Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy

Wednesday Walkabout: Terrific Trees
2021-06-16 09:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago) | Highland Way Entrance- Bock Forest, 5672 Highland Way, Middleton, WI, 53562
A guided walkabout, an art project, a story…
Join a Pheasant Branch Naturalist for a Terrific Tree experience in the Bock Forest. This series is designed for children in preschool through fifth grade, with an accompanying adult. Space is limited to the first 10 children who register for each session, so sign up soon! (We will keep a wait list.)
Meeting Place: Bock Forest- Highland Way Entrance 5672 Highland Way MAP
Arrival time: 8:45 am

REGISTER HERE

Nature writing class- Blue Iris
2021-06-11 12:00 - 13:30 | Dane County Parking Lot, 4864 Pheasant Branch Road, Middleton, Wisconsin, 53562
Blue Iris: from Mary Oliver and the Art of Observation Series
These writing workshops are held in partnership with Troy Hess, the founder of On the Yahara Writing Center. We hope to include and engage interested participants of all ages and encourage an intergenerational approach for our Pheasant Branch Conservancy education outreach. These workshops are free and are funded by the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy as part of our 25th Anniversary celebration.
Let’s continue our discussion of Mary Oliver poetry out on the Pheasant Branch Trail! Blue Iris is a special selection of poetry and “essays on the beauty and wonder of plants. The poet considers roses, of course, as well as poppies and peonies; lilies and morning glories; the thick-bodied black oak and the fragrant white pine; the tall sunflowers and the slender bean.” For the first class, we will primarily work through Blue Iris selections and discuss themes; for the second, please bring your own poem or favorite from collection to read.
A common reading will be sent out before each session. This is the first of two classes in the Blue Iris session.
Workshops will meet in person at the Dane County Parking lot: 4864 Pheasant Branch Road
If regulations for outdoor gatherings change, a Zoom link will be sent out two days before the class.
PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED, REGISTER HERE.

ECO-POETRY AS HEALING ART
2021-06-01 10:00 - 23:30 | Dane County Parking Lot, 4864 Pheasant Branch Road, Middleton, Wisconsin, 53562
These writing workshops are held in partnership with Troy Hess, the founder of On the Yahara Writing Center. We hope to include and engage interested participants of all ages and encourage an intergenerational approach for our Pheasant Branch Conservancy education outreach. These workshops are free and are funded by the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy as part of our 25th Anniversary celebration.

“The Great Work, based on the story of life’s unfolding, moves us away from a preoccupation with the self into the larger ecological self of the Earth Community. This movement has deep implications for our psychological healing, awakening in us a sense of both awe and belonging.” – K. Lauren de Boer, “Healing and the Great Work,” from Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind.
For this two-part class we will use the quote above as inspiration to consider ways of finding spiritual practice in the process of understanding and writing eco-centric poetry. An eco-spiritual practice will often have to do with experiencing the natural world first-hand, observing it in relation to self, and then creating as a natural act in itself that allows us to restore our connection to place, self, the earth. We will supplement our reading with Trebbe Johnson’s Radical Joy for Hard Times.
A common reading will be sent out before each session. This is the second of two classes in the Eco-poetry session.
Workshops will meet in person at the Dane County Parking lot: 4864 Pheasant Branch Road
If regulations for outdoor gatherings change, a Zoom link will be sent out two days before the class.

Preregistration required, register here.

Eco-poetry as Healing Art
2021-05-25 10:00 - 23:30 | Dane County Parking Lot, 4864 Pheasant Branch Road, Middleton, Wisconsin, 53562
These writing workshops are held in partnership with Troy Hess, the founder of On the Yahara Writing Center. We hope to include and engage interested participants of all ages and encourage an intergenerational approach for our Pheasant Branch Conservancy education outreach. These workshops are free and are funded by the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy as part of our 25th Anniversary celebration.

“The Great Work, based on the story of life’s unfolding, moves us away from a preoccupation with the self into the larger ecological self of the Earth Community. This movement has deep implications for our psychological healing, awakening in us a sense of both awe and belonging.” – K. Lauren de Boer, “Healing and the Great Work,” from Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind.
For this two-part class we will use the quote above as inspiration to consider ways of finding spiritual practice in the process of understanding and writing eco-centric poetry. An eco-spiritual practice will often have to do with experiencing the natural world first-hand, observing it in relation to self, and then creating as a natural act in itself that allows us to restore our connection to place, self, the earth. We will supplement our reading with Trebbe Johnson’s Radical Joy for Hard Times.
A common reading will be sent out before each session. This is the first of two classes in the Eco-poetry session.
Workshops will meet in person at the Dane County Parking lot: 4864 Pheasant Branch Road
If regulations for outdoor gatherings change, a Zoom link will be sent out two days before the class.

Preregistration required, register here.

