Prairie Sands Area

Prairie Sands Chapter is located in the geological center of Wisconsin in the sandy soils of ancient glacial lakes.

This region features some of the state’s premier examples of remnant dry prairies, pine barrens and oak savannas.  Research and protection for the endangered Karner blue butterfly and the greater prairie chicken is centered in this region.

The Prairie Sands chapter covers Adams, Marquette, Juneau, Portage, Waushara, Waupaca, and Green Lake Counties in Wisconsin. We invite you to join us! 

Chapter contact:  Mary “Ray” Goehring, raygoe@yahoo.com

Board representative:  David Hamel, sdhamel@gmail.com, 608-296-2866

Facebook:  Chapter page

What’s New

Prairie Restoration Tour and Second Flight of Endangered Karner blue butterfly

Saturday, July 16 – 9:30am – 2pm

Corner of Alp Ave and 14th Court, Town of Rose

Ken Erickson, is planning an event at his prairie restoration in Waushara County on Saturday, July 16th.  He has timed this to happen during the expected second flight of the Karner blue butterflies.  He has partnered with several other conservation organizations.  Attached is a flyer and a map. The flyer may be updated as plans unfold. Click here to RSVP for the event!

11:30AM – Listen to Brendan Woodall from U.S. Fish and Wildlife talk about the restoration and give information about how to establish Karner blue butterfly habitat.

12:00 AM – Learn about Invasive Species identification from a representative of Golden Sands RC & D

Bring your own lawn chair and a sack lunch.

Let us know if you would like to volunteer to help identify plants along the self guided tour. 

There will be plenty of parking available; for accessible parking options contact Ken Erikson at 715 256-0739 or NE6359@att.net. 

For questions contact Ken Erikson at 715 256-0739 or NE6359@att.net. 

PRAIRIE SANDS CHAPTER 2020 FIELD TRIPS AND WORK DAYS

Some events may be cancelled due to COVID-19

MECAN PRAIRIE WORKDAY — LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS

DATE:  SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7

TIME:  9:30 – NOON

WHERE:  John Shillinglaw’s Mecan Prairie and Savanna

I will also have a work day on at Mecan Prairie on Saturday, November 7 from 9:30 until noon.  We will be treating oak sprouts with triclopyr.  Weather permitting we will picnic after or go eat in Wautoma.

(more details about the November Workday closer to the date.)

PRAIRIE SANDS ABOUT US PAGE TEXT

Established in 2008 and located in the sandy soils of ancient glacial lake beds, our member counties are the original home to visionary John Muir and some of the state’s pine barrens and oak savannas that lie along Wisconsin’s tension zone. Dry prairies still exist on deposits of sand throughout the area and test the endurance of endemic prairie species while supporting much of the state’s federally-endangered Karner Blue butterfly habitat.  It is our mission to help protect what treasures still remain.

Because our seven-county membership area is sparsely populated, we partner with other local environmental and conservation organizations to strengthen our efforts.  For example, we combine field trips with The Ice Age Trail Alliance, Friends of John Muir, Muirland Bird Club, The Aldo Leopold Audubon, the Wisconsin Butterfly Association and the central Wisconsin chapter of The Wild Ones. 

We also provide ongoing stewardship manpower at The Nature Conservancy’s Page Creek Marsh State Natural Area and will be assisting with the WI DNR’s extensive work at Observatory Hill State Natural Area to re-establish oak savanna.  

One of the primary chapter goals is to document and inventory remnant prairies within our geographic area. We have assisted private landowners who are interested in management and protection of remnant prairie and landowners who would like help determining if they have prairie and savanna indicator species.

People interested in learning more about their prairie or in discussing management options and plans are encouraged to contact us. 

Prairie walks, seed collecting, and work parties generally serve as informal chapter meetings, and every December we host a ‘Seed Exchange Potluck’ party.   

We actively support all prairie work in our area, including on member-owned prairies. Please come and join us!

Chapter leadership

Chair, Vacant
Vice Chair, Vacant
Secretary, Vacant
Treasurer, David Hamel
Communications, Mary (Ray) Goehring