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. 

Yellow Coneflowers and Wild Bergamot

Yellow Coneflowers and Wild Bergamot

by | Jun 2, 2026 | Inspiration

Yellow Coneflowers and Wild Bergamot

Poetry by Jim Daubert, Empire-Sauk Chapter Member

June 2, 2026

Yellow Coneflowers

Yearning to please
Exuberantly alive
Lively, illuminating
Lovely
Offering intrigue
Wind driven

Cultural symbol
Offering hope
Nature’s answer
Enchanting mood elevator
Fascinating,
Lackadaisical
Outstanding
Wound healing, medicinal properties
Ecstasy
Radiant,
Serene, stimulating

Coneflower by Molly Fifield-Murray

Wild Bergamot

Wonderfully wild
Idyllic
Likable, Lyrical
Delightful

Bold, bee balm, horsemint
Enchanting, elegant
Glamorous
Ability to sooth
Monarda, mint like fragrance
Oregano-scented,
Tranquilizing

Hummingbird moth on bergamot by Gary Eldred

What a Difference a Year Makes!

What a Difference a Year Makes!

by | Jun 2, 2026 | Inspiration

What a Difference a Year Makes!

Article by Rob Schubert, Empire-Sauk Chapter Land Manager and Site Steward

June 2, 2026

Volunteer winter work party group. Photo by Rob Schubert.

Progress at Giordano Oak Barrens and Sand Prairie has been fantastic! We’ve been able to affect more than 14.5 acres of intensive tree and brush removal since efforts at the 40-acre site in Columbia County began in January 2025. Not many of those can be counted as “completed acres,” but we have been able to accomplish a lot of the work required to restore this site. 

The effort has come from multiple sources. Empire-Sauk Chapter land management staff have been crucial. Volunteer interest and turnout have been consistently growing over the past two years, with a small but dedicated group of locals now actively involved. Engaging partners has resulted in much more progress than what otherwise could have been accomplished. And, in addition to all of this, there is some degree of luck. 

The first big push came with help from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS). 

Brendan Woodall, formerly of USFWS, and I developed a suitable scope of work. We were limited by which methods could be implemented on the site. We also needed to make fast progress to build success and justify project costs. We determined that using hydraulic tree shears would be the best approach; they would allow us to impact a large area, make a clear and dramatic shift in the natural community, minimize impact to sensitive features and limit the initial follow up required.  

We were able to hire a contractor to remove cedar and pine on approximately eight acres using $10,000 of available funding. This work was conducted expertly by Keith Baker of WiseAxe, LLC. Using a mini excavator and hydraulic shears, Keith was able to cut off cedars and pines at ground level, thus opening the most intact sand prairie in a way that did not result in soil disturbance or cause significant resprouting of hardwood species. Trees that were too large in diameter to remove, he de-limbed and sheared where he could reach, sometimes 20 feet up the trunk, leaving the spires which now add a bit of whimsy to the site. 

Keith is an amazing equipment operator, and I wish I had been able to spend more time watching him at his craft. Unfortunately, I had to head down to Missouri for a training. While I was away, Evan Nelson helped oversee the work on my behalf. This wouldn’t be the last time Evan’s involvement proved important. 

After Keith finished his work, there were brush piles everywhere. These piles needed to be consolidated and moved. Without snow on the ground and the ability to burn, the work was even harder. Evan spent multiple days moving material with his tractor. Bo Hendrickson (formerly with USFWS) also came down and spent a day moving material with a skid steer. 

Without this help, we would not have been able to get all the material moved and minimize burn scars. I’d been adding about three new plant species to the inventory list each time I visited the site. Knowing there was still a lot to be discovered and that these newly observed populations were small and scattered across the site, I needed to avoid accidentally extirpating species.  

Removing cedars from the most extant prairie and sand blows was the main priority. Eliminating the threat of encroachment and intensive follow-up maintenance was another major concern. 

Black locust occupied three main areas when the property was acquired. Two of the areas occupy the most degraded, lowest priority areas; the third was immediately adjacent to the sand prairie.  

Shala and Rob felling pines. Photo by Luke DeBiasio.

The clone was spreading. About 2.5 acres of black locust needed to be removed, and quickly! The area was also strategically important to be able to plan burn units and reintroduce prescribed fire to the site.  

Black locust is notoriously difficult to control. It’s a clonal species that spreads via roots and can persistently re-sprout following removal efforts.  Effective control requires, in part, specialized herbicide, which is both expensive and very capable of causing undesirable impacts to other legume species, such as lead plant and goat’s rue, especially in sandy soils.  

