For the City Times

Take a candlelit walk in the woods and connect with nature through workshops at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Schmeeckle Reserve in May.

The annual Spring Candlelight Hike Festival will be held from 7-9:30 p.m. Friday, May 5, with the theme “Schmeeckle’s Superheroes.” In addition to walks along the lit paths of the reserve, enjoy nature presentations at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. and activities, crafts, snacks and shopping at the Browse Shop in the reserve’s Visitors Center, 2419 North Point Drive, Stevens Point. A donation of $2 per person or $5 per family is suggested.

In addition, four workshops will be offered to the public free of charge at Schmeeckle’s Visitor Center, unless otherwise noted. Dress for the weather as activities are outdoors. The following workshops are led by university students:

· Take Nothing but Pictures, Leave Nothing but Footprints, Sunday, May 7, 1-2 PM. Bring a camera and notebook to connect to the outdoors without taking away from nature.

· Schmeeckle’s Salamanders, Tuesday, May 9, 6-7 PM. Join a quest to find the hiding spots of salamanders and learn more about these cool creatures. Meet at the Student Memorial area on Maria Drive, across from the university athletic fields.

· Wetlands: Home Sweet Home, Thursday, May 11, 6-7 PM. Moses Creek is home to many animals in the reserve, and is important to people too. Learn how to protect wetland areas. Meet at the Wood Lane trail entrance on the east side of the reserve.

· The Sounds of Schmeeckle, Saturday, May 13, 8-9 PM. Discover nature’s symphony in the sounds of songbirds that live in the reserve.

Schmeeckle Reserve is a 280-acre nature preserve on the north end of the UW-Stevens Point campus. The Visitor Center Browse Shop has gifts for all ages, including a variety of nature books and field guides. It is open 8 AM to 5 PM seven days a week.

For more information, call the Schmeeckle Reserve office at 715-346-4992 or go to www.uwsp.edu/cnr/schmeeckle.