Tag Archives: Habitat Improvement Project

Habitat Improvement: Invasive Brush Control, Merrimac Preserve, Sauk County

What You’ll Help Do:
Maintain habitat diversity and ecosystem quality along Riverland Conservancy-owned Merrimac Preserve. This property, which hosts the Ice Age Trail, boasts acres of springtime lupine. Removing invasive brush from the prairie helps maintain the sea of purple flowers. Provided there is adequate snow cover, we’ll burn the brush piles, too.

Schedule: 
Join us from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday, December 6. 

Lunch is provided.

All Talents and Abilities Welcome!
We need brush haulers and trained swampers (volunteers who create brush piles) and brush-cutters. NPS certified sawyers are welcome and encouraged to bring their own chainsaw and PPE.

However, no experience is necessary and there’s a role for volunteers of all ages and abilities. Friendly staff and certified volunteer crew leaders will provide hands-on training to get you started right away.

Registration:
To help us plan this event with your needs in mind, please register by Monday, December 2, 2024.

Limit: 50 volunteers.

 

 

 

Parking and Volunteer Check-In

  • Registrants will receive a confirmation email a day or two ahead of the project, containing parking and check-in details.
  • There is no overnight camping or base camp for this project.

What to Bring

  • A water bottle(s) and a thermos filled with a warm beverage.
  • Winter-appropriate footwear. If snowy/icy, consider snowshoes and ice cleats (Micro Spikes, Yak Traks, etc.) for secure footing.
  • A plastic sled and/or backpack for hauling gear may prove helpful.
  • Appropriate ‘near-fire’ clothing (no synthetics – leave that fancy coat at home).
  • Clothing to dress in layers (for warmth and to keep dry).
  • A daypack, sunscreen, and leather gloves.
  • NPS certified sawyers are welcome and encouraged to bring your own saw and PPE.

Questions?
Please contact Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist, by emailing: Steve@iceagetrail.org

We hope to see you soon!

Happy Trails,

The Merrimac Preserve Project Team

 

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – Karner Meadow Preserve, Marquette County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from the Karner Meadow Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned property in Marquette County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task. Light refreshments available, too!

Event Details: 

  • Where: Karner Meadow Preserve, Marquette County
  • When: Tuesday, October 8, 2024
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Parking: N 8952 4th Ave, Westfield, WI 53964, (Roadside parking) View Map.
  • Terrain: Expect fairly level, but somewhat uneven footing.

 

 

 

Registration link coming soon!

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – Moraine Kettles Preserve, Verona Segment, Dane County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from Moraine Kettles Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned property along the Verona Segment in Dane County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task. Light refreshments available, too!

Event Details: 

  • Where: Moraine Kettles Preserve, Cross Plains Segment, Dane County
  • When: Sunday, September 29, 2024
  • Time: Open-house-style, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • Parking: Near 1193 Wild Willow Way, Verona, WI 53593 (Roadside parking) View Map.
  • Terrain: Expect fairly level, but somewhat uneven footing.

 

 

 

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – Andersen Preserve, Cross Plains Segment, Dane County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from Andersen Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned property along the Cross Plains Segment in Dane County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task. Light refreshments available, too!

Event Details: 

  • Where: Andersen Preserve, Cross Plains Segment, Dane County
  • When: Tuesday, September 24, 2024
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
  • Parking: 2422 Hickory Hill Street, Cross Plains, WI 53528. View Map. (Roadside parking.)
  • Terrain: Expect a climb up to the Preserve, after that the terrain is fairly level, but somewhat uneven.

 

 

 

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – Muir Preserve, Marquette County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from Muir Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned property in Marquette County, north of the John Muir Park Segment.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task.

Event Details: 

  • Where: Muir Preserve, north of the John Muir Park Segment, Marquette County
  • When: Thursday, September 12, 2024
  • Time: Open-house-style, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • Parking: N1595 Co Rd F, Montello, WI 53949. View Map.
  • Terrain: Expect fairly level, but somewhat uneven terrain.

