Beaver Creek - Connecting People With Nature

THE BCR
FRIENDS

The Friends of BCR are led by an elected Board of Directors. This group oversees the operation and helps define the future of the Reserve.

Board of Directors:
Bob Schmidt, President
Kathy Clark, Vice President
Mark Wise, Treasurer
Warren Gallagher, Secretary
Bill Bean
Tony Beman
Rebecca Bestul
Gary Gilger
Rick Kayser
Paula Klientjes-Neff
Terry Valen
Jim Vaudreuil

THE BCR FOUNDATION

Our Foundation manages and grows the Friends of Beaver Creek Reserve Endowment Fund. The fund is essential to the long-term care and financial security of the reserve. Each year, our Foundation conducts a campaign drive.

Board of Directors:
Gregg Moore
Jill Barland
Jeffrey Guettinger
Rick Koziel
Craig Carlson
Carole Halberg
Patricia Henke
Bill Heth
Dave Lehmkuhl
Clint Markin
Tom McCarty
Pam Rasmussen
Bob Schmidt
Martin Voss
Olga Wise
Dick Ziemann

About Us

With more than 400 acres of diverse habitat including upland woods, river bottom forests, wetlands, and savannah areas, Beaver Creek Reserve is home to a multitude of flora and fauna. Our nature reserve is bordered by the Eau Claire River and two small trout streams tht run though the property.

History of Our Nature Reserve

Beaver Creek Reserve is an environmental center founded in 1947 by a group of county residents who were committed to providing conservation education to area young people. The Reserve has grown from a 160-acre "youth camp" to a multi-dimensional environmental, educational, and recreational complex, which operates year around. The 400 plus-acre nature center now includes the Eau Claire County Youth Camp, the Ralph H. Wise Nature Center, the Hobbs Observatory, the Citizen Science Research Center, Butterfly House, Greenhouse, and the Henke Farm.

In 1985 another group of individuals created what is known as the Friends of Beaver Creek Reserve. This non-profit organization was formed to raise funds and implement programs for the Reserve. In 2008, The Friends assumed daily operations of the Reserve working together with Eau Claire County, allowing citizens, young and old, access to the wonders of the natural environment around them.