Events

Library Director Janelle Kohl walks through the woods reading the story of the week using interactive props. Kids follow along and help with the props. There is a themed craft which follows the story walk. This event is FREE, but please pre-register at the North Lakeland Discovery Center. (715) 543-2085 StoryWalk is a joint program between the…

Learn the basics of kayaking, including proper strokes and paddling techniques. Kayaks, paddles and life jackets will be provided. Location: Rest Lake Condos Dock 13847 Woodland Lane, Manitowish Waters, WI 54545 Cost: FREE

Let’s find and learn all about the small critters that call the Northwoods home!  We will find that they are not creepy, but actually quite spectacular!  Join us to discovery them through activities and crafts.  Registration required by 8/1.  Thursday,  9:30 - 11 AM .  $13/Non-Member and $10/Member.  Participants will meet at the Teal Cabin.

Our Northwoods lakes have a protective shield - healthy shoreline buffers! Join Quita Sheehan, Conservation Specialist for the Vilas County Land and Water Conservation Dept. as she surveys the Statehouse Lake shoreline to quantify the health of the buffer, identify areas that might need some modification, and make a plan to fix any problems we…

Join local geologist Mike Porter as we explore the Winegar Moraine.  The glacial deposits of the last ice advance in northern Vilas County are varied in terms of their composition, texture and influence on the landscape of the region. Glacial geologists use these features to infer the physical processes and environments of this last ice…

Join us on August 4th from 1–5 pm to learn what UW–Madison’s Trout Lake Research Station is all about! The day will include information on local water research, opportunities to get an up-close look at some of the species we study, arts and crafts, and free Babcook ice cream.

Even you can be a naturalist! Join Naturalist Hannah for the third of this 3-part series as she walks through some of the most common “naturalist” field guide apps for your phone like iNaturalist, Seek, Merlin, and others!. We’ll go out on the NLDC trails and put them to use. We’ll practice identifying flowers, trees,…

Join North Lakeland Discovery Center staff, Northwoods Land Trust staff, and Sack Lake conservation easement landowner on a guided hike to explore old growth trees and wild lakes. The 2008 conservation easement on the property includes approximately 215 acres and over 1.5 miles of shoreline along 3 lakes.  We will start the hike on the…

Join members from the Northwoods Explorers for this fun series!  We’ll explain and examine the evidence that supports the Big Bang, Dark Energy, and Dark Matter theories. We’ll explain Quasars, Active Galactic Nuclei, Galaxy clusters, the great attractor, super clusters, and the size and scale of the observable universe compared to the entire universe.  We’ll…

Join us for an evening paddle on beautiful Van Vliet Lake.  We will explore the natural shoreline along the Van Vliet Hemlocks State Natural Area as we head over to Averill Lake.  This will be a slow moving, easy paddle (unless we have some wind), so some paddling experience is appreciated.  This program is generously…

We are lucky to be surrounded by many lakes and rivers in the Northwoods.  Who lives there?  Why are they important?  Let’s find out!    Registration required by 8/8.  Thursday,  9:30 - 11 AM .  $13/Non-Member and $10/Member.  Participants will meet in the Teal Cabin.

Lakes are home to many fish, birds, even mammals!  In this fun program we will explore all things that call water home, and why it is so important to protect this incredible resource.   Please note: This program is 3 hours in length, not 2 hours as the program guide suggests. We apologize for any inconvenience. Registration…

Join Alex Graeff, botanist for the National Ecological Observatory Network, for an outdoor-based plant identification workshop held at the VanVliet Hemlocks State Natural Area. The session will emphasize recognition of common vascular plant species found in typical north woods plant communities, and terminology and morphological features important for plant identification. While exploring the forests and…

Be ready to get wet as we dive into the realm of water. We will launch canoes at a nearby lake and explore several areas by snorkeling, as we search for aquatic plants, fish, mussels, and other animals that live beneath the surface. Underwater cameras are encouraged. Canoes and life vests are provided and a…

Join a NLDC Naturalist on our .8 mile interpretive trail that winds among pines and hardwoods, bogs, and even up into a tree fort!   Registration required by the day prior to the hike.  Free program, donations appreciated.  Saturday, 10 -11:30 AM.   Participants will meet at the Trailhead and Visitor Information kiosk on the Discovery Center…

