Member Spotlight: Gabriel Bertilson

Member Spotlight: Gabriel Bertilson

by | Sep 18, 2026 | Inspiration

Member Spotlight: Gabriel Bertilson

Article by Ben Bullard, Minnesota Oak Savanna Chapter Board Member

September 18, 2026

Member Spotlight: Gabriel Bertilson

Article by Ben Bullard, Minnesota Oak Savanna Chapter Board Member

September 18, 2026

I first met Gabriel about two years ago in a dimly lit parking lot. Hardly the natural habitat of two botanical nerds. We had just finished attending a great presentation in Minneapolis by Heather Holm, the topic being oak ecosystems and restoration. We immediately bonded over this, and over our shared love for trying to understand these wonderful habitats, and moreover, what makes them tick. I think we might’ve stood there for at least an hour and a half, in the cold, because we had so many things we felt we had to cover before we had to call it quits.

I didn’t know then that this conversation would be the beginning of a growing network of habitat stewards across the Twin Cities. A network of people like him and me, who cared most about the living habitat of the world around us above all else. Fast forward to now, and I am amazed at the progress the Minnesota Oak Savanna Chapter has made in the midst of this. People like Gabriel remind me of why I got involved with The Prairie Enthusiasts.

It’s difficult to capture Gabriel’s contributions and talents in a few paragraphs. To do so feels a bit like describing a high-quality remnant habitat simply as “diverse”—while not technically inaccurate, it fails to capture the true depth. His passion to help others and his interconnectedness with various land stewards and habitats may better be ascribed to being a part of a mycelial network. Like such a network, Gabriel’s reach crosses political or geographical boundaries. He is constantly on the move, following the rhythms of the season and showing up wherever there is work to be done or something new to learn (and later teach to others).

In his immense botanical knowledge, Gabriel has many specialties. He ventures where most run away— including panic grasses (Dicanthelium), sedges (Carex), and various other groups that are oft overlooked for their diminutive size (Poverty Oats!). He has a particular talent for taking these daunting tasks of identification down to a few simple steps that everyone can understand.

Seed collection is another thing Gabriel has devoted much of his time to during the growing season. This includes careful tracking of species phenology and locations—which is critical for collection for many of the desirable species that are usually missing from our restorations. He is also constantly thinking about how to translate native plant communities into new contexts, including local restorations in need and ways to implement these seed collected species into the everyday spaces we all inhabit.

Others may know Gabriel from the fire line. I would venture to say he has probably helped burn more individual sites over the course of the last year than just about anyone else across the various chapters of The Prairie Enthusiasts. Even on the fire line, he is keen on observing fire behavior and the effects on the various lifeforms dotted across the prairie—and looking for scorched sedge flowers!

Above all, he embodies ecological altruism—freely giving his time and energy in service of others and the living world. I’m giddy to know that the best for Gabriel and those in his orbit are yet to come.

Gabriel preparing to burn.

Photo by Evanne Hunt.

Gabriel walking along a trail in River Falls.

Photo by Laura Baxley.

Gabriel observing wood betony. 

Photo by Evanne Hunt.

This article appeared in the Fall 2026 edition of The Prairie Promoter, a publication of news, art and writing from The Prairie Enthusiasts community. Explore the full collection and learn how to submit your work here. 

About The Prairie Enthusiasts 

The Prairie Enthusiasts is an accredited land trust that seeks to ensure the perpetuation and recovery of prairie, oak savanna, and other fire-dependent ecosystems of the Upper Midwest through protection, management, restoration, and education. In doing so, they strive to work openly and cooperatively with private landowners and other private and public conservation groups. Their management and stewardship centers on high-quality remnants, which contain nearly all the components of endangered prairie communities. 

Sustained Enthusiasm!

Sustained Enthusiasm!

by | Sep 18, 2026 | Inspiration

Sustained Enthusiasm!

Member Profile: Evanne Hunt, St. Croix Valley Chapter

Article by Melinda Knutson, Coulee Region Chapter Chair

September 18, 2026

Sustained Enthusiasm!

