Groundswell Conservancy

08/29/2026

We love celebrating conservation successes across Wisconsin—especially when there’s a Groundswell connection!

This week, Wisconsin Public Radio highlighted the grand opening of Big Cain Creek Preserve, a 30-acre natural area in Marathon County. The property was donated to North Central Conservancy Trust (NCCT) last year by longtime Groundswell supporter and former board member Mary Binkley.

For Mary and her four siblings, protecting this land carries special meaning. Their parents, Richard and Doris Bartholomew, purchased the property in the early 1960s as a place for the family to enjoy the outdoors. Mary, who lives in Dane County, later inherited the land. She chose to ensure that this special part of her family’s history would remain protected and become a place others could experience, too.

And there is much worth protecting. More than a quarter-mile of Big Cain Creek—a Class 1 trout stream—flows through the property, surrounded by northern hardwood forest, forested wetlands, sugar maples, balsam fir, and other habitat. Now that the preserve is open to the public, people can experience this spectacular landscape for themselves.

Mary has been part of the Groundswell community since 1995. You might also know her as a local naturalist who shares her knowledge and appreciation of the outdoors through programs at Cherokee Marsh, Aldo Leopold Nature Center, and other local natural areas. Mary is also a talented artist and generously donates proceeds from her holiday pottery sale to Groundswell each year.

Congratulations to our friends at North Central Conservancy Trust and to Mary on the opening of Big Cain Creek Preserve! What a meaningful way to honor a family’s connection to the land: protecting it forever and sharing it with generations to come.

Read or listen to the WPR story here: wpr.org/culture/big-cain-creek-preserve-wisconsin-nature-opens

📷: North Central Conservancy Trust & Groundswell Conservancy

08/27/2026

Today marks an important anniversary in Groundswell's history and for farmland conservation in Dane County.

Forty years ago, Dr. Alice Watts donated a conservation easement covering roughly 226 acres to American Farmland Trust, with Groundswell Conservancy (formerly known as Dane County Natural Heritage Foundation) given third party rights. This marks Groundswell's first conservation easement and the first farmland conservation easement in Dane County.

When Dr. Watts first purchased the 40-acre plot of uplands near Waubesa Wetlands, she patiently assembled 275 acres containing woodlands, a 1,500-tree walnut grove, and a pine plantation. She restored an 8-acre prairie and preserved a recharge area around three natural springs on the property, with pines planted as a buffer zone.

"We wanted to preserve the springs and not build up around them and contaminate them," Watts said in a 1984 Wisconsin State Journal article.

Watts' devotion to the land has helped protect prime agricultural land from development and preserve a significant wetland in southern Wisconsin. Watts came to donate over a hundred acres of this valuable land to Groundswell, providing vital support to our young nonprofit.

Join us in celebrating the legacy of Dr. Watts!

08/24/2026

From hillside prairie to organic rice fields, how well does water soak into our soils? 🌧️

In this month's Field Notes, Farm & Land Manager Sam Douglass heads to Westport Farm and Westport Prairie, with an infiltrometer in hand, to measure how quickly water sinks into different soils. Learn how soil quality affects water infiltration and take a fascinating look at the healthy soils that help protect our lakes and waterways.

Read the full blog post: groundswellconservancy.org/august-field-notes-from-sam/

📷: Sam Douglass, Mike Smale

08/19/2026

Registration for the Black Hawk Ridge Trail Run is now open! 👟🌿

This race is an annual trail run (8k and 16k distance options) that benefits Groundswell Conservancy. Enjoy the beautiful autumn trails, great company, tasty food, prizes, and more.

Sign up now: wisconsintrailruns.com/black-hawk-registration

📷: Mario Quintana, Roberta Herschleb

08/18/2026

Meet Catie Stumpf, Groundswell’s new Communications Coordinator!

Catie joined Groundswell in late June and jumped right in—bringing her energy, creativity, and love of conservation to everything from storytelling and communications planning to meeting supporters at our events. She’s already organized her first field trip and helped lead the 2026 Town of Dunn Food Cart Night!

A recent UW–Madison graduate, Catie triple majored in English, environmental studies, and science communication. What a trifecta! Before coming to Groundswell, she worked in communications and outreach for McHenry County Conservation District and UW-Madison Office of Sustainability.

