The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin

06/06/2026

On National Prairie Day🌾, we’re celebrating the plants and pollinators that keep Wisconsin thriving. 🦋 💚

Often overlooked and underrated as pollinators, many wasps are pollinating powerhouses. In fact, the blue-winged wasp is a prairie superhero. Not only do they drink nectar and spread pollen, but the females hunt beetle grubs that eat plant roots to feed their larvae!

Often overlooked and underrated as pollinators, many wasps are pollinating powerhouses. In fact, the blue-winged wasp is a prairie superhero. Not only do they drink nectar and spread pollen, but the females hunt beetle grubs that eat plant roots to feed their larvae! ie’s version of a bustling community center.

(Bonus goldenrod fact: Because they bloom in the late summer and fall, goldenrod is often blamed for allergies because it's so visible. But goldenrod produces large, heavy pollen that must be spread by pollinators because it's too big to float in the air. Less showy ragweed, however, blooms at the same time and uses air currents to spread its pollen, making it the likely culprit causing all the itchy eyes and stuffy, sneezy noses.)

🌻 Here’s to the wings, wildflowers, and the blooming prairies that make our state buzz. 🐝

06/05/2026

As much as we love showing off footage of our intrepid crews putting prescribed fire on the ground, it's at least--if not even more--rewarding to show off the results of those burns! Check out the regreening and flowering at TNC's Spring Green Preserve, 10 weeks after the fire.

Director of Land Management, Hannah Spaul, noted that this was "the most prolific show of hoary puccoon" she's ever seen (and she's seen a lot!). Those are the yellow flowers you see here, alongside red columbine.

"In the videos I can hear Robin, Crow, Tennessee Warbler, Orchard Oriole, Eastern Meadowlark, Field Sparrow, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Red-Bellied Woodpecker and Eastern Kingbird, which ain’t bad for a 30 second clip!" Hannah added. "The burn unit was just hopping with sound and movement." This video was taken on the area right were the landscape transitions from prairie to barrens to woodlands, so you can really see the diversity of both grassland and woodland species in one location.

"We know the science tells us that habitat like we have a Spring Green is fire dependent, but it’s always so rewarding to see and hear the benefits directly on the ground on a rainy afternoon." 🔥🌳🌻🐦

06/03/2026

The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin is deeply disappointed that a bipartisan agreement to extend funding to the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program could not be reached before the June 30, 2026, deadline. Letting funding for this program lapse puts the land, waters and outdoor traditions that define our state at risk.

For more than 30 years, the bipartisan Stewardship Program has conserved hundreds of thousands of acres of Wisconsin’s wild spaces; protected critical watersheds and wildlife habitat, and expanded public access to the outdoors — strengthening our communities and local economies. Statewide polling commissioned by The Nature Conservancy shows an extraordinary 93% of Wisconsin voters support continued public funding for conservation through Knowles-Nelson — support that has remained above 90% for a decade.

We will continue working with both Democratic and Republican legislators and the next governor to restore long-term, stable funding that reflects the clear will of Wisconsin voters and safeguards our state’s most treasured outdoor resources for generations to come.

(Photo by Chris Helzer)

06/02/2026

Traversing 31 states including Wisconsin, the Mississippi River and its tributaries support more than 260 fish species and 60% of North America's birds. 💧🐟

And they aren't the only ones who depend on it—the river system nourishes crops, transports goods, provides recreation, and sustains robust fisheries for more than 20 million people in the Midwest and beyond.

Dive deeper into why The Nature Conservancy is working hard to restore and protect the mighty Mississippi. https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/priority-landscapes/mississippi-river-basin/?en_txn1=s_fbo.reg_mw.x.x

05/29/2026

🚨HELP US CROWN THE CUTEST BEE IN THE MIDWEST🚨

Our team is locked in a heated debate: Which of these 9 tiny native bees is the cutest in the Midwest?

We can't agree AT ALL and it's been DAYS. 🫠 So we need YOU to weigh in:
👉 Swipe through the line-up
👉 Choose your favorite
👉 Comment your pick below

Who deserves the title of Most Adorable Native Bee? 👑 🐝

Bonus: Tell us why you picked your bee! Its fuzzy face? Its color? Behavior?