Foliar spraying of black locust resprouts for years on end was not a viable option. 

To avoid chasing black locust indefinitely, we needed to get the entire clone cut in a single dormant season. The former stand was approximately 2.5 acres. With 100 to 200 trees per acre, we were going to need to cut some trees. 

Luckily for us, Evan Nelson lives just down the road. Evan owns Good Oak Ecological Services and brings the full complement of skills, equipment and knowledge it takes to implement ecological restoration and land management.  

Evan brought two of his staff to join James Haas (former Chapter Crew Leader) and me, and we spent a day cutting black locust and piling and burning material. With four of us cutting trees and Evan on the tractor, we punched a big hole in the stand that day. 

Most of the material that Evan and Bo moved off the sand prairie got piled and burned in the area where the black locust was being removed. Thus, we were able to achieve two tasks at once. 

Before land stewardship by Eric Preston.

After stewardship by Rob Schubert.

We did not get the entire area cut in one day. We spent several more days felling trees, joined by volunteers who helped burn material. When we couldn’t burn piles due to a lack of snow, we staged cut material to be moved later. 

Progress was slow without equipment. The area beneath the black locust was dense with other invasive brush like honeysuckle and buckthorn, and the densely crowded stand meant other trees like black cherry and black oak had to come out as well. And we certainly couldn’t leave the mulberry and hybrid elm.  

One day, after a work party, I was alone at the site. I looked up to see a stranger had walked onto the property. He had a disgusted look on his face as he surveyed the downed trees and scattered piles of crowns.  

“Are you gonna burn all this up?” he asked. “Most of it,” I replied. 

He wanted the black locust and whatever other hardwood was there. I wanted to see the material put to good use and needed help getting everything out of my work area.  

Jeff offered to use his tractor and trailer to remove the material, so we scheduled a day. I would fell the trees, and he would pull them out.  

I showed up early to find a 60 hp tractor with a logging winch sitting at the gate. This was not what I was expecting. When he showed up with a super duty truck pulling a hydraulic dump trailer, I realized he was serious. 

It was late winter by then, with conditions warm enough to thaw the still frozen ground in the forecast. We had one final day to get the cutting done. It was hard work, but with Jeff pulling out trees and no one in my felling zone, I was able to finish cutting the last black locust out of the stand. 

With the final trees out, I surveyed the trees that had been felled, cut to length, and lined up, the trailer loaded, and staged logs ready for when the trailer returned empty. 

Pleased with things, I looked around and said, “Not a bad day for two old guys.” 

Things took a pause for a while. In the seasonal rhythm of land management, all efforts went towards burn season.  

The black locust stayed on my mind. I was expecting the worst. I started seeing it come up in other areas, but I wasn’t seeing it yet at the Giordano site. I just wanted to know how bad it was going to be.  

Once it did eventually come up, the deer started hammering it! I was thinking about how to get it mowed to keep it from getting too tall to foliar spray. The deer were doing this for me.  

Guy (Chapter Land Management staff) and I spent a day in July spot spraying locust sprouts. All told, things were much better than expected, with re-sprouts coming entirely from remaining root stock and not from cut stumps.  

When James, Luke (Chapter Assistant Land Manager) and I returned in August for a follow up application, things were looking good. Our previous application had been effective, and we treated the black locusts we missed in the densest areas and along the periphery of the clone. 

Things again took a pause. The seasonal rhythm took us through seed collection and fall burning, until we again began removing trees and brush to open the lost prairie and savanna. 

We had more help this time. Shala (former Chapter Land Management staff) had temporarily joined our team. Shala and I had worked together in the past doing for-profit restoration work, and she understands the production mentality that comes from doing this for a living.  

Good Oak Crew cutting black locust. Photo by Rob Schubert.

We were also better organized. John Exo and Kevin McKown (Chaper members and volunteers) agreed to continue to help lead work parties. With the ability of The Prairie Enthusiasts staff to do the most difficult tree removal and holding multiple work parties a month, we were getting a lot done.  

The progress has been fantastic. As Luke said, “It seems as though every time more progress was made, another interested volunteer took notice of the work being done and wanted to help.” Soon we had an almost regular crowd who would join for our workdays.  

Again, we had a lot of help from Jeff and Evan. Jeff helped move and consolidate the trees we felled into burnable piles. Evan donated some of his staff’s time and equipment, allowing us to finally remove the last pines and cedars from one of the sand blows. Then he spent a few more days over the weekend moving material with his tractor and burning piles to help us prep a burn unit for this fall. 