The Month of Maying
2021-05-22 13:30 - 15:00
Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it, let’s do it, let’s fall in love! Join Master Naturalist Alex Singer for a free outing to enjoy Spring birds, bugs, flowers, and the burst of life occurring around us.
This is a family-friendly outing welcoming everyone. Masks and social distancing are required.
No registration necessary. Please leave pets at home.
Meet on Park Street in Middleton at the east entrance to the Creek Corridor MAP HERE
Monthly Bird and Nature Adventures in the Conservancy are co-sponsored by Madison Friends of Urban Nature (FUN), Madison Audubon and The Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy. See their websites and FaceBook pages for more activities! Contact 608-698-0104 with questions.
Explore the Conservancy on your own by taking a healthy nature walk any time this month to observe and enjoy The Month of Maying. Do you hear a Song Sparrow? Can you spot a Bluebird by a Bluebird Box?

Conservancy Day: When Things Happen
2021-05-20 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Conservancy Day
Speaker will be Randy Hoffman, Author of When Things Happen: A Guide to Natural Events in Wisconsin
Randy Hoffman will present how his book When Things Happen came to be. Discussion of how the book fills an information gap in a person’s nature experience highlights the talk. Exploration of the innumerable benefits of nature experiences provides the background for the book. The talk will conclude with examples from the local area regarding where to experience nature’s bounty.
Bio: Randy Hoffman is a retired DNR Ecologist. He spent nearly thirty years of government service working for the State Natural Areas Program. He is also the author of Wisconsin’s Natural communities and the primary contributor to Wisconsin’s Important Bird Areas. Randy lives with his wife in Waunakee, volunteers doing prairie restoration and enjoys nature adventures.

REGISTER HERE

Conservancy Day programs are virtual. Can’t attend live? Not a problem. We will post a link to the recording on our YouTube channel, following the event.
Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.

Spring Walkabout: Take a Closer Look!
2021-05-01 10:00 - 11:00 | Dane County Parking Lot, 4864 Pheasant Branch Road, Middleton, Wisconsin, 53562
What hidden treasures can you find in the Pheasant Branch landscape? Spring offers the delight of new life and marvelous discoveries!
Join a Pheasant Branch Naturalist for a Walkabout through the prairie to the bubbling springs. We will search for budding trees, early plants, and evidence of creatures moving about.
This Walkabout is designed especially for children in preschool through 5th grade, with an accompanying adult.
Registration is required as space is limited to 12 children and their accompanying adults. Adults are not counted. Masks must be worn and 6-foot distancing is expected.

Saturday, May 1
10:00 – 11:00 am
Arrival time: 9:45
We will depart for the Walkabout promptly at 10:00.
Meeting Place: Dane County Parking Lot, 4864 Pheasant Branch Road, Middleton.

Weather: We plan to proceed, rain or shine. Lightning or thunder means the event is canceled.

PLEASE REGISTER USING THIS LINK

Please email our Education Coordinator, Anne Boucher, at education@pheasantbranch.org if you have any questions or need to change your registration.

"Winter Morning Walks" Nature Writing Class
2021-04-26 10:30 - 12:00 | Virtual Meeting, Email office@pheasantbranch.org to request call-in info, Middleton, WI
These writing workshops are held in partnership with Troy Hess, the founder of On the Yahara Writing Center. We hope to include and engage interested participants of all ages and encourage an intergenerational approach for our Pheasant Branch Conservancy education outreach. These workshops are free and are funded by the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy as part of our 25th Anniversary celebration.
The Winter Morning Walks nature writing class is inspired by the poetry collection by the same name written by former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser. These casually observed poems are called ‘postcards’ to a friend and offer readers a very approachable form of poetry to read and consider for our own written observations as we take our local walks this winter.
This class will be approached as a sequence of observation and writing. Our hope is that you are able to draw from your most recent visits to the Pheasant Branch Conservancy or other hikes. We might take writer’s notes, make phenological observations, even take pictures, then we’ll talk about ways to assemble our experiences as nature journal entries in poetry form discussed from the book.
For a final project, we might create our own ‘postcard’ and share them with others or submit them for publishing in an upcoming newsletter. No need to purchase the Winter Morning Walks book. All reading will be offered as part of the class.
Participants will meet via zoom.
Preregistration required, register here.

Spring Birds and Bluebirds
2021-04-24 13:30 - 15:00
Join Sylvia Marek for a bird walk in the Creek Corridor of the Conservancy. Bring your binoculars! See if you can hear or spot yellow-rumped warblers, ruby crowned kinglets, and other spring migratory songbirds.
This is a family-friendly outing. It is limited to the first 20 people who arrive. Masks and social distancing are required.
Meet on Park Street in Middleton at the east entrance to the Creek Corridor. This is a location change from the one posted by FUN-Madison on its announcements and posters. See the Updated MAP and Starting Point.
1:30 to 3:00 on Saturday April 24, 2021
Contact education@pheasantbranch.org if you have any questions.
This is a Bird and Nature Adventure sponsored by the Friends of Urban Nature (FUN) – Madison.

