History
and Ecology of Prairies in Wisconsin and the Upper
Midwest
Thursday,
January 19 at UW Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac at 7 pm in Room
UC114 University Center
This
presentation will be given on Thursday, January 19 at UW
Fond du Lac, 400 University Drive, Fond du Lac at 7 pm in
Room UC114 University Center. Please go to the main
entrance and watch for signs to the room. The presentation
is sponsored by the Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum and is
free and open to the public. One of our missions is to
bring knowledgeable people to our community to teach us
about the natural world. We are thrilled to have Rich
Henderson, ecologist for WDNR Bureau of Science Services in
Madison, as our next speaker. Rich will introduce us to the
origins of the Midwest prairie and the plants and animals
that constitute the prairie ecosystem and how those species
interact. He will also cover the rise and fall of prairie
and what the future holds for its recovery and
conservation.
Rich has 35 years of experience in natural area inventory,
assessment, and management of prairie, sedge meadow, oak
savanna, and oak woodland ecosystems. His research projects
have included the effects of the seasonal timing of fire on
prairie plants, purple loosestrife ecology and control,
prairie insect inventory and management, and effects of
fire in oak woodlands. Rich is very active with the
Wisconsin Chapter of The Nature Conservancy land
stewardship program since 1975, and The Prairie Enthusiasts
land management program since 1992. He has served on the
board of TPE from 1992 to present, including 5 years as
president.
Fond du Lac County was 60 % prairie and savanna (scattered
oak trees with prairie under story) totaling 136,000 acres
before the Europeans settled here. Now only a few acres of
original prairie remain (with even less oak savanna) in
scattered remnants in the county. These remnants can be
found along railroad tracks and on private and protected
public lands. Prairie and savanna plants have deep root
systems which continually break down to form the rich,
fertile soils on which we now grow our crops.
“I have known Rich for a long time and am certain that he
is more knowledgeable about prairie ecosystems than anyone
else in the state.” said Connie Ramthun, Education
Coordinator for the Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum. Anyone
who has an interest in native plants or has established
prairie flowers and grasses on their land would really
benefit from his talk. You will leave with a deeper
understanding of our native plant heritage and a broader
appreciation for its benefits to wildlife.
Classes are offered monthly by the Gottfried Prairie and
Arboretum and for a full list of programs, please
visit
www.fdl.uwc.edu/arboretum
or
pickup a brochure at UW Fond du Lac in the Main office or
Extension office. These classes are made possible by
donations from Consultant’s Laboratory, Fond du Lac County
Master Gardeners, Grande Cheese and Set In Ink.
For additional information,please check our website,
www.fdl.uwc.edu/arboretum
Welcome
to the Gottfried Prairie and
Arboretum
At
one time, most of Fond du Lac County was covered by
prairie --
native grasslands that were home to bison, prairie
chickens, bobolinks and other wildlife. At the Gottfried
Prairie and Arboretum on the UW-Fond du Lac campus, a group
of volunteers has reestablished the native plants that once
grew on this site. The
project began in 1991, with the goal of representing the
original plant communities of Wisconsin in a small
arboretum. At present, volunteers have planted 37 acres of
native prairie grasses and wildflowers, developed two
wildlife ponds and planted 176 native trees and shrubs.
Most of the wildflower seeds were collected from some of
the last remaining original prairie sites in Fond du Lac
County. To educate local residents, there’s an interpretive
trail, as well as six benches, two picnic tables and a
kiosk for recreation. The
Formal Arboretum is an innovative attempt to depict the
native plants and plant communities of Wisconsin in a
design representing the “Tension Zone” of our state. This
is the area of overlap of northern and southern Wisconsin
plant communities, which occurs in the Fond du Lac area. It
consists of savannah, lowland forests and northern mixed
forests, plus their associated wildflowers.
The Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum is named
for Bradley Gottfried, former dean of UW-Fond du Lac, and a
major force behind the project’s initiation and
development. Dean Gottfried's vision and persistence have
resulted in the restoration of a portion of native prairie
for county residents to enjoy.
Support the Arboretum by dedicating a bench to someone
special. For $145, we’ll install a handsome new “Leopold”
bench at the Arboretum and affix a small plaque with a
dedication message of your choice. Benches
for Sale (PDF
file)
For more information send inquiries to Erika Jensen
at
erikajen@sbcglobal.net.
Arobretum website:
The Gottfried Prairie and
Arboretum
Click here for a larger image of the Gottfried Arboretum at
UW-Fond du Lac.