Join the Ice Age Trail Alliance and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for an evening of prairie seed collecting at our Seed and Sip stewardship event this June! This volunteer opportunity will not only be fun and a great way for you to give back to the Ice Age Trail, it will help support the native wildflowers and increase habitat for critical pollinators.

Project Description:

We are headed to the prairies to help the Karner blue butterfly and collect wild lupine seed.

Karner blue butterflies are endangered primarily because the prairie and savanna habitats they depend on for survival have diminished as land has been cleared for farming, residential and commercial purposes. The habitat they require is very specific and includes significant patches of wild lupine (Lupinis perennis) – it is the only host plant for their larvae. Fortunately, the prairies located along the Ice Age Trail provide just the right conditions to collect wild lupine seed.

The work will include walking carefully through a medium tall prairie full of stunning wildflowers and collect lupine seed. When you arrive, you will be greeted by an expert from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Ice Age Trail Alliance who will show you what to pick and where to pick it. From there, enjoy the prairie and pick lupine seed. You’ll have an expert close by to help answer any questions that may arise.

Seed and Sip Locations

• June 17th: Riverland Conservancy (Merrimac Segment, Sauk County)
• Tuesday, June 18th: Muir Preserve (John Muir Segment, Marquette County)
• Thursday, June 20th: Karner Meadow Preserve (Marquette County)

Schedule:

Monday, June 17th- Tuesday, June 18th and Thursday, June 20th

4:00 – 7:00 pm 

This is an open house format – come by anytime between 4:00 and 7:00 pm to help collect seed.

What to Bring:

• Gardening gloves
• Close-toed shoes
• Sun hat/sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Long pants, long sleeve shirt (we will be in tall grass)
• Personal drinking water and container
• Picnic or snacks*
• Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

*The Ice Age Trail Alliance will provide light refreshments and snacks.

We love dogs, but we ask that you not bring them to this event.

Registration is OPEN. Space is limited. Register today! 

Thank you U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Riverland Conservancy and Marquette County for partnering with the Ice Age Trail Alliance for this event.

Photo credit: Randall Lee Schieber Photography