Member Profile: Evanne Hunt, St. Croix Valley Chapter

Article by Melinda Knutson, Coulee Region Chapter Chair

September 18, 2026

Prairie conservation takes many kinds of dedication: the knowledge to guide good management, the hands-on energy to care for the land, and the steady behind-the-scenes service that keeps an organization moving forward. Evanne Hunt has offered that kind of steady service for more than two decades, supporting The Prairie Enthusiasts through leadership, outreach and a genuine commitment to community. She has served as Chair of the St. Croix Valley Chapter since 2001 or 2002, though the exact year is uncertain. This includes Pierce, Polk and St. Croix counties in Wisconsin, along with Washington County in Minnesota. This year, it celebrated its 30-year anniversary. Under Evanne’s leadership, the Chapter has grown to about 140 members and now manages seven properties with remnant prairies and savannas. Over 80 people attended the anniversary celebration in June.

Evanne did not grow up on a farm nor did she have a memorable childhood experience in nature that drew many people into natural resources. Instead, she was a “townie,” raised in the small town of Milaca, Minnesota. Her interest in prairies began in 1991, when she and her husband, Greg Korman, moved onto two acres near Hudson, Wisconsin. Tasked with mowing the lawn, Hunt started looking for ways to reduce the work. She ordered a stack of garden catalogs, and the Prairie Nursery catalog caught her attention.

Evanne Hunt among grey-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata). Photo by Greg Korman.

“I wanted those beautiful prairie flowers instead of a lawn, but I didn’t know anything about prairies,” she said. “We started with one acre, and we made some mistakes by planting too many tall grasses. Still…that started my passion for prairies. I just love attending work parties, prairie walks and field days. Everyone mentors me; I don’t mentor anyone,” said Hunt when I asked her about her leadership role. “I don’t have the expertise to identify all the prairie plants or know how to manage them. There are many other people with more expertise than I have. But that’s okay! The Prairie Enthusiasts is a big organization now; we need lots of different skills. We need experts in finance, education and many other areas, as well as botany.”

How can we attract more people to engage in prairie restoration? Why do people choose to do work that can be difficult or sometimes unpleasant? Why spend a cold day in the fall cutting buckthorn, treating stumps with herbicide, hauling trees and shrubs into piles and tackling the other routine, sometimes unpleasant tasks of prairie restoration?

“It’s the camaraderie that attracts them,” answered Evanne. “We get a lot of people coming out for work parties that may never join The Prairie Enthusiasts, but they still love learning about the prairie, collecting seeds, and feeling the camaraderie of doing something useful outdoors. Notice that we don’t call them ‘work days,’ we call them ‘work parties’ because we have fun while we work. We always stop for lunch, tell stories, or learn new plants.”

“People love a bonfire!” Evanne stated. “Burning wood piles and fall seed collecting are great times to get new people to join us. We encourage people to bring friends. Most people won’t come if they don’t know at least one other person who is attending. That’s just human nature.”

Why has Evanne been willing to serve in a leadership role for her Chapter for so many years? “It’s difficult to get people to take on leadership roles and attend meetings; most Prairie Enthusiasts would rather work outdoors than go to a meeting,” Evanne remarked. “My work as a technical writer for a computer company was indoors. It was natural for me to go to meetings. Actually, I don’t like meetings that well either; but taking on a leadership role is something I can do to support the organization.”

Evanne’s other major role with The Prairie Enthusiasts is outreach. “I show up at every event in the area with my table and brochures,” Evanne said. “I emphasize the fun involved in helping nature and the satisfaction of making a difference. We also have students from UW-River Falls who help with seed collecting and cleaning and professors who encourage them. We’re lucky to have those connections.”

“I’m very encouraged by the rising public interest in pollinators, butterflies and birds,” expressed Evanne. “I think the schools, government agencies and non-profits have been successful in raising public awareness about what a prairie is and why it is important. Back in the 1990s I had to repeatedly explain to people what a prairie was; most people today have some basic understanding that prairies are important for pollinators and even for birds.”

