Rattlesnake Ridge/Brisbane House Sand Barrens Pine Removal

Saturday, November 16 – 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Location: Rattlesnake Ridge Sand Barrens

This is exciting! The historic Brisbane House, on the National Register of Historic Places, located right next door to Rattlesnake Ridge, is currently working on protecting their sand barrens through a conservation easement with TPE. They have been awarded a grant to jumpstart their restoration of 10 acres of high quality (but overgrown) barrens, and a contractor has been working to open up the midstory.

Now it’s our turn to help remove the hundreds of small pines occupying the area. We will meet at Rattlesnake Ridge and walk the very short distance on to the Brisbane property.

Snacks will be provided, and as a special treat, Sam and Bruce Crownover, the owners of Brisbane, will offer a tour of the historic house to anyone interested! Come help as they expend their restoration beyond their front door to the land upon which it was built!

The sand barrens is a unique ecosystem of the lower terraces of the Wisconsin River valley. Eighty foot depth of sand creates habitat for dry prairie plants, including Pennsylvania sedge, June grass, lupine, sand puccoon, butterfly weed, goat’s rue, and prickly pear; redheaded woodpeckers (and all the others!), whippoorwills, and grassland sparrows.

WHAT TO BRING:

We have some loppers to provide, but please bring your favorite hand pruners/loppers/hand saws, if you have them. Work gloves suggested. Snacks will be provided!

WORK PARTY LEADER:

Contact Sue Steinmann via email or landline (no texts!) at 608-753-2332.

LOCATION:

7046 Reimann Rd., Arena; take Hwy 14 to Arena; go south on Reimann at Arena Cheese Store (big mouse); go right onto gravel lane at end of road; go left at fork in the lane; continue 1/3 mile through woods to parking area at end of drive.