Registration is full for Madison Audubon members (waiting list is available)
TNC members are still welcome to register below
Celebrate National Trails Day one day early with an unforgettable field trip! Known as the “Wisconsin Desert,” Spring Green Prairie includes some of the state’s rarest plant communities-sand and dry bluff prairies and black oak barrens-and is home to a diversity of rare plants, insects, reptiles, and birds. We will encounter a variety of grassland birds, including (we hope!) Eastern Meadowlarks, Henslow's, Grasshopper, Vesper, Savannah, and Lark Sparrows; Dickcissels, Blue-winged Warblers, and Orchard Orioles and learn about the preserve's history, land management, and biota.
June 3 is National Prairie Day and National Trails Day. Celebrate a day early with us on June 2 for an unforgettable trip to Spring Green Prairie!
This trip is co-hosted by Madison Audubon and The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin
What to Bring/Wear: We recommend that you dress for the weather, and bring a sunhat, sunscreen and water. There are no bathrooms on site.
Directions: From the intersection of US Hwy 14 and State Hwy 23 near Spring Green, travel north on 23 for 0.5 mile to intersection with Jones Road on the right (east). Travel east on Jones Road for 0.75 mile; the preserve is on the left. Turn left into a dirt access road marked with a TNC preserve entrance sign — (fire #E5196A).
ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES:
Field trip leader is adept at birding by ear and willing to accommodate those with visual impairments
Walking is mostly over level, open terrain. Trip is accessible to all who can walk on a sandy trail for nearly 2 miles of walking, with a slight incline change in elevation. There is a steep climb to the top of the bluff later in the trip for those who want to continue, while the group heads back to the parking area by 10 am.
WHEELCHAIR USE: Want to use an all-terrain, outdoor wheelchair for this field trip? Access Ability Wisconsin offers them for free! To reserve a chair and trailer, visit their website. If you need help coordinating a wheelchair for this trip, please let us know (Brenna Marsicek, bmarsicek@madisonaudubon.org).
APPROXIMATE DISTANCE: 1-3 miles
FIELD TRIP LEADERS: Becky Abel - Madison Audubon (608-255-2473 x5, babel@madisonaudubon.org) and Steve Richter - The Nature Conservancy
RAIN DATE: none; if weather is poor we will cancel the trip
RSVP REQUIRED? Yes, participation is capped at 30 people. 15 spots will be reserved for TNC members, 15 spots will be reserved for Madison Audubon members.