 

 

 

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – Steenbock Preserve, Gibraltar Rock Segment, Columbia County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from Steenbock Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned property along the Gibraltar Rock Segment, Columbia County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task.

Event Details: 

  • Where: Steenbock Preserve, Gibraltar Rock Segment, Columbia County
  • When: Thursday, September 5, 2024
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Parking: Merrimac Ferry parking lot adjacent the Merrimac Scoop (N2499 WI-188, Lodi, WI 53555). Follow the yellow blazes from the parking lot, paralleling STH-113 for about a quarter-mile. Cross STH-113, climb the hill (steep), and follow the ridgeline to the work site.
  • Terrain: Expect a nearly 1-mile walk to the Preserve and a steep climb with switchbacks up to the prairie.

 

 

 

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from SwampLover’s Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned preserve along the Table Bluff Segment in Dane County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task.

Event Details: 

  • Where: SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County
  • When: Wednesdays, September 4 through October 30
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Parking and Check-In: Picnic Hill: Scheele Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528. View map.
  • Terrain: Expect a steep climb to the top of “Picnic Hill”. Expect tall grasses in a fairly level prairie.
  • Registration: Not necessary. Alliance staff will be there collecting seeds and ready to greet you.

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Volunteer Agreement Form:

If you are new to volunteering or haven’t filled out a Volunteer Agreement form in the last 12 months, please complete an agreement before attending this event.

Please email your completed agreement to the National Park Service (iatr_vip_ice_age_trail@nps.gov) to establish your Individual Volunteer Agreement.

Questions about the Volunteer Agreement Form?
Email Dan Watson, Volunteer Coordinator, National Park Service – Ice Age Trail: Daniel_Watson@nps.gov

 

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from SwampLover’s Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned preserve along the Table Bluff Segment in Dane County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task.

Event Details: 

  • Where: SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County
  • When: Wednesdays, September 4 through October 30
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Parking and Check-In: Picnic Hill: Scheele Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528. View map.
  • Terrain: Expect a steep climb to the top of “Picnic Hill”. Expect tall grasses in a fairly level prairie.
  • Registration: Not necessary. Alliance staff will be there collecting seeds and ready to greet you.

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Volunteer Agreement Form:

If you are new to volunteering or haven’t filled out a Volunteer Agreement form in the last 12 months, please complete an agreement before attending this event.

Please email your completed agreement to the National Park Service (iatr_vip_ice_age_trail@nps.gov) to establish your Individual Volunteer Agreement.

Questions about the Volunteer Agreement Form?
Email Dan Watson, Volunteer Coordinator, National Park Service – Ice Age Trail: Daniel_Watson@nps.gov

 

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from SwampLover’s Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned preserve along the Table Bluff Segment in Dane County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task.

Event Details: 

  • Where: SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County
  • When: Wednesdays, September 4 through October 30
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Parking and Check-In: Picnic Hill: Scheele Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528. View map.
  • Terrain: Expect a steep climb to the top of “Picnic Hill”. Expect tall grasses in a fairly level prairie.
  • Registration: Not necessary. Alliance staff will be there collecting seeds and ready to greet you.

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Volunteer Agreement Form:

If you are new to volunteering or haven’t filled out a Volunteer Agreement form in the last 12 months, please complete an agreement before attending this event.

Please email your completed agreement to the National Park Service (iatr_vip_ice_age_trail@nps.gov) to establish your Individual Volunteer Agreement.

Questions about the Volunteer Agreement Form?
Email Dan Watson, Volunteer Coordinator, National Park Service – Ice Age Trail: Daniel_Watson@nps.gov

 

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from SwampLover’s Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned preserve along the Table Bluff Segment in Dane County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task.

Event Details: 

  • Where: SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County
  • When: Wednesdays, September 4 through October 30
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Parking and Check-In: Picnic Hill: Scheele Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528. View map.
  • Terrain: Expect a steep climb to the top of “Picnic Hill”. Expect tall grasses in a fairly level prairie.
  • Registration: Not necessary. Alliance staff will be there collecting seeds and ready to greet you.