When I contacted Evanne, she worried her story might be too ordinary to interest readers. I don’t agree! Her story is a reminder that there are many ways to make a difference, and not all of them are flashy. Often, it is the people who stay committed over time—those with sustained enthusiasm—who provide the steady foundation that helps everyone succeed.

This article appeared in the Fall 2026 edition of The Prairie Promoter, a publication of news, art and writing from The Prairie Enthusiasts community. Explore the full collection and learn how to submit your work here. 

About The Prairie Enthusiasts 

The Prairie Enthusiasts is an accredited land trust that seeks to ensure the perpetuation and recovery of prairie, oak savanna, and other fire-dependent ecosystems of the Upper Midwest through protection, management, restoration, and education. In doing so, they strive to work openly and cooperatively with private landowners and other private and public conservation groups. Their management and stewardship centers on high-quality remnants, which contain nearly all the components of endangered prairie communities. 

Mukwonago River Oak Barrens Update

Mukwonago River Oak Barrens Update

by | Sep 14, 2026 | News

Mukwonago River Oak Barrens Update

Article and photos by Dan Carter.

September 2026

Mukwonago River Oak Barrens Update

Article and photos by Dan Carter.

September 2026

Volunteers collect seed from Great Plains frostweed (Crocanthemum bicknellii), Canada frostweed (Crocanthemum canadense) and prairie pinweed (Lechea stricta) in late summer.

The Prairie Enthusiasts acquired the Mukwonago River Oak Barrens (MROB) a little over one year ago. The site features recovering oak barrens (sandy savanna), moist savanna; and small areas of wet to wet-mesic prairie, sedge meadow, and calcareous fen. It has become a big part of my life and place of community for dozens of people. 

 In the first year following acquisition, volunteers spent 1500 hours conducting burns, removing brush, collecting and spreading seeds, and staging and burning piles. We’ve also taken time to enjoy the flowers and the birds. We continue to be encouraged by good surprises. Since the spring of 2025 the list of known native vascular plants indigenous to the site has grown from a little over 200 to 320. The new finds include species like yellow stargrass (Hypoxis hirsuta), prairie smoke (Geum triflorum), velvet-leaf blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides), Swan’s sedge (Carex swanii), and a Wisconsin threatened plant, which jumped out at me while leading a tour along a route I had passed by dozens of times before. In March, we potlucked around a dusk campfire and then sat in silence as an abundant American woodcock display occurred overhead and in all directions. I have been struck by how long it takes to learn even a fraction of what there is to know about a place through luck and deliberate inspection. 

I was nervous about the project in the beginning. I wondered how many people would get involved. I wondered if the property had enough nucleus of persisting native flora, fauna and microbes to continue to heal. Brush was and still is extensive. There were and are thousands of trees to remove. There was and is so much spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa).  The property had been a Christmas tree farm. Before that it had been a cut flower farm. Before that, much of it was cultivated. And before that, an old herbarium specimen from the vicinity of the property described the land as sheep pasture. Still, small areas avoided the plow. Other areas that were cultivated but had subsequently remained at least partially open into the present seemed well on their way towards recovery. Species like false toadflax (Comandra umbellata), hairy puccoon (Lithospermum caroliniense), clasping leaf milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis), short green milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora), rough blazingstar (Liatris aspera), and hairy hawkweed (Hieracium longipilum) had presumably recolonized the sand from uncultivated areas near the wetland edge, fencerows and adjacent road rights of way.  Seeing this spontaneous recovery and hoping to amplify it, we made the commitment to join its process. 

We have steadily added to the area we are actively managing. Our goal is to bring three to five acres under integrated management each year, first connecting relatively open areas in the central and western part of the property, the open wetlands riparian to the Mukwonago River, and pockets of remnant vegetation in the uncultivated area that runs along the wetland edge in the southern part of the property. By ‘integrated’ I mean that we are removing unwanted vegetation, burning, seeding and continuing to follow up and look for problems in a coordinated way within the areas we have opened up. 

Short green milkweed (Asclepias viridiflora) occurs in a few scattered areas in the western part of the property.

