Natural Resources Foundation booking for field trips

The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin is offering 188 expert-led field trips around the state this year — more than any previous year.

The program offers opportunities for all ages and abilities to explore public lands, waters and wildlife by foot, bike, boat and even train. Nearly 40,500 people have joined the field trips since 1994, according to a news release.

“The popularity of our field trip program is a true testament to Wisconsin’s commitment to the state’s precious natural resources,” said Ruth Oppedahl, the foundation's executive director. “The field trip program is an opportunity for people to connect directly with wildlife and wild lands, inspiring them to become stewards of our most cherished places. We don’t know of any other state that has a field trip program that is in such high demand.”

The trips range from banding saw-whet owls to breakfasting with bats; catching mussels to fly fishing; kayaking Horicon Marsh to searching for carnivorous plants.

“Our field trips provide a breadth of educational experiences for curious people and families,” said Christine Tanzer, foundation field trip coordinator. “Be it geology, ecology, wildlife habitat, land management, there is always something fascinating to learn about Wisconsin. That’s why we have to grow this program every year — there is just so much to learn about.”

The foundation says highlights for 2016 include trip in 46 out of 72 counties and opportunities for hiking, paddling, bicycling, train rides and wagon rides.

The foundation offers 32 trips based around citizen-based monitoring projects, more than 100 outings on public lands and 56 opportunities to raise money for conservation projects.

Registration for trips opened on March 23.