Friends of Pope Farm Conservancy

09/01/2026

🍎 Calling All Local 3rd-5th Grade Teachers: Field Trip Opportunity!

How do you bring local history and science to life? Our Education Team at the Friends of Pope Farm Conservancy asked that exact question. We designed the “Stories of the Land” video series specifically for elementary school students. We spent years researching local history to build a free, ready-made curriculum resource right in your backyard.

Best of all? The conservancy is free and open to the public daily, meaning you can plan a class visit or send families to explore at any time that fits your schedule. The conservancy features 7 prairies, 3 watersheds, an 1860s oxen-built stone fence, Native
American gardens, and more!

Topics your students can explore online or on the trails:
• The History of the Pope Farm Conservancy Land: Owners, Settlers, and Farmers
• German Immigration
• Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy at Pope Farm Conservancy
• Interesting Birds at Pope Farm Conservancy
• Interesting Mammals at Pope Farm Conservancy
• Geology of the Land

Our 40+ short videos (3–6 minutes each) align directly with state standards. Use them as a virtual classroom tool or use them to preview a self-guided field trip.

Explore the video library on our website: https://www.popefarmconservancy.org/stories-of-the-land/

YouTube Playlists: https://www.youtube.com//playlists

Location: Pope Farm Conservancy (Open Daily, Sunrise to Sunset): 7440 West Old Sauk Road, Verona, WI 53593 (Located in the Town of Middleton)

08/22/2026

Sign up now for Monarch Tagging at Pope Farm Conservancy. Spots are filling up! 🦋

Select from the available slots below and click the 'Submit and Sign Up' buttom at the bottom of the page. Please provide your name and email address so that we can send you important information regarding where to meet and what to bring. There is a limit of 6 volunteers per session since we only ha...

07/30/2026

Join us on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. for a Fall Migration Birding Tour at Pope Farm Conservancy, led by birding expert and nature photographer Mike McDowell.

Experience one of nature's most incredible seasonal events as migrating birds make their journey south for the winter. Whether you're an avid birder or simply enjoy spending time outdoors, this guided walk is a great way to learn about the birds passing through our area and enjoy a beautiful morning in nature.

This free program is open to everyone—no registration required. Families and birders of all experience levels are welcome. Be sure to bring binoculars, wear comfortable walking shoes, and dress for the weather.

07/28/2026

Mark Your Calendars!

Our Archaeology Talk with State Archaeologist Dr. Amy Rosebrough
is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, 10:30 – 11:30 AM, at Pope Farm Conservancy.

Come explore the human history of Pope Farm Conservancy on a walking tour with State Archaeologist Dr. Amy Rosebrough. You’ll discover how southern Wisconsin’s landscape, shaped by ice and water, governed where Indigenous peoples and European settlers lived and the resources they used. This talk invites you to reflect on the deep connection between the land and its people, and how both have transformed each other over centuries.

We will meet at Pope Farm Conservancy – lower parking lot. Address: 7440 West Old Sauk Rd, Verona, WI 53593 - 2 miles west of the Beltline on Old Sauk Rd.

FREE and open to the public. No registration required.

06/13/2026

Join us for an exciting Bumble Bee Talk at Pope Farm Conservancy on Saturday, June 27, at 10AM with Susan Carpenter, Native Plant Garden curator and gardener at the UW-Madison Arboretum. 🐝

Discover the life history, ecology, and healthy habitats of native bumble bees at Pope Farm Conservancy. We will use photography to document, monitor, and identify bumble bees. Join the WDNR Bumble Bee Brigade and learn ways you can help pollinators! Feel free to bring a camera or close-focusing binoculars. Bumble bee ID guides will be provided.

Free and open to the public - Registration is limited to 20 participants! Click the link below to secure your spot today!👉
https://www.popefarmconservancy.org/events/bees-and-pollinators-talk/

“Bumble Bees and Other Pollinators” Program at Pope Farm Conservancy Saturday, June 27, 2026 (10AM-12PM) at Pope Farm Conservancy Location: Pope Farm Conservancy – Main entrance, lower parking lotAddress: 7440 West Old Sauk Rd, Verona, WI 53593 (2 miles west of the Beltline on Old Sauk Rd.) Ab...

06/01/2026

Join us THIS SATURDAY, June 6th, at 7:30AM, for a Spring Birding Tour at Pope Farm Conservancy. Local birding expert Mike McDowell will guide participants on an early morning avian adventure through the conservancy, offering opportunities to observe and learn about the remarkable birds that thrive in this beautiful landscape.

The event is free and open to the public. Meet us in the lower parking lot at Pope Farm Conservancy, 7440 West Old Sauk Rd, Middleton, WI.

https://www.popefarmconservancy.org/events/

05/18/2026

The Friends of Pope Farm Conservancy will host a free, family-friendly geology talk THIS SUNDAY, May 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM.

The Wisconsin Geological & Natural History Survey recently published a new map of the surficial geology of Wisconsin, the first of its kind ever published for the state. Eric Carson, one of the map’s co-authors, will lead a conversation of the geologic story told by the map—the depiction of how glaciers and rivers and wind have sculpted the state—with particular emphasis on the areas surrounding Pope Farm Conservancy.

Meet us at the top of the hill at Pope Farm Conservancy, 7440 West Old Sauk Rd this Sunday at 2PM. For full event details, visit:
https://www.popefarmconservancy.org/2026/04/may-24-2026-geology-talk-at-pope-farm-conservancy/

Hope to see you there! Bring sunscreen, water bottle, and a camera.