SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN WILDFLOWER WONDERS WALK
A Prairie Walk Event with The Prairie Enthusiasts & Mississippi Valley Conservancy
Saturday, June 10th – 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Borah Creek Prairie, 11949 Mount Ridge Rd., Fennimore, WI 53809
A rare glimpse of the rolling grassland and wildflowers that once carpeted much of this area can be seen on a free guided hike offered to the public by Mississippi Valley Conservancy(MVC) and @The Prairie Enthusiasts. Gary Eldred, a founder of The Prairie Enthusiasts, and Chris Kirkpatrick of MVC will identify native grasses and flowers and show where prairie restoration efforts have created more habitat for pollinators such as butterflies and bees. The hike is one of Mississippi Valley Conservancy’s Linked-to-the Land events, sponsored by Olson Solar Energy and WXOW/News 19. Registration is required – see free tickets
REGISTRATION
Register for the event here: Wildflower Wonders Walk | Mississippi Valley Conservancy
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Borah Creek Prairie includes 181-acres of scenic remnant grassland of the sort that was prevalent throughout the area 200 years ago. The property is a boon for native plant, bird, and butterfly enthusiasts. Grasses include big and little bluestem, Indian grass, side-oats grama, and prairie dropseed, interspersed with wildflowers such as pasqueflower, cream wild indigo, rattlesnake master, rough blazing star, yellow coneflower, bird’s-foot violet, downy gentian. Birders will be treated to a cacophony of grassland birds, including bobolinks and eastern meadowlarks.
Borah Creek Prairie was discovered by local prairie enthusiast Gary Eldred, who noticed the abundance of native wildflowers on the site and worked with the landowner to manage the prairie with prescribed fire and invasive species control. Borah Creek Prairie was acquired with funding from the Wisconsin DNR’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Partners in the permanent protection of the site include Mississippi Valley Conservancy, The Prairie Enthusiasts, Driftless Area Land Conservancy, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Fish and Wildlife Service.