by The Prairie Enthusiasts | Mar 13, 2026
Graef Prairies Walk
Sunday, August 2 – 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Graef Prairies in Potosi, WI
Participants can visit two prairies – a lower wet mesic creekside 12-acre prairie which is separated by a steep woodland from a drier 14-acre hilltop prairie. The creekside prairie supports a variety of forbs with Indian grass and big bluestem grass being dominant. Cupplant, Compass plant, and Wild White Indigo are frequent.The hilltop prairie is bordered on the South slope by a rare remnant Chinquapin Oak savanna which in August should show a strong violet coloration from prominent Illinois Tick trefoil and other blooming forbs.
After the prairie walk, a visit to the Potosi Brewery at 209 S Main St for refreshments is recommended.
This event is proudly part of Land Trust Days.
DIFFICULTY:
The creekside prairie is relatively level and accessible on foot. Access to the hilltop prairie requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Richard can transport participants in his vehicle as needed to take advantage of the amazing vista.
WHAT TO BRING:
Water, sunscreen, bugspray, hat and binoculars recommended.
CONTACT:
For questions, contact Becky Fernette at bspence@tds.net.
LOCATION:
Take County road O out of Potosi/Tennyson about one mile and turn left onto Rockville Road. For parking, proceed to the third driveway to the left off of Rockville Road with our log house visible in the background. A steel footbridge is the access to the house. Fire number 5353 is posted at the second exit which will take you over a bumpy drive directly to the log house. Access to the hilltop can be done on foot (steep hike) or driving up the first exit off of Rockville Road, (4 wheel drive). We’ll meet at the log house for introductions before going into the prairies.
by Evanne Hunt | Mar 11, 2026
Butterfly Hunts
Bob Marquis, noted botanist, biologist, and insect expert, leads us for a second year as we conduct a butterfly survey of Alexander oak savanna. Our goal is to add to the known list of the butterfly species that occur at Alexander.
Photo credit: Eric Preston
Date: May 30 (Saturday)
Time: 10am – Noon
Over the years, many of you have helped us on cold winter days to restore the Alexander oak savanna. Here is an opportunity to become acquainted with the site in the summer, and help us document its butterfly fauna. We will get to know the different types of butterflies, how to capture them without harming them, and how to photograph them.
Novices and experts are all welcome. Bring a butterfly/insect net if you have one. 1-3 hours.
Directions: Take highway 35 south towards River Falls.
Take highway 65 south (35 turns into 65) toward Ellsworth.
Gravel road entrance is on the right just after the Town of River Falls town hall.
Map
by Evanne Hunt | Mar 11, 2026
Tour of Memorial Lutheran Church, Afton, MN, prairie labyrinth and their 2-acre restored prairie; 5pm
“Sea of Grass” authors; 6-9pm
The North American prairie is home to bison, elk, wolves and bald eagles – and it’s disappearing at a rapid rate. In their new book Sea of Grass, writers Dave Hage and Josephine Marcotty chronicle the forces behind the loss of this ecosystem. In today’s episode, they join Here & Now’s Chris Bentley at a prairie outside of Chicago for a conversation about their research. They discuss the innovations in industrial agriculture that have transformed the prairie to farmland, the ecological consequences of that change, and what could be done to restore parts of the prairie.
by Evanne Hunt | Mar 11, 2026
Tour of private prairie
This tour is a great follow-up to Rich Henderson’s talk on “Converting your lawn or field to prairie.”
Alex Bouthilet will lead us on a tour of his prairie.
This prairie started as a dense sod of exotic cool-season grasses. About 12 years ago it was inter-seeded with native prairie species and has been burned annually in the dormant season since then. During the tour we’ll look at how repeated fire and inter-seeding have gradually shifted the site toward a more diverse native prairie, along with what has worked well and what challenges still remain.
There will be beverages and snacks for after the tour.
Date: May 4 (Monday)
Time: 5-6:30 pm
Location: 638 170th Street, Osceola, WI
Map
Bring:
- Drinking water (it may get hot)
- Long pants (there may be poison ivy)
by Evanne Hunt | Mar 11, 2026
Sedge Transplanting Experience
Would you like to learn how to transplant sedges? Join sedge specialist, Gabriel Bertilson in transplanting Pennsylvania sedge in an oak woodland near Afton, MN.
Sedges are a vital part of oak savannas and prairies tolerating shifting sunlight, inhibiting shrub and weed encroachment, stabilizing the soil with their dense roots, and providing overwinter homes for bumble bees and food for birds and beneficial insects.
Sedge seeds are difficult to collect and germinate, so transplanting runners is a more effective method to enlarge plantings. During this transplanting activity we will explore a beautiful top bluff on this unique private property. This is the first in a series of activities and workshops on sedges being offered by Gabriel this summer.
Date: April 8 (Wednesday)
Time: 4:30 until about 6 pm
Location:15695 37th Street South, Afton, MN, 55001
Map to location
We will meet at the house.
Bring: Garden gloves and a trowel or digging knife (hori hori type tools). No spades because we are digging rhizomes that are pretty shallow and we don’t want to disturb much soil.