Conservancy Day: Pheasant Branch Conservancy Prairie Birds: Now and Future
2021-04-15 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Conservancy Day
Conservancy Day programs are virtual events- PLEASE REGISTER .
Speakers will be Deborah Turski and Sherry Caves, Master Naturalists and project managers.
How are prairie birds doing in the Conservancy? Local birders had noticed a decline in the numbers of at least eight species in the Conservancy since 2009. Janet Kane, mentoring for PBC’s Wisconsin Master Naturalist (WIMN) program, engaged Sherry Caves and Deb Turski to evaluate past data and make plans to gather future data to determine the status of these birds in the Conservancy. A pilot survey in 2019 informed development of a five-year monitoring plan, which will also monitor changes related to the Acker addition. This was started in 2020 with a larger team of volunteers recording data from scheduled birdwalks into the online eBird program. Join us to learn about this project, what the data indicates, and how it may impact restoration planning.
Biography: Janet Kane is a long-time volunteer with the Friends. In addition to being a faculty member of the Friends’ WIMN program, she has made many contributions to the Friends’ restoration and education programs and served on ad hoc committees addressing special issues in the Conservancy.
Deb Turski is a 2019 graduate of the Friends’ WIMN program. Inspired by her love of birds and birding, she is active in conservation advocacy and citizen science through the Friends and many other organizations.
Conservancy Day programs are Virtual. Please register for the zoom link HERE.
Can’t attend live? Not a problem. We will post links to the recordings on our YouTube Channel, Facebook page and here afterwards.
Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.

"Winter Morning Walks" Nature Writing Class
2021-04-12 10:30 - 12:00 | Virtual Event, The instructor will send along a Zoom link two days in advance., WI
These writing workshops are held in partnership with Troy Hess, the founder of On the Yahara Writing Center. We hope to include and engage interested participants of all ages and encourage an intergenerational approach for our Pheasant Branch Conservancy education outreach. These workshops are free and are funded by the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy as part of our 25th Anniversary celebration.
The Winter Morning Walks nature writing class is inspired by the poetry collection by the same name written by former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser. These casually observed poems are called ‘postcards’ to a friend and offer readers a very approachable form of poetry to read and consider for our own written observations as we take our local walks this winter.
This class will be approached as a sequence of observation and writing. Our hope is that you are able to draw from your most recent visits to the Pheasant Branch Conservancy or other hikes. We might take take writer’s notes, make phenological observations, even take pictures, then we’ll talk about ways to assemble our experiences as nature journal entries in poetry form discussed from the book.
For a final project, we might create our own ‘postcard’ and share them with others or submit them for publishing in an upcoming newsletter. No need to purchase the Winter Morning Walks book. All reading will be offered as part of the class.
Participants will meet via zoom.
Preregistration required, register here.

"Winter Morning Walks" Nature Writing Class
2021-03-29 10:30 - 12:00, 2021-03-15 10:30 - 12:00 | Virtual Event, The instructor will send along a Zoom link two days in advance., WI

Conservancy Day: Kestrel Boxes – The Difference They Make
2021-03-18 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Conservancy Day
Conservancy Day programs are virtual events- PLEASE REGISTER .
Speaker will be Patrick Ready, Madison Audubon volunteer and kestrel box manager.
Pheasant Branch Conservancy has joined the initiative to support the American Kestrel. Over the past forty years American Kestrel numbers have dropped as much as 60% in the Eastern and Midwestern United States. Through a program sponsored by Madison Audubon, two nest boxes were installed in the Conservancy in the fall of 2019. Madison Audubon has been mounting nest boxes on poles for over 25 years and now has 175 boxes in 5 different counties. Learn why these boxes are so very important and how they are monitored by volunteers.
Biography:
Patrick Ready is an artist and birder living on the west side of Madison. Four years ago he moved there to downsize but couldn’t resist landscaping his yard for birds, bees and butterflies. Two years ago he retired from Wild Birds Unlimited where he was a backyard nature specialist. A long-time member and volunteer for Madison Audubon he has been monitoring Kestrel boxes for almost 10 years now. Currently he has 23 boxes he manages between Oregon and Mount Horeb. His boxes fledged 31 Kestrel chicks in 2019. Patrick is the current president of the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin and editor of their newsletter the Wisconsin Bluebird.
Conservancy Day programs are virtual. To tune in live, please register for the zoom link HERE. Can’t attend live? Not a problem. We will post links to the recordings on our YouTube channel, Facebook page and here afterwards.
Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.

WINTER WALKABOUT AT PHEASANT BRANCH CONSERVANCY
2021-03-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Orchid Heights Park, 3960 Valley Ridge Rd, Middleton, WI, 53562
JOIN US FOR A WINTER WALKABOUT AT PHEASANT BRANCH CONSERVANCY!
Register for a Naturalist-led family walk, or plan to pick up a photo-based “scavenger hunt” to use independently. Winter is a marvelous time to hike as we can see many signs of creatures that live at the Conservancy such as bird nests, animal prints, animal droppings, chewed stalks of plants and Goldenrod galls.
SATURDAY, MARCH 13th- 10:00-11:00 am
Arrival time: 9:45. We will depart for the Walkabout promptly at 10:00.
Meeting Place: Shelter Building, Orchid Heights Park, 3960 Valley Ridge Road, Middleton.
Registration is required as space is limited to 12 people; masks must be worn on the group walk and 6-foot distancing is expected. All ages are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Register HERE.
Please email our Education Coordinator, Anne Boucher, at education@pheasantbranch.org if you have any questions or need to change your registration.

