Current events
For additional information please go to Calendar of Events tab
Bong Naturalist Association (BNA) is so pleased that you are here!
We are the Friend’s Group that supports Richard Bong State Recreation Area (RBSRA.) We offer a variety of programs for visitors of all ages and help to fund park improvements for all to enjoy. Please scroll down to see BNA News and be sure to click on the Calendar of Events tab for upcoming events at RBSRA! Just a reminder that a Wisconsin State Park vehicle admission sticker or a daily entrance fee is required to enter the park
2025 Master Naturalist Volunteer Training at Bong – Openings Available!
Openings are available for the BNA’s 2025 Master Naturalist Volunteer Training Program at Richard Bong State Recreation Area (RBSRA.)
Classes will be held on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, beginning Monday, July 14th and ending Thursday, July 24th.
Please click on the link below for additional details on the program and the link to sign up!
https://bongnaturalistassociation.org/event-registration/
New Wayfinding Signage at Richard Bong State Recreation Area
Thanks to the BNA and the NRF of Wisconsin, Richard Bong State Recreation Area now has colorful, detailed wayfinding signage!
The new wayfinding signage is made possible with support from the Norma & Stanley DeBoer Quiet Trails Fund, awarded by the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin to the Bong Naturalist Association (BNA). Once created and printed, the signs were installed by a dedicated BNA member.
With over 16 miles of trails, the BNA is excited to bring this welcome addition to Richard Bong State Recreation Area. “This project will help more people explore Wisconsin’s natural wonders,” noted Caitlin Williamson, director of conservation at the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin (NRF). “NRF is proud to support this work to make trails more accessible and useful through the Norma and Stanley DeBoer Quiet Trails Fund.” The new wayfinding signage, located on the southern trail system, features a directional property map, making it easier to figure out location as you hike, run or walk the trails.
Through these types of projects, the BNA helps to make RBSRA a welcoming and comfortable environment for those out enjoying the park’s many resources. Thank you to the NRF and the Norma and Stanley DeBoer Quiet Trails Fund for making this possible!
If interested in becoming a BNA volunteer, please email [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bongnaturalistassociation/
Skunk cabbage …announces the coming of Spring!
Did you ever wonder what this unusual looking plant is? Read on for lots of interesting information. Skunk Cabbage:
•A perennial flowering plant and one of the first to emerge in Spring;
•Found in moist woodlands, wetlands, and near streams;
•Produces temperatures of 70 degrees F- even when the ground is frozen – to melt the surrounding ground and snow;
•Bears seek young plants for the laxative effect bears need as they emerge from the long winter;
•Its name- Symplocarpus foetidus – warns humans of the fetid, stinky, rotten-meat odor; and
•Flies and carrion beetles are attracted to the odor and pollinate the flowers.
Now you can say “Hey! That’s Skunk cabbage” when you see it and understand it’s importance!
Photos are courtesy of Dru Snavely, Chiwaukee Prairie.
For additional information: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/skunk-cabbage-symplocarpus-foetidus/
Sunrise Campground – Opened Friday, March 21st:
You know that Spring is on the way when RBSRA’s Sunrise Campground opens! Our
park staff as well as our dedicated camp hosts and volunteers have been busy getting
Sunrise ready for the start of the camping season.
Please click on the following link to direct you to additional information and links to
the DNR Camping Reservation system, DNR campground rules and events offered by
the BNA and DNR at Richard Bong State Recreation Area (RBSRA.)
Additional Camping info: Click here
Aldo Leopold Benches for Sale!
In celebration of Aldo Leopold and the 75th anniversary of A Sand County Almanac, BNA is selling Aldo Leopold Benches!
These beautifully hand-crafted cedar-tone benches are available in 3-foot or 4-foot lengths. Dimensions: 4 ft = 51”(w) x 29”(h) x 27”(d); 3 ft = 39”(w) x 29”(h) x 27”(d)
- Aldo Leopold Bench Prices:
- $140 – 4’ Cedar-tone Bench
- $135 – 3’ Cedar-tone Bench
Welcome! Enhance your garden and yard to a place where you can relax and observe the beauty around you.
To order: please click on the following link for the BNA Aldo Leopold Bench order form.
Please contact us with any questions at [email protected]
All funds raised as a result of this special event will support BNA/RBSRA events, programs and facilities!
BNA offers our sincere thanks for participating in this special event!
