Florence County EDC | Resources

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Oct. 9, 2025 -	A Skull-ful of Knowledge - The next Outdoor Education program will be Wednesday, October 29th, at 6:00 pm in the Florence Natural Resource Center lower level conference room. Nathan Ruble, animal skull enthusiast and former educator, will be the guest speaker.

Sept. 16, 2025 -	Love our Lakes: Aquatic Invasive Species Impacts and Prevention - Our Northern Wisconsin lakes are known and loved for their pristine beauty, but they are being threatened by Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS). AIS are non-native plants, animals, and organisms that are introduced to a new ecosystem and cause damage or harm. But prevention and early detection can help protect the lakes we love! Come learn about our region's most notorious aquatic invaders and how you can help prevent their spread throughout the Northwoods. Lindsay will cover AIS Identification (zebra mussels, invasive milfoil, phragmites, and more), impacts to our lakes, easy prevention steps and more.

Sept. 5, 2025 -	Land Notification Alerts

Aug. 13, 2025 -	Outdoor Ed Program - Wild Rice - The next Outdoor Education program will be Thursday, August 28th, at 6:00 pm in Florence featuring Roger Labine, Lac Vieux Desert Elder and Rice Keeper. Wild Rice, known as Manoomin to the Ojibwe, is much more than “just an aquatic plant.” Come learn how wild rice plays a vital role in tribal culture and how we can help restore its growth in our area.

Aug. 7, 2025 -	Wild River Featured Artist - Gary White - The Wild Rivers Interpretive Center is hosting local artist Gary White, as our next Featured Artist. This is a rotating exhibit designed to introduce our residents and visitors to area artists who capture the beauty of our Wild Rivers, lakes and forests.

July 18, 2025 -	Ancient Archaeology and Artifacts of Florence County - The next Outdoor Education program will be Wednesday, July 30th, at 6:00 pm in Florence featuring three state-level expert archaeologists. Kevin Akemann, Ryan Howell and Jim Parquette will discuss the Prehistory and History of Florence County. They will highlight the known archaeological sites in the County and the questions they pose to archaeologists. Their presentation will cover common ancient artifacts found in Florence County and how the public can help us better understand the ancient Native American history of Florence County and get involved. Attendees are encouraged to bring in their artifacts so Ryan and Kevin can identify and date them.

July 2, 2025 -	Birds of Florence County - The next Outdoor Education program will be Tuesday, July 15th, at 6:00 pm in Florence featuring Patrick Weber, Wildlife Habitat Specialist with the American Bird Conservancy. Patrick works with private landowners and public land managers to create breeding habitat for resident and migratory birds in the Great Lakes region. Zoom link will be added after July 4th weekend.

May 28, 2025 -	Hiking Gear & Grub List - The next “Take a Hike” program will be Wednesday, June 4th at 6:00 pm in Florence featuring Julia Sigg, a local backpacker who hiked much of the Appalachian Trail. Julia will share what she has learned through trial and error about the right gear and grub for longer day hikes and overnight hikes of varying length.

Apr. 30, 2025 -	Wild Rivers Featured Artist: Carol Schultz - The Wild Rivers Interpretive Center is hosting Carol Schultz as our next Featured Artist until July 12th. This is a rotating exhibit designed to introduce our residents and visitors to local artists who capture the beauty of our Wild Rivers, lakes and forests.

Apr. 18, 2025 -	Pack Your Pack program - The next Take a Hike program will be Wednesday, April 30th at 6:00 pm in Florence featuring Julia Sigg, a local 60+ backpacker who hiked much of the Appalachian Trail. Julia will share what she has learned about the dos and don’ts of packing your backpack.

Mar. 27, 2025 -	Outdoor Ed Talk: The Art of Keeping Bees - The next Outdoor Education program will be Tuesday, April 15th at 6:00 pm at the Florence Visitor Center featuring Gino Venditti, owner of Stag Farms, a local producer of honey and maple syrup since 2015. He was chosen for the 2022 Michigan Beekeeper of the Year Award in recognition of the work he’s done mentoring others, advocating on behalf of bees, and general stewardship of keeping bees. He is an active member in the Northwoods Beekeepers Club.