Conservancy Day: Prairies
2021-02-18 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Conservancy Day
Prairies are an important part of our landscape in Middleton and southern Wisconsin. They are so important that Dane County is creating a platinum prairie in the new 160 acre addition to the Conservancy. Learn more about our local prairies in this presentation by Rob Schubert, the Land Manager for Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Rob will discuss the types of prairies found in our area, prairie ecology, restored prairies and prairie gardens for the home landscape.
Conservancy Day programs are virtual. To tune in live, visit the Friends Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy- YouTube Channel and wait for the live feed to start. No account needed. Can’t attend live? Not a problem. We will post the recording on our YouTube channel and provide links here and on our Facebook page afterwards.
Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.

CANCELED- Board of Directors Meeting
2021-02-15 17:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Meeting, Email office@pheasantbranch.org to request call-in info, Middleton, WI
The next Board of Directors Meeting will be in March.
All FOPBC members are welcome to attend the meetings of the board of directors.
Meetings are generally held the third Monday of each month at 5:00 PM. Prior to COVID, we met at Kromrey Middle School room 600, entrance at door #18. We are currently meeting virtually. If you’d like to join the meeting, please email a request for a Zoom invite at least 48 hours prior to the meeting time by emailing us.
Time and place are subject to change.

February StoryWalk®
2021-02-01 - 2021-02-28
For the month of February, a family-oriented StoryWalk® will be installed in the Dane County portion of Pheasant Branch Conservancy.
StoryWalk® is a three-way partnership of Dane County Parks, the Foundation for Dane County Parks, and SSM/Dean Health. Each month, a children’s story is selected and posters containing the pages of the story are installed on metal signs and placed along a path at a Dane County park to promote the joy of reading with children and the benefits of being active outdoors.
The partners selected the Conservancy as the February StoryWalk® site. Story pages will be placed starting near the Dane County parking lot on Pheasant Branch Road and going across the Conservancy on the trail that leads to Orchid Heights Park.
The book displayed at the Conservancy is Listening with My Heart: A Story of Kindness and Self-Compassion, by Gabi Garcia. It is described as “a perfect match for Valentine’s Day, Black History Month, and Heart Health Month.” Through the StoryWalk® at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, visitors will connect with nature in a new way, bringing together the wonders of reading, the health benefits of nature, and an exploration of the natural world.
In addition to the book, there will be photos and reflections on the health benefits of being in nature prepared by Gary Sater, Co-Chair of the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy’s Restoration & Management Committee.

We hope everyone enjoys the children’s story Dane County Parks has chosen to share with you along our prairie trails and that you take time to enjoy the messages presented on the health benefits of being in nature.

Conservancy Day: Dane County's Climate Action Plan
2021-01-21 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Conservancy Day
Climate change is a global issue with local impacts—like the 2018 floods that devastated some parts of Dane County. If you are curious about what’s happening to address climate change locally or if you want to know what you can do, join us on January 21! Dane County Executive Joe Parisi will talk about the county’s clean energy and climate efforts and Kathy Kuntz, Director of the Office of Energy & Climate Change, will talk about the County’s climate action plan, including various ways you can get involved in local efforts to address a global challenge.
Bios:
Joe Parisi has called Dane County home his entire life. He sought out public service as a way to give back to a community that has given so much to him. Joe was first elected as County Executive in 2011 after 6 years in the State Assembly and 8 years as Dane County Clerk.
Kathy Kuntz is the Director of the Office of Energy & Climate Change. Kathy has almost 30 years of experience helping businesses and residents adopt sustainable practices. Prior to joining Dane County, Kathy led a nonprofit called Cool Choices and before that she led Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy program.
Conservancy Day programs are virtual. To tune in live, visit the Friends Facebook page and wait for the live feed to start. No Facebook account needed. Can’t attend live? Not a problem. We will post links to the recordings on our YouTube channel, Facebook page and here afterwards.
Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.

