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Nature Conservancy Volunteer Events and Work Party Calendar

These parties tackle specific tasks at our preserves. Typical activities include exotic plant removal, brush cutting, seed collecting, and planting. Most of our work parties are also announced in the newsletter. Work party leaders will contact regular attendees with information about upcoming land management projects and scheduled work parties.

Year-round opportunities:
Spring Green Prairie
Door County

September - December 2009

Seed Collecting
Seed Collecting
© Eric Howe

Bundling phragmites
Bundling phragmites
© Bob Bultman

Prescribed Fire
Prescribed Fire
© Steve Richter/TNC

Work Parties

 

Spring Green Preserve (Sauk County)
Many rare plants and animals such as prickly pear cactus and several rare leafhopper species are found on the bluff and sand prairies of Spring Green Preserve. We often hold volunteer work days throughout the winter to remove invading red cedars from the ecologically significant habitats located on the property. If you are interested in volunteering at Spring Green Preserve, please contact Gary Gates at (608) 255-2337 for more information on upcoming work parties.

Door County
In partnership with the Door County Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy holds work parties every Tuesday from April through early winter. If you are interested in more information or to join the email list, please contact Mary Erickson at (920) 743-8695.

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What to wear/bring to work parties: Dress appropriately for outdoor, grubby work. Long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and sturdy footwear are essential, and always bring work gloves. Sunscreen and bug spray are good to bring during summer months. If brush pile burning is mentioned in the work description, please DO NOT wear synthetic clothing (polyester, fleece, etc.) as it will melt or easily get burn holes from embers. Eye protection is always a good idea as well!

Weather: In most cases, work parties go on regardless of the weather, but we will cancel in case of pouring rain or hazardous weather like thunderstorms. Watch for instructions about weather in individual work party descriptions. If you’re not sure, call the work party leader early the morning of the scheduled work day.

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Chiwaukee Prairie
Kenosha County
Saturdays: September 19, October 17, November 21, December 19
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Help maintain and restore this spectacularly diverse prairie along the shore of Lake Michigan.  
Contact: Marcia Wensing (262) 681-8485 (evenings).

Throughout the fall and early winter, we will collect native seeds and cut and treat woody invasive species such as buckthorn, honeysuckle and cherries. Join us September 19 for our volunteer appreciation picnic! 

Directions:  From I-94 between Kenosha and the Illinois state line, drive east on Hwy 165 for about six miles. Turn south (right) on Hwy 32 (Sheridan Rd.) for one mile. Turn east (left) on 116th St. (Tobin Rd.) for one mile. Turn south (right) on Marina Rd. Travel five blocks to 121st St. Turn right and go one block to 2nd Avenue. Turn right (north) and park in front of the kiosk.

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Military Ridge Prairies
Dane / Iowa Counties
The Nature Conservancy is protecting hundreds of acres of critical habitat for grassland birds in this beautiful rolling landscape dotted with prairie and oak savanna remnants. Contact: Jim Lesniak (evenings: 608-238-5187; cell: 608-576-3310)

Thomson Memorial Prairie
Dane/Iowa County
Saturday: September 12
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Volunteer activities in September will be focused on native seed collection.

Directions: From US Hwy 18/151 near the southwestern edge of Blue Mounds, travel west to the intersection with Cnty Hwy F. Turn south on Cnty F and continue for just over one mile. At the intersection with Cnty Hwy Z, turn right – this will keep you on Cnty F. Thomson Preserve will be on your right in about one-half mile. Park along side of road.

Muehllehner Addition - Barneveld Prairie
Iowa County
Saturdays: October 10, November 14, December 12
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Fall and early winter activities will include clearing non-native and invasive brush that is invading savanna remnants throughout the Military Ridge Prairie Heritage Area. Exact work location may vary. Meet at the Hwy K parking lot.

Directions: About 0.5 mile east of village of Barneveld on US Hwy 18/151, go south on Cnty Hwy K for about two miles. The parking area is on the right, marked by a sign.

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Mukwonago River Watershed
Walworth / Waukesha Counties
The Mukwonago River Watershed is home to a wide array of native plants and wildlife that utilize its forests, wetlands, prairies, oak savannas, rivers and lakes as habitat. Many volunteer opportunities abound in this unique and critical conservation area. Volunteer activities will focus on control of upland invasive plants, including sweet clover and Japanese hedge parsley during July. Efforts in August and early September will focus on purple loosestrife in the wetlands (wear old shoes or knee high boots). Collection of native seed for restoration projects will begin in early fall. In late fall and early winter, we will cut and treat invasive woody species in prairies, oak savannas and woodlands as well as maintain firebreaks. If adequate snow cover exists, brush piles may be burned.
Contact: Eric Howe (262) 594-5853 or mukwonagoriverwatershed@gmail.com.

