About Our Chapter

The Southwest Chapter is in the heart of the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin which contains contains dry hill prairies, river terrace sand and wet prairies, and oak savannas. We have many owned properties that require our care in managing and restoring.

Our chapter was one of the first chapters formed, and we have a long and rich history!

The Southwest chapter covers Grant, Crawford, Richland, and Iowa Counties in Wisconsin.

We invite you to join us!

Following numerous “bull” sessions, much dreaming and considerable plotting, The South West Wisconsin Prairie Enthusiasts (SWWPE) had its first formal meeting in 1981. The “Gang of Seven” ringleader Gary Eldred, with Gary and Gail Adams, Walter and Alice Mirk, George III and Susan Brown met around Walter and Alice’s round oak table and decided to become a real “conservation” organization. They were a slightly angry, out of the mainstream, bunch of amateurs intent on preserving natural communities with Edward Abbey and the Monkey Wrench Gang as their heroes. They began to attract kindred souls and the organization began growing rapidly.

One of the prairie discoveries led to meeting David and Helen Macgregor. David did the legal work back in July 1987 so we could become a 501(c)3 charitable organization and the acquisition of prairies began. SWWPE expanded rapidly attracting other groups under our umbrella. After reorganization and consolidation we exist today as the South West Chapter of The Prairie Enthusiasts. Our chapter is still the same “Hillbillies from the Hills”, not quite experts but we’re still learning. We have fun, learn some and enjoy a lot of small but fabulous prairie/savannas in our surroundings, some of which we are able to preserve.

Join us. We need your knowledge, energy, your time, and your contributions.

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