Katie brings a range of knowledge from her professional career, which has focused on land protection and restoration in both the public and private sectors. As an advocate for fire-dependent ecosystems, she is excited to support The Prairie Enthusiasts’ initiatives through its mission and programming.
Matt grew up enjoying outdoors time with his Dad in the Sand Country of Adams County, WI. After a career move took him to North Carolina for 16 years, he and his wife returned home and purchased a hobby farm in the Springville township of Adams County in 2015. Since that time, Matt has developed a keen interest in habitat management and eventually joined The Prairie Enthusiasts in 2021 to exercise and expand his prairie passion. In 2024, Matt took on the role of Chair and Board Representative for the Prairie Sands chapter to continue the group’s promotion and preservation of fire dependent ecosystems in central Wisconsin.
Gary is a founding member of The Prairie Enthusiasts and an avid artist of the natural world. He acted as president of the Southwest Prairie Enthusiasts for 5 years. When that group merged into The Prairie Enthusiasts, Gary continued his leadership as president for an additional 10 years. His dedication to saving fire-dependent ecosystems and thoughtful conversations with landowners resulted in the protection of several properties, including Muralt Bluff Prairie, Hogback Prairie, Iltis Savanna, and more. His artwork has been a staple of The Prairie Enthusiasts and inspires those interested in native-plant ecosystems. For his accomplishments, he was inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame in April 2021.
Nancy retired from the Wisconsin DNR in 2015 and has been a member of The Prairie Enthusiasts since 2016. She became the Glacial Prairie Chapter’s work party leader for DNR state natural areas in early 2024. For the past several years she has worked with her local Parks Department to help remove invasive plants and restore native plant communities on public property. She also advocates at the local level for property owners to “landscape for wildlife,” with a particular emphasis on planting native plants.
Harvey helped organize the original western Wisconsin chapter of The Prairie Enthusiast in 1995. He retired from the WDNR as a wildlife biologist and supervisor who specialized in land acquisition and restoration projects. A passion throughout his career was building landscape diversity from the ground up using the grassroots support of like-minded individuals. Imprinted on open landscapes from an early age, he especially enjoys the concept of building large swaths of diverse prairie within strategic geographies. He enjoys experiencing the natural world through birding, kayaking, trout fishing, and viewing the sky through telescopes. He’s acted as a burn boss for the WDNR, and, with his wife Ruth, planted their backyard with prairie plants.
Jerry’s vivid photography of prairies and the life found on them is often featured on our website and printed materials. He retired from a varied life in management, farming, and sales. “Retirement freed me to pursue my interests in history and photography, and it wasn’t long until I realized how well prairies completed that package. Photographing prairies, their flora and fauna, as well as the people who care for them has proven to be a satisfying creative outlet. It is equally satisfying to put the camera down and engage in the necessary work of caring for prairies. I hope my work and my photos can awaken and inspire others.”