MROB Map: The property boundary is highlighted. Areas within the property boundary outlined and shaded in blue were under our active management at the time of closing in June 2025. Areas outlined and shaded in red have been opened up and added to the management footprint between June 2025 and June 2026. Contract work funded by grantors and donors had completed significant amounts of the clearing within the areas outlined in black as of June 2026.

We started in the partially open center of the property, removing patches of buckthorn and honeysuckle, cutting smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) suckers twice during the growing season, girdling aspen trees, removing remaining conifers, and burning about four acres in the fall of 2023. In the fall of 2024, we burned that area again, another similar area immediately to the southwest, and a small area around a concentration of remnant savanna vegetation in a distant corner of the property for a total of just over seven acres. Between October of 2025 and March of 2026, we burned all of those areas again and newly opened areas adjacent to them for a total of just over twelve acres. Having capacity among regular volunteers to burn small areas on short notice has been very helpful. During the 2025-2026 dormant burn season we were able to burn eight small areas after we conducted the main burns of the larger open units. That means we were ready and able to put down seed and give recovery a head start. Productivity over much of the site is quite low, which means that if we apply annual ignitions, there is only enough fuel to carry fire over 70 to 80 percent of the area within burn units.  

As of this fall, we’ve connected open areas in the central and western part of the property with a strip of remnant prairie and the adjacent sedge meadow in the southwest corner of the property. We have also expanded our management footprint to incorporate much of the other uncultivated parts of the property, some of the sedge meadow in the south-central and southeastern part of the property, as well as a savanna vernal pond, which was discovered by following the calls of chorus frogs into the brush in 2024. This upcoming dormant burn season, we should increase our burn footprint from 12 to between 17 and 19 acres. 

Volunteers burn conifer material on a wet late winter day. White firs (Abies concolor) remaining in the background were left temporarily so volunteers can take the tops for holiday trees later this fall.

Conifer plantations are a challenge. Most of the material isn’t marketable in southeastern Wisconsin, and there are parts of the property where we would rather avoid the use of heavy machinery. We have found that we can cut, pile, and burn about an acre of conifers each year.  

One of the biggest challenges so far has been untimely flash droughts in the sandy soils. After April deluges this spring, the site went six weeks from late April into early June with only a quarter inch of rain spread across several inconsequential sprinkles. A similar dry period occurred last June. Seeds broadcast in fall and germinated in April and early May withered and died in the open areas. We have also spent a lot of time watering transplants (plugs, roots, and divisions). Still, local wood betony (Pedicularis canadensis) sown in the summer of 2024 flowered for the first time this year in several areas. Prairie blazingstar (Liatris pycnostachya) sown in moist areas in late fall of 2024 also flowered for the first time. It joins a solitary plant that established after cultivation was abandoned from a population nearby that presumably was lost to brush or land use. More things are coming, even in the drier areas, but especially in lower areas closer to the water table or under the shade of oaks. We’ll get better returns on our seed collecting and sowing efforts if and when we get a wet period during May and early June. We plan to collect and sow what we can every year within our management footprint. We will probably shift as much plug/root/transplant planting as possible in drier areas to autumn to maximize the period of adequate moisture for establishment.   

Vernal pool that has been cleared of buckthorn and is now contiguous with open savanna habitat after filling with water in April. Marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris) and blue flag iris (Iris virginica) persisted and are recovering. Many other species known from vernal pools in the area have been introduced where the ground was bare.

Wood betony (Pedicularis canadensis) emerging in bud in early April, 2026 in an area where it was seeded in the summer of 2024 after brush removal (prior to acquisition of the property).

Support from the Kettle Moraine Chapter of Wild Ones, the Natural Resources Foundation (NRF) C.D. Besadny Conservation and Rare Plant Preservation Funds, Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium Assistance Program, and individual donors has supported our work by helping purchase supplies, seeds, and plugs; and by funding contract work to clear brush and trees on about two acres (so far) to augment our volunteer work. The NRF Rare Plant Preservation Fund is supporting clearing brush to create more suitable habitat for Swan’s sedge (WI Special Concern) and fescue sedge (Carex festucacea, WI Special Concern) and the contract growing plugs from Swan’s sedge seed collected at MROB, a nearby Waukesha County Land Conservancy preserve, and another neighboring property. Plants will be shared between Waukesha County Land Conservancy and The Prairie Enthusiasts.  

