Access & Directions

Hauser Road Prairie is located 4 miles north of Waunakee, WI on the south side of Hauser Road. From the junction of Hwys 19 and 113 in Waunakee, take Hwy 113 north 2.5 miles to Madigan Road (right turn), follow Madigan Road for 1 mile to Hauser Road, turn right. Site is 0.2 miles on the right. Park along the road well off the pavement.

Google Map

Site Steward

Connect with the site steward to see how you can care for this rare habitat at an upcoming work party.

Site Steward: Randy Hoffman: (608) 849-4502 or (Email)

What Makes Hauser Road Prairie Special

A total of 148 prairie plant species have been found on site so far. Some prairie plants sensitive to grazing apparently survived in a narrow strip between the plow line and the fence or as very rare, scattered individuals in some cases. Over the past 30 years these rarities are starting to recolonize the former pasture. They include prairie phlox, leadplant, compass plant, rosinweed, rattlesnake master, and prairie blazingstar. For more details, read the article “Hauser Road Prairie Now Under TPE Care and Protection” by Rich Henderson in the March 2016 issue of The Prairie Promoter.

There are also populations of two state-threatened plants, ten species of specialized leafhoppers found only on prairie remnants, as well as badgers and an array of grassland birds.

Notable Plants

• shooting star
• pasqueflower (Anemone patens)
• prairie violet (Viola pedatifida)
• birdfoot violet (Viola pedata)
• prairie smoke (Geum triflorum)
• cylindrical (dwarf) blazingstar (Liatris cylindracea)
• showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
• stiff gentian (Gentianella quinquefolia)
• prairie gentian (Gentiana puberulenta)
• purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea)
• prairie gentian (Gentiana puberulenta)
• stiff gentian (Gentianella quinquefolia)
• Hill’s Thistle (Cirsium hillii) – state-threatened
• edible valerian (Valeriana edulis)
• smooth white lettuce (Prenanthes alba)
• heart-leaved golden Alexander (Zizia aptera)
• and various goldenrods and asters

How was Hauser Road Prairie Protected

In July of 2014, The Prairie Enthusiasts took on the ownership, care, and management of Hauser Road Prairie. With grants from the Wisconsin DNR Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and the Dane County Conservation Fund and a loan from The Conservation Fund (a national non-profit), The Prairie Enthusiasts acquired title to this impressive big sky ridge of natural heritage.
 
The permanent protection of Hauser Road Prairie was the culmination of 22 years of effort by The Prairie Enthusiasts and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR) Natural Areas Program. In the early 1980s, the conservation community became aware that prairie was surviving in the 45-acre pasture along Hauser Road. In 1992, The Prairie Enthusiasts volunteers reached out to the new owners of the site to inform them of the treasure they had and offered advice, help and encouragement in conserving the site. From 2000 to 2014, the Natural Areas Program leased the land and conducted several prescribed burns and some brush control. The Prairie Enthusiasts also mowed sweet clover and provided other weed control measures during this time.

In 2013, the owners, Mike and Susan Zauner, decided they would like the site permanently protected. The Natural Areas program negotiated with them to buy the site and to designate it a State Natural Area, but the project was not accepted by the WI DNR administration. The Prairie Enthusiasts offered to step in and acquire the site by applying for grants from Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and the Dane County Conservation Fund, which covered three-quarters of the acquisition expenses. The Prairie Enthusiasts was able to pay the remainder thanks to generous donations from members from across the organization. 

How You Can Help Hauser Road Prairie

With a grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Private Lands Program and the efforts of site steward Randy Hoffman and other volunteers, great progress has been made at Hauser Road Prairie removing trees and brush from the preserve.

The years of grazing took its toll on the composition of the prairie vegetation, eliminating some species, reducing others and allowing non-native grasses to invade, especially in the deeper soils areas. However, much of the original prairie ecosystem survived and has been making a good recovery since the cessation of grazing and the implementation of an occasional prescribed burn from 2000 to 2013.

Fortunately, there are several high-quality small prairie remnants within a few miles of the preserve harboring the full range of prairie species native to the area. Our management goal for Hauser Road Prairie is to bring seed from those remnants to the preserve to accelerate its recovery and to reintroduce lost species such as wood lily, wood betony and rough white lettuce. With burning and inter-seeding, we hope to bring back most, if not all, of the site’s original diverse prairie plant community over the next 30 years.

Volunteers are vital to the management of this prairie. Join us for a workday on Hauser Road Prairie and the other prairie remnants in the area to collect and plant seed, control weeds and brush, conduct biological monitoring and help with other management activities.

Check out our Events Calendar to see upcoming work parties or contact the site steward to get involved.

Access & Directions

Head south on Co Hwy JG. Turn left onto Britt Valley Rd. Turn right onto Co Rd G. Continue on to Oak Grove Rd. 

Google Map

Site Steward

Connect with the Chapter to see how you can care for this rare habitat at an upcoming work party.

This site is stewarded by The Prairie Enthusiasts Empire-Sauk Chapter.

Site Steward: Pat Handrick 

What Makes Handrick Grassland Special

This site  is located within one of three grassland bird conservation areas within the DNR’s Southwest Grassland and Stream Conservation Area, making it a prime place for birders to visit. There is an abundance of native plants across the rolling landscape as well. 

How was Handrick Grassland Protected

The Prairie Enthusiasts protected this site in 2015 after having aided the landowner with prescribed burns for about 15 years.

How You Can Help Handrick Grassland

This site receives regular prescribed burns, along with brush removal.

Check out our Events Calendar to see upcoming work parties or contact the site steward to get involved.

Access & Directions

From Sauk City, head west on US-12. Take WI-60 Trunk E to Co Rd O in Prairie du Sac. Continue on Co Rd O. Drive to Exchange Rd. 

Google Map

Site Steward

Connect with the Chapter to see how you can care for this rare habitat at an upcoming work party.

This site is stewarded by The Prairie Enthusiasts Empire-Sauk Chapter.

What Makes Gasser Sand Barren Special

Gasser Sand Barrens is situation on part of an old terrace of the Wisconsin River; it lies just southwest of the moraines marking the maximum southern extent of the Pleistocene glaciation, placing it within the famous Driftless Area. Although the Driftless Area escapted at least the later advances of the continental glaciers, glacial activity has greatly affected the Sauk Prairie area through the deposition of outwash, creating a rolling terrain with sandy soil. 

Because its soil is sandy and susceptible to rapid depletion of nutrients, the site was abandoned for cultivation purposes in the 1930s, and native species were able to recolonize most of the area. 

How was Gasser Sand Barren Protected

The Nature Conservancy acquired the site in 1969 as a gift from the Gasser family who had farmed the adjacent land for over 100 years. The Prairie Enthusiasts then took over ownership and management of Gasser Sand Barren in 2006.

How You Can Help Gasser Sand Barren

Removal of exotic and weedy species as well as shading brush is an ever-going effort on this site. Join us in helping us keep the sand barren an open treeless landscape. 

Check out our Events Calendar to see upcoming work parties or contact the site steward to get involved.