About The Point
“The Point” is a 151 acre tract of land that contains a treasure that has developed over thousands of years–A Black Oak Sand Barrens Prairie. This land is part of the Driftless area that escaped the leveling impact of the last glacial period. After the melting period that followed, the dendritic river bluffs in Fillmore County were left with over 7,000 acres of sand deposits. Too few of these areas have survived intact. However, the one Eagle Bluff has been secured, could be the rarest of all.
The Point is a natural learning laboratory for observation, interpretation, and learning about environmental issues that include: land and water conservation, wildlife and forest management practices, prairie restoration, and the control of invasive species.
The Point Management Goals
Educational Programming
The current primary use of The Point for educational programming has to do with our summer camps where it is used for overnight camping experiences in a safe, non-threatening, remote, quiet site.
The Point is also currently used for adult education programming and for a river hike alternative for the Outdoor School.
- Supplement Outdoor School experiences such as the Root River Hike (easy, safe, low-impact river access)
- Enhance Summer Camp experiences with campground and recreational opportunities
- Expand Adult Education programming to include lang management seminars
- Provide special groups/programs such as She Is and Becoming an Outdoors Woman
- Ecological restoration & recreation classes
- Remote classroom and lodging
- Improve year-round birding opportunities
Prairie Management
1.5 miles of river corridor through prairie meadow, hardwood forest and oak savanna foster an exquisite bird population with frequent wintering robins, bluebirds and kingfishers, and has abundant trout and small mouth bass.
- Enhance existing open spaces
- Restore areas where water is a limiting factor for growth
Forest Management
A Woodland Stewardship Plan for The Point property was prepared in 2000 and will continue to guide the forest management activities at The Point. It’s main objective is to maintain the quality of the timber.
- Improve timber stand
- Enhance wildlife habitat
- Control invasives (buckthorn & honeysuckle)
Recreational Opportunities
- Provide hunting and fishing experiences
- Cross country skiing and snowshoeing
- Marathons
Homestead Stabilization – 2017
Utilizing grant funds provided by The Carl and Verna Schmidt Foundation, the Ben Stanek Memorial Fund, and personal contributions from Tom Rogers and Jan Smart, The Point Homestead log cabin was stabilized during the summer of 2017.
Bobwhite Quail Restoration
Working in cooperation with the Bobwhite Quail Society and Pheasants Forever, a bobwhite quail restoration project is underway at The Point. Habitat work has been completed and food plots are in place. During fall 2019 we released a total of 50 bobwhite in three different groups at the three food plots, with another 50 to be released in 2020. We have had frequent sightings of coveys of bobwhite since that time.