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Volunteer Agreement Form:

If you are new to volunteering or haven’t filled out a Volunteer Agreement form in the last 12 months, please complete an agreement before attending this event.

Please email your completed agreement to the National Park Service (iatr_vip_ice_age_trail@nps.gov) to establish your Individual Volunteer Agreement.

Questions about the Volunteer Agreement Form?
Email Dan Watson, Volunteer Coordinator, National Park Service – Ice Age Trail: Daniel_Watson@nps.gov

 

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from SwampLover’s Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned preserve along the Table Bluff Segment in Dane County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task.

Event Details: 

  • Where: SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County
  • When: Wednesdays, September 4 through October 30
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Parking and Check-In: Picnic Hill: Scheele Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528. View map.
  • Terrain: Expect a steep climb to the top of “Picnic Hill”. Expect tall grasses in a fairly level prairie.
  • Registration: Not necessary. Alliance staff will be there collecting seeds and ready to greet you.

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Volunteer Agreement Form:

If you are new to volunteering or haven’t filled out a Volunteer Agreement form in the last 12 months, please complete an agreement before attending this event.

Please email your completed agreement to the National Park Service (iatr_vip_ice_age_trail@nps.gov) to establish your Individual Volunteer Agreement.

Questions about the Volunteer Agreement Form?
Email Dan Watson, Volunteer Coordinator, National Park Service – Ice Age Trail: Daniel_Watson@nps.gov

 

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from SwampLover’s Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned preserve along the Table Bluff Segment in Dane County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task.

Event Details: 

  • Where: SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County
  • When: Wednesdays, September 4 through October 30
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Parking and Check-In: Picnic Hill: Scheele Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528. View map.
  • Terrain: Expect a steep climb to the top of “Picnic Hill”. Expect tall grasses in a fairly level prairie.
  • Registration: Not necessary. Alliance staff will be there collecting seeds and ready to greet you.

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Volunteer Agreement Form:

If you are new to volunteering or haven’t filled out a Volunteer Agreement form in the last 12 months, please complete an agreement before attending this event.

Please email your completed agreement to the National Park Service (iatr_vip_ice_age_trail@nps.gov) to establish your Individual Volunteer Agreement.

Questions about the Volunteer Agreement Form?
Email Dan Watson, Volunteer Coordinator, National Park Service – Ice Age Trail: Daniel_Watson@nps.gov

 

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from SwampLover’s Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned preserve along the Table Bluff Segment in Dane County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task.

Event Details: 

  • Where: SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County
  • When: Wednesdays, September 4 through October 30
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Parking and Check-In: Picnic Hill: Scheele Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528. View map.
  • Terrain: Expect a steep climb to the top of “Picnic Hill”. Expect tall grasses in a fairly level prairie.
  • Registration: Not necessary. Alliance staff will be there collecting seeds and ready to greet you.

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Volunteer Agreement Form:

If you are new to volunteering or haven’t filled out a Volunteer Agreement form in the last 12 months, please complete an agreement before attending this event.

Please email your completed agreement to the National Park Service (iatr_vip_ice_age_trail@nps.gov) to establish your Individual Volunteer Agreement.

Questions about the Volunteer Agreement Form?
Email Dan Watson, Volunteer Coordinator, National Park Service – Ice Age Trail: Daniel_Watson@nps.gov

 

Habitat Improvement Project, Fall Seed Collecting – SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County

Join us for a unique opportunity to harvest native prairie seed from SwampLover’s Preserve, an Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned preserve along the Table Bluff Segment in Dane County.

Walk through flowing grasses—big blue stem—and exuberant stands of wildflowers, picking seed from pale purple cone flower, culver’s root, wild bergamot, and more! Alliance staff and expert volunteers will be on hand to guide you through the process, ensuring you know what and where to pick. (The Alliance will also provide clippers for snipping seed heads and collection buckets or bags.)

