WiWiC Autumn Learning Circle! Co-establish Community and Pollinators!

This gathering will be an opportunity for women landowners to connect around their shared interest in conservation practices and to learn from one another.  Join us as at our final event rooted on prairies in Southern Wisconsin. At this event we will be accompanied by land stewards of Prairie Enthusiasts of Sauk-Empire Chapter at Mounds View Grassland Wisconsin. We will discuss seed collection and storage practices, with an option to take seeds home to your farm. Optional time for seed collection and prairie walk after event concludes at 4pm. Learn more about The Prairie Enthusiasts and find your local chapter here: https://theprairieenthusiasts.org/

To protect our bird communities (farm and wild), please avoid cross-contamination please do not wear boots or other footwear that is used around livestock or poultry. Thanks!

What To Expect:

• To network with other women in the area around shared dreams, challenges, and experiences of conservation.

• To learn about the WiWiC project and opportunities that exist for women landowners to access conservation practices

• To gather on a protected prairie, with some uneven ground and uncertain weather - dress accordingly.

• To learn, talk, laugh and connect.

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Bring a friend along and join fellow women landowners, farmers and conservationists along with local experts, to delve into learning the benefits of maintaining healthy soil, cover crops, no till and the value of keeping that soil covered.  Bring your experiences with, we love hearing your stories!

Location: Mounds View Prairie, 8624 Reilly Rd, Barneveld, WI 53507

Site Detail from Prairie Enthusiasts website: The preserve is significant for its remnant prairie vegetation and associated rare insects, and as wildlife habitat at both local and state levels, such as the Wisconsin-endangered/Federal Special Concern Species regal fritillary butterfly (Speyeria idalia) as well as many declining grassland bird species including bobolink, dickcissel, upland sandpiper, and Bell’s vireo.   In fact, it may play a critical role in prairie ecosystem conservation in Wisconsin, for it lies within the 95,000+ acre Military Ridge Prairie Heritage Area (MRPHA). The MRPHA has been identified as the highest priority for landscape-scale grassland protection and management in Wisconsin by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and represents one of the best opportunities in the Midwest to protect prairie remnants and area sensitive species.  The agricultural history of the area has helped keep the landscape much as it was when the first settlers saw it (Figure 1) and has made it possible for plants and animals like grassland birds, which have disappeared in more developed parts of the Midwest, to survive.  The Mounds View Prairie complex is one of the three most significant concentrations of prairie sod and grassland bird habitat within the MRPHA. 

Event Details:

• Event is free to attend but registration is required and space is limited.

• Women, all who identify as such, are welcome to attend – from  landowners to farmers to conservationist enthusiasts –  whatever your background, from beginners to experts! 

• Our WiWiC events follow a Learning Circle model, with ample time and a safe space for story sharing, networking and collaborative learning. We all have something to both share and learn together.

• Light refreshments will be offered during the event, but please plan to eat lunch or bring a snack along if you need to eat during the event.

• Dress for the weather.

• Please bring a chair/camp chair.

• Photos will be taken at this event and used for educational purposes only by WiWiC and the partner groups.  If you do not wish to have your picture taken, let the on-site WiWiC host know.

• WiWiC is a family-friendly space and you are welcome to bring your children. 

  
  

About Wisconsin Women in Conservation

WiWiC s a state-wide collaborative effort led by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in partnership with state and federal conservation agencies, local organizations, and other farm advocacy groups. WiWiC brings together Wisconsin's women landowners, farmers, farm workers, urban growers, and conservation professionals to connect and share about conservation practices, resources, and funding opportunities.

About Michael Fields Agricultural Institute

MFAI is a non-profit organization that has been cultivating resiliency through research, education, and policy work since 1984. With a broad coalition of public and private partners, The Institute supports farmers, food systems and communities in the Upper Midwest and beyond through a range of programs and initiatives. We believe agriculture can sustain both human and ecosystem health, while advancing food security, independence, and justice. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook for news and events.

Please register HERE