🏆 Winner gets bragging rights—and we may finally get peace and quiet on our team. For a minute, anyway. 🤭 😇

05/26/2026

Perhaps money does grow on trees — and in wetlands. 💧🐸

Wetlands are natural sponges that soak up extra water and filter pollutants, improving water quality and reducing flooding for nearby communities. These benefits translate into measurable boons for residents, economy and environment — especially when applied on a large scale like the H2Ohio program, a collaborative, comprehensive clean water program in Ohio that TNC helped launch back in 2019.

Wetland restoration projects from H2Ohio have proven to be wise, cost-effective investments where benefits outweigh the costs for people, businesses, governments and, of course, the environment. The data says it all:

💧 For every $1 invested in wetland restoration through H2Ohio, residents saw a return of $8 in economic benefits.
💧 H2Ohio generated more than $330 million in statewide economic benefits in 2024.
💧 Nearly 8.9 million Ohioans benefit from improved water quality because of H2Ohio projects.

Now, imagine the impact that a program like H2Ohio could have in Wisconsin, or even scaled up to a regional or even national level. Programs like these remind us that nature underpins our economic prosperity.

Learn about more successful programs in the Midwest like H2Ohio that help uplift both our economies and our well-being. https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/priority-landscapes/midwest/stories-in-the-midwest/midwest-nature-economy/?en_txn1=s_fbo.reg_mw.x.x

05/23/2026

Looking to enjoy nature in a new way? Try birding! 🐦 Spring is the best time to pick up your binoculars and get outside to start a new hobby and spot migrating birds. No special equipment is really needed to start birding – just get outside and start listening for birds!

🌲 If you live near lush forests, look for a variety of warblers. To spot these little feathered friends, you'll need to look far up into the tree canopy! Our top tip: check out field guides and bird ID apps like Merlin to help you identify these birds by their calls and songs.

🌳 If you live near shrubby woods or in/near an urban area... look for indigo buntings, peregrine falcons and northern house wrens. Our top tip: Join a local birding club or go on birding hikes at your local nature center or park. These are great ways to connect with other, more experienced bird watchers in your area and learn directly from them!

🌾 If you live near open fields or prairies... look for bobolinks, dickcissels and western meadowlarks. Our top tip: bring a pair of binoculars to help you better see these birds from across a grassy meadow (and help you learn how to identify bird species).

💧 If you live near wetlands/marshes... look for bigger birds like white pelicans, great egrets, snow geese and tundra swans. Our top tip: write down the birds you're seeing and hearing and record any other nature observations to learn how these areas (and its avian visitors) change season to season.

Check out our list of bird hotspots and plan a visit to enjoy this natural phenomenon. https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/priority-landscapes/great-lakes/stories-in-the-great-lakes/midwest-migratory-birds/?en_txn1=s_fbo.reg_mw.x.x

05/22/2026

Nature is connected—and so are we.

Migratory birds remind us that ecosystems across countries and continents depend on each other. What happens in one place impacts life everywhere. This Biodiversity Day, let’s commit to protecting the networks that sustain our planet. 🌍✨

Did you know? Wisconsin shares dozens species of migratory birds with Latin and South America! Imagine flying thousands of miles, over ocean and land, to make it from your summer to winter homes. Phew!

Every year, hundreds of birds embark on an epic journey from the north to the south of the American continent, seeking shelter and food.

05/21/2026

Great news for your week! TNC recently added 500 acres to permanent protection and public access at the Tenderfoot Forest Reserve in Wisconsin's Northwoods, including a stand of rare, old-growth forest.

“This is the closest we’ll get to an old-growth forest landscape in Wisconsin,” said John Bates, local naturalist, author, and trustee emeritus for The Nature Conservancy. “Some of these trees started growing before European settlement. They’re not fossils; they’re our living ancestors. When you walk beneath them, you’re walking through history.”

Learn more about this big win for nature and people, along with how to visit Tenderfoot and enjoy this special place yourself:

An additional 500 acres of Northwoods forest are permanently protected and open to the public as part of an expansion of The Nature Conservancy’s Tenderfoot Forest Reserve.