Mature bur oak trees have very thick bark with deep ridges. You can almost bury a pencil within the tree’s crevices. However, occasional trees have areas on the trunk that…

There was a time when dead wood lying on the forest floor was looked at as undesirable. This probably derived from those historic times when wood was the major source…

We did savanna/prairie/wetland burns on Tuesday March 29, 2016. These were the last burns of the spring burn season. The other burns were done on March 11 and March 21. …

I've dealt with this question briefly in earlier posts, but I am prompted to revisit it after coming across a paper with this title from an international group focused primarily…

On Monday March 21 2016 we had a great burn of the oak savannas at Pleasant Valley Conservancy. The next day Kathie and I returned to assess the burn coverage…

A comparative survey of 1949 and present-day air photos will likely show that in our area the south- or south-west facing slopes that were once hill prairies are now red…

We did our first burn this year on 11 March 2016. This was the earliest we have ever burned at Pleasant Valley Conservancy, although in 2012 (the infamous drought year)…

Recently I have been using the original land survey plat maps to determine in detail the size and location of the Empire Prairie. This large prairie was a vast grassland…

The most common vegetation type in southwestern Wisconsin was the oak savanna, characterized by large scattered oaks interspersed with prairie grasses and forbs. This attractive landscape fascinated early explorers and…

Mineral Point Road, from Gammon Road west to the Beltline, travels through one of the most heavily commercial areas in Madison. Which is why it is so startling to see,…