At this point, we took a pause. It’s important sometimes to stop and reflect, to appreciate things, to not have an adversarial relationship with the land. With goals accomplished and winter dwindling, we move into the next phase of the seasonal rhythm. 

In all my years managing restoration projects, I’ve never had to do so much work with so few resources as I have with Giordano Oak Barrens and Sand Prairie. What we’ve been able to accomplish really has been remarkable. What I’ve described is just some of the work that has been done. There has been invasive control and other work that just doesn’t fit neatly into a single chronologic narrative. There has been survey work of various taxa; herptiles, flora, insects, birds and bats. Others have volunteered time to do the annual site monitoring, take drone imagery to document progress, manage hunting permits, collect seed, mow trails and post boundary signs; the list goes on. 

And that’s what it takes. No individual has the skills and capacity to manage a restoration project; it takes a team.

This article appeared in the Summer 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. 

Why Prairies Unfold and Gently Reveal – Finding Delight in the Discovery

Why Prairies Unfold and Gently Reveal – Finding Delight in the Discovery

by | Mar 20, 2026 | Inspiration

Why Prairies Unfold and Gently Reveal – Finding Delight in the Discovery

Photo and piece by Brent J. Anderson, Minnesota Oak Savanna Chapter member

March 20, 2026

“I still don’t understand,” she said, scanning the five acres in front of us. “I get hummingbirds all the time near the house. Why not out here yet?” It was a fair question. Her traditional garden beds, tucked close to the house, buzzed with life. But the prairie reconstruction — now in its early years — felt quieter by comparison. Not empty. Just… young. “And the meadowlarks,” she continued. “They’re known to nest within five miles. You’d think at least one would check this place out.”

We stood at the edge of the field, the mid-July sun warming the grasses. Around the perimeter, the bluebird boxes she had carefully installed waited with patient optimism. “They’ll come,” I said. “You’ve picked the right milestones. They’re just operating on prairie time.” She gave me the look I’ve seen many times from new prairie builders — the look that mixes hope with the faint suspicion that nature might be ignoring their carefully laid plans.

Shifting the Lens
I reassured her that her goals were sound. Hummingbirds, meadowlarks and nesting bluebirds are meaningful indicators of a maturing ecosystem, and eventually many of them will arrive. Some may appear in a few years. Others may take decades. That is not pessimism. That is prairie reality.

Then I suggested something different. “Let’s hunt for Easter eggs,” I said.

She laughed. “In July?”

“In prairie work,” I told her, “the small discoveries are the big wins — if you train yourself to see them.” Her expression shifted from frustration to curiosity, which is exactly the turn you hope for. “I bet the orb weavers are out today,” I added.

“What’s an orb weaver?”

“Big spiders – especially big in September,” I said. “But start by looking small. Move slowly. Intentionally.

The First Discovery
We had barely gone twenty yards before she stopped. “What is this?” Nestled among the young grasses was a delicate little plant with star-shaped, pale-blue flowers.

Instead of answering, I handed her a new assignment. “Download iNaturalist,” I said. “You’re going to identify it yourself.” There was some good-natured grumbling, followed by several minutes of crouching, photographing and squinting at her phone.

Then her face lit up. “Blue-eyed grass!”

“Yes,” I said. “Good job!”

She looked back at the plant, then at me. “Did we include that in the original seed mix?”

“You planted it,” I reminded her. “It was one of the six species I gave you a few Christmases ago. You frost-seeded it a few days after the holidays.” That earned a wide grin — and our first pair of dirtied knees, always a promising sign during a prairie walk.

Spiders and Small Victories
We did find the spiders — just not immediately. A banded garden spider hung in its web, far more intimidating at first glance than in reality. She circled it cautiously, then leaned closer to take photos. As she studied it, I shared why many Indigenous cultures viewed orb weavers with respect — symbols of patience, persistence and careful craftsmanship. The story seemed to settle her nerves. What began as hesitation turned into genuine fascination. More importantly, her attention sharpened. She began to slow down, scan more deliberately and notice details that would have slipped past her an hour earlier.

That shift opened the door.

The Prairie Begins to Reveal Itself
The discoveries began stacking up. “Leopard frogs? Out here?” she asked, genuinely surprised. “Away from water?”

“Isn’t that cool?” I replied. “They’ve got what they need — food, shade, moisture. Have you ever seen them on this part of your land before?”

