say with no doubt that it is superior to all other courses in a fifty mile radius. I have been playing Standing Rocks since 2007. What was at first a 19 hole adventure that had no real defined beginning became a 3-loop disc extravaganza for anyone looking for a quick nine to an all day disc fest. 

1. Everything at Standing Rocks is such near perfect. Even the deer stand next to the pin for you to aim at (not that you should). Standing Rocks also doubles as a winter sports area with a very nice lodge on top of being a Disc Golf Park/Mountain Biking Trail. The land is very hilly and is dotted with large rocks all around the course. In short, if you are looking for great Wisconsin Wilderness, your search is over at Standing Rocks. This Portage County maintained park is also home to a great dog area for all you canine lovers. There are many upsides to a day at Standing Rocks. The negatives? You might run into a lot of bugs in the summer and fall times. The Mosquitos can be rough. 10/10

2. This course is difficult. Along with it being one of the best courses in Central Wisconsin, it might also be the most difficult. Many holes are carved out in very narrow gaps that forces the thrower to focus on accuracy. The newest addition, the West Loop, is a prime example that a course can challenge every bit of your ability. Along with 400+ feet holes, many of these long ones have very small paths to the pin. The goal here is to be careful. Hole 8 &9 on the east loop can prove tricky as a steep hill can turn an otherwise good throw into a rolling catastrophe. 9/10

3. The course does not use Cement tees, and all boards are wooden. The crafters of the course did a good job trying to blend in the forest with the course. Not many trees are taken out per year (compared to other courses), but the recent addition of the West Loop meant that more had to be done to make the course usable in regard to Disc Golf. The lodge on site is wood heated and used periodically throughout the year. The lack of asphalt lots helps maintain a better ecology. The park is, however, located at least 7-10 minutes from the Interstate. This driving time can have an impact. It is encouraged that people bike out to the park. This is facilitated by the Tomorrow River trail that runs close to the park. One thing to mention is the large sand mines nearby the park, making the area a very important carbon sink for the local industry and agriculture.  7/10

I almost hit this guy with my drive!

Standing Rocks is quite an excellent experience for just about anyone!  Enjoy the pictures of fall!

Schmeeckle- A project that's worth it

This fall I had the pleasure to join a few friends of mine on a wonderful trip through the Schmec kle reserve near UWSP's campus. If someone has not been there, I will gladly take them.

Schmeeckle has been a staple of campus since I first became a student. This history of the reserve is very interesting. Like most of Wisconsin in the 50's, the land was used for farming. Turns out the topsoil couldn't handle the crops, so farmers just sort of deserted it. The University bought up some land in the 60's and then by 1974 the land was proposed for a reclamation project.

It has been a stunning success. With the help of Sentry Insurance (this might be the only time I would say they helped), Lake Joanis was created and the Schmeeckle wildlife refuge was born! As a student, I spent a lot of time by Lake Joanis. I remember great days swimming in the lake, walking on the ice to the island, climbing to the tree house, and seeing so much wildlife. It creates a wonderful buffer between the campus and the Sentry building/golf course. After working at the golf course for so long, you forget the majesty that is the forest in between.

Lately, the area has been hit by drought. The new Moses Creek revitalization project, though looks wonderful, is horribly dry. There are many spots along the way that are just barren where months ago there was water.

It's funny. In 2008, we have the worst collapse of the economy since 1929. In 2012, we have the worst drought since 1934. The main problem with this comparison is that it is leading towards something that isn't good. In fact, all around the world the tension can be felt. Whether it's worrying about feeding the hungry, trying to reverse the adverse impacts of climate change, or simply trying to stop the bloodshed of war, humanity isn't doing so hot. Actually, we're plenty hot enough as it is.

I will continually do my best in preserving water. Fresh water is a commodity that shouldn't be wasted. I will start watching where my water goes and make sure that if there are any leaks in faucets or hoses I will replace them. Saving water happens one drop at a time. It's also something everyone can do. I will affirm myself a water saver!!




Here's a few pictures and a nice video on water conservation.