What makes Catie such a perfect fit for Groundswell is that she's just as comfortable in the field as she is behind a computer. She got her start in conservation doing restoration and land stewardship with Citizens for Conservation near her hometown in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. You may still find her volunteering at a prescribed burn or a brush-cutting workday, or getting up early for a bird survey.

When she’s not working or volunteering, Catie enjoys biking, gardening, and birding.

We’re thrilled to have Catie on the Groundswell team. If you see her at an upcoming event, be sure to say hello and welcome her!

08/17/2026

Check out this post celebrating the conservation legacy of Ron and Darla Giordano. Ron and Darla were presented with Gathering Waters 2026 Land Legacy Award, which recognizes individuals whose extraordinary generosity and leadership has significantly benefited land conservation in Wisconsin.

Thank you to Gathering Waters for honoring the Giordano's meaningful conservation efforts and sharing their inspiring story!

https://gatheringwaters.org/ron-and-darla-giordano-2026-land-legacy-award/

On Saturday, July 25, Gathering Waters presented Ron and Darla Giordano with the 2026 Land Legacy Award!

Ron and Darla's conservation legacy is rooted in their love for the land. Many years ago, the Giordanos came across a 40-acre parcel in Columbia County's Wisconsin River Valley and recognized its ecological value. Ron called the original owner every month to ask if he would sell it.

When they were finally able to purchase the property, they worked with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to complete a formal ecological survey in order to learn more about the property and its potential. The resulting site assessment confirmed the property harbored intact native vegetation, significant restoration potential for sand prairie and oak savanna habitat, and even a state-endangered animal species.

In May 2023, the Giordanos made the extraordinary decision to donate their property to The Prairie Enthusiasts, ensuring its protection in perpetuity. Groundswell Conservancy led negotiations, made arrangements for the closing, and helped cover closing costs. The Giordanos even went a step further by accompanying their land donation with a generous cash contribution to support the site's initial management.

In honoring both the land's deep history and its ecological future, Ron and Darla Giordano have left a legacy that will echo across the Wisconsin landscape for decades to come!

Read more here: https://gatheringwaters.org/ron-and-darla-giordano-2026-land-legacy-award/

08/12/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Town of Dunn Food Cart Night! 🌾🍛

It was an evening filled with tasty food, walks through the prairie, and time spent together, celebrating the special places we've protected, like Oak Grove Farm, forever.

A special thank you to our hosts Don & Carole Schmidt, and Custom Metals, Inc.!

Shoutout to the sponsors who made this event possible:
Sustain Dane
Vitruvian Farms
Custom Metals, Inc.
Ho-Chunk Nation

Check out the event photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/isW1SgV6kWwtXwTM6

📷: Sterling Ruemmler

08/11/2026

We're pleased to introduce two new faces to Groundswell's Board of Directors!

Join us in welcoming Bill Quackenbush:

Bill recently retired after more than two decades as the Ho-Chunk Nation's Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, where he helped establish the Nation's National Park Service-approved Tribal Historic Preservation Program. Throughout his career, Bill has been a trusted partner on Groundswell land protection projects and has led educational field trips on our protected properties, sharing Ho-Chunk history, culture, and the significance of these landscapes. We're honored to welcome his knowledge and perspective to the board.

📷: Bill leading a field trip at Kingsley Bend Mounds. Photo taken by Roberta Herschleb.

08/11/2026

We're pleased to introduce two new faces to Groundswell's Board of Directors!

Join us in first welcoming Karen Anderson:

Karen is Director of Development at the Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association. She's a graduate of UW–Madison's Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and Edgewood College's Social Innovation and Sustainability Fellowship. She grew up in the Black Earth Creek watershed, and has worked in restoration with state and tribal governments and nonprofit organizations, including The Prairie Enthusiasts. Karen brings both conservation experience and fundraising expertise to our board.

08/07/2026

Thank you to The Boneyard for featuring Groundswell as the benefiting nonprofit for their Doggie Pool Pawty! A special shoutout to Nikki Luczak and Groundswell's Amanda Dambrink for coordinating this donation.

Your support lends a generous paw to our mission! 🐾

Thank you to all who came out for the Pool Pawty we hosted! We were able to give to a great cause with your help and support!
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