Undaunted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Empire-Sauk Chapter delivered its March 28, 2020 basic burn crew training workshop online. Teachers Rob Baller, Andy Sleger and Scott Fulton, together with moderator Grace Vosen, utilized Zoom to present the 6-hour program to 31 students, including a number from a Dane County Parks volunteer training class which had […]
Spring is in the air! We are blessed to have so much native habitat nearby to enjoy. We want to encourage you to go see a prairie, oak savanna, or local park to look for signs of spring. The seasonal weather we are having is just what we need to bring life out on the […]
The 2020 TPE burn season was dramatically shortened but was not a complete bust. Just as the season was getting underway the COVID-19 outbreak hit, with stay-at-home orders issued in late March for Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. State, county and local authorities also issued burn bans in some places, and TPE made a recommendation to […]
Introducing a new phenology series. Pat Trochlell, author of ‘This Week in the Driftless Area’ will bring us on a virtual tour of what is happening in our native habitat through her new column. We hope to post this series weekly on our TPE Facebook page, found at https://www.facebook.com/ThePrairieEnthusiasts/ Look for her updates on Thursday afternoons. Pat’s inspiration […]
To all TPE members, leaders and friends, As of today, both Illinois and Wisconsin have now issued statewide orders limiting travel and gatherings of all citizens outside of their homes to essential activities and jobs only. After a careful review of the Wisconsin order, we have concluded that we should immediately halt the current TPE burn […]
To all TPE members, leaders and friends, All of us, including individuals, families, and community organizations like TPE, need to respond appropriately to the COVID-19 pandemic. TPE’s chapters host a significant number of community gatherings, including burns, work parties, field trips, and other educational events, as well as chapter and committee meetings. Much of our […]
The Annual TPE Prairie Conference came and went without a hitch. As usual, there were a lot of moving pieces that fit together into a working harmony. Like with any natural prairie community, we needed the elements to come together, and they did. Looking back, it was a close call. Large groups on a college […]
It is with mixed emotions that we report on March 1 the TPE Board of Directors decided to begin a nationwide search for a new Executive Director to replace Chris Kirkpatrick. Chris has graciously agreed to work with us on the transition process until March 31. The Executive Committee of the Board (Jerry Newman, Alice […]
Nearly 260 prairie enthusiasts gathered Feb. 29 on a beautiful leap-year day at UW-Platteville campus for the 32nd annual TPE Conference and Banquet. Hosted by the Southwest and Prairie Bluff chapters, with coordination by Chapter Support staff, the team gained access to the building at 6:30 a.m. and scrambled to open […]
Historically significant and emblematic of the wildness that once existed along the towering bluffs of the Mississippi River, the timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) continues to survive in isolated pockets. Revered and respected by Native Americans, with some tribes calling it “Grandfather,” it was vilified by European settlers and now only thrives in the most remote […]
