Program Coordinator Caleb Jenks recaps our August Session of Open Enrollment Camp, a “week of firsts”: This summer has had the largest open enrollment camp presence of any summer so far, with over two hundred total youth participating in three separate camp blocks.  With each different open enrollment, we have tried new things such as […]

We were delighted to have another successful Statewide Open Enrollment Camp, July 20-23. Once again, we were able to provide a fun and positive experience for campers from across the state of Wisconsin. A unique feature of our Open Enrollment sessions is incorporating more “free choice” activities. These are opportunities for campers to choose what they would […]

Within the last month, Upham Woods has added three new animals to the collection of reptiles and amphibians housed in the nature center. The first and largest of the newcomers is a tiger salamander named Squishy.  In the wild, tiger salamanders are Wisconsin natives, calling wet prairies, and woodlands home.  They are also the largest […]

Every year, camp Upham Woods is the setting for making many memories that stick with people for a lifetime. This comes through new experiences, exciting events, and good friends. Sometimes, we don’t know where the next bit of inspiration will come from. “Heard on the Trail” is a way to pay tribute to the experiences of our campers, […]

Summer Naturalist Rob shares an exciting fish tale…tail?: If I could describe the fishing profile of the Wisconsin River at Upham Woods in one word, it would be… slow. Maybe it’s not the best fish habitat. Maybe my fishing skills aren’t where I’d like to think they are. Whatever the reason, fish stories have been few […]

We join Marina on the trail, as she helps some campers decipher something decipher something she had never seen before: This past week, while trudging through the local wetland, a few curious students lifted tree branches out of the dense algae filled waters. “Ah! What is that! It’s slimy!” “Touch it! No you first!” I […]

Ok, so Caleb is our Program Coordinator, not technically a naturalist, but he still spends a lot of time on the trail, leading programming.  It gives him a great view of our natural world.  Check out his article about dragonflies! Summer provides the perfect season for watching metamorphosis in action. Every summer, as campers are loading […]

The second annual BioBlitz took place at Upham Woods on Saturday, June 23. Experts and nature enthusiasts gathered over 250 observations during this one-day event! The BioBlitz began on Friday evening with bat roost and acoustic monitoring using specialized equipment, as well as looking at what bats might be eating by setting up a lighted […]

June 15-18, nearly 140 campers, counselors, and adult volunteers joined together at Upham Woods first Open Enrollment Camp of the summer, representing more than 17 counties! Campers ventured out to Blackhawk Island for hikes and up to Peanut Butter Mountain to learn about teamwork. They also had lots of chances to choose their favorite summer […]