Naturalist Spotlight: Chris Shrader

In the spring of 1994, I went camping at Blue Mounds State Park.  I learned how to walk that weekend because I didn’t like getting my hands dirty from crawling over the dirt and gravel.  Fast forward almost 24 years and I am new to the staff at Upham Woods as a Teaching Naturalist.  In […]

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Naturalist Corner: Amanda Kyle

Have you ever had the opportunity to really watch a river change? It is one of the many wonders of local phenology. Subtle, day to day, following the seasons. Gone are the days of watching the water striders and boatman dance over the clear, still morning water. Here are the days of bracing oneself against the […]

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Naturalist Corner: Quinn Bukouricz

  Over the nine months that I have been here I have had a very unique perspective of seeing the seasons change and experiencing different programming depending on the season. When I first started at Upham Woods in the early spring, the first couple groups I worked with still had snow on the ground while […]

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Naturalist Corner: Aaron Loenhorst

  Birds have captivated my imagination since I was very young. Through close encounters with many different species, both in captivity and in the wild, I have learned about their behavior, characteristics, and beauty. However, I had never experienced the fierce personality and prowess of raptors until this fall as a naturalist at Upham Woods Outdoor […]

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Naturalist Corner: Claire Fremuth

What I find most interesting during any season at an outdoor education facility is always the same: the kids. In my past year of working in outdoor education, I have had endless conversations with students about how much they love being outside WHILE learning! At Upham Woods, I have had the opportunity to let kids […]

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End of Summer Reflection: Valenka

This summer has been my first step towards a career in my field of Natural Resource Conservation and gave me opportunities for a thousand other firsts. Working at what the outpost kids referred to it as “Base Camp” was rewarding because I taught classes like Animal Signs and Peanut Butter Mountain. But in outpost the […]

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End of Summer Reflection: Quentin

Ever since I was a fourth grader one of my dreams was to become a Naturalist at the Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center. With my dream coming to an end I want to take some time to reflect on how it was. Being a Naturalist here at camp you have many responsibilities. Taking care of […]

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End of Summer Reflections: Hayley

Starting as a Naturalist this summer, I knew there would be tons of fun experiences and connections with many people, but what I didn’t know was how deep these connections would go, especially with fellow naturalists, coworkers, and campers. Upham Woods has provided me with a sense of family that I am very grateful for, […]

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The Wider Impact of Outdoor Learning

From Erik Rosholt, Wisconsin Dells High School Teacher & Upham Woods Staff Member: The educational opportunities at Upham Woods are not only unique, but highly effective. Hands-on learning outdoors not only engages children’s interests, it engages a wider spectrum of intelligences as well. This means that more children will find themselves interested in the outdoor […]

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Naturalist Spotlight: Quentin Cauffman

Hello, my name is Quentin! I am honored to be a part of the summer of 2017 Upham Staff here in the Dells. I am from Elkhorn, WI which is located in Walworth County where I love spending time camping and enjoying the outdoors. I have just graduated from The Ohio State University with a […]

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