Online panoramic views: Fall 2004

An "outdoor classroom" has been constructed on Center grounds in a floodplain area of the Black River. A handicap-accessible walkway for students and teachers to walk through the floodplain forest and out over the water of the backwater slough to an observation platform has been built.

Students from elementary school age through college have the opportunity to study a floodplain forest and a river back water habitat by viewing educational posters, hand displays of the animals and plants present, or taking water, plant or sediment samples to study.

Tree species are labeled and a display box includes detailed information on each type of tree.The students have also help build hands-on educational displays mounted on the walkway.

Students from Longfellow Middle School "School-on-the-River" program, La Crosse, Wisconsin have built bird houses to attract migratory songbirds and wood ducks to the area. Students are monitoring the seasonal use of the houses by songbirds and wood ducks.

For more information about the Outdoor Classroom, contact Randy Hines, at (608) 781-6398.