by The Prairie Enthusiasts | Jul 19, 2023
Eldred Prairie
The forty-five acre Ellenboro Prairie, now called Eldred Prairie is located on a low ridge with a dry mesic quality and somewhat sandy soil. About two-thirds of the site has a southern aspect, and one-third a northern aspect.
SITE STEWARD
ROSS SHRAGO
608-334-6942
ACCESS & DIRECTIONS
This prairie is in Grant County, Wisconsin, Section 8, Ellenboro Township, about five miles east of Lancaster.
Allowed:
- Outdoor Recreation
- Hunting (for all species, no permit or reservation required)
Originally called the Ellenboro Prairie, the Southwest Wisconsin chapter changed the name in February 2004 to the Gary Eldred Prairie Preserve to honor Gary’s many contributions to prairie preservation.
The site was located by TPE SWC members in 1987 while doing a county-wide inventory. Several trips back to the site resulted in a list of over 55 species, including such rarities as cream gentian (Gentiana flavida), wild quinine (Parthenium integrifolium), and tall nut rush (Scleria triglomerata). Several years later a trained botanist from the DNR visited the site to evaluate the quinine population. His comment was “there are probably 10,000 or more plants here!” A purely biased guess is that this may be Wisconsin’s largest single population of this state-threatened species. Over the last 14 years several attempts to purchase the site have been made but not until 2000 was any interest shown in selling. Jaye Maxfield, a dedicated and persistent member of the SWC, was asked by the chapter to help with the project. Meetings were set up with the owners, Grantland Growers, and they expressed an interest in selling. After nearly a year’s effort by Jaye, including paper work, phone calls, filling out forms, back tracking and resubmitting forms and agreements for the sale, closing finally took place on November 13, 2001.
Portions of the site are high quality prairie, but others are not. While the Christmas trees have been removed, much of the northern aspect is now covered with briars, brush and aspen. We have done some mowing and burning, but much more, including forestry mowing and girdling of aspen, is required.
The high-quality prairie is on the south slope. Unfortunately, oak sprouts have been spreading throughout this prairie in ever dense stands. Burning and mowing top kill these stands, but do not kill them. We are now taking a more aggressive approach, including chemical treatment. Crown vetch is a serious problem, though we seem to be making headway with our annual attack. With limited volunteers and limited funds we are able to make progress, but it is slow.
by The Prairie Enthusiasts | Jul 19, 2023
Double Oak Savanna
Double Oak Savanna was gifted to The Prairie Enthusiasts by Alice and Walter Mirk in 2012. The 23 acres contains remnant and restored prairie, oak savanna and oak woodland. The rugged terrain is home to a number of rare species including purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens), prairie Indian plantain (Arnoglossum plantagineum), jeweled shooting star (Dodecatheon amethystinum), pickerel frog (Lithobates palustris), and prairie ring-necked snake (Diadophis punctatus arnyi).
SITE STEWARDS
SOUTHWEST CHAPTER
ACCESS & DIRECTIONS
From the east, go to the intersection of Highway 133 and County Road C west of Woodman. Proceed west on County Road C 4.7 miles to the rock quarry on the right., where we will congregate. From the west, go to the intersection of Highway 18 and County Road C, a few miles east of Prairie du Chien. Drive east on County C for 7.8 miles. Just past the settlement of Millville you will come to the rock quarry on the left.
Allowed:
- Outdoor Recreation
- Hunting (for all species, no permit or reservation required)
by The Prairie Enthusiasts | Jul 19, 2023
More information coming soon!
Description & Significance
by The Prairie Enthusiasts | Jul 19, 2023
Borah Creek Prairie
In 2009, The Prairie Enthusiasts, Mississippi Valley Conservancy, and Driftless Area Land Conservancy, with funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the WI DNR Knowles-Nelson State Stewardship Fund, procured 138 acres of this site near Fennimore, WI. It was immediately designated a WI State Natural Area. In 2010, title was transferred to The Prairie Enthusiasts. It has since been managed and cared for by TPE. In 2013, another 43 acres were added to the preserve for a total 181. The preserve consist of 10 acres of high quality remnant dry and dry-mesic prairie, 17 acres of former cropland planted to prairie vegetation, and 5 acres of overgrown oak savanna. Most of the rest of the preserve is former pasture with varying amounts of native prairie vegetation that survived the grazing, including a large population of the Federally Endangered prairie bush-clover. Surveys of this property have found such rare prairie specialist as woolly milkweed, prairie Indian-plantain, Hill’s thistle, wild quinine, and prairie turnip. Rare and declining grassland birds detected using the area include upland sandpiper, eastern kingbird, brown thrasher, dickcissel, eastern meadowlark, grasshopper sparrow, and bell’s vireo.
SITE STEWARDS
STEVE QUERIN-SCHULTZ
ACCESS & DIRECTIONS
From the west side of Fennimore, head south on Rodger Hollow Road for 2.7 mi. Turn right onto Townline Road. Go west for 0.8 miles. Turn left (south) on Mt Ridge Road. Go 1/3 mi to the access road and parking lot to Borah Creek Prairie on the right, at 11949 Mt Ridge Road.
Allowed:
- Outdoor Recreation
- Hunting (for all species, no permit or reservation required)
- Trapping (for all species, no permit or reservation required)
Not Allowed:
- Collecting Plants, Seeds, Rocks or Animals without permission from The Prairie Enthusiasts
