Fair Meadows State Natural Area is now a Madison Audubon sanctuary!
We have some spectacular news: the gorgeous, diverse, vibrant state natural area called Fair Meadows is now owned and protected -- FOREVER -- by Madison Audubon.
It is our newest sanctuary.
This is huge. Land acquisition is a big responsibility that we don't take lightly. Our board carefully and thoughtfully considered every aspect of this process, particularly to ensure it aligns with the strategic goals of our organization and our requirements as a nationally-accredited land trust.
And at the end of the day, this place is too special, too incredible to pass up. Habitat is the most effective tool for bird conservation, and places like Fair Meadows are little slices of bird heaven!
The area is not open to the public for spontaneous visits. But, we'd like to invite you to join us to explore and fall in love with Fair Meadows during these special events:
Fair Meadows Open House Days, September 14-16, 7am-7pm. During this timeframe, you can come out, be welcomed by a staff member, grab a map, and go for a hike or just sit down and take it all in.
Birds of Fair Meadows field trip on September 17, 8-11am. A guided tour by resident managers and former property owners Penny and Gary Shackelford. Space is limited!
Photos above, clockwise from top left: Turtle Pothole, Sandhill Crane and white wild indigo, autumn meadowhawk dragonfly, winter wonderland. Photos by Gary Shackelford
Fair Meadows Sanctuary State Natural Area is a gorgeous, 376.4-acre property on the shores of Lake Koshkonong that has been carefully restored to native landscapes by Penny and Gary Shackelford. The property includes diverse habitats, such as oak woodland/savanna, wet prairie, sedge meadow, open marsh and a spring complex. And birds LOVE it there: 196 bird species have been recorded at Fair Meadows!
Penny and Gary Shackelford purchased the land in 1985, expanded it in 1992, and it was designated a State Natural Area in 2005. As dedicated and passionate private landwoners, the Shackelfords painstakingly restored it to its current beautiful condition, and continue on as the resident managers with help from the land steward Chris Kaplan.
As the new owners of Fair Meadows and a nationally accredited land trust, Madison Audubon is honored to steward, maintain, and enhance Fair Meadows for the benefit of wildlife and the people who love it for all of time.
You can learn all about it on our website:madisonaudubon.org/fair-meadows.
We hope you will be able to join us on a field trip to Fair Meadows soon, and thank you as always for being part of this important conservation community!
Sincerely,
Matt Reetz
Executive director and Fair Meadows fan
Madison Audubon
P.S. Birds LOVE the expansive restored habitats of Fair Meadows and our other sanctuaries, Faville Grove and Goose Pond. You can support bird conservation in a big way by making a donation to Madison Audubon. Any donation, big or small, goes a long way in celebrating and protecting birds!
