Mukwonago River Oak Barrens

You can now visit one of Southeast Wisconsin’s rarest kinds of habitats just outside of Milwaukee. Mukwonago River Oak Barrens, a 61-acre property protected by The Prairie Enthusiasts in June of 2025, features sand barren habitat, an incredible diversity of plant and animal life, and access to the pristine Mukwonago River. 

Volunteers enjoying the Mukwonago River that runs through the protected property. Photo by Jessica Bizub. 

Located in Waukesha County, WI, Mukwonago River Oak Barrens supports recovering oak barrens—a rare ecosystem in Southeast Wisconsin. Gradients of moisture and soil chemistry support 299 native vascular plant species and counting among sedge meadow, moist savanna, and oak barrens habitats. The Barrens also supports several rare plants and animals. The Mukwonago River, designated as an exceptional water resource, meanders through the southern part of the property and supports diverse communities of fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Pamela Meyer has been caring for the property for decades, working with her neighbors to support the health of the watershed and improve the quality of the habitat on the site. Knowing that the land was special, she has been bringing botanists, biologists, and ecologists to the property over the years so that she can understand the habitat better. 

One of those experts was The Prairie Enthusiasts Ecologist, Dan Carter. When the two walked the property together four years ago, Dan immediately saw what Pamela did—an ecosystem exceedingly rare in the region. 

“This piece of habitat has survived where so much has been lost to invasive brush and development—there’s almost nothing else like this in Southeastern Wisconsin,” Dan says. 

The Glacial Prairie Chapter began working to restore the site in 2023 with the support and active participation from the previous owner, Pamela Meyer. By the time The Prairie Enthusiasts closed on the property in 2025, volunteers had opened up 11 acres of barrens and moist savanna habitat. The Chapter will continue to expand and connect open areas, expanding the area of open savanna habitat adjacent to the Mukwonago River’s wetlands. This process will involve removal of invasive brush and large numbers of planted conifers, prescribed burning, and reintroduction of species that may have been present in the past. Work party activities are held on a near-weekly basis. There are also opportunities to volunteer beyond work parties.

The Mukwonago River Oak Barrens is open to the public for hiking, nature observation, and hunting. Permits are required for all gun and muzzleloader deer seasons (submit this online form).

No bikes or motorized vehicles are allowed, nor is the removal of plants, animals, fungi, soils or any other natural material.

Be aware that a snowmobile route is allowed across the northern edge of the property, if visiting in winter when there is snow on the ground. 

This acquisition was made possible through a bequest by Tom Ganfield, Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, and many Members of The Prairie Enthusiasts.