Platinum Prairie

In 2019, Dane County Parks purchased the 160-acre farm to the north of the Conservancy to restore prairie and wetlands that will “significantly reduce stormwater volume due to increased water infiltration into the ground… [and] improve water quality by reducing sediment and phosphorus runoff within the Pheasant Branch Watershed.” The Friends supported that effort by funding the establishment of a Platinum Prairie on the site, with as many as 100 species per acre. A highly diverse prairie supports greater wildlife diversity, enhances ecosystem resilience, provides carbon sequestration, results in an aesthetically beautiful landscape, reduces management costs, and provides a collection source for valuable seed.