Situated on a ridge of St. Peter Sandstone capped by a thin layer of Platteville dolomite, this prairie and savanna complex harbors a very diverse flora. Bedrock ledges, low cliffs, and a small pinnacle add geologic interest to the site. Sandy, dry to dry-mesic prairie occupies the steep, south-facing flank of the ridge. Prairie grasses, […]
Facility Category: Conservancies
Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie State Natural Area
Situated on a low Driftless Area ridge, Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie features a small, but intact dry-mesic prairie and harbors a rich flora of more than 80 native prairie species. Grasses include big and little blue-stem, Indian grass, northern drop-seed, purple love grass, June grass, and numerous Panicum species. Forbs include such showy species as […]
Pleasant Valley Conservancy State Natural Area
Located in the Driftless Area of southwest Wisconsin, Pleasant Valley Conservancy sits on a long narrow ridge that runs almost due east/west, with steep hillsides facing both north and south. The site contains a nearly complete range of southern Wisconsin natural community types including oak woodland, oak savanna, dry and wet prairie, sedge meadow, shrub-carr, […]
Kahl Halfway Prairie Park
Kahl Halfway Prairie Park is a 3.4 acre multi-use park with a conservancy of native plants, a scrape pond for waterfowl, and wetland habitat. Amenities include paths through the park, benches, reservable shelter, and a playing field. Owned and managed by the Town of Berry, Kahl Halfway Prairie Park is located adjacent to the Town […]
Hickory Hill Conservancy Village of Cross Plains
The Hickory Hill Conservancy, part of the Ice Age Trail Cross Plains segment, starts at the end of Hickory Hill Street in Cross Plains, where a gate crosses an access road that leads north uphill to the Hickory Hill Conservation Park. Departing from the access road, the segment enters a former agricultural field being restored […]
Noll Valley Conservancy Town of Middleton
This five-acre convervancy is a great place for plant and nature lovers and links to the Valley View segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, where an additional 80 acres of parkland and miles of trails are available for outdoor enjoyment. The conservancy features a quarter-mile loop walking trail through an oak savanna remnant. […]
Pope Farm Conservancy Town of Middleton
Located between Blackhawk, Old Sauk and Twin Valley Roads, this 105-acre property was purchased as a natural area for educational interpretation (with over 40 interpretive signs), walking trails and wildlife viewing. The conservancy is permanently restricted as open space and includes seven miles of walking trails, six prairie/savannah restoration areas, a State Capitol viewing area, […]
Goth Conservancy Town of Middleton
This 20-acre former farmstead includes a one-mile system of looped walking trails partly accessible to disabled persons. […]
Swamplovers Nature Preserve
The Swamplovers Preserve is a mesocosm of southwestern Wisconsin’s presettlement biological heritage, supporting large-scale, high-quality habitat blocks of open water waterfowl breeding ponds,dry to wet prairie, southern sedge meadow,oak savanna, and open oak woodland communities along the wetland to upland continuum.This gradient of habitat diversity promotes species diversity, and the Swamplovers Preseve is a biodiversity […]