The seventh annual Wisconsin Land Trust Days celebration just wrapped up on September 30. With 43 events hosted by 19 land trusts, we had a blast the past three months!
The first Land Trust Days event of 2024 was hosted by Geneva Lake Conservancy on July 5 when they welcomed about 70 people for Family Day at the Children’s Fishing Preserve in Williams Bay. Guests had the chance to visit the restored prairies and wetlands and take part in interactive and kid-friendly activities. What a fun start!
Geneva Lake Conservancy was also active throughout the following months of Land Trust Days, hosting other events like a celebration of nature photo contest participants, an autumn gathering featuring author Dan Egan, and a volunteer day filled with seed collecting.
The biggest event of Land Trust Days was again Tall Pines Conservancy’s annual Ride to the Barns in August. In this 16th year of their flagship event, they drew over 500 cyclists and raised funds for farmland conservation in Lake Country.
Kettle Moraine Land Trust was the superstar host for the year, hosting nine events over the past three months. This included a mid-summer insect outing, a couple of lunar celebrations, a fall nature art experience, and several opportunities to learn about and get involved in seed collecting. They also collaborated with Seno K/RLT Conservancy to host a fall prairie walk.
North Central Conservancy Trust had a big year too, hosting the Harold “Bud” Jordahl Lifetime Achievement Award Celebration for Dr. Bob Freckmann, along with their Annual Harvest Dinner, which marked their 30th anniversary and celebrated their accreditation status achieved earlier in the year. They also hosted an interpretive hike where visitors could learn about the glacial and geologic forces that shaped northeastern Marathon County.
Ozaukee Washington Land Trust and the River Revitalization Foundation co-hosted three incredible events: a Cocktails for Conservation Cruise on Lake Michigan on the Edelweiss boat, a 30-year anniversary celebration for River Revitalization Foundation, and their popular Treasures of Oz Eco-Tour showcasing special places in Ozaukee County.
Groundswell Conservancy hosted a (free!) tour of Cave of the Mounds, sharing how conservation plays a role in protecting this special place.
Caledonia Conservancy once again welcomed equestrians to participate in their annual Mane Event, a scavenger hunt on horseback. Riders followed a marked trail and took pictures of scavenger hunt items.
Mississippi Valley Conservancy led a bat ecology tour at Kickapoo Caverns, a garden tour and star gazing event in the La Crosse blufflands, and a mushroom foray with mycologists.
Northwoods Land Trust led two hikes, one exploring a unique bog area and the other to the highest point of Minocqua Winter Park.
Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation held an event called Raptors in Conservation, inviting Schlitz Audubon and their raptors for an interactive presentation featuring a bald eagle, hawk, owl, and falcon.
Landmark Conservancy hosted a Butterfly Discovery Event in the Beaver Creek Reserve where participants learned how to catch and release butterflies and toured a monarch caterpillar lab.
Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy led a hike in the dry-mesic upland woods of the Sidney Woodland Preserve.
Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance led small groups on guided tours of natural areas near Madison, including Goose Pond Sanctuary and Faville Grove.
The Ridges Sanctuary hosted Summer in the Sanctuary, a family-friendly event at the Ridges Nature Center and Hidden Brook Boardwalk with nature-themed stations.
The Ice Age Trail Alliance coordinated volunteer trailbuilding opportunities on the Plover River and Greenbush Segments of the Ice Age Trail. They also hosted a Trailtessa event where young girls painted a mural celebrating bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and fireflies.
Baird Creek Preservation Foundation led a tour of two properties in the Baird Creek Watershed, sharing how these prairies were restored and who calls the watershed home.
Glacial Lakes Conservancy hosted some soothing outdoor opportunities, including forest bathing and nature journaling events to help attendees take their appreciation of nature to a new level.
Driftless Area Land Conservancy shared information about an ongoing oak savanna restoration on a tour of the Wild Oaks Preserve.
Based on land trust attendance data, we know that at least 2,300 people attended these events, many of whom were new to the land trust community!
We are so grateful to all the land trusts that hosted and welcomed people to their properties to #HaveFunOutside! Thank you to the dedicated staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly over the past few months to make these events so successful. And thanks to everyone who attended an event or visited a land trust property during Land Trust Days. We hope you had fun and learned a little bit more about land trusts and the important work they do.
Just because Land Trust Days is over doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. Many land trust properties are open to the public and host events year-round. Find a list of land trust events on our website here.