“Never.”

“That’s a win,” I said. “A legitimate mini-milestone! Your ‘insect buffet’ is clearly improving.” From there, the pace grew purposeful. Insects she had never noticed before appeared in the grasses. We paused often, crouching low with phones out, identifying one species after another. As the sun climbed higher, the butterflies arrived on cue. One fluttered near my shoulder then onto a stem, and I managed a close photo. “Common Checkered-Skipper,” I said, showing her the screen.

She leaned in — and then let out a delighted shriek when she saw the detail. “I had no idea something like that was even here.” Moments later she spotted the metallic flash of a pure green sweat bee. That one stopped her cold. “It doesn’t even look real,” she whispered.

“These show up when things are headed the right direction,” I told her. “I am a little surprised you haven’t seen them near the house.” She shook her head slowly, scanning the prairie again.

“There’s just so much more to find and see out here.”

Exactly.

The Ripple Effect
What happened next may have been the most important milestone of the day. Her discoveries created momentum. Within a week she was bringing her kids out to look for what they started calling “prairie Easter eggs.” Soon after, neighbors were invited to walk the field. Even her elderly parents — armed with canes and walkers — joined slow, careful hikes along the edges.

She wasn’t just observing anymore. She was sharing what she was learning, pointing out plants, explaining insects and celebrating each new find with the enthusiasm of someone who had crossed an invisible threshold.

Watching that unfold was deeply rewarding for me, because it signaled something profound. The prairie was already doing its quiet work — not just in the soil and stems but in the people connected to it.

The Quiet Truth About Prairie Work:
Prairie reconstruction is not a single finish line; it is a long unfolding process measured in decades rather than seasons. The hummingbirds will come. As wild bergamot, columbine and early figwort continue to establish and expand, nectar resources will improve and the odds will steadily shift in her favor. The meadowlarks may come too — but perhaps not on her preferred timeline.

And that is the deeper lesson prairies teach all of us.

We are not the true managers of these systems. At best, we are careful guides and patient caretakers. Weather patterns, soil microbes, plant succession and a fair measure of luck all play their parts. Even under excellent stewardship, a full, mature prairie community may take 25 to 50 years to fully express itself.

That reality can frustrate us or it can free us.

When you learn to celebrate the in-between milestones — the unexpected frog, the first sweat bee, the tiny forb you almost missed — you begin to experience the prairie the way it actually unfolds. Not as a destination you control but as a living system you have the privilege to witness. The big milestones will come in time.

But the sustaining joy is found along the way.

 

Minnesota Oak Savanna Chapter of The Prairie Enthusiasts

Our Chapter includes the Minnesota counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne and Wright Counties. While our Chapter prioritizes identification and management of remnant fire-dependent systems, many times we’re actively involved in restoration work – especially in creating buffers around existing remnants, or assisting landowners committed to re-creating prairies on their properties. We’re actively seeking new members committed to the protection and care of prairie remnants, managing prairies through prescribed fire, restoring degraded prairies, building new prairies and/or excited to learn about prairie projects in their own communities. We invite you to subscribe to our Chapter updates and become a member. Learn more about the Minnesota Oak Savanna Chapter 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. 

Monitoring Bat Activity Following Prairie Savanna Restoration

Monitoring Bat Activity Following Prairie Savanna Restoration

by | Mar 3, 2026 | Identification & Education, Inspiration

Monitoring Bat Activity Following Prairie Savanna Restoration 

Article and Photos by Robert J. Marquis, St. Croix Valley Chapter

March 3, 2025

Volunteer Joe Fusilier placing a bat acoustic recorder on a tree to monitor bat activity at Alexander Oak Savanna, June 2025.

Bats Are In Trouble

Bats provide many important ecosystem services, including the control of crop insect pests.1 They may consume insects equal to 9-12% of their body mass in a single evening of foraging.2 Bat populations, however, have been declining due to habitat destruction, pesticides, collisions with windmills and, most recently and most precipitously, due to the white-nose syndrome. In response to increasing number of crop pest insects following predator release, farmers in the eastern U.S. have increased their use of pesticides. This has resulted in an average 7.9% increase in human infant mortality in counties that have experienced bat die-offs.3

 

We Collected Baseline Data in 2025

Bats use echolocation to find food, especially flying insects, and to avoid collisions with foliage and woody vegetation. There is mounting evidence that invasion of natural habitat by woody plant species can decrease activity of bats. If the invasive plants are tall and dense enough, the habitat can become too “cluttered” for bats to navigate, forcing them forage elsewhere. In June and August, 2025,  with the help of fellow Prairie Enthusiasts Denise Thiede, Joe Fusilier, Jay Arneson and Peter Leete, I used bat acoustic recording equipment to monitor activity of bats in Alexander Oak Savanna and in restoration plots along the Kinnickinnic River in River Hills Park in River Falls, WI. The goal was to collect baseline data on bat activity and species composition to understand how habitat restoration influences these important components of terrestrial ecosystems. 

