Sunday, July 27, 2008, Kathie and I conducted the second of two summer field trips at Pleasant Valley Conservancy. This was for the Prairie Enthusiasts and any other interested people…

Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is one of the more common prairie plants and embarrassingly easy to grow. It is also a species that hangs on well in degraded prairies and rebounds…

Verbena stricta (hoary vervain) is widely seen in prairie remnants but never in large amounts. It is not an especially conservative plant (that is, with a narrow habitat range), and…

There are two species of Echinacea found in southern Wisconsin, the right one (E. pallida, pale purple coneflower) and the wrong one (E. purpurea, purple coneflower, photo at left). The…

Denny Connor, one of our most reliable Prairie Enthusiasts, has invented a clever new technique for getting prairie plants started in the field. He creates miniature greenhouses out of gallon…

While digging Queen Anne's lace in Toby's Prairie, we discovered a "new species". The yellow flowers are black-eyed Susans, but the handsome orange flowers are almost certainly Gaillardia aristata, a…

I have discussed in some earlier blogs the restoration work we are carrying out on what we are calling the East Basin. This is a 4 acre basin that faces…

The Ridge Prairie is one of our newest planted prairies, now in its third growing season. Although we have had a few problems (smooth brome, bird's foot trefoil), we have…

Reed canary grass (Phalaroides arundinacea) is justly feared as a plant of wet places. However, reed canary grass is also capable of invading upland sites. In such sites it is…

Two reliable reports have been published about bear sightings in the vicinity of Pleasant Valley Road. These sightings are at both ends of the long ridge which includes Pleasant Valley…