In the heart of Driftless Wisconsin, Viroqua is home to the TPE chapter support office. We are lucky to be surrounded by many prairie remnants and State Natural Areas (like Romance Prairie). Within walking distance of the office are several public native gardens. One consists of a planted prairie and small oak savanna between two schools. […]
The Many Rivers Chapter was recently featured on the Minnesota DNR’s Prairie Pod podcast. Chapter chair Henry Panowitsch represented TPE on the episode titled “A Legacy of Love for the Prairie Landscape: A Landowner’s Perspective.” Henry kicks off the discussion by pointing out that “it’s never too late to do the right thing.” He shares […]
Summer is here and the time it right for many species on the prairie. The Prairie Enthusiasts take pride in restoring biodiversity to our Midwestern prairie and oak savanna communities. Here are a few images that captured our attention this past month. Hope they remind you to get out on the prairie. There is so […]
The new Landowner Services program is up and running, and though the program is in its early days, it’s already yielding some noteworthy botanical finds and conservation opportunities. Given the myriad threats that our natural communities face and the pervasive, visibly obvious distress of the landscape, I’m heartened to come across irreplaceable elements of biodiversity […]
Our community of prairie enthusiasts is just as resilient as the prairies and savannas. However, there’s no doubt about it – as grassroots volunteers and leaders, we’re likely all asking ourselves “What’s next?” What’s next for those of us who want to share these special places with others? How do we show-n-tell about the exciting […]
Beginning in late May of this year, our collective attention has been forcibly drawn by the enormous and continuing demonstrations across the country protesting the long unsolved issues of racial injustice and police brutality. This challenge has been with us as a society for a very long time, but something seems quite different about it […]
TPE has set in place new guidelines to enable us to begin holding our important field trips and work parties going forward while protecting our safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. May 2020 field trip at the oak barrens near TPE’s Rattlesnake Ridge preserve in Arena, WI. Photo by Scott Fulton Like all of us, we […]
Hello Prairie Enthusiasts! We are Dan, Diane, Jerry, and Joe, and we are the people working for you and TPE as the Chapter Support staff. As you may have heard, we are taking a big leap forward in 2020, adding significantly to our capacity to address the mission of educating, protecting, and restoring the native […]
Are you, or do you know someone who is interested in restoring or managing native prairie and savanna communities on private land? Would you like to hear the bumblebees busily spreading pollen from flower to flower and see more butterflies dancing among the grasses? Coulee Region Chapter members John and Rita Hoffmann at their property […]
This week the savanna’s purple lupines (Lupinus perennis) and pink wild geraniums (Geranium maculatum) are being replaced by spiderworts (Tradescantia ohiensis). According to past years’ local records, spiderworts are blooming later than normal this year. The cool spring, together with the lack of burning, make this year’s blooming plants on the hillsides appear to be […]
