Seno K/RLT Conservancy

06/23/2026

We're one week away from our Pond and Prairie Family Program and if you haven't registered yet, there's still time!

Come explore our prairie and tamarack bog and see what critters you can spot! 😀

06/16/2026

Join us on Tuesday, June 30th from 5:30-7:30PM for our Pond and Prairie Family Program!

Have fun exploring our prairie and tamarack bog then end the day with marshmallows around the campfire. Don't forget the bug spray!

Register on our website 🐸

06/15/2026

On Saturday our small but mighty group of volunteers assembled the start of our Seno Woodland StoryWalk® in partnership with Burlington Public Library! Clearing the trail, mounting the panels on our story stations, and making space for other interactive elements along the way. While we still have a bit more work to do, we can already see what a magical place Seno Woodland StoryWalk® will become!

If you want to learn more or are interested in supporting Seno Woodland StoryWalk® please visit www.senokrlt.org/seno-woodland-storywalk and stay tuned for more updates about our official launch date this fall!

06/06/2026

It is with incredibly deep sadness that we must share that Mark Lesko, our board president, passed away this week.

Mark has been a volunteer and board member since the 90’s when Seno Woodland Center was still in its infancy and a separate organization from the Kenosha/Racine Land Trust. Mark was a model board member; a vocal spokesperson for the organization and its mission with the level of knowledge that only comes from really doing the work yourself. Anyone who met Mark could immeadiately sense his deep connection with the land around him. If you have been lucky enough to tour Seno Woodland Center with Mark as your guide, you know this well. Fellow board members, volunteers, landowners, and community members all know Mark by name. So many, that we are struggling to be sure we can reach all of those who he has touched. He has always gone above and beyond, and treated many of us like family.

Mark lived and breathed the mission of Seno K/RLT and land trusts as a whole. So many have lost someone important to them, and the living world has lost one of its greatest champions. We will do our best to continue to fill the void that Mark's absence in this world will leave, though it is truly unfillable.

06/01/2026

At the end of May we were happy to host our annual Eastern Bluebird Workshop with Rick Fare of the Hoy Audubon Society as a Natural Reources Foundation of Wisconsin Field Trip. Our gratitude to Rick Fare for sharing his knowledge with us and all our workshop participants!

🪺 Because natural cavities that bluebirds have historically nested in are more scarce, bluebirds heavily depend upon humans to provide nesting boxes that aid their survival. Leaving dead trees stnading for wildlife habitat (so long as they are not a saftety hazard) provides important habitat for wildlife like bluebirds and many others!

05/28/2026

We burned and prepped our Walwroth prairie site at Seno Woodland Center for seeding earlier this spring to prepare the area for some much needed supplemental seeding. Then came the fun part in April!

Seno friend and volunteer Ed Antramarian collaborated with Mark to install 20 pounds of prairie grass and forb seeds from Pheasants Forever, big bluestem and indiangrass seed which was collected by hand last Fall, and about 3 pounds of grey headed coneflower seed donated by Martin Lois. An additional 2 pounds of common milkweed was also let loose as Mark opened the dried pods while still in the back of the rolling UTV. Finally, a very heavy cultipacker donated by Ben Lesko was hauled over the site for 2 hours, stopping only after good soil contact was guaranteed. We hope to see some increased biodiversity in this prairie soon!

Gratitude to Ed, Martin, and Ben for their faith in Seno Woodlands. ❤

05/14/2026

Congrats to our amazing board president, Mark Lesko, who has been awarded the 2026 Land Trust Volunteer of the Year award! 🎉We're ever thankful for all his time, efforts, and impact on Seno K/RLT and beyond. We are so happy to celebrate his contributions to land conservation!

Gathering Waters is excited to announce the winners of the 2026 Land Conservation Leadership Awards!

Our congratulations and thanks go out to:

- Abbie Church (Mississippi Valley Conservancy) – Land Trust Professional of the Year

- Mark Lesko (Seno K/RLT Conservancy) – Land Trust Volunteer of the Year

- Andrew Struck (Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department) – Harold “Bud” Jordahl Lifetime Achievement Award

- Ron and Darla Giordano (The Prairie Enthusiasts /Groundswell Conservancy) – Land Legacy Award

- Cody Kamrowski (Wisconsin Wildlife Federation) – Advocacy Champion

We extend our thanks and gratitude to this year's award winners for their efforts to further land conservation resulting in lasting changes around the state. We’re excited to celebrate their accomplishments!

Read about each of the award winners here: https://gatheringwaters.org/announcing-the-2026-land-conservation-leadership-award-winners/