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The Nature Conservancy in Africa - Conservation in Africa

The Nature Conservancy in Asia Pacific - Conservation in Asia-Pacific

The Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean - Conservation in the Caribbean

The Nature Conservancy in Central America - Conservation in Central America

The Nature Conservancy in North America - Conservation in North America

The Nature Conservancy in the United States - Conservation in the United States

The Nature Conservancy in South America - Conservation in South America

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.

June - December 2008

Seed Collecting
Seed Collecting
© Eric Howe

Bundling phragmites
Bundling phragmites
© Bob Bultman

Prescribed Fire
Prescribed Fire
© Steve Richter/TNC

Work Parties

What to wear/bring to work parties: : Dress appropriately for outdoor, grubby work. Long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and sturdy footwear are needed, and always bring work gloves. Each description lists tools that would be helpful to bring but are not required to join in the work party. You won’t find any drinking fountains or bathrooms on our preserves, so bring drinking water and at least a snack. Better yet, bring lunch so you can stay and get to know the preserve and your fellow volunteers after the work’s all done..

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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Military Ridge Prairies
Dane / Iowa Counties
The Nature Conservancy is protecting hundreds of bird-filled acres in this rolling, grassy landscape dotted with prairie remnants. Volunteer activities include pulling wild parsnip (June, July), brush cutting (Aug., Nov., Dec.) and seed collecting (Sept., Oct.). Contact: Jim Lesniak, (608) 238-5187.

Barneveld Prairie
Iowa County
Saturdays: June 21, August 16, October 11, November 8, December 13
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Directions (Aug., Oct., Nov., Dec.): Half-mile east of village of Barneveld on US Hwy 18/151, go south on Cnty Hwy K for about 2 miles. Parking area is on the right, marked by a sign.
Directions (June): Half-mile west of the village of Barneveld on US HWY 18/151, go south on Cnty Hwy T for about 0.75 mile. Park along the east side of the road. The preserve will be on your left.

Thomson Memorial Prairie
Saturdays: July 19, September 13
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Directions: From US Hwy 18/151 west of Mt. Horeb, go south on Cnty Hwy F for one mile to junction with Cnty Hwy Z. Continue on F to the southwest for another mile and watch for signs and parking lot on right side of road.

Chiwaukee Prairie
Kenosha County
Saturdays: June 21 (Breakfast on the Prairie at 9:00 a.m.), July 19, August 16, September 20, October 18, November 15, December 20
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Help maintain and restore this spectacularly diverse prairie along the shore of Lake Michigan. Join us June 21 for Breakfast on the Prairie at 9:00 a.m.; we’ll take a walk and remove invasives species after the food’s all gone. Summer work days will involve monitoring and treating invasive species such as black swallowwort, hairy willow herb and purple loosestrife. In the fall, we will collect seeds, and in the fall and winter we will cut and treat woody invasives including buckthorn and honeysuckle. If you’re interested in our annual orchid survey on July 19, please call Marcia Wensing for more details.
Contact: Marcia Wensing, (262) 681-8485 (evenings).
 

Directions:  From I-94 between Kenosha and the Illinois state line, drive east on Hwy 165 for about 6 miles. Turn south (right) on Hwy 32 (Sheridan Rd.) for 1 mile. Turn east (left) on 116th St. (Tobin Rd.) for 1 mile. Turn south (right) on Marina Rd. Travel 5 blocks to 121st St. Turn right and go 1 block to 2nd Avenue. Turn right (north) and park in front of kiosk.

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Mukwonago River Watershed
Walworth / Waukesha Counties
A mosaic of forest, wetlands, oak savannas, rivers and lakes, the Mukwonago River Watershed is home to a wide array of native plants and wildlife, including sandhill cranes, tree frogs, mink, red fox, butterflies and dragonflies. Volunteer activities include garlic mustard removal (early June); removing sweet clover, purple loosestrife and other invasives in the summer; seed collecting in the fall; and woody invasive removal and fire break maintenance in the winter. For more information, contact Eric Howe at (262) 594-5853 or via e-mail at oaksavanna@att.net.

Lulu Lake Preserve
Sundays: June 8 & 22, July 13 & 27, August 10 & 24, September 14 & 28, October 12 & 26, November 9, December 14
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Crooked Creek Preserve
Saturdays: June 7, July 5, August 2, September 6, October 4, November 1, December 6
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m..

Pickerel Lake Preserve
Sunday, November 23
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 Cnty Hwy N.  Take N north to Troy Center, where it will cross Cnty Hwy J and change to Nature Rd.
  • From Madison: Take US Hwy 12 about 8 miles past Whitewater to the junction of 12 and State Hwy 20.  Go straight onto Hwy 20.  At the intersection of Hwy 20 and Cnty 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.  Veer right at the first and second forks in the road into the Crooked Creek Preserve driveway 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 Pickerel Lake Fen: From the intersection of Cnty Hwy J and Nature Road, continue east on Hwy J. Turn right/south on Pickerel Jay Road. The Conservancy’s gravel driveway is at the end of this dead end road. Follow the driveway all the way to the parking area adjacent to the office.

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Baraboo Hills
Sauk/Columbia Counties
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. Bring lunch so you can stay and get to know the preserve and your fellow volunteers after the work’s all done. Contact: Sherren Clark, (608) 225-2974.
 

Durst Rockshelter
Saturday, June 7
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Help control garlic mustard at Durst Rockshelter, which contains an important archeological feature located within a southern mesic forest. Meet at the park in Leland.

Hemlock Draw
Saturdays: July 12, August 2, September 6, October 4
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
In July, help monitor shrubs and trees in test plots as part of a study of the effects of understory thinning and fire as forest management tools. In August, maintain the trail in Hemlock Draw. In September and October, collect acorns to be used as part of a long-term effort to reforest man-made openings in the Baraboo Hills forest cover. If the acorn crop is low, alternative activities for September and October include monitoring tree survival at previous tree planting sites or controlling buckthorn (cut and treat with herbicide). Meet at the park in Leland.

Directions to park in Leland: Take US Hwy 12 north from Madison or south from Baraboo. Go west on County Hwy C (across from the former Badger Army Ammunition Plant) for about nine miles, past Natural Bridge State Park, into the village of Leland.

Baxter’s Hollow
Saturday, November 1
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Baxter’s Hollow is remarkable for the large area of deep forest and the mountain-like creek that it protects. Help control invasive buckthorn in the old campground area at the preserve. Meet at the Nature Conservancy gate near the end of Stone’s Pocket Road.

Directions: From the intersection of US Hwy 12 and Cnty Hwy C, go west on Cnty C and travel 1.5 miles to intersection with Stone's Pocket Road. Turn right (north) on Stone's Pocket; drive about 2 miles into the woods to a gate where the road takes a sharp right turn.

Saturday, December 6
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Help control invasive buckthorn at the north end of Baxter's Hollow preserve. Meet at the intersection of Forest Drive and Happy Hill Road.

Directions: From the intersection of US Hwy 12 and Cnty Hwy W, south of the town of Baraboo, go west on Hwy W. Travel 2.8 miles to the intersection of Happy Hill Road. Turn left (south) on Happy Hill Road. Travel 1.5 miles to the intersection with Forest Drive. 

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