Eagle Scout Service Project at Lapham Peak Unit - Kettle Moraine State Forest
As his Eagle Scout service project, a Sam Wagner designed and led the creation of an educational tree walk along the Purple Trail at Lapham Peak State Park. The project that he called, Wagner’s Wonder Walk, features 20 carefully selected unique trees, each marked with a permanent sign and a QR code that links visitors to detailed online information about that specific tree.
Working in partnership with the Friends of Lapham Peak and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Scout researched native tree species, coordinated sign design and approval, organized volunteers, and led the on-site installation. The project required approximately 200 hours of planning, research, fundraising, coordination, and physical labor, and was completed in the fall of 2025.
The goal of the project is to help park visitors better understand and appreciate the forest around them by combining on-trail interpretation with modern technology. By scanning a QR code at each tree, hikers can learn about species identification, ecology, and the role these trees play in the Kettle Moraine landscape—turning a walk on the Purple Trail into an interactive outdoor classroom.
- Basswood Linden Tree
- Black Cherry Tree
- Black Oak Tree
- Black Walnut Tree
- Burr Oak Tree
- Cottonwood Tree
- Douglass Fir Tree
- Eastern White Pine Tree
- Flowering Crab Apple Tree
- Flowering Dogwood Tree
- Habitat Tree
- Juniper Tree
- Northern Cedar Tree
- Northern Red Oak Tree
- Norway Pine Tree
- Quaking Aspen Tree
- Shagbark Hickory Tree
- Silver Maple Tree
- Sugar Maple Tree
- White Walnut Tree
