Thanks to all for the Great Year!

In the past fifteen months, Friends of the North Pikes Creek Wetlands’ volunteers have worked diligently to install infrastructure on a one-acre portion of the Friends’ conservation property. This area, aptly named Beaver Hollow, serves the outdoor educational and recreational needs of people of all ages and physical abilities in our greater Chequamegon Bay community. The Beaver Hollow facilities currently include a looped driveway that accommodates a full-size school bus, a 525’ universally accessible crushed gravel walkway, an information kiosk, an open-sided pavilion with six picnic tables suitable for classes and events, a 600’ universally accessible boardwalk into a marsh with a viewing platform located directly across from a Heron rookery, benches placed about every 100’, and interpretive signage and educational displays.

With generous support from the public, the Friends have made substantial progress in the protection of wetlands in the North Pikes Creek watershed, and in creating a unique, one-of-a kind, outdoor environmental education area to serve our community. Many hundreds of visitors, of all ages and abilities, are enjoying spending time at Beaver Hollow- walking, bird and wildlife watching, or just sitting quietly and listening to the sounds of nature. It has served as a place of respite for many during this difficult COVID-19 environment.

The Friends need additional financial support to extend  the boardwalk to a second viewing platform, and to install a restroom facility in 2021.

We envision the eventual extension of the boardwalk to a large beaver pond. This  will allow site visitors to “walk through” and experience a unique ecosystem type, and will provide additional opportunities to view wildlife, such as otters, ducks, swans, songbirds, and waterbirds.  The increased length planned for summer 2021 will extend the current boardwalk partway to the beaver pond.

The addition of a restroom facility at the Beaver Hollow Outdoor Education Area is of utmost importance, and is necessary to continue to engage students and community groups in educational programs and stewardship activities. The Friends have acquired half the funding needed for the restroom project, and need matching funds from the community to build this necessary enhancement.

Please consider joining other conservation and education minded community members and become a member of the Friends, or donate to the Beaver Hollow Fund. Your gift today will help enhance a nature area that will serve our community for generations to come.

Download and mail a membership/donation form
Renew or donate online with PayPal or a credit card

 Thank you!