We need your voice! Plans are underway to bulldoze a portion of Bill’s Woods for a new road. If you’re curious about the plans for this incursion on the Preserve, or would be interested in weighing in, please read here for more information.
Field Trips
At a fall 2025 Friends field trip led by Jill Feldkamp and Roma Lenehan, attendees search for migrating birds. Credit: Sky Hershberger
Year-round free public field trips are one of the most valuable contributions the Friends make to the Preserve. Field trips are all led by Friends volunteers. Many are professional naturalists and emeritus faculty and staff. The Friends also partner with other environmental organizations for field trips.
Join us to learn about the ecosystems and cultural history of the Preserve and meet fellow community members.
Upcoming Field Trips
Monarch Migration
Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 1:30–3:00 PM
Picnic Point Entrance Kiosk, 2000 University Bay Drive
Join Biocore instructor Seth McGee for a hands-on field trip to explore the world of migrating monarchs! You’ll learn how to safely catch and tag butterflies as part of a research initiative that tracks their incredible journey to Mexico. We’ll also dive into monarch natural history, ecology, and conservation, and share tips for turning your own yard into a monarch-friendly ecosystem. This event is open to all ages and will entail walking on narrow trails through the tallgrass prairie.
Fascinating Fungi
Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 1:30–3:00 PM
Picnic Point Entrance Kiosk, 2000 University Bay Drive
Explore and compare with Marie Trest’s keen eye, mycologist with the Department of Botany, the wide variety of fall fungi growing and fruiting in the woods and prairies of the Preserve.
Do you have an idea for a future field trip? If so, please email Tom Zinnen at preservefriends@gmail.com.