Conservancy Day: Mammoths to Muskets: 13,000+ Years of Human History Around Pheasant Branch Conservancy
2020-11-19 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Conservancy Day
Access the recording of this Conservancy Day Program: YouTube channel or FaceBook link
This presentation will focus on human history that has occurred and archaeology that has been discovered around the Conservancy and greater Madison area. The presenter, Ryan L. Howell, will summarize the ancient Native American history in this area dating back beyond the last Ice Age, the historical presence of the Ho-Chunk from ancient to modern times, and the initially early arrival of Europeans during the Fur Trade era of the 1600-1800’s. Specific archaeological sites that represent these periods located around and nearby Pheasant Branch Conservancy will be discussed and relevant archaeological artifacts typical of those sites will be shown.
Speaker Biography:
Ryan J. Howell, M.A., RPA, WAS, has done field archaeology and conducted archaeological research in Wisconsin for more than 25 years. He currently works as a DoD archaeologist for the U.S. Army and lives in Middleton, WI. He received his B.A in Archaeology/Anthropology from the University of Wyoming and his Master’s at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998. He has worked doing archaeology in private-commercial, tribal and government sectors throughout the Upper Midwest, with former employers as diverse as the U.S Army, the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center (MVAC) and the Prairie Island M’dewankanton Dakota.
His hobbies include giving educational talks to school groups, making and hunting with stone tools, and running a 2,500 member Facebook group named “Wisconsin Archaeological Artifacts” that focuses on public education about archaeology, artifacts and tribal issues in Wisconsin.
His archaeological research interests include both the pre-contact and historic contact eras of Wisconsin history, with specific published articles focused on the Archaic, Woodland and Fur Trade eras. In Dane County, his work has focused on burial mound sites, Ho-Chunk Nation villages and 1810’s fur trade posts many of which can be found within a handful of miles from the Pheasant Branch Conservancy.
Conservancy Day programs are moving online and there is no need to register in advance. Please join us on the third Thursday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 pm live on our Facebook page. No Facebook account is needed.
Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.

Conservancy Day: The Green Schools of Middleton and Cross Plains
2020-10-15 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Conservancy Day
Access the recording of this Conservancy Day Program: Video on YouTube channel or FaceBook link
To tune in live, visit the Friends Facebook page on October 15, 6:30 CT and wait for the live feed to start. No Facebook account needed. Can’t attend live? Not a problem. We will post links to the recordings here afterwards.
Did you know that four of our schools and the district as a whole have won the prestigious Green Ribbon Award from the US Department of Education? Did you know that the construction of the elementary school at Pope Farm and renovations to the high school will embrace technology and building practices that reduce the impact of these schools on the environment? Did you know that Pope Farm elementary school will take things a step further and make sustainability a guiding principle at the school? Join us to learn about everything the school district is doing to make our schools greener. Learn how this saves our tax dollars every year and provides for an enriched learning environment for all students at these schools.
The speaker is Perry Hibner, Director of Communications for the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District.
Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.

Conservancy Day: Bird Collision Corps: Working to Reduce Bird-Window Strikes
2020-09-17 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Conservancy Day
Access the recording of this Conservancy Day Program: YouTube channel
Birds and windows are not a good combination, and as a result, hundreds of millions of birds die each year in the US alone as a result of window collisions. Madison Audubon, UW-Madison, and the Dane County Wildlife Center have worked with volunteer citizen scientists since 2018 to study this problem at a local scale in Madison, focused primarily on the UW-Madison campus but with strong programs at other locations. One such location is Kromrey Middle School, where students from Clark Street Community School conduct surveys along the side of Kromrey that abuts Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor. You will learn about the Bird Collision Corps program, and the benefits of such work to birds, buildings, and building inhabitants. This presentation is being offered in partnership with Madison Audubon Society.
Brenna Marsicek is the director of communications and outreach at Madison Audubon, and coordinates the Bird Collision Corps program as part of that work. She has lived in Madison for over 10 years, is a bird fan, plant nerd, and insect nut. She has degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in geography, international studies, and environmental studies, has been a Master Gardener in two states, is a wife to a sports-loving data scientist, and mom to two young children who spend most of their time barefooted and digging in the dirt.
Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.
Photo: Bird specimens collected by volunteers in the Bird Collision Corps give a snapshot of the diversity and magnitude of the bird-window collision problem at a local scale. Credit: Madison Audubon Society.

CANCELED - Conservancy Day: Tagging Monarch Butterflies
2020-08-20 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Event, The instructor will send along a Zoom link two days in advance., WI
August Conservancy Day Canceled (8/17/2020)

Our August Conservancy Day has been cancelled due to the coronavirus situation in Dane County. We thank you for your interest.
Please consider attending a talk sponsored by Madison Audubon on Dragonflies and Damselflies being held live on Facebook on Tuesday evening, August 18, at 7:00 pm as an alternative.

You can learn about the wide diversity and amazing lifestyle of dragon- and damselflies with Dan Jackson. Dan will share the life cycle of these creatures, most common species in southern Wisconsin, and some fascinating tidbits about these ferocious predators.
Dan is a naturalist and a past President and the current Treasurer of both the Wisconsin Dragonfly Society and the Coulee Region Audubon Society. He grew up near LaCrosse and has lived in southwest Wisconsin for 25 years. He is a record reviewer for the Wisconsin Odonata Survey, BugGuide.net, Odonata Central (the Odonata survey of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas), and eBird.
Evenings with Audubon presentations are typically held in person during spring and fall, but they are bringing it to you online this year! To tune in live, visit Madison Audubon’s Facebook page on August 18, 7:00pm and wait for the live feed to start. Can’t attend live? No worries, they will post a link to the recording on their website afterwards.

