Guided Hike: Learn About Forest Management on the Upper Miss.

Join our partners from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Audubon Upper Mississippi River for a guided
hike and learn more about forest management on the refuge. The hike is part of the 100th Anniversary
Interpretive Series and will focus on partnerships and management practices. The walk will take place on
Friday, October 4 2024 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Shady Maple Interpretive Trail on Goose Island.
As one of the longest stretches of continuous floodplain forests in the world, forests and trees are a critical component of the habitat on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge. They are also the focus of a unique partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The hike will fittingly take place at Goose Island, as it is a great showcase of this forestry partnership in action. Over the past 20 years, work has been done to control woody invasives and restore native forest in the
area. Forestry experts will discuss the land use history of the area, and the impacts of invasives on the native forest. Plus, some fun forestry facts sprinkled in!
The walk will take place outdoors and on an unpaved trail traversing approximately 1 mile. Participants are encouraged to dress accordingly for the weather. The Shady Maple Interpretive Trail is located as you enter Goose Island, take the first left off County Hwy GI. Please contact the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge at (608) 779-2398 for questions.