Sanctuaries

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'Tis the Season to be Burning

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'Tis the Season to be Burning

Spring is prescribed burn season here at Faville Grove, and across southern Wisconsin. There's a lot that goes into a prescribed burn: We take into account the relative humidity, soil moisture, wind speed and direction, temperature, and sky cover. We also need to notify neighbors, the county sheriff, and round up a crew of volunteers on days of a burn. Setting fire to the landscape can be a thrilling experience, but the best burns are those that are boring--excitement means something unplanned has occurred and unplanned events with fire are not a good thing!

You can see in these photos that we only burn when conditions are ideal for what we're trying to accomplish; in both photos with the road, you'll see that the wind is sending the smoke billowing away from the driving lanes, which is necessary for us to conduct a burn along these areas.

Photo by Drew Harry

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How do you Goose Pond?

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Share your Goose Pond memories

Goose Pond Sanctuary is a cornerstone of Madison Audubon, an exceptional bird-watching site in south-central Wisconsin, and a symbol of Wisconsin's strong conservation legacy. It has grown from 60 acres that included much of the west pond-with-potential into a flourishing 660-acre sanctuary for native habitats, birds, mammals, insects, and amphibians, and the people who love them.

For some of us, Goose Pond has been a frequent destination for decades; for others, Goose Pond is a new-found gem. Regardless, if you have a favorite memory of Goose Pond Sanctuary, help us celebrate it's 50th year of conservation, research, and education by sharing it below. We will showcase these stories at the various celebrations throughout the year.

Robert Lerch (left) lived at Goose Pond for 20 years before selling to Madison Audubon in 1968. He reminisces with Mark Martin, Sanctuary resident co-manager. Image from MAS December 1994 newsletter

Robert Lerch (left) lived at Goose Pond for 20 years before selling to Madison Audubon in 1968. He reminisces with Mark Martin, Sanctuary resident co-manager. Image from MAS December 1994 newsletter

Thank you for your love for Goose Pond Sanctuary and the many hands that have helped shape it.

We'd love to see your photos too!

Please your Goose Pond Sanctuary photographs to Brenna Marsicek (bmarsicek@madisonaudubon.org) with a short explanation. By submitting photos, you give Madison Audubon permission to use them in education and outreach materials. Thank you!

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Reflections of a Goose Pond Sanctuary Land Steward

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I’ve had so many wonderful experiences as the Goose Pond Sanctuary Land Steward. Some memories stand out and seem to define my time here, while others lose all their sharpness and instead coalesce into something like background music, except that this background music is made up of whistling swans and rustling prairie grasses. I’ve attempted to share a bit of both of these types of memory here. I hope that these reflections will add something to your own savored memories of nature and conservation.

Photo by Maddie Dumas

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Winter Update at Faville Grove

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It's been a busy time here at Faville Grove, as always. We finished collecting seed in November, with over 300 species collected! On November 25th we burned 110+ acres on Martin and Tillotson prairies; a very successful burn. With the help with lots of volunteers, we mixed the seed into dry-mesic, wet, wet-mesic, and woodland/savanna mixes. The day before planting we conducted a good burn on the woods north of Hwy 89. And on December 2nd we planted 22.75 acres, a huge undertaking with about 50 volunteers, on a gorgeous and sunny day.

Photo by Drew Harry

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Wingspan: Fully funded and foundationally set!

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While orange fencing, gray tarps, and bare ground are not the usual view in Bicentennial Prairie, this is a sight made beautiful by what it signifies. Tucked into the hillside overlooking Goose Pond is physical proof that many people know and love this sanctuary and those who tend it, and are creating something special to honor them.

We are delighted to share that nearly 100 donors have helped us reach our fundraising goal of $50,000! Because of all of you, the Wingspan observation pavilion will become a reality and a welcoming place for generations to come. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

On site, concrete footings have been poured, and the first of three sets of columns are scheduled for installation this week. The shades are being fabricated as we speak, and the solid oak slabs for the benches are in hand. We are preparing signage, and beginning to plan the dedication ceremony. Even the prairie seems ready, with its incredible show of flowers and abundance of birds and insects.

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Through all of this hustle and bustle, Mark Martin and Susan Foote-Martin continue their dedicated work on the land at Goose Pond Sanctuary. They're graduating interns, controlling invasives, counting butterflies, and conducting outreach. Your support and respect for these humble and wonderful land managers are well founded.

Everyone is welcome to visit the Wingspan site at Goose Pond (follow the path up and to the left of the kiosk), and see the fruits of your generosity.

Sincerely,
The Wingspan Committee

John Kaiser, Galen Hasler, Brenna Marsicek, Roger Packard, Matt Reetz, Don Schmidt, and Topf Wells, in collaboration with Mark Martin and Susan Foote-Martin