Join Alexis, our Land Restoration Technician, for Garden Walks at the North Lakeland Discovery Center! Each walk will explore a different garden on campus and include a unique lesson! These walks will be held on the following dates: July 19th- Be the change! Explore our new native gardens and learn about the ways in which…

Join local naturalists and authors John Bates and Mary Burns for this wonderful hiking experience.  Forest County has 18 designated state natural areas, with a concentration of exceptional sites in an area east of Three Lakes. We will hike in the morning within the magnificent old-growth of the Scott Lake and Shelp Lake SNA, and…

Join Dr. Liz Arbuckle, educational outreach specialist with the Wisconsin Historical Society as she shares some stories of Ojibwe history and culture in northern Wisconsin, including the migration story, removal resistance and traditional land uses. Thursday, 5 - 7 PM.  We will serve light appetizers and have a cash bar from 5-6 pm, program will…

Early detection is one of the first and most important steps to managing invasive species, and it is a way you can help protect our waters in the Northwoods. Join our Water Program team to learn the WI DNR protocol for early detection and then we will take a field trip to practice our new…

Join Abby Samardich for a 3-mile guided walk on the trails. All fitness levels welcome. Snacks will be served. Meet at the Warming Hut. Location: North Lakeland School Trails, Papoose Lake Road, Manitowish Waters, WI Cost: FREE

Library Director Janelle Kohl walks through the woods reading the story of the week using interactive props. Kids follow along and help with the props. There is a themed craft which follows the story walk. This event is FREE, but please pre-register at the North Lakeland Discovery Center. (715) 543-2085 StoryWalk is a joint program between the…

Join Cathy Techtmann, Environmental Outreach Specialist with University of Wisconsin-Extension, as she explores how climate change impact may affect what we value about our lakes and waters and what we can do to take action.  This program is part of our 4-part climate change lecture series.  Registration required by 8/14.  Wednesday, 6 - 7 PM. …

Native Peoples have occupied Wisconsin and the Midwest for at minimum 14,300 years, and probably much longer.  Abundant evidence from the central portion of the state reveals that Native Americans were tracking the edge of the glacial ice as it advanced and retreated through our area, following now-extinct species of Ice Age mammals, navigating paleo-shorelines,…

Join us to uncover the importance of freshwater mussels in our Wisconsin lakes as we explore their importance in conservation, ecology, and major threats. Jesse Weinzinger, WDNR Conservation Biologist and coordinator of the WI mussel monitoring program, will teach you about common species found locally in the Northwoods and how to identify them. We will…

Whether you’re new to the sport of mountain biking, or have been riding for years and want to improve your technique, this event is for you. Taught by our PMBI and BICP  certified instructor Val Foley, this clinic is by women, for women. Expect to improve your skills, confidence, and abilities as a mountain biker…

Join our rockstar Water Program team for a day in the field hunting down aquatic invasive species (AIS) in several of our Northwoods lakes. We will start with a review of AIS we may find then head out to the lakes to look for new, early sightings of these invaders. Transportation, waders, and field equipment…

Northern Wisconsin has a rich geological history and if you know where to look you can find the evidence of it while enjoying our trails! Join Nature Nerds Licia and Jenna on a hike on a Discovery Center trail to learn about the geological wonder right in our backyards! During the hike we will each…

Vilas County has 33 designated state natural areas, the most of any county in the state, with numerous exceptional sites near Star Lake. In the morning, we’ll visit the beautiful 314-acre Lake Alva Birch-Hemlock SNA in the morning, which features some very large, old hemlock (nearly 3 feet in diameter), as well as large yellow…

Joins us for our monthly Chamber After 5 hosted by WinMan Trails.  

Wild rice is an important piece of Wisconsin’s history and the ecology of the Northwoods. Join us in the classroom to learn about wild rice and then we will take a short field trip with our canoes to a nearby lake to explore wild rice habitat, demonstrate how to harvest, and practice harvesting wild rice. …

Join a NLDC Naturalist on our .8 mile interpretive trail that winds among pines and hardwoods, bogs, and even up into a tree fort!   Registration required by the day prior to the hike.  Free program, donations appreciated.  Saturday, 10 -11:30 AM.   Participants will meet at the Visitor and Information Kiosk at the Discovery Center.

Join Naturalist Jenna on a hike on the Discovery Center trails to discuss the amazing tree species that tower over us in the beautiful Northwoods. From Paper birch to the tallest White pines, we will help you learn ways to identify tree species within the Northern Mesic forests, as well as share with you amazing…