NEWS
For Immediate Release: 8-1-24
Contact: Ruth Ann Lee, RuthAnn@OHECyes.org, 608-358-1708
Trees For Tomorrow & Outdoor Heritage Education Center
Unveil “Touch of the Wild 7” at Forest Fest in Eagle River
Teachers, students and families across northern Wisconsin will have easy access to a “Touch of the Wild” thanks to the Outdoor Heritage Education Center (OHEC), a charitable non-profit organization based in Hazel Green, WI and Trees For Tomorrow (TFT), Eagle River. At Forest Fest, July 27, OHEC and TFT unveiled Touch of the Wild 7 (ToW 7), a walk-through, hands-on education trailer with a forest, fish and wildlife theme.
Visitors stepping into the trailer will be transported through the diverse landscapes of Wisconsin forests, spanning from north to south. They will be invited to participate in a scavenger hunt featuring an array of taxidermy specimens including deer, elk, cougar, wild turkey, fox and its rabbit prey, along with dozens of insects, various plant species, and other hidden treasures.
Before entering, visitors are greeted by engaging images adorning ToW 7, featuring forests, a wolf, a bear, and photographer Bob Haase’s gray fox climbing a tree, among other scenes. OHEC’s “What is your Wingspan?” artwork on one side invites both youth and adults to spread their arms against vibrant overlays of birds like a crane, eagle, turkey, goose, and swan Inside and out, visitors also explore other educational displays such as a “tree cookie,” or cross-section of a tree trunk. Much like the OHEC logo which features a hidden wolf and eagle carrying a fish, there’s more to ToW 7 than first meets the eye.
The mobile exhibit, like the other six education trailers owned and operated by OHEC, is available to schools, county fairs, conservation clubs, and other event organizers. According to OHEC Executive Director Ruth Ann Lee, it can be scheduled through www.OHECyes.org.
“The team at Tres For Tomorrow guided ToW 7’s creation with valuable, engaging and fun content,” said Cheryl Todea, TFT Executive Director, adding, “so it’s only natural that we will house the trailer at TFT in Eagle River. This allows our educators to be able to use it year-round and ensures it is conveniently located for other teachers, hunter education instructors, and event organizers across northern Wisconsin to schedule, pick-up and use it at their venues.”
Lee said that other OHEC Touch of the Wild trailers are staged in Green Bay, southeastern Wisconsin, southwestern Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and south central Wisconsin making them easily accessible in each region. However, any ToW trailers can be transported anywhere. To fully appreciate the scheduling challenge and all the places that host a Touch of the Wild, Lee recommends watching the “Everywhere” music video on OHEC’s website.
Todea added that her staff will be using ToW 7 both on-site and at various locations they visit throughout the state.
Kim Feller, TFT Education Manager, and her team began developing ideas for OHEC’s trailer in 2022 drawing on best practices and their extensive experience in teaching forest-based conservation to youth and adults. It was then up to Lee, OHEC founder & chief volunteer Mark LaBarbera, and Lakescape Solutions’ Nick Homan to turn those ideas into ToW 7 with funding from individual donors, Wisconsin Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Wisconsin Division and Southwestern Wisconsin Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, SCI Northeast Wisconsin Chapter, and Enbridge. Full sponsorships are available through OHEC.
Feller and Todea quoted the TFT/OHEC Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed in December 2022: “The Parties share a vision and goals of preparing today’s youth to be tomorrow’s stewards of our natural world, and of increasing the public’s awareness and understanding of and participation in outdoor activities and promoting sustainable management of our natural resources that support human needs through transformative educational experiences.”
The MOA outlines additional goals for the collaborators: “TFT and OHEC seek to increase public awareness of TFT and OHEC, their missions and vision, and opportunities for involvement with both organizations. OHEC purchased, enhanced, and schedules its Touch of the Wild trailers as part of its natural resources education efforts throughout Wisconsin. OHEC will continue to expand its forest resources components and make it easier for northeastern Wisconsin venues to access its trailers, and to connect more youth and adults in that region to natural resources-based activities and educational opportunities. TFT would like to increase its visibility and outreach.”
Lee said, “OHEC thrives when collaborating with partners that share our passion and vision to help youth and adults gain a deeper appreciation for the outdoors. We value our partnership with TFT and see the development of ToW 7 as a crucial step in helping individuals deepen their understanding of forestry, wildlife and other environmental concerns.”
Each May, OHEC hosts the big Midwest Outdoor Heritage Education Expos in Poynette and Milwaukee, reaching thousands of students, teachers, and parents. Year-round, the volunteer-driven and donor-supported charitable nonprofit OHEC organization operates the Touch of the Wild fleet of hands-on education trailers that travel across Wisconsin educating new hunters and anglers. For decades, OHEC has also supported school archery and clay target teams, fostering outdoor skills and passions.
OHEC collaboration with Trees For Tomorrow will help ensure that enthusiasm and support of our Wisconsin outdoor heritage is successfully passed along to the next generation.
About Outdoor Heritage Education Center
OHEC was founded in 1998 by Mark LaBarbera to connect people and resources. OHEC is an active leader in recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) efforts that fit with its mission to help pass along our outdoor heritage to future generations who are losing touch with the natural world, and to increase the public’s understanding, appreciation, and sense of stewardship for natural resources and related activities like fishing, hunting and other shooting sports. See www.OHECyes.org or email RuthAnn@OHECyes.org.
About Trees For Tomorrow
Trees For Tomorrow is an accredited nonprofit environmental center specializing in day and overnight environmental education programs for K-12 school groups with facilities that include dormitories, a full-service dining hall, and classrooms. In addition, the organization provides community education and outreach programs and special events throughout the year. Trees For Tomorrow annually serves up to 14,000 youth and adults with the mission to promote sustainable management of our natural resources through transformative educational experiences. Trees For Tomorrow’s campus, located in Eagle River, Wisconsin, includes National Forest property under permit from the USDA Forest Service. Private property owned by Trees For Tomorrow (TFT), the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, and Tara Lila LLC are also utilized for education and outreach purposes.
Learn more at www.treesfortomorrow.com. Contact Cheryl Todea, Executive Director, at ctodea@treesfortomorrow.com or 715-479-6456.
Caption: Mark LaBarbera, OHEC Executive Director Ruth Ann Lee, Kim Feller, TFT Education Manager, TFT Executive Director Cheryl Todea, Nick and Connor Homan of Lakescape Solutions set up Touch of the Wild 7 July 26 for Forest Fest in Eagle River.
Check out our Touch of the Wild trailer #7 video!