_____
Help us tag monarch butterflies in the Conservancy! Monarch tagging starts nationwide on the first official day of monarch migration, close to the middle of August. Citizens across the country will tag monarchs as they migrate south to Mexico. When a tagged butterfly is recaptured elsewhere along its migratory route, the tagger will be notified about where and when it was found, by whom, and how many miles it traveled.
Diane Dempsey is a naturalist who has worked in the area for the past 23 years. You may have met her at the U.W. Arboretum or Pheasant Branch Conservancy or had her as an instructor if you were a student in the Middleton-Cross Plains school district. She is a native of Chicago and received her Master’s Degree from Northern Illinois University where she focused on aquatic insects. She is an instructor with the U.W. Extension Master Naturalist Program. She has been an active volunteer with Project Monarch Watch since 2012.
RSVPs appreciated but not necessary.
Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Thank you for your generous gifts and participation. You make it possible and you make it great! We welcome you to join us and help spread the word! Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.
Photo credit: Thomas Stringfellow

Yahara Lakes 101: Pheasant Branch Conservancy
2020-08-12 08:00 - 09:00 | Virtual Meeting, Email office@pheasantbranch.org to request call-in info, Middleton, WI
Join Clean Lakes Alliance to learn more about the restoration plans for Pheasant Branch Conservancy. This FREE online talk will include Dane County Executive Joe Parisi, Lloyd Eagan of the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, and Kenneth Potter of the City of Middleton, Wisconsin Water Resources Commission.
Register Here
About this Talk

In this month’s Clean Lake’s Alliance Yahara Lakes 101, we’ll hear from representatives of the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Dane County, and City of Middleton about the recently purchased, 160-acre farm directly north of Pheasant Branch Conservancy. The property acquisition is the largest conservation preservation investment in Dane County’s history, costing nearly 10 million dollars.
Pheasant Branch Conservancy is a natural area owned by the Dane County Parks Department, the City of Middleton, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The area is also host to the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, a dedicated group focused on restoring, protecting, and promoting the conservancy as an ecological whole. The conservancy is a natural area made up of many types of diverse habitats, including wetlands, prairies, and forests. Home to a wide variety of animals and plants, the land contains the headwaters of a stream which flows into Pheasant Branch Creek before it reaches Lake Mendota.
Restoring the additional Dane County property to natural prairie will help to improve infiltration of rainwater into the ground. Prairie plants often have better root systems than crops, allowing prairies to absorb the rainwater where it falls instead of running off into the nearest waterway. The deep root systems also hold soil in place, which reduces the amount of sediment lost with runoff. Dane County expects to prevent more than 2.6 million gallons of runoff each year through increased infiltration into the natural landscape.
About our Speakers
Lloyd Eagan (Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy) graduated from Smith College with a degree in Environmental Biology and moved to Madison – the birthplace of limnology – to pursue a master’s degree in Water Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. After several water quality planning jobs, she became Dane County’s FIRST Lakes and Watershed Coordinator. She spent nearly 35 years working for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, serving more than six years as the regional director of the south-central region, and for the final two years of her career she returned to her water roots and served as Water Leader for the southern half of Wisconsin. She currently serves as the co-president of the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy.
County Executive Joe Parisi has called Dane County home his entire life. Joe sought out public service as a way to give back to a community that has given so much to him. Joe was first elected as County Executive, the chief elected leader of Dane County, in 2011 after 6 years in the State Assembly and 8 years as Dane County Clerk. Joe’s priority is to ensure that everyone in our community has access to the opportunity to succeed. He believes investing in people pays big dividends. Joe knows this can work because he experienced it. As a teenager, Joe dropped out of high school. He was encouraged to return to education through a community program by people who believed in him. So he worked to earn his GED and went on to MATC (now Madison College) and graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in sociology. Now Joe believes it is his turn to give back to ensure that our children’s generation has access to the same opportunities that were available to him.
Mark Wegner (City of Middleton Assistant Director for Field Services / City Forester) is the Assistant Director for Conservancy Lands/Forestry for the City of Middleton. Mark is leading the response and recovery effort from the 2018 flooding for the Public Lands Department. Over the past 10 years, Mark has overseen Middleton’s response to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in a proactive response that diversified the urban forest of Middleton. In his spare time, Mark is an aspiring tri-athlete. The Middleton Public Lands, Recreation & Forestry Department is responsible for over 1,100 acres of park and conservancy land, 27 miles of multi-use paths, and comprehensive recreation programming for the community. The Department is a 4-time gold medal finalist with the National Recreation & Parks Association and is home to the Wisconsin Parks & Recreation Association (WPRA) 2019 Recreation Professional of the Year and the 2019 Park Professional of the Year.
Event Details
This event will be held online via Zoom. The online talk is free and open to the public. A link to access the talk LIVE will be sent to all registered attendees ahead of the event.
Yahara Lakes 101 Lecture Series
Yahara Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences.
The series is produced by the Clean Lakes Alliance in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, with presenting sponsors First Weber Foundation and Johnson Financial Group, monthly sponsor Hy Cite Enterprises, hosting sponsor The Edgewater, supporting sponsor National Guardian Life Insurance Company, and media partner the Isthmus.

