This spring, Bubolz will start its reforestation nursery. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A multi-million dollar capital campaign project to upgrade and enhance the Bubolz Nature Preserve on Appleton’s north side is well underway, with big changes coming to the area next year.
“We have over 80,000 visitors per year, and we have over 10,000 children per year that come out and use the trails and get educated in this nice natural environment that we have here,” says Jesse Ostrum, the chair of the Bubolz Nature Preserve board and the co-chair of the Educate Today, Preserve for Tomorrow capital campaign. “We, as a board, have been looking at how can we improve the facilities at Bubolz, and we’ve been doing this work for several years now, looking at how can we bring more people out here? Can we educate more people?”
In total, the campaign’s goal is to raise $3.5 million. So far, donors and sponsors have raised $1.75 million.
“We like to think of Bubolz as a place not for today, but for tomorrow. And this campaign will last us for over 50 years,” Ostrum adds.
Perhaps the most important part of the campaign is redoing the trails.
“You can see a lot of our corduroy is sticking up out of the trail system,” Bubolz Executive Director Randy Tuma explains, showing protruding logs in the trails. “We do flood down here in the wetland. So that also moves that around, makes things mushy, makes it very easy to displace those corduroy logs that are in the ground.”
Corduroy refers to trails made by lying logs side by side to create the path, then covering it in wood chips or gravel, which the preserve has been doing for decades.
“The trails have degraded over time, but now they’re past the point of anything we can do with them,” Tuma says.
They’ve raised more than $405,000 of the $765,000 needed to help replace the trails with what’s called a GEOWEB trail. The GEOWEB trail doesn’t require tearing up the existing trail. Instead, it will sit on top of it.
“Big thing that we didn’t wanna do is impact the habitats here at the preserve. The ecosystem is very fragile. It’s already been impacted enough by humans. We wanted to make sure that when we came through, we were only dealing with what’s already here,” Tuma says.
That GEOWEB will open up, expand. It can let water freely flow through it, which is a huge advantage when you’re in a wetland like this.
The new trail will be more sustainable, longer-lasting and people of all abilities can use it.
The new trails are one of the few items in the massive capital campaign project that aren’t already fully funded by sponsors and generous donors.
Bubolz leaders are calling on the community to help reach the goal.
“Think about giving to this campaign,” Tuma says. “And the reason why is our community at large uses this. They will make memories here. They will take nature away from here and make it part of their lives. The quality of life really gets better from there. They’ll become our future leaders, make great decisions as far as the environment is concerned, and that affects every single one of us going forward.”
There are several other projects within the capital campaign:
The Preservation Pavilion
The new covered pavilion, which is already fully funded by donors, will be built adjacent to the existing Lodge. It will be utilized for outdoor education programs as well as gathering spaces for larger events.
Gathering Areas
Two new gathering areas will be built at Bubolz, including one directly in front of the new Preservation Pavilion. The stone areas with seating and firepits can be used for outdoor, hands-on education and group gatherings. Both new gathering spaces are already fully funded by donors and sponsors.
Playscape Expansion
The playscape at Bubolz will be getting a facelift and expansion, too. The playscape has one of six new pieces of playground equipment funded, meaning Bubolz is seeking community support and donations to help complete funding.
“It’s designed to use natural elements that invoke imagination,” Tuma says about the space.
Lookout shelters
Bubolz will be establishing two new lookout shelters that can be utilized by park goers, no matter the weather. They’re used for educational programming and are covered to help protect visitors or learners from the elements. The shelters are another item Bubolz leaders are hoping the community will help contribute to.
Reforestation Nursery
Aside from the trails, the new nursery is a top priority of the capital campaign.
“As you look around, there are lots of beautiful trees and shrubs. Most of them don’t belong here, unfortunately.” Tuma says. “They’re from other countries. They’re invasive. They’re so aggressive and out-compete our natives. Without intervention, we don’t have this forest for the future.”
In the spring, the nursery will begin to come to life. It has been fully funded by Faith Technologies.
“We’re going to grow native, indigenous species that we can replenish the preserve with, so future generations that we never meet will have the chance to learn the same way we did. Experience the outdoors just like we’re able to today,” he says.
You can donate to the capital campaign project by clicking here.
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