Boulder Junction's Woods & Water

Kicking off the Boulder Junction Woods & Water Series, join the Discovery Center for a two-part presentation with Discovery Center’s Woods & Water Director Jamie VandenLangenberg and Manitowish Waters Historical Society Historian Jim Bokern at Peeple’s Park on Main Street.

Begin the evening with a social and aquatic plant demonstration from 4:30-5:00pm. Enjoy charcuterie and refreshments while learning how to identify common aquatic plants among our northern waters. At 5pm, join us for a 45-minute presentation by Jamie VandenLangenberg where we will highlight the lakes in Boulder Junction and threats to these precious ecosystems. As our community grows and develops, there are factors that greatly impact our ecosystems like impervious surfaces, stormwater runoff, habitat fragmentation, and invasive species. Learn about new ideas and solutions for integrating our amenities and development with ecology to best support our Northwoods community of life.

Finishing off the evening, at 6pm, join Jim Bokern for a presentation on the importance of Boulder Junction’s water uses in the region throughout history for a 45-minutes presentation. Attendees will discover how glaciers retreated from northern Wisconsin 11,000 years ago, sculpting a Northwoods landscape with diverse water resources. Indigenous communities prized the resources that flourished among Northwoods forests, lakes, and streams. Water resources drove early business and settlement of the region. Beginning with the fur trade and transitioning to logging, water resources helped usher in colonial and national priorities. The tourist boom required railroads because traditional water routes proved to be too challenging for most travelers. Once the tourists arrived in the late 19th century the demand for tent camps, resorts and guides soared, marking a new phase in water use.

Support for this project was provided by the Boulder Junction Community Foundation.