The Prairie Enthusiasts - Glacial Prairie Chapter

08/28/2026

Pack your bag with your camera, binoculars, water bottle and other prairie essentials and get ready to enjoy the last weekend of August!

Check out the work parties and field trips happening near you this weekend on our Events Calendar to connect with other nature lovers: https://theprairieenthusiasts.org/tpe-events/events-calendar/

Or you can choose your own adventure and visit one of our sites on your own! Find a list of our sites here: https://theprairieenthusiasts.org/visit-our-sites/

To be the first to hear about events happening near you, subscribe to a Chapter eNewsletter or our Organizational eNewsletter to stay up to date: https://theprairieenthusiasts.org/email-updates/

Photo of monarch on blazing star in a field of blazing star, goldenrod and dotted horsemint by Lisa Reid

08/10/2026

Have you checked out our Mukwonago River Oak Barrens Preserve along the Mukwonago River?

This unique preserve protects an important piece of the Mukwonago River watershed, where oak barrens meet wetlands and provide habitat for a wide variety of native plants and wildlife. The preserve is part of our ongoing effort to protect the lands and waters that make the Mukwonago River such a special place in southeastern Wisconsin.

https://awealthofnature.org/mukwonago-river-a-guide-to-preserves-in-a-surprisingly-pristine-watershed/

07/24/2026

Towards the end of today's work party at the Mukwonago River Oak Barrens when we were transitioning from pulling brush to collecting sedge seeds, we took a break, and this harvester butterfly visited to lop up some sweat. It didn't want to leave. It's not surprising to see this species, because woolly aphids are very abundant right now. Its caterpillars are unique among our species. They are predators of woolly aphids.

P.S. send rain!

07/02/2026

06/17/2026

There’s never been a better time to reciprocate all that the prairie has provided you.

A member of our Board of Directors is so dedicated to supporting the growth of our monthly sustainer program that he’s providing a $5,000 gift as a challenge.

Now through December 31, 2026, if you set up a new monthly recurring donation, your gift will be matched with a $50 gift up to $5,000.

That means no matter what your recurring gift is, if you’re a new monthly sustainer, your gift and another $50 is going to help threatened habitat near you. Will you join a growing community of people caring for the land by becoming a monthly sustainer today?

Become a monthly sustainer here: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/makearecurringdonation/

Photo by Sarah Barron

06/07/2026

The summer issue of The Prairie Promoter is now digitally available, just in time for the weekend!

In this issue, you can enjoy pieces like "Making the Most of Hard to Get Seeds" by Dan Carter, "What a Difference a Year Makes!" by Rob Schubert, and "Wicking Glove Basal Bark Treatment" by Dan Carter. You can also enjoy grassland bird poetry, prairie and photography reflections and much more!

Dive into the summer issue here: https://theprairieenthusiasts.org/prairie-promoter/

We are currently accepting submissions for our fall issue, our final issue of 2026. The deadline to submit is Tuesday, July 21. Learn more about submitting through our website (link above).

Cover photo by RC Wieboldt

05/04/2026

🔥Today is National Fire Day, and suffice to say, we really like fire.

This spring, many of our Chapters introduced fire to the land through prescribed burning, one of the major tools we use to help restore prairie and other fire-dependent ecosystems.

To learn more about the intricacies of prescribed burning, we recommend reading Ecologist Dan Carter's piece, "Stability Part One: Why I Recommend Frequent Dormant Season Burning" through our blog here: https://theprairieenthusiasts.org/stability-part-one/

Photo of Empire-Sauk Chapter burn by Jim Wilson

04/23/2026

Join us this Saturday!

Celebrate Earth Day this week with these upcoming events!

All event information can be found on our Events Calendar: https://theprairieenthusiasts.org/tpe-events/events-calendar/

St. Croix Valley Chapter Field Trip at Brokken Woods in Afton, MN
Monday, April 20 - 5:00 p.m.
Join us to see the pompom-like flowers of the earliest sedges on this prairie walk.

Northwest Illinois Chapter Field Trip at Hanley Savanna in Hanover, IL
Wednesday, April 22 - 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Come on out for a tour and afternoon work party on this site to celebrate Earth Day.

Glacial Prairie Chapter Work Party at Benedict Prairie in Bristol, WI
Saturday, April 25 - 9:00 a.m. to Noon
Help us clear brush and potentially create burn piles at this site.

St. Croix Valley Chapter at Earth Fest in River Falls, WI
Saturday, April 25 - Noon to 4:00 p.m.
Learn about this Chapter and prairies and savannas at this free community celebration.

Coulee Region Chapter at Earth Fair in La Crosse, WI
Sunday, April 26 - 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Come chat with this Chapter and learn about fire-dependent ecosystems at this event.

Photo by Bob Jankowski