Land Stewardship

Restoration and Management

In 1997 the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy in coordination with Dane County Land and Water Resources Department Parks Division began removing invasive species from the Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Since then, thousands of volunteers have helped pull and cut invasive plants, collect and spread prairie seeds, coordinate prescribed burns and worked on countless construction projects. Middleton High School ecology students, Operation Fresh Start students and staff, Prairie Partners Interns and many area businesses have been especially helpful over the years. Over 25 years of hard work by these Friends of Pheasant Branch volunteers have created this beautiful prairie and wetlands. Our Pheasant Branch Conservancy is also expanding by 160 acres as the new Acker farm parcel is being added. Please join us at a restoration workday in the future.
Restoration Workdays

We have resumed our schedule of organized workdays throughout the year, click the 'Restoration Workdays' link above for a schedule of workdays open to volunteers.   Typically, we have workdays twice each month from early spring through late fall except for July and August when the summer heat can be taxing on our volunteers. We also sponsor winter workdays when specific tasks can be accomplished more effectively in the wetlands with a frozen landscape.  Keep checking our website for information on upcoming workdays as the nature of the work is highly dependent on weather and the lifecycle of plants.

Propagation Garden

With the guidance of our Land Manager, Rob Schubert, a propagation garden has been established near the historic Frederick's Farm homestead site at the base of Pheasant Branch Hill. This garden provides the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy a nursery area to grow more uncommon prairie plants from which seeds can then be collected and used to increase the biodiversity of flora within the Pheasant Branch Conservancy.
Prairies

For a quarter century we've been restoring the Conservancy, but did you know that there is prairie on Frederick's Hill in Pheasant Branch Conservancy that has likely been there for several thousand years? Have you ever wondered how or when the other prairies at Pheasant Branch were planted?
Flora and Fauna

Discover the forbs, grasses, bushes, and trees, both native and non-native, as well as some of the smaller animals such as insects, spiders, reptiles, and amphibians that can be found in the Pheasant Branch Conservancy.

Restoration news

  • This past Saturday, April 13th, Quercus conducted a successful spring prescribed burn in 5 areas of Pheasant Branch Conservancy that had not been burned for several years. The first planted 40 acre quadrant (SE corner of the 160 acres) of the restoration was due to be burned in an attempt to manage unwanted invasives and […]

  • The 2024 Winter/Spring Newsletter is full of informative articles and project updates.   Articles include: Backyard Conservancies Belle Fontaine Boulevard Update Co-Presidents letter Prairie Partner Update 2024 Board Roster Update Endowment Funds County Parks Planning Bobcats Conservancy Day Education events lineup Wonder Walks Naturalist Notebook Events Calendar View the Newsletter

  • The 2023 Fall Newsletter is full of informative articles and project updates.   Articles include: Repairs of Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor Importance of fall burning Co-Presidents letter Restoration & manangement update Ground nesting bird monitoring Board and committee members needed 2024 Phenology Calendar Redtail Ridge development 2023 WI Master Naturalist Course September Conservancy Day Shannon Prairie […]

  • Giving Tuesday logo

    Details Here

Scroll to top