CANCELED - Conservancy Day: Forest Bathing
2020-07-16 18:30 - 19:30 | Orchid Heights Park, 3960 Valley Ridge Rd, Middleton, WI, 53562
The concept of Forest Bathing, or nature therapy, originated in Japan and has been described as an immersion in the forest atmosphere. It involves slow walks or seated meditation as a means of taking in nature through the senses; primarily sights, sounds, and smells. Practicing forest bathing has shown measurable improvements in both physical and mental health. This presentation will offer information about forest bathing, it’s benefits, and practical suggestions on how to get started.
Beth Bruckbauer is a retired nurse practitioner who worked in the University of Wisconsin system for many years. She has a lifetime love of the outdoors and has spent time hiking in parks and forests throughout the Midwest. In 2019, Beth completed the Master Naturalist Volunteer Certification offered through Pheasant Branch Conservancy, with the goal of learning more about and supporting our natural resources. She developed a presentation on Forest Bathing as part of the course.

Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Thank you for your generous gifts and participation. You make it possible and you make it great! We welcome you to join us and help spread the word! Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.
photo credit: Jonah Westrich

Virtual Prairie Chase Run/Walk
2020-06-24 - 2020-06-28 | Orchid Heights Park, 3960 Valley Ridge Rd, Middleton, WI, 53562
ATTENTION PRAIRIE CHASERS: through the pandemic, Pheasant Branch Conservancy has again demonstrated the value of natural landscapes for our physical and emotional health, especially in times of crisis. The Conservancy is seeing WAY more visitors than normal, providing solace in the storm.

While we cannot hold our sixth annual event exactly as planned, Pheasant Branch Conservancy still needs your support! PLEASE consider registering for this important fundraiser for the Friends of PBC and show that you stand with us in our mission of building a community protecting and enhancing this special place!
Here are the details of our VIRTUAL Prairie Chase Run/Walk:

Run a 5K or 10K between Wednesday June 24th and Sunday June 28th. You can run PBC’s 5km limestone loop (do it twice for the 10K – or more if you’re feeling particularly cooped up!) – or run your virtual race anywhere where you can safely maintain physical distance. **PBC can be crowded these days, so if you do run the Prairie Chase course, consider visiting during off-peak times!**
Results: We will send out a link where you can self-report your race time for publication in our official results. This is obviously on the honor system and a “14-minute 5K” is going to result in some serious side-eye.
Race Swag! We have custom, performance wool running socks for the first 100 registrants. We will try to avoid prohibitive mailing costs by (safely) delivering these to local participants in the weeks following the event. (Thanks in advance for your patience!)
We are holding registration fees at the early-bird discount of $20 ($10 student) through the end of the virtual event. Please consider joining the Friends of Pheasant Branch as a member to support our stewardship of PBC!
Reminder: the traditional event routes will not be marked and there will not be aid stations or support for participants! Plan ahead!

Stay tuned for more updates as Prairie Chase approaches. Until then, Pheasant Branch Conservancy remains a great place to break up the monotony of #saferathome and get out in nature – just remember to social distance out on the trails!
And thanks for your continued support of Prairie Chase and the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy!

Register Here

CANCELED - Wisconsin Master Naturalist 2020
2020-06-19 08:00 - 17:00 | Kromrey Middle School Room 510, 7009 Donna Drive, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
UPDATE 4/24: The course is canceled for this year. We may offer an advanced training half day in August.
The Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy is hosting a Master Naturalist Course in Middleton beginning June 19, 2020. The course will include some classroom time, but will focus mostly on outdoor experiences in the Pheasant Branch Conservancy and field trips to other exceptional sites for learning in our topic areas. Many experts will share their knowledge, research, tips, tricks and inspiration as they lead or present parts of the course. The Conservancy includes 500 acres of remnant and seeded prairie, oak savanna, woodlands, springs, wetlands, and stream corridors. The course will look within the Conservancy and other places in the Pheasant Branch Watershed and beyond to explore geologic history, ecology, water and plant resources, and the connections between humans and the landscape. The course will have two focal points from which to cover the topics above: one is water, water resources and the relationships between water and all of the above. The other is learning through restoration and management activities – a service-learning approach. The target audience includes individuals who are interested in teaching using the outdoors as a classroom as well as folks interested in volunteering for restoration and management of natural areas all while gaining an environmental knowledge base. Plan to arrange your own transportation with classmates to outdoor sites.
The Wisconsin Master Naturalist program is a network of well-informed volunteers dedicated to conservation service, leadership, and lifelong learning. The Master Naturalist Volunteer Training provides 40 hours of coursework in natural history, interpretation, and conservation stewardship. Trainings combine classroom instruction with field experiences and are taught by professional natural resources educators and scientists. Once trained, Wisconsin Master Naturalists provide 40 hours of service and take 8 hours of advanced training each year to maintain their certification and receive a recognition pin.
Schedule
June 19: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
June 20: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
June 26: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
June 27: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
July 10: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
July 11: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Attendance Requirements
Course participants that want to be certified Master Naturalist Volunteers will be required to:

Attend regularly. Only four hours of training may be missed.
Participate in field trips, even in inclement weather.
Travel in personal vehicles as necessary to reach field trip locations.
Experience moderate activity on uneven terrain. Please consult with the program office info@wimasternaturalist.org before registering if you have you have questions about accessibility.
Complete a capstone project during the course.