Results at Alexander Oak Savanna

We placed four acoustic recorders in June at the Alexander Oak Savanna, a 42-acre parcel that has been the object of restoration efforts since 1999 by the St. Croix Valley Chapter. During the week of June 16, 2025, we recorded activity by four species of bats: big brown bats (threatened in Wisconsin), eastern red bats (species of special concern in Wisconsin), hoary bats (species of special concern in Wisconsin) and little brown bats (threatened in Wisconsin). 

Results at River Hills Park

In August of 2025, we placed acoustic recorders in four plots along the Kinnickinnic River in River Hills Park that had been cleared of “old growth” buckthorn (Rhamnus carthartica) and four neighboring control plots highly congested with buckthorn. Buckthorn had invaded the riverside approximately 50 years ago. Many of the buckthorn plants removed were 25-30 feet tall. We tested the hypothesis that buckthorn plants were tall enough and dense enough to reduce the ability of bats to navigate and to find food. This research appears to be the first experimental study to test the impact of invasive plant species removal on bat activity. In addition, there appear to be no previous surveys of bat activity along the entire Kinnickinnic River (C. Trosen, pers. comm.).  

Our initial data from the Kinnickinnic River plots show that all four species of bats found at Alexander Oak Savanna also occur along the river, but in addition, silver-haired bats were recorded in riverside plots. More importantly, our initial results show that bat activity was 2-5 times higher in plots from which buckthorn was removed compared to neighboring plots with intact buckthorn canopies. We will repeat surveys during the summer of 2026, with the goal of sampling throughout the summer and in an increased number of paired plots.  

Denise Thiede, St. Croix Valley Chapter volunteer, attaching a microphone cable to an acoustic bat recorder in River Hills Park, River Falls, WI. The recording equipment consists of a microphone on a five foot pole, attached by a microphone cable to the recorder, which is encased in a water proof box and cabled to a tree.

Bats Respond Positively to Restoration

This research is sponsored by the St. Croix Valley Chapter, the City of River Falls, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and tens of volunteers who helped remove buckthorn. Our approach is akin to that taking place across the planet in which bird response to habitat restoration is being monitored using song-recording equipment. 

Bats are a less obvious component of the natural landscape compared to birds, because bats are active when most humans are sleeping and make sounds mostly inaudible to us. However, bats are certainly no less important in their contribution to ecosystem services compared to birds; some studies show bats actually consume significantly more insects from leaf surfaces than do insectivorous birds at the same location.4,5 Our preliminary results suggest that efforts to restore prairies and savanna habitat in the Wisconsin-Minnesota region may increase bat activity and the ecosystem services that they provide. 

 

Thanks to Many Who Helped

We thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, St. Croix Wetland Management District, for the loan of their equipment; Veronica Bauer, Jill Utrup, Chris Trosen, and Alex Bouthilet for training, logistics, equipment loan, and recording analyses; Evanne Hunt for support and leadership; the City of River Falls, WI, for logistical and financial support; John Lampe for pointing out the New York Times article; and the many volunteers who helped clear buckthorn from experimental plots.

References

1. Frank, E.G., 2024. The economic impacts of ecosystem disruptions: Costs from substituting biological pest control. Science, 385: 6713.

 2. Kalka, M.B., Smith, A.R. & Kalko, E.K.V. 2008. Bats limit arthropods and herbivory in a tropical forest. Science 320: 71.

 3. Kunz, T. H., E. Braun de Torrez, D. Bauer, T. Lobova,
T. H. Fleming. 2011. Ecosystem services provided by bats. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1223, 1–38.

4. Moiseienko, M. and Vlaschenko, A., 2021. Quantitative evaluation of individual food intake by insectivorous vespertilionid bats (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae). Biology open, 10, p.bio058511.

 5. Williams-Guillén, K., Perfecto, I. & Vandermeer, J. 2008. Bats limit insects in a Neotropical agroforestry system. Science320: 70.

This article appeared in the Spring 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.