Items & Services Wishlist

Every contribution—big or small—makes a difference. If you’re looking for a way to make a difference and you want to know exactly where your donation is going, we invite you to explore our needed items and services below.

We list just a few of the items and resources that will help us continue our mission of environmental education and conservation. This wishlist is a great way to directly support the programs and projects that matter most to our visitors, staff, and the local environment.

We encourage you to support local businesses whenever possible, but we understand that some items may be difficult to find locally. An Amazon Wishlist is included for convenience. No matter where you choose to shop, your donation will make a meaningful impact on our mission.

Please do not hesitate to email or call us (812-479-0771) if you have questions or if you have something you would like to donate that isn’t listed here.

Updated: 3/22/2025

  • Books

    • I (Don’t) Like Snakes) by Nicola Davies

    • Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner

    • The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

    • The Cockroach by Elise Gravel

    • The Spider by Elise Gravel

    • The Bug Club by Elise Gravel

    • We Walk Through the Forest by Lisa Ferland

    • Let’s Go on a Hike! by Katrina Liu

  • Snacks

    • Cheddar Goldfish

    • Cheez it original

    • Skinny Pop popcorn

    • Apple Apple GoGo Squeeze

    • Original Pretzels

    • Traditional Chex Mix

  • Craft supplies

    • Check with Payton before donating these.

    • Hot glue sticks

    • Regular glue sticks

    • Chalk

    • Acrylic paint

  • Summer Camp supplies

    • Coppertone Pure and Simple Spray Sunscreen

    • OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent, Dry, Non-Greasy

    • Unscented Baby Wipes

  • Replica Skeleton

Animal Ambassadors

Izzy with one of her favorite stuffies, donated by Ann and Sarah.

  • Toys/Stuffed Animals

    • Enrichment is a critical part of keeping healthy animals. Playing with novel objects exercises their brain and body. We accept washable toys that are safe or babies and/or pets.

  • Phone Books

    • Non-glossy catalogues are a rarity but some of our animals love shredding them.

  • Paper bags

    • Clean paper bags are so fun to tear up and are used to hide food items!

  • Gift certificate to a local grocery store

    • A gift certificate is an easy way to help give a healthy, nutritious diet to our veggie-loving animals.

  • RodentPro Gift Certificates

    • A nutritious and varied diet is key to the long-term health for the raptors and other meat-eaters.

  • Northwoods Falconry Gift Certificate

    • Our birds might not have the athleticism of a falconry bird but there are maintenance and health items that they still use.

  • Kitchen/meat/poultry shears

    • Shears see a lot of wear and tear from diet preparation. Unfortunately, they accumulate more damage than we can repair.

  • Nitrile gloves

    • Any size will do but small and medium fit us better. We use these for food prep and cleaning.

  • Paper towels

    • More cleaning!

  • Dish soap

    • Did I mention cleaning?

  • Laundry detergent

    • Cleaning! Dye-free and fragrance-free please.

  • Gift certificates to home improvement stores

    • Upkeep and maintenance keep the trails and nature center in tip top shape. A gift certificate gives us the flexibility to address our needs as issues arise.

  • Taxidermy skills

    • Our taxidermy specimens are tools to teach anatomy and adaptations. The specimens need some skilled care and maintenance to continue their educational service.

Thank you for your support!