CANCELED - Conservancy Day: The Watershed Chronicles
2020-06-18 18:30 - 19:30 | Parisi Park, 2405 Park St, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Our June Conservancy Day was going to be a writing workshops with Troy Hess. He led several virtual writing workshops for us in May. Those writing workshops were so popular in May, we decided to continuing the series in June in lieu of this Conservancy Day program.
More information and registration here
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Please join Troy Hess from On The Yahara Writing Center in a multi-genre writing class to explore ways to express your interests and appreciation for the Yahara watershed. The Yahara watershed encompasses all of the land and waterways that drain to the five Yahara lakes. You will take a look at poetry, memoir and non-fiction sources for inspiration and then begin your own watershed journal-to-writing process. No experience is necessary. This class is inspired by participation in the Yahara Watershed Academy, a citizens’ learning academy dedicated to furthering our knowledge and active concern for the water we live with.
Troy Hess is the founder of On the Yahara Writing Center. He is a Wisconsin native, who has enjoyed nature and the process of writing for as long as he can remember. He volunteers as a Land Restoration Team Leader for the UW Arboretum and blogs about his favorite books, recipes, or travel destinations. On the Yahara is an in-person and online writing center that provides one-on-one writing assistance, as well as group classes on the topics of nature writing, food blogging, sustainability, writing for business, and general writing skills. He is currently teaching an on-line course for the Friends as part of our 25th anniversary celebration, Mary Oliver and the Art of Observation in Nature, and facilitating the continuing on-line book discussion group on The Nature Fix.
RSVPs appreciated but not necessary.
Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Thank you for your generous gifts and participation. You make it possible and you make it great! We welcome you to join us and help spread the word! Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.

CANCELED - Conservancy Day: Kestrel Boxes – The Difference They Make
2020-05-21 18:30 - 19:30 | Kromrey Middle School Room 510, 7009 Donna Drive, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
The May Conservancy Day Program has been canceled due to COVID-19. We are working with the speaker to reschedule for another CD program at a later date.
Pheasant Branch Conservancy has joined the initiative to support the American Kestrel. Over the past forty years American Kestrel numbers have dropped as much as 60% in the Eastern and Midwestern United States. Through a program sponsored by Madison Audubon, two nest boxes were installed in the Conservancy in the fall of 2019. Madison Audubon has been mounting nest boxes on poles for over 25 years and now has 175 boxes in 5 different counties. Learn why these boxes are so very important and how they are monitored by volunteers.
Patrick Ready is an artist and birder living on the west side of Madison. Three years ago he moved there to downsize but couldn’t resist landscaping his yard for birds, bees and butterflies. Last year he retired from Wild Birds Unlimited where he was a back yard nature specialist. A long-time member and volunteer for Madison Audubon he has been monitoring Kestrel boxes for almost 10 years now. Currently he has 23 boxes he manages between Oregon and Mount Horeb. His boxes fledged 31 Kestrel chicks in 2019. Patrick is the current president of the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin and editor of their newsletter the Wisconsin Bluebird.

Photo credit: Hans Spiecker

Every Conservancy Day is:

Free — thanks to your donations and membership as a Friend
Open to the public
For all ages unless a specific age group is given in the program description
Diverse topics — More than 400 participants each year enjoy topics ranging from wildlife, science, resource management, natural and cultural history and current community issues

Thank you for your generous gifts and participation. You make it possible and you make it great! We welcome you to join us and help spread the word! Mark your calendars for these inspiring and special events the third Thursday of each month, from January through November.

CANCELED - Restoration Workday
2020-05-16 09:00 - 12:00 | Virtual Event, The instructor will send along a Zoom link two days in advance., WI
Due to COVID-19, concern for volunteer health and safety and the State of Wisconsin Safe at Home Order extension, we have canceled the regular workdays for May.
Help to rejuvenate the prairies and wetlands at our regular workdays! We planned to host two workdays each in April, May, September and October. But due to COVID-19, we canceled April’s workdays. At this point, May’s workdays are still on the calendar, but that may change as guidelines evolve. Be sure to check back here or on our Facebook page as the dates approach.
We will also have special workdays scheduled sporadically as work requires, as we have done before.
Be sure to wear sturdy shoes, long pants, a hat, and be prepared for mosquitoes. No experience needed!
Work will consist of pulling invasives, erosion control on the trails, cutting brush, gathering seed, maybe more planting of nursery plants and more.
Workdays are weather dependent; let us know you are coming by email, we will let you know if we have to cancel.
