There is lots of good news to share. The first occurred a couple of weeks ago when stalwart volunteers gathered at Goose Pond Sanctuary to plant a new prairie. The land was the last gap, 16 acres, in the northern half of the Goose Pond lands. Mark, Graham, and Emma, the wonderful Goose Pond team, had scheduled it after light snowfall, which makes it much easier to see how effectively one is scattering the seeds.
A map showing the location of the 16 acres planted at Goose Pond Sanctuary. Provided by Graham Steinhauer
We sowed dozens of varieties of seeds. The wind was blowing hard, though, which meant my nose and shoes probably held $50 worth of prairie seeds when I returned home. By the way, one fun feature of the day was that most of the seed had been collected at Goose Pond with some of the planting crew having helped collect those seeds. Sowing a prairie probably seems like one of the easier volunteer tasks. Maybe, but 16 acres is a lot more in person than it appears in print. Each of us seemingly walked miles in order to achieve the thorough, criss-cross pattern the planting required.
Calla Norris mixes seeds for planting at Goose Pond Sanctuary. Photo by Graham Steinhauer
The current, heavy snow cover should have the seeds off to a good start this spring. I'm assuming spring will come. After all the roof raking this past week, I'm so ready for it.*
The sowing is one of several fun volunteer activities available at our sanctuaries throughout the year. I enjoyed talking to some of my fellow sowers. Several were pretty new to volunteering and they remarked on how much they are learning. Two noted they always thought that just about any tree any place was good. They were surprised that managing prairies, grasslands, and savannas means that some trees have to go.
A volunteer scatters seed at a prairie planting event coordinated by the Goose Pond Sanctuary team. Photo by Brenna Marsicek / SoWBA
Land Protection
The second bit of good news is the sort I love the most: more land protected. We, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (formerly Madison Audubon) had a wonderful 2023 with the addition of Fair Meadows, a huge, new sanctuary, and a great expansion of Faville Grove. Some of my other favorite land trusts had some wonderful purchases and donations. A shout out to the Mississippi Valley Conservancy for closing a key gap on public lands on the Kickapoo River that included two trout streams (my friends at Trout Unlimited helped too). The Prairie Enthusiasts are always actively seeking remnant prairies and savannas to protect, and I think we might have as good a 2024 as last year. Stay tuned.
Anderson Waterfowl Production Area, photo courtesy of Groundswell Conservancy
Meanwhile, see this link for another land use triumph which birders should keep in mind. Groundswell Conservancy has purchased its third addition to a Waterfowl Production Areas in southern Columbia County in the last two years. WPAs are federal lands, traditionally purchased with revenue from the federal duck stamp and managed basically for birds—waterfowl, shore birds, and grassland birds. They are open to the public. While hunters use them during the fall, they don't get that much attention during the rest of the year. But they should. They are full of cool birds. For several years the US Fish & Wildlife Service focused midwestern acquisition on the Dakotas. Groundswell's efforts means that some southern Wisconsin WPAs are getting the attention they deserve.
Land Trusts & Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program
Some more good news is the effort of Gathering Waters (GW) to work with land trusts around the state, including us, so that land trusts receive the funds they need from the Stewardship program. The actions of a few legislators on the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) had stopped some Stewardship grants and severely limited funds for others. GW is helping land trusts apply for the Stewardship funds they need and deserve. And, even more importantly, to shepherd those grants through JFC. So far, the strategy and tactics appear to work. But they depend on extremely strong public support of the grant requests.
Please, please, please, if GW and Wisconsin land trusts, including us, ask for your support of a Stewardship project with a letter, email, or phone call to some legislators, please send that message.
Success for Pelican River
Here's another link to more good conservation news. Governor Evers figured out a way to permanently protect the Pelican River Forest and enable the public (us) to enjoy it. The GW press release lists all the folks and organizations who deserve our thanks with one omission. Modest folks that GW staff are, they don't describe their massive and persistent role in rallying the public in defense of the forest.
Perhaps this concludes a mystifying chapter in Wisconsin conservation history. The opposition of a few members of the Joint Finance Committee is the mystery. Support for this project was overwhelming and included strong support from local individuals, organizations, and local governments. Adding to the mystery is that the Conservation Fund has large forest projects like this across the county. I enjoy reading about their successes in states like Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. But these forest projects have the enthusiastic support of the states' natural resources agencies and elected officials. What is going on in Wisconsin's Legislature?
By the time you read this, I hope the snow and ice are diminishing. Until then, stay safe.
Topf Wells, advocacy committee
* After roof raking yesterday, I created this survey for my Wisconsin friends and neighbors:
What is the worst experience?
A root canal
Prep for a colonoscopy
Roof raking?