Lulu Lake Preserve
Sundays: September 13 & 27, October 11 & 25, November 8, December 13
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Crooked Creek Preserve
Saturdays: September 5, October 3, November 7, December 5
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Newell & Ann Meyer Preserve
Saturdays: October 10, December 12
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Pickerel Lake Preserve
Sunday: November 22
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Directions to Mukwonago Preserves

  • From Milwaukee: Take I-43 south to East Troy, then take State Hwy 20 west to Cty Hwy N. Take N north to Troy Center, where it will cross Cty Hwy J and change to Nature Rd.
  • From Madison: Take US Hwy 12 about eight miles past Whitewater to the junction of 12 and State Hwy 20. Go straight onto Hwy 20. At the intersection of Hwy 20 and Cty Hwy J, continue straight on J to Nature Road.
  • To Crooked Creek: Take Nature Road for 0.3 miles to the intersection of Nature and Bluff roads and turn left onto Bluff Road. Travel 1.5 miles to the driveway on the right (look for the fire address signs marked 3611-3678). Veer right at the first and second forks in the driveway into the Crooked Creek Preserve driveway (fire marker W3674) and travel 0.2 miles to the parking area.
  • To Lulu Lake: Take Nature Rd 1.5 miles north and turn right at a driveway marked N9564. This is a private road that leads to the work site.
  • To Newell & Ann Meyer Preserve: Take Nature Road three miles north to the intersection with Cty Hwy LO and turn left. Follow LO west to the junction with Hwy 67 and continue southwest on Hwy 67 for one mile. The driveway into Meyer Preserve is along Hwy 67 on the left (fire marker S104 W38319) just beyond the intersection with Cty Hwy NN.
  • To Pickerel Lake Preserve: Take Cnty Hwy J east for 1.5 miles and turn right onto Pickerel Jay Road. Follow Pickerel Jay until it ends. The driveway into Pickerel Lake is at the very end of the road and is fairly steep.

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Baker Preserve
Saturday: November 14
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Help out at one of The Nature Conservancy's newest preserves.  Volunteers will remove fencing and invasive plant species from the future prairie at the Baker Preserve, a former farm that was owned by the same family for more than 150 years. Now the Conservancy is working to return this preserve to the prairie that existed here before European settlers arrived in the early 1800s. The preserve also has a 10-acre woodland separated from the prairie by part of the Mukwonago River as the river flows between the Conservancy's Newell and Ann Meyer Preserve and the Crooked Creek Preserve.

Directions from Milwaukee to Baker Preserve: Take I-43 southwest, exit at East Troy/Highway 20 exit and head west on Highway 20. Go 4 miles on Highway 20 to Highway N on your right (Note that at 3.5 miles, Highway N also goes to the left. Do not turn left; stay on Highway 20 for another half mile. Turn right (north) on Highway N to Highway J, where there is a stop sign. Highway N turns into Nature Road. Follow Nature Road for one-half mile until the intersection with Bluff Road. Go left on Bluff Road for 2.5 miles to the intersection with Scout Road. Turn left and go 400 feet to the first driveway on the left. 

Directions from Madison to Baker Preserve: Take Highway 12 east through Fort Atkinson and Whitewater until the intersection of Highways 12 and 20 about 8 miles east of Whitewater. Continue on Highway 20 for 1.5 miles until it intersects with Highway J. Follow Highway J for 4 miles to the intersection of Highway N/Nature Road. Take Nature Road to the left for one half mile to Bluff Road. Go left on Bluff Road for 2.5 miles to the intersection with Scout Road. Turn left and go 400 feet to the first driveway on the left.

Parking is not allowed on any Town of Troy Road from November 1st to April 1st so please pull in the driveway to park.

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Baraboo Hills
Sauk County
The oak and maple forests of the Baraboo Hills constitute the largest block of upland forest still standing in southern Wisconsin. They provide habitat for more than 1,800 kinds of plants and animals. There are many volunteer opportunities to help manage this special place. Contact: Sherren Clark (608) 225-2974
 

Baxter’s Hollow
Baxter's Hollow is remarkable for the large area of deep forest and the mountain-like creek that it protects. It is the Conservancy's largest preserve in Wisconsin. Despite years of human habitation, this area still seems wild and untouched.

Saturdays: November 7, December 5
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Help control invasive buckthorn on the east edge of the property to prevent it from spreading into the hollow. Meet at the Hwy 12 pull-out at the top of the south bluff.

Directions: Take US Hwy 12 north from Madison or south from Baraboo to a pull-out on the east side of Hwy 12 at the top of the south bluff (this pull-out is south of the intersection with Ski Hi Road).

Hemlock Draw
Saturdays: September 5, October 3
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
In September, help monitor shrubs and trees in test plots as part of a study to learn the effects of understory thinning and fire as forest management tools. In October, activities may include maintaining the trail in Hemlock Draw or monitoring tree survival at previous tree planting sites. Meet at the park in Leland.

Directions: Take US Hwy 12 north from Madison or south from Baraboo. Go west on Cnty Hwy C (across from the former Badger Army Ammunition Plant) for about nine miles, past Natural Bridge State Park, into the village of Leland. Meet at the gravel parking lot next to the park and mill pond.

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