Annual Membership Drive

Girl in CanoeDear Friends of the Discovery Center,

Inspire. Discover. Connect.

As you visit the North Lakeland Discovery Center, you may feel a sense of wonder and possibility.

That sense of Discovery is what you, our members, inspire among our visitors young and old.

  • With your support, children engage in hands-on play and learning in the outdoors.
  • Adults gather together for presentations from renowned experts in the field and study the world around us.
  • Everyday citizens gather important research used in scientific studies, such as bat and crane population surveys, and monitor our waters for aquatic invasive species.

In our modern world, places like the Discovery Center are more important than ever. As our last wild places are threatened by development, your membership supports access for all to this public land.

It is because of your generosity that this year, the Discovery Center announces a permanent easement with the right to use the property forever, so long as Discovery Center continues to pursue our mission. This achievement, 20 years in the making, ensures that Discovery Center will continue to Inspire, Discover, and Connect for generations to come. But we can’t do it without you.

YOUR GENEROSITY HELPS.Join Now or renew your membership

This year we hope to reach a goal of $236,000 in donations from our 900+ members.

Your Gift Inspires a Natural Learning Environment that:

  • Ensures the continued delivery of quality activities, nature programs and events for over 5,000 children and adults each year.
  • Provides a year-round Northwoods recreation paradise with a pristine lake and over 12 miles of well maintained trails for skiing, hiking, snowshoeing and biking.
  • Offers a peaceful sanctuary for neighbors and visitors, where you and others can renew your spirit and explore the Northwoods on our campus, lakefront and gardens.
  • Enables Citizen Science monitoring and surveys to document and preserve the surrounding watershed and protect sensitive species.
  • Awakens a sense of wonder for all ages through Environmental Education programs and hands-on activities.

YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED MORE THAN EVER!
Nature nurtures. 
Scientific evidence proves that interactions with nature are necessary, and that time spent in nature boosts creativity, reduces stress, and measurably improves our health.

Your donation preserves this public land for outdoor recreation and reflection among trails, forest, bog and lake for generations to come. Donate today.


Membership Supports

Discovery Center Campus & Trails

  • 63-acre mixed forest, grounds and Statehouse Lake
  • Interpretive trail and bog boardwalks
  • Ski/hike/bike/snowshoe trails

Guided Hikes and Field Trips

  • Interpretive nature and wildlife hikes
  • Snowshoe, ice cave, waterfall trips
  • Canoe trips and pontoon tours

Kids' Programs

  • Environmental education programs
  • Youth and mission-based camps
  • Eco-Discoverers (Ages 4-7)
  • Eco-Explorers (Ages 8-10)

Wildlife Research & Education

  • Local and regional bird surveys
  • Crane counts
  • Bird banding
  • Wolf howls
  • Bat monitoring

Community Events

  • Nibbles 'n' Knowledge
  • Knowledge at Noon lunch presentations
  • Northwoods birding festival
  • Family play days

Much More

  • Traveling Naturalist
  • Lake level monitoring
  • AIS monitoring and education
  • Community social gatherings