HAYWARD — To begin the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University field trip season, there are two programs planned for the public, courtesy of the Extension Department.
Saturday, May 11, Nature’s Salad Bar: The Hardwood Forest will be from 10 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m.
Join other inquisitive people while wandering through a mesic hardwood forest filled with wildflowers. A mesic forest consists of trees like sugar maple and basswood that like medium soil moisture conditions. Over time, the soils there develop into rich black loams as the trees pump nutrients to the soil surface via their fallen leaves, and this in turn favors tender, delicious spring greens.
We will identify and taste a number of these edibles (and identify the ones that aren’t edible) and collect enough of them to stuff an omelet. By then, everyone should have an appetite, so we’ll travel back to the university kitchen and prepare scrumptious omelets for lunch. No one will leave hungry.
Wednesday, May 29, Morgan Falls & St. Peter’s Dome will be from 10 a.m. to approximately 5:30 p.m.
Seventy-foot-tall Morgan Falls lies in the heart of the Penokee Range, the roots of an ancient mountain range that was once as lofty as the Himalayas. The trail to Morgan Falls is a 1.2-mile-long round trip and is wheelchair-accessible. Those who so desire will hike up to St. Peter’s Dome, a rugged 3.6-mile round trip. Flip flops or high heels are not recommended! With an elevation of around 1,600 feet, on a clear day one can view Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay and the Apostle Islands and see ravens flying below from the overlook.
Morgan Falls and St. Peter’s Dome are part of a State Natural Area. The hemlock/hardwood (northern mesic) forest is unfragmented, which nowadays is a rarity. It provides the necessary conditions for deep woods songbirds, along with rare species of ferns and other plants. Dutchman’s-breeches and other abundant spring wildflowers provide a colorful and interesting display in the rocky, Appalachian-like scenery.
Registration is limited to 14 participants. We will meet at the main entrance in front of the university in Hayward. The field trip programs are sponsored by the Extension Department at no cost to the participants, including registration and transportation. However, participants must bring their own bag lunches, except for May 11, when omelet-making supplies will be provided. Feel free to bring the entire family to enjoy nature and learn more about its wonders. These educational hikes are not fully handicap-accessible.
Make sure that you register ahead of time at this link: www.lco.edu/lcoou-extension for the May field trips. If computer access is unavailable or you are having trouble with the registration form, contact Ramona Morrow, director of Extension, at rmorrow@lco.edu or call 715.634.4790 ext. 156. After you have registered, you should receive a confirmation email from Extension.
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