Landowner Incentive Program: In The News

$950,000 destined for private land habitat management in Driftless Area

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank today announced the state has received a $559,602 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s State Wildlife Grant Program to enhance privately owned prairie and savanna habitat throughout the driftless area of Wisconsin in coming months along with $397,486 in state and private matching funds. Funds will be distributed through Wisconsin’s Landowner Incentive Program. Read More...

Spring is Prescribed Burn Season on the Prairie and Savanna

Past LIP recipients among Madison Audubon Society’s 2009 Excellence Award Winners

(Adapted from MAS Feb 2009 Newsletter [PDF exit DNR])

Madison Audubon Society’s Excellence Awards honor outstanding individuals and organizations. Their awards are presented annually during the “Wings Over Madison” banquet, held this year on March 18.

The 2009 Cliff Germain Award for Excellence in Community-Based Restoration was presented to Tom and Kathie Brock of Madison.

The Brocks received LIP grants in 2006 and 2008 to fund maintenance on portions of their 140 acre ongoing restoration. Since the 1980s they have worked tirelessly to restore prairie, savanna, woodlands, and wetlands, including one of the highest quality savanna restorations in the Midwest. Their Pleasant Valley Conservancy is open to the public for hiking and nature study and has been dedicated as a State Natural Area.

More information on Pleasant Valley Conservancy (exit DNR).

The 2009 James Zimmerman Award for Excellence in Environmental Education and Communication went to 2007 LIP recipients Bob Welch and Debra Martin of Waupaca. The couple established their 170-acre property as the Waupaca Field Station (WFS) in the mid-1980s to permanently protect and restore globally endangered oak barrens and sand prairie ecosystems with their associated endangered and rare species such as the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly, Wood and Blanding’s Turtles, and several priority bird and rare plant species. Each year student interns, teachers, and local schools utilize the station. A science club based at WFS helps with environmental studies conducted by local university professors, grad students, and undergrads working as interns at the station.

More information on Waupaca Field Station (exit DNR).

Congratulations to these and the other the deserving recipients!

Land management: Savannas encouraged in southern Wisconsin (8/30/08)

It might surprise people to learn that savannas were once widespread in Wisconsin. The ecosystem, a grassland with sparse trees, about 20 per acre, was notable in Wisconsin during pre-white settlement times. Estimates put this park-like community at about 5.5 million acres. Now, there's an effort to bring it back to life in southern Wisconsin. Read More... (exit DNR)

DNR grants available for landowners to help rare plants and animals (8/25/08)

The Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications for the Landowner Incentive Program, which gives assistance to landowners who agree to manage their property to benefit rare and threatened plants and animals. Read More... (exit DNR)

Outdoors: Prairie remnants host species of conservation concern (7/17/08)

President Teddy Roosevelt is said to have remarked that anyone could love a mountain, but it takes soul to love a prairie. That being true, there are lots of souls in Crawford County, the heart of coulee country in southwestern Wisconsin, who appreciate the delicate blossoms of prairie flowers and movement in the breeze of native grasses. More... (exit DNR)

Anniversary Hike (Summer 2008)

On May 20, the St. Croix Valley chapter invited the entire River Falls, WI, community to hike through the remnant prairie and oak savanna known as the Foster Conservation Area. View TPE Summer Newsletter [PDF exit DNR]

DNR Program Assists Landowner Prairie Restoration (8/17/07)

The Landowner Incentive Program gives grants to help people restore prairies and savannas and create habitat for threatened plants and birds. More... (exit DNR)

Help Available for Landowners (8/09/07)

Rick Lange, USDA-NRCS district conservationist, said he sees more and more landowners interested in improving their land. He notes that there is some help available from agencies and organizations. More... (exit DNR)

Remnants of Once Great American Grasslands Are "Gems" (8/09/07)

The goats never did show up, but "goat prairies" were evident on a tour last week of small remnants of native prairie that used to cover the hillsides of western Wisconsin. More... (exit DNR)