Southern Wisconsin Land Conservancy

10/15/2026

Conservation in Action! 🌿

Yesterday, our team visited Schuler Farm near Brodhead, WI, for a monitoring visit!

Protected in 2022, this 90-acre property plays an important role in preserving the headwater springs and hydrology of the Orfordville branch stream. 💧

Since being protected, much of the property’s former agricultural land has been restored to native prairie and pollinator habitat, creating valuable habitat for grassland birds and other wildlife. The property also features mature bur oak savannas, wetlands, and beautiful native wildflowers. 🌾🦋

During our visit, we had the opportunity to check in on this special property and see the continued importance of conservation and restoration efforts. Ongoing management, including invasive species control, helps protect the land’s ecological health for years to come.

We’re grateful to the landowners who are committed to protecting and restoring Wisconsin’s natural landscapes! 💚

Interested in protecting your land? Visit www.swconservancy.org/conservation-easements today to learn more! ..

10/06/2026

TOMORROW: Bird Walk with Quentin! 🌾

Join us tomorrow, Wednesday, October 7, at 8:00 AM at Sunny Peace Prairie for a morning of birding focused on fall sparrow migration!

October is a great time to spot migrating sparrows and other birds moving through southern Wisconsin. Quentin Yoerger will lead the walk and help participants identify the birds we encounter along the way.

Whether you’re an experienced birder or just getting started, everyone is welcome! Bring your binoculars if you have them, dress for the weather, and wear comfortable shoes for walking outdoors.

📅 Wednesday, October 7
⏰ 8:00 AM
📍 Sunny Peace Prairie
🐦 Led by Quentin Yoerger

Come enjoy a beautiful fall morning on the prairie and see what you can discover! 🍂🐦

10/01/2026

Coming up! Learn how to protect the Sugar River from these aquatic invasive species: https://tinyurl.com/protect-the-sugar-river

Our next Lunch & Learn at Three Waters Reserve is in collaboration with the USRWA! Join us on October 15th from 12-1 pm and enjoy delicious Cornish pasties while the Upper Sugar River Watershed Association shares how to identify invasive species found in our local waterways! 🌱🦋🌊

Register by October 11 🎟️ www.threewatersreserve.com/products/lunch-learn-know-your-invasives-protecting-the-sugar-river..

09/24/2026

Want to learn what the data tells us? Join us on October 1st for our Lunch & Learn with Camille Bruhn of the WI DNR and Tonya Gratz of Green County Land & Water Conservation. Discover what 13 years of monitoring has taught us, how conservation practices are making a difference, and how you can get involved.

Get tickets today! 🎟️ www.threewatersreserve.com/products/lunch-learn-what-the-water-tells-us
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For more than a decade, farmers, community volunteers, and natural resource professionals have been working together to better understand and protect the Sugar River Watershed. Join water quality and soil health specialists and educators as they share what we’ve learned from 13 years of citizen an...

09/15/2026

Have you noticed these bright yellow blooms popping up across the prairie? 🌼

Meet stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida)! This native wildflower is a late-season favorite for pollinators, offering an important source of nectar when many other flowers are beginning to fade.

Fall may be on its way, but there is still plenty of life buzzing through the prairie! 🐝🌾
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09/11/2026

New Trails at Sunny Peace Prairie! 🌿

There’s even more to explore at Sunny Peace Prairie! We’re excited to welcome visitors to our newly established trails, offering new ways to experience the prairie, woodlands, and natural areas throughout the property.

We are working on a trail map to get to you soon! 🗺️

Whether you’re a longtime visitor or exploring Sunny Peace Prairie for the first time, we hope you’ll come check out the new trails! 🌱

📍2604 S C**n Island Rd, Orfordville, WI

☀️ Learn more at www.swconservancy.org/sunny-peace-prairie!..

09/03/2026

A glimpse of an ancient plant at Sunny Peace Prairie! 🌿

This is Equisetum, commonly known as horsetail! It belongs to a group of plants with a history stretching back over 350 million years. With its distinctive jointed stems and simple, scale-like leaves, horsetail has a look unlike most of the plants we see today.

Often referred to as a “living fossil,” Equisetum gives us a glimpse into the Carboniferous period where its ancestors Calamites were over 100 feet tall. Equisetum is one of a handful of plant species that reproduces by releasing microscopic spores instead of seeds.
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08/28/2026

Look what’s popping up after the burn! 🔥🌿

This Meadow Rue is a welcome sight following a prescribed burn. Native plants like this are able to quickly emerge after fire, showing us that a burned landscape is far from lifeless!

Prescribed fire plays an important role in maintaining healthy, diverse prairie habitat. 🌼..