This fun, easy, casual event allows volunteers of all ages and abilities to participate in an essential aspect of habitat restoration—seed collection.

Later, the collected seed is cleaned at the Alliance’s “Seed Shed” before it is spread, in late winter, across other Alliance-owned preserves to increase plant diversity for struggling pollinators.

Come any time between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (open-house-style) to help with this crucial habitat improvement task.

Event Details: 

  • Where: SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County
  • When: Wednesdays, September 4 through October 30
  • Time: Open-house-style, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Parking and Check-In: Picnic Hill: 8837 Scheele Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528. View map.
  • Terrain: Expect a steep climb to the top of “Picnic Hill”. Expect tall grasses in a fairly level prairie.
  • Registration: Not necessary. Alliance staff will be there collecting seeds and ready to greet you.

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
  • Raingear – we will work in light rain, please check the forecast

Volunteer Agreement Form:

If you are new to volunteering or haven’t filled out a Volunteer Agreement form in the last 12 months, please complete an agreement before attending this event.

Please email your completed agreement to the National Park Service (iatr_vip_ice_age_trail@nps.gov) to establish your Individual Volunteer Agreement.

Questions about the Volunteer Agreement Form?
Email Dan Watson, Volunteer Coordinator, National Park Service – Ice Age Trail: Daniel_Watson@nps.gov

 

Habitat Improvement: Table Bluff Segment at SwampLovers’ Preserve

What You’ll Help Do:

Help maintain habitat diversity and ecosystem quality in Alliance-owned SwampLover’s Preserve. Remove invasive brush from the oak savannas and woodlands using loppers and hand saws. Trained sawyers will bring down invasive trees, too. All this effort prepares the preserve for future broadcast burning. If there is adequate snow cover, we’ll also burn the brush piles.

Join us each day, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday, January 19, and learn what it takes to maintain the lush prairies and savannas of these Preserves.

We also need NPS-trained sawyers and swampers (a person to ensure crew safety when a sawyer is running the chainsaw) and brush haulers to pile and burn the debris. We encourage NPS-certified sawyers to bring their chainsaw and PPE.

Registration:

 

 

 

All Talents and Abilities Welcome!
No experience is necessary and there’s a role for volunteers of all ages and abilities. Certified and friendly staff and volunteer crew leaders will provide hands-on training to get you started right away.

Schedule 
Your contribution of time and energy is welcome for any part of the event.

The event runs Friday, January 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Lunch is provided.

Parking and Volunteer Check-In

Parking may be limited this time of year, so please consider ride-sharing. (Park at Scheele Road parking lot.)

There is no overnight camping or base camp for this project.

What to Bring
• Winter-appropriate footwear. If snowy/icy, consider snowshoes and ice cleats (Micro Spikes, Yak Traks, etc.) for secure footing.
• A plastic sled and/or backpack for hauling gear may prove helpful.
• Appropriate ‘near-fire’ clothing (no synthetics – leave that fancy coat at home).
• Clothing to dress in layers (for warmth and to keep dry).
• A daypack, sunscreen, and leather gloves.
• A water bottle(s) and a thermos filled with a warm beverage.
• NPS certified sawyers are welcome and encouraged to bring your own saw and PPE.

Looking Ahead:

Join us for similar-style habitat improvement efforts at Steenbock Preserve:

February 9 & 10: Steenbock Preserve, Gibraltar Rock Segment, Columbia County

Questions?
Please contact Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist, by emailing: Steve@iceagetrail.org

We hope to see you soon!

Happy Trails,

The Table Bluff Segment Project Team

 

Habitat Improvement: Invasive Brush Control, Steenbock Preserve, Gibraltar Rock Segment, Columbia County

What You’ll Help Do
Remove invasive brush from the oak savannas and woodlands using loppers and hand saws. Invasive trees will be brought down, too, by trained sawyers. This effort helps reveal the viewshed of Lake Wisconsin and the Baraboo Hills. Provided there is adequate snow cover, we’ll burn the brush piles, too.