There is still much to do, and that will always be the case. Our role is to expand and maintain the openness needed for recovery. The land responds with flowers, birds and ornate insects. It provides an honest, transparent and deep sanctuary. Midwestern savannas and prairies exist only from mutually constructive relationships between people and land. If there are to be savannas and prairies, there can be no end to that relationship, and we celebrate that every week. Join us some time, consider leading an element of stewardship, or simply take a walk and listen to the meadow katydids and field sparrows. 

Seven purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens)plants flowered in June 2026
in a moist area where it had been planted in 2023 (prior to acquisition of the property).

Hairy puccoon (Lithospermum caroliniense) flowering profusely in May.

Clasping-leaf milkweed (Asclepias amplexicaulis) is abundant at the site. Hundreds of stems are scattered throughout the open areas.

learn more about mukwonago river oak barrens

This article appeared in the Fall 2026 edition of The Prairie Promoter, a publication of news, art and writing from The Prairie Enthusiasts community. Explore the full collection and learn how to submit your work here.

About The Prairie Enthusiasts 

The Prairie Enthusiasts is an accredited land trust that seeks to ensure the perpetuation and recovery of prairie, oak savanna, and other fire-dependent ecosystems of the Upper Midwest through protection, management, restoration, and education. In doing so, they strive to work openly and cooperatively with private landowners and other private and public conservation groups. Their management and stewardship centers on high-quality remnants, which contain nearly all the components of endangered prairie communities. 

Blue Sky Botany – Sunflowers

Blue Sky Botany – Sunflowers

by | Aug 14, 2026 | Identification & Education

Blue Sky Botany — Sunflowers

Article and photos by Rob Baller. Input provided by Pat Trochlell, Jim Rogala and Dan Carter.

August 14, 2026

Botanist and early The Prairie Enthusiasts member Rob Baller created this series for our friends at Blue Mounds Area Project. The “blue sky” technique is Rob’s favorite for taking stunning plant photographs. Let him know what you think at robertballer@outlook.com.

ALWAYS get permission from the property owner if you want to try this technique.

Click to enlarge the images below!

Ox-eye

(Heliopsis helianthoides)

Mid-July-August. 3-5 ft tall. Mesic soil, usually full sun. Infamous for not being a true sunflower because both ray flowers and disk flowers form seeds. The rays impress me as being golden-orange rather than sunflower yellow. Leaves average twice as long as wide, creating a broadly triangular look, often squared at the base. It helps to unfold the curled leaf to examine it. Branching is strictly opposite, top to bottom.

Woodland sunflower

(Helianthus strumosus)

Mid-July-September. 3-6 ft tall. Petioles (leaf stem) a quarter inch long, leaf base squarish to broad and/or rounded, rough-scratchy to the touch, and those phyllaries under the flowers are peeling-away-little-wavy spears. I suspect this is the most common of the shade-tolerant ‘woodland’ sunflowers on all dappled roads and woodland edges in southern Wisconsin. In newer oak savanna restorations, it may explode into huge colonies. There are at least three more difficult species of woodland sunflowers that botanists disagree over. My advice is don’t worry about it.

Showy sunflower or few-leaved sunflower

(Helianthus pauciflorus, formerly H. laetiflorus)

August-September. 3-5 ft tall. Full sun, mesic to dry prairie. Leaf bases taper gradually into the petiole, forming an angle that is acute. Leaf tips equally acute. The leaf arrangement has less leaves toward the top (somewhere between naked and woodland with regard to number of leaves and location). Phyllaries twice as long as wide, or wider, fitting tightly to the underside of the flower like shingles on a roof, with maybe the tips slightly peeling. 

Dan Carter provided a taxonomic detail on this species: H. laetiflorus was often used for H. pauciflorus, but it also was and still is used for hybrids and backcrosses involving Helianthus tuberosus and Helianthus pauciflorus.

