From the Educators: Cold weather can't keep these kids inside!

Fall migration and the start of the school year are behind us, and we’re beginning to gear up
for spring migration and end-of-school-year field trips.

Students identify ducks during fall migration.

Last fall Madison Audubon provided after school programming at two different community centers: Vera Court, and Salvation Army. Through these programs we helped underserved city kids learn about themselves through nature exploration. We watched them build their self-confidence with each lesson; a trait that carries over into every aspect of their lives. Our after school kids explored prairies, examined old birds’ nests, called for owls in a dusky woodlot, and used our microscope to get a closer look at water critters.

We provided free field trips to local natural areas for more than 300 middle school students. These trips allowed Glacial Drumlin to bring their entire 7th grade to visit the school forest.  While there, kids identified and collected prairie seeds, which they will use to restore wildlife habitat on their school grounds.

Cold weather and snow don't slow these kids down from learning animal tracks.

This winter we have been visiting several schools in the city of Madison, including Muir and Wingra Elementary, and have strengthened our partnership with Lincoln Elementary. More than half of the kids at Lincoln Elementary come from low-income families, and the freeprogramming you help us to provide really goes a long way! This year we have met with Ms. Guiney’s 4th grade classroom each week for Outdoor Wednesday. The students have been observing and recording phenology around their schoolyard and at nearby Wingra creek. They have tried their hand a tracking animals, snowshoeing, and learning common winter birdcalls. In February, they being a month-long “build a bird” project: each student will create their own imaginary bird, giving it adaptations necessary for its survival in a particular habitat.

This spring we are looking forward to taking several different school groups out on field trips to local natural areas. Transportation costs are one of the biggest hurdles for teachers taking kids on field trips. Because of you, we are able to provide free bussing to kids who really deserve it. We will focus primarily on middle and high school groups from underserved schools. These are the groups with the least opportunity to get out and explore nature.

We have two new education interns this spring! Abe Lenoch will be creating a new partnership with Bayview Community Center’s elementary school kids. Olivia Sanderfoot will continue our partnership at Vera Court. Both will to provide more outstanding afterschool programming for kids. They will focus on exploring different types of natural habitats and the animals that call those places home.

Plants offer a new look and feel during the winter months.

This work was made possible by you! Thank you for helping Madison Audubon Society connect kids with nature!

Prairies of Southern Wisconsin to feature Goose Pond Sanctuary in Photography Exhibit.

Photography by Rich Armstrong, featuring Goose Pond

What: Photography Exhibit

Where: Fitchburg Library, 5530 Lacy Road, Fitchburg, WI

When: November 28-December 28, 2016  

"Land extreemly fertile;  consisting of a happy mixture of praries and groves, exhibiting one of the most beautifull and picteresk seens that I ever beheld."    Meriwether Lewis

Prairies have meant different things to different peoples throughout their existence.  To the native peoples of the plains, prairies were the wellspring of their way of life,  following the immense herds of bison that were at the center of that existence - both brought to near extinction by the advent of a new wave of immigrants.  To these new immigrants the prairies were either a scourge to travel towards lands further west , or a plague to plow in order to reach the incredibly black and rich soil lying beneath.  Soil, that after much abuse, was then simply blown towards the Atlantic Ocean during the Dust Bowl.  Most of what was once prairie has now become a monoculture of corn and soy, grown mostly for the immense livestock industry that feeds a growing world population.  Less than 5% of the original tall-grass prairie still exists, and in Wisconsin, it is less than 1% that has survived the plow.

So, is the prairie doomed?  Thankfully, there has been a relatively recent resurgence of interest in the preservation and restoration of former prairie lands through the efforts of private, public, governmental, and environmental groups.  The sight that Meriwether Lewis and all the previous inhabitants saw is something none of us will ever see again.  But through the efforts of all the people involved in its preservation and restorations, perhaps we can get a glimpse of the majesty that once existed.  And for that we should all be grateful and give thanks to all those involved.  And even though these fragments are small in comparison, we can still see far if we only look close.

The photographers of this exhibit all share a passion for the natural world.  It is our hope that the photographs in this exhibit convey the same sense of wonder to you as we felt when composing them.  We also hope that these photographs will inspire you to visit a prairie, either natural or restored.  And, equally important, to inspire within you a commitment towards their preservation.  We hope that you enjoy this exhibit and we thank you for your time in viewing it.

The Photographers:  

Rich Armstrong- www.richarmstrongphotography.com/

Bob Jaeger- rjaegf@hotmail.com

Don Julie

Tom Klingele- www.tomklingele.smugmug.com/  

Update: MAS continues to advocate for the appropriate use of the SPRA land

Madison Audubon has been working extensively with the DNR to create a master plan for the appropriate use of the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area (SPRA). The SPRA was founded in deep historic roots. Over the years, the land was cultivated for various activities. Currently, Madison Audubon is working with the DNR to utilize this land for conservation purposes. The idea is to provide a natural habitat for various bird and wildlife species. In order to fullfill this vision, we're trying to reach a mutual agreement on the best practices for the land. Please read our latest report to the DNR: November 28th Report: Advocacy Letter

To view the full revised Master Plan: Sauk Prairie Recreation Area Master Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (draft) 

If you're interested in becoming an advocate, the Natural Resources Board will be meeting at December 14, 2016 in Madison: DNR Board Meeting Info

Photography by DNR

MAS reviews Badger Army Ammo Plant master plan

A view of the Badger Army Ammunition Plant grounds from the southeast. Photo from WI DNR webpage.

The Badger Army Ammunition Plant, located just south of Devil's Lake State Park in south central Wisconsin, was the largest munitions plant in the world during World War II. It was decommissioned in 1997, the buildings since then demolished and the land remediated for its new owners. Much of the land is now restored prairie.

The 7,000+ acres is now part of the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area, and will be maintained by three owners: the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Ho-Chunk Nation, and Dairy Forage Research Center. A master plan for DNR-designated land has been drafted, revised, and is now available for public review.

Madison Audubon Society's Advocacy Committee is reviewing the draft master plan and will provide the DNR with feedback on best management practices for protecting grassland birds and the opportunities and challenges facing a restoration of critical habitats (oak openings and prairies). The DNR Board meets on December 14, 2016 in Madison to discuss the plan and gather feedback - public participation is welcome.

Access the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area Master Plan and Environmental Impact Statement here.