Schedule:
Join us each day, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday, February 7, and Saturday, February 8, and learn what it takes to restore the savannas of the Steenbock Preserve.

Lunch is provided each day.

All Talents and Abilities Welcome!
We need swampers (volunteers who create brush piles) and brush-cutters. NPS certified sawyers are welcome and encouraged to bring their chainsaw and PPE.

However, no experience is necessary and there’s a role for volunteers of all ages and abilities. Friendly staff and certified volunteer crew leaders will provide hands-on training to get you started right away.

Registration:
To help us plan this event with your needs in mind, please register by Monday, February 3, 2025.

Limit: 50 volunteers.

 

 

 

Parking and Volunteer Check-In

  • Registrants will receive a confirmation email a day or two ahead of the project, containing parking and check-in information.
  • There is no overnight camping or base camp for this project.

What to Bring

  • Bring winter-appropriate footwear such as insulated boots. Ice cleats (Micro Spikes, Yak Traks, etc.) and walking sticks are highly recommended for for secure footing.
  • A plastic sled and/or backpack for hauling gear may prove helpful.
  • Appropriate ‘near-fire’ clothing (no synthetics – leave that fancy coat at home).
  • Clothing to dress in layers (for warmth and to keep dry).
  • A daypack, sunscreen, and leather gloves.
  • A water bottle(s) and a thermos filled with a warm beverage.
  • NPS certified sawyers are welcome and encouraged to bring their saws and PPE.

Questions?
Please contact Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist, by emailing: steve@iceagetrail.org

We hope to see you soon!

Happy Trails,

The Gibraltar Rock Segment Project Team

Habitat Improvement: Invasive Brush Control, SwampLovers’ Preserve, Table Bluff Segment, Dane County

What You’ll Help Do:
Remove invasive brush from the oak savannas and woodlands in the Alliance-owned Swamplovers’ Preserve using loppers and hand saws. Trained sawyers will bring down invasive trees, too. These efforts maintain habitat diversity and ecosystem quality while preparing the Preserve for future broadcast burning. Provided there is adequate snow cover, we’ll burn the brush piles, too.

Schedule:
Join us each day, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday, January 10, and Saturday, January 11, and learn what it takes to maintain the lush prairies and savannas of these Preserves.

Lunch is provided each day.

All Talents and Abilities Welcome!
We need brush haulers and trained swampers (volunteers who create brush piles) and brush-cutters. NPS certified sawyers are welcome and encouraged to bring their own chainsaw and PPE.

However, no experience is necessary and there’s a role for volunteers of all ages and abilities. Certified and friendly staff and volunteer crew leaders will provide hands-on training to get you started right away.

Registration:
To help us plan this event with your needs in mind, please register by Monday, January 6, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.

Limit: 50 volunteers.

 

 

 

Parking and Volunteer Check-In

  • Details about parking and volunteer check-in will be sent in confirmation email several days ahead of the event.
  • Parking may be limited this time of year, so please consider ride-sharing.
  • There is no overnight camping or base camp for this project.

What to Bring

  • Winter-appropriate footwear. If snowy/icy, consider snowshoes and ice cleats (Micro Spikes, Yak Traks, etc.) for secure footing.
  • A plastic sled and/or backpack for hauling gear may prove helpful.
  • Appropriate ‘near-fire’ clothing (no synthetics – leave that fancy coat at home).
  • Clothing to dress in layers (for warmth and to keep dry).
  • A daypack, sunscreen, and leather gloves.
  • A water bottle(s) and a thermos filled with a warm beverage.
  • NPS certified sawyers are welcome and encouraged to bring your own saw and PPE.

Questions?
Please contact Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist, by emailing: Steve@iceagetrail.org

We hope to see you soon!

Happy Trails,

The Table Bluff Segment Project Team