Well, the cold snap seems to have passed and the