Mar. 17, 2025 -	*Florence County Forestry and Parks ALL Trail Closure* - Florence County Forestry and Parks Department Subject: Trail Closure For the 2024-2025 season, the entire Florence County Snowmobile and ATV-UTV system will be closed effective March 20th at 12:01 AM for Spring Breakup. The trails will open when conditions are favorable. Thank You to all the landowners who are gracious enough to allow the use of their property year after year for our trail system. Without your generosity this would not be possible. A Thank You to the Florence County Blue Ox Trail Riders and volunteers for their countless hours maintaining our trail system. Without them who would provide us with such an incredible recreational opportunity. Questions or concerns may be directed to the Florence County Forestry and Parks Department at (715) 528-3207 ext. 4 For more trail information, please visit our website at www.ExploreFlorenceCounty.com

Feb. 27, 2025 -	*Florence County Forestry and Parks: Trail Closure*

Feb. 26, 2025 -	*Florence County Highway Department Notification*

Feb. 18, 2025 -	* FORESTRY & PARKS NOTIFICATION * - *FLORENCE COUNTY FORESTRY & PARKS NOTIFICATION* Lake Emily Ski Trail will be closed starting today, 2/18 due to a Timber Sale harvest that will likely last the rest of snow season. We apologize for the short notice. Users are encouraged to go to the Hall's Creek Trail network across from LaSalle Falls. To get there from Florence, drive south on County Hwy N 7.5 mi., then west on County Hwy C 2 mi., then north on LaSalle Falls Road 2.5 mi. to LaSalle Falls Parking Lot on right. Trail is across the road. This is a relatively flat system with 3 groomed loops so you can ski from 1.8 up to 5.5 miles or several options in between. ��

Feb. 11, 2025 -	Try Snowshoes on the Visitor Center Trail - The Florence Wild Rivers Interpretive Center has a supply of used snowshoes for you to try out on the ¾ mile interpretive trail located on the corner of US 2 and Hwy 70 (5628 Forestry Drive). You can sign out snowshoes for free Monday through Friday between 8am and 4pm for use on our onsite trail.

Feb. 6, 2025 -	* TRAIL SYSTEM NOTIFICATION *

Feb. 4, 2025 -	Ecology & Management of the Spread Eagle Barrens - The next Outdoor Education program will be Tuesday, February 18th at 6:00 pm in Florence featuring Carly Lapin, WDNR Northcentral Region Ecologist. Carly’s presentation will discuss the history, ecology and current planning and management of Spread Eagle Barrens State Natural Area (SEBSNA).

Jan. 29, 2025 -	Maple Syrup Program - An Outdoor Education program on maple syrup techniques will be held on Thursday, February 13th, 2025 from 6pm-8pm at the Florence Natural Resource and Wild Rivers Interpretive Center. Our panel of experts includes Fred Hedmark and Ernie Dagostino.

Jan. 27, 2025 -	WRIC Featured Artist - The Wild Rivers Interpretive Center is hosting its first Wild Rivers Featured Artist: Dennis Nelson. This is a new rotating exhibit designed to introduce our residents and visitors to local artists who capture the beauty of our Wild Rivers, lakes and forests.

Jan. 10, 2025 -	New Event: Chili in the Woods - New event: “Chili in the Woods” Saturday, February 1st 10am - 2pm. Location: Lake Emily Trail on County Road D, 1/3 mile east of Hwy 101 just south of Florence. Trail system offers a 2.5 mile or 4.2 mile loop options. This event will take place with or without snow! Attendees can hike, snowshoe or X-C Ski depending on the snow levels. Snowshoes available to try for free if we have decent snow cover, otherwise hiking will be the better choice. Come get out of the house for some exercise, free refreshments and camaraderie around a campfire.

Dec. 30, 2024 -	Walleye Management in Florence & Forest Counties - the Balancing Act - Our next Outdoor Ed talk is Tuesday, 1/14/25 at 6pm. Greg Matzke - WDNR Sr. Fisheries Biologist will discuss how the major walleye populations in Florence and Forest counties are doing, what management strategies are and are not working and what the future will look like for these fisheries. Free Event!

Nov. 27, 2024 -	Outdoor Survival Skills Program - The next Outdoor Education program will be Thursday, December 12th at 6:00 pm in Florence. “Woodsy Dude”, Joshua Stuck will discuss basic survival techniques and skills as well as have some hands-on interaction with actual survival gear and natural materials.

Sept. 3, 2024 -	Autumn Maintenance of Yards and Gardens for Wildlife Habitat - Ever wonder how cleaning up your yard and garden in autumn affects local wildlife habitat? Ecologist Nicole Shutt will provide tips to help you provide habitat for native wildlife year-round, from butterflies, bees, and other beneficial invertebrates, to birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, all the while keeping your grounds beautiful and controlling diseases and pests. Then you and your family can explore some of the invertebrate diversity we have in the Northwoods, and celebrate the awesome habitat your yard and garden can be for wildlife neighbors large and small. The program starts at 6:00 pm in the lower level conference room at the Florence Natural Resource building located on the corner of US 2 and Highway 101/70 in Florence (5628 Forestry Drive). There will be ample time for questions and answers.

Aug. 6, 2024 -	Smokey Says "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires" - The next Florence County Outdoor Education talk will be Wednesday, August 21st. To celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday, the topic this month is Smokey Says “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires”. Andy Nault, WDNR Florence Ranger/Sr. Forester will explain ways to prevent wildfires and how to make your home or cabin more defensible against wildfires. The program starts at 6:00 pm in the lower level conference room at the Florence Natural Resource building located on the corner of US 2 and Highway 101/70 in Florence (5628 Forestry Drive).

June 10, 2024 -	The Wild Rivers of Florence County - Did you know that Florence County is home to 2 of the 5 state-designated Wild Rivers, the Pine and the Popple? On Tuesday, June 25th at 6pm, John Roberts, our local Wild Rivers expert, will talk about the history of the Wild Rivers including the 1965 legislation that protected the Pine and Popple from development. He will also share how he learned to appreciate the free flowing "Wildness" experience that you get from the serene quiet places as well as the exhilarating waterfalls found along our special rivers.

May 28, 2024 -	*NEED YOUR INPUT!*

May 13, 2024 -	*CENTRAL AVE PROJECT*

May 8, 2024 -	Outdoor Education - Edible Wild Mushrooms - Edible Mushrooming season has started. Come learn more about how to identify edible mushrooms, types of habitat to search and when to look for them from Carla Kramer, local mushroom enthusiast. Mushrooming is a great activity to get out and explore the over 200,000 acres of public access land in Florence County. Ideas on how to cook with edible mushrooms will also be discussed.

Apr. 19, 2024 -	WRIC & Gift Shop Grand Re-Opening - The Florence Wild Rivers Interpretive Center & Gift Shop is hosting a Grand Re-Opening event Saturday, May 4th from 9am – 3pm. The Center closed in late January due to a broken pipe flooding the facility and damaging computers, ceiling, flooring and walls. This event includes a storewide sale, refreshments and a scavenger hunt for kids who will receive a Smokey the Bear gift bag for participating. Young and old can take their picture with Smokey the Bear who will drop in for a visit from 11:00 am – 11:30 am. Staff from the Wild Rivers Invasive Species Coalition (WRISC) will be on site for an Invasives Plant Trade-up Day. There will also be guided hikes on the ¾ mile Nature Tale Interpretive Trail that tells the story of “The Return of Trees”. Groups can gather at the pavilion at the edge of the parking lot to walk the ¾ mile trail with John Roberts, to learn how forests have moved and changed in our area over millions of years.

Apr. 10, 2024 -	Growing Fruit Trees in the Northwoods - Bring your questions and join Research Station Superintendent Becky Wiepz to learn more about the ins and outs of growing tree fruit in Northern Wisconsin. We’ll discuss the basics of pest management, pruning, and more to help you plan your future orchard or troubleshoot your current one.

Apr. 10, 2024 -	*Florence County UTV/ATV Trails open April 12th at 12:01am* Please note exceptions.

Apr. 1, 2024 -	Wild Rivers Interpretive Center & Gift Shop Now Open - The Wild Rivers Gift Shop and Interpretive Center officially reopened on March 25th. The Center was closed since January 24th due to a broken boiler pipe that flooded the facility all night damaging the main desk, computer equipment, ceiling, flooring and one wall. Repairs were completed and cleaning was finished on March 22 thanks to a local contracting team from Trace Construction and Demko Electric.

Feb. 28, 2024 -	Temporary Seasonal Weight Restrictions

Jan. 25, 2024 -	Florence County Trail Closure

Jan. 22, 2024 -	Outdoor Education Fishing Presentation 1/29/24

Jan. 11, 2024 -	Florence In-Comm Industrial Park Video

Oct. 12, 2023 -	Family and Child Learning Centers is hiring!

Oct. 9, 2023 -	Wild Rivers Interpretive Center is hiring!

Sept. 26, 2023 -	Report ALL Feral Swine Sightings!

Sept. 12, 2023 -	Blue Ox Trail Riders Notification; Trail Closure

Aug. 3, 2023 -	Economic Development asking for help with Broadband Survey

July 11, 2023 -	Teresa Chrisman appointed to Florence County Sheriff!!