Sierra Club Southeast Gateway Group

04/08/2026

Meet new people, walk in nature, and enjoy the vistas of the Stony Ridge Segment of the Ice Age Trail in the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest.

Join us:

📅 Saturday, April 11 | 1:00 PM

Come hike through pine plantation, oak forest, and dry prairie on one of the most scenic segments of the Ice Age Trail! The Stony Ridge Segment is 3.1 miles, and we’ll be doing a car transfer at the end – so no backtracking required.

A couple of things to know before you come:

🟠 Wear high-visibility orange – it’s youth turkey hunt weekend, so bright clothing is a must.

🚗 Carpooling is encouraged for the car transfer at the end.

Where to meet: Visitor Center and Forest Headquarters parking lot, on Rt. 59 midway between Palmyra and Eagle.

After the hike, explore the Visitor Center’s displays on geology, history, local culture, and plant life – plus there are restrooms and water on site. We may even keep the fun going at a nearby restaurant on the way home!

RSVP (especially important in case of weather cancellation):

📞 Ana Spiteri: 708-205-9161
📞 Al Sommer: 262-716-6955

Hope to see you on the trail! 🍂

03/21/2026

TAKE ACTION: Help Protect Shoop Park

Great news -- Mayor Mason's office responded to letters opposing the proposed redevelopment of Shoop Park. The response confirms that public input IS being considered as this project moves forward. That means YOUR voice matters right now.

For those who aren't following this: the Keiser Golf Group and Leipold Johnson Golf Group are proposing a major redesign of Shoop Park that would expand it to a 12-hole golf course. The plan includes cutting down trees along the entire shoreline, hauling in sand and rock, and using lighthouse grounds for a parking lot and clubhouse -- all at a beloved public lakefront space that was donated to the people of Racine in 1917 to be used as a park for everyone, IN PERPETUITY.

The Racine Common Council just received the project proposal on March 17. No lease vote has been scheduled yet, which means this is exactly the right moment to be heard.

Here's what you can do right now:

You can access this template below https://docs.google.com/.../1dlTZ_0P38bu4KnJMF.../edit.eduled

📧 Email Mayor Cory Mason: [email protected]
📞 Call his office: 262-636-9111
💻 Find your alderperson and write to them too: https://cityofracinewi.gov

You don't have to write a long letter. Even a few sentences expressing that you value Shoop Park as open public green space -- and that you oppose large-scale tree removal and privatization of the shoreline -- carries weight.

Read the full background here: https://racinecountyeye.com/2025/11/14/shoop-park-belongs-to-everyone/

Shoop Park belongs to everyone. Let's make sure the City Council hears that loud and clear.

03/16/2026

Thank you everyone who came out and joined us this past Wednesday for our letter writing event to Save Shoop Park. A special thank you to Wendy Sorenson for helping us stay informed on this topic and guiding us with our letters!

If you weren't able to make it no worries, you can still help! Join us and share your thoughts with Mayor Cory Mason on this issue. Writing an advocacy letter can be intimidating, that is why we came up with a template :)

You can access this template below https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dlTZ_0P38bu4KnJMF_rEaKoQGmATMxIZCvkcnzTHQyE/edit?tab=t.0

You can contact the mayor below
https://cityofracinewi.gov/government/city-leadership/mayor/contact-the-mayor/

03/05/2026

SAVE THE TREES at Shoop Park in Racine! Please sign the petition below!

Help us stop the harmful proposal at the Wind Point Lighthouse and Shoop Park

02/27/2026

Make America GRETA Again.

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02/26/2026

Hope to see you all at this fun virtual event!

Restoring the Root-Pike Basin Watersheds: Pike River, Root River, Oak Creek, Pike Creek, and Wind Point through EPA-approved nine-element watershed restoration plans

02/17/2026

Thank you to Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy (KNC) and those that went on the Kishwauketoe Nature Preserve Guided Walk and to Jim Killian author and walking guide extraordinaire. 🦅

02/17/2026

Sierra Club Southeast Gateway Group Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy (KNC) Anamaria Spiteri

02/17/2026

🌞 Sunshine, Stories & 14 Adventurers! 🌞

What a fantastic day on the trail with 14 wonderful participants for our guided walk with Jim Killian from Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy (KNC) during Kishwauketoe Nature Preserve Guided Walk! Even with a bit of mud underfoot (proof of a real Wisconsin winter thaw 😉), we were treated to a gorgeous, sunny 55+ degree day - absolutely perfect for getting outside together.

Jim shared fascinating insights about the NASA–DNR project currently taking place on the property, explaining how cutting-edge research and conservation efforts are intersecting right here in our backyard. 🚀🌎 It’s incredible to think that local land stewardship connects to something as big as NASA!

We also stepped back in time and learned about the land’s history - including its past as a former Arabian horse farm. 🐎✨ Imagining those horses running across the same ground we walked made the experience even more special.

Beyond the learning, the best part?

✨ Meeting new faces
✨ Reconnecting with familiar ones
✨ Sharing stories and laughs on the trail

Thank you to everyone who joined us - your curiosity and energy made the day memorable. We’re just getting started and have many more outings planned this year!

👉 If you came, drop a photo or comment below with your favorite moment or learned fact. There are too many to mention!
👉 If you missed it, let us know you’re interested in the next walk - we’d love to see you there!

Here’s to muddy boots, sunny skies, and a year full of adventure together 🌿🥾

02/07/2026

Hi Sierra Club friends! We’re excited to host a guided walk at Kishwauketoe Conservancy with local naturalist and author Killian.

📍 Meet: Main entrance off Hwy 67

🕐 Time: 1:00 PM

👣 Distance: We’ll choose the route together (about 1-3 miles, based on the group and trail conditions). Jim will stop often so everyone can hear and ask questions.

You’ll receive a welcome packet at the start:

Trail map (one per attendee)

A special set of botanical plant brochures featuring hand-painted native plants from Kishwauketoe, organized by season (spring / early summer / late summer / fall)

What Jim will share along the way:

How Kishwauketoe was preserved and why it’s such a unique place

Winter ecology + what to look for now and later in the year

Tornado impacts and restoration work (including the new bridge area)

Native and glacial history that shaped the landscape

What to bring: boots with good traction (and optional walking sticks/traction cleats depending on conditions).

Jim will monitor trail conditions and we’ll adjust as needed for safety.

Hope you can join us; this is a great “first visit” walk and a fun way to learn the trails for future hikes!

Thank you and hope to see you there!

01/11/2026

Annual Planning Meeting

Saturday January 31 from 9:00-11:30am at the Pringle Nature Center (9800 County Hwy M B, Bristol, WI 53104)

Want to get more involved in SEGG? Do you have great ideas for future events, programs and initiatives? Come join us for a FUN morning of brainstorming ideas for 2026! Feel free to bring a snack to share. Hope to see you there!