by Madelyn Anderson
“If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?” This rhetorical question was recently asked by Center for Limnology (CFL) research specialist, Joseph Noeske while reflecting on community engagement. “If you do all this research but nobody knows about it,” he continued, “was it worth it?”
It’s a good question and, in 2025, we learned that not only are we making a sound at the CFL – we’re making an impact.
This year, Trout Lake Station was presented the annual Friends of Science Education Award by the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers (WSST). The award recognized the Station’s outstanding long-term collaborations with local schools and community partnerships in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. The achievement was recognized in early April during the annual WSST conference in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
“[We’re] just one small spot on the map, yet we’re doing world-class research,” said researcher Carol Warden while accepting the award. “And that is no small part because of these science teachers laying a foundation of learning for our students.”
Nestled near Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, Trout Lake Station is known to locals for its annual summer open house where hundreds of neighbors, members of the surrounding community, and families on vacation can gather to identify fish, eat ice cream, and learn about current research with the station’s limnologists. Trout Lake Station maintains its commitment to outreach throughout the year by hosting hands-on events alongside organizations like Trees for Tomorrow, North Lakeland Discovery Center, Boy Scouts of America, local libraries, school groups, nature centers, and more.
This year, administrative assistant and outreach coordinator Amber Mrnak kept that momentum going for staff by organizing the first-ever Center for Limnology outreach retreat at the Station. “I’ve had this idea for a couple of years in hopes of making community engagement feel more approachable for everyone at the CFL”, Mrnak said. “Outreach is essential for us to get out into the communities we’re a part of so people can learn about their local waters, ask questions, and have fun.”
Helen Schlimm, a research specialist and outreach coordinator at the CFL’s Hasler Lab in Madison, says the retreat was a way to “take lessons and ideas from over the years to the finish line [and] I think we went above and beyond,” Schlimm adds that she’s now excited to see those efforts pay off with new materials for outreach events that will let staff and students continue to make some noise about the important work being done at the CFL.