Western sunflower, naked stem sunflower or few-leaf sunflower

(Helianthus occidentalis)

August-September. 2-5 ft tall. Full sun, dry prairie, sands, barrens. Definitely our driest sunflower, well-adapted with leaves restricted to a rosette at the base, and maybe one or two pairs of tiny Tyrannosaurus leaves midway up the stem.

Sawtooth sunflower

(Helianthus grossesseratus)

September. 6-9 ft tall. Tallest common sunflower. Full sun, rich mesic soils, sometimes lining cornfield margins along with giant ragweed. Leaves long-tapering, arching, the edges slightly toothed; “sawtooth” is overly optimistic. Phyllaries are long-tapering, spreading, wavy spear points.

Giant sunflower

(Helianthus giganteius)

This sunflower is provided by Dan Carter. Quite similar to sawtooth sunflower. Common on The Prairie Enthusiasts’ sites. One main difference between sawtooth sunflower and giant sunflower is that sawtooth has smooth stems and giant sunflower has hairy stems. The two sunflowers sometimes occur together and hybridize.

About The Prairie Enthusiasts 

The Prairie Enthusiasts is an accredited land trust that seeks to ensure the perpetuation and recovery of prairie, oak savanna, and other fire-dependent ecosystems of the Upper Midwest through protection, management, restoration, and education. In doing so, they strive to work openly and cooperatively with private landowners and other private and public conservation groups. Their management and stewardship centers on high-quality remnants, which contain nearly all the components of endangered prairie communities. 

One Year Protected: Mukwonago River Oak Barrens

One Year Protected: Mukwonago River Oak Barrens

by | Jul 17, 2026 | News

One Year Protected: Mukwonago River Oak Barrens

Written by Dan Carter. Photos by Dan Carter.

July 17, 2026

Read the longer official update HERE.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than a year since The Prairie Enthusiasts protected the Mukwonago River Oak Barrens.

Maybe it’s a distinction without a difference, since volunteers had been working out there for two years already at that point, but things have continued to pick up, with over 1500 hours of volunteer work time through that first year spent conducting prescribed burns, collecting and spreading seeds, planting roots/plugs, removing brush and trees, and staging and burning piles.

Volunteers have opened up and expanded our management footprint by about 3.5 acres during the first year, and this was augmented by contract work that has opened up another two acres and was funded through the Natural Resources Foundation Besadny Conservation Fund, The Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium Assistance Program, and donations from the Kettle Moraine Chapter of Wild Ones and other donors. Additional Natural Resources Foundation Rare Plant Preservation Funds will be used to open up more habitat this winter for two rare sedges that occur at the site.

This year we saw our first blooms from locally sourced wood betony (Pedicularis canadensis), prairie blazingstar (Liatris pycnostachya), and several other species seeded into areas opened up between late 2023 and 2024. We have continued to find species indigenous to the site that we were not aware of, including yellow stargrass (Hypoxis hirsuta) and prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) early this year, and most recently week sedge (Carex debilis).

The count of known, native plants present at the site without our having added them stands at 320.

Glacial Prairie Chapter volunteers spread seed over the snow last winter.

Glacial Prairie Chapter volunteers burn conifer material.

Glacial Prairie Chapter volunteers pull brush in an area that supports alumroot (Heuchera richardsonii), false toadflax (Comandra umbellata), Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum), Canada blue-joint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), and butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa).

Fire burns through an area of southern sedge meadow at the barrens late last October.

Yellow stargrass growing in a strip of remnant wet to wet-mesic prairie in the southern part of the property.

Michigan lily (Lilium michiganense) blooming along the transition of the oak barrens to southern sedge meadow this July.

learn more about mukwonago river oak barrens

About The Prairie Enthusiasts 

The Prairie Enthusiasts is an accredited land trust that seeks to ensure the perpetuation and recovery of prairie, oak savanna, and other fire-dependent ecosystems of the Upper Midwest through protection, management, restoration, and education. In doing so, they strive to work openly and cooperatively with private landowners and other private and public conservation groups. Their management and stewardship centers on high-quality remnants, which contain nearly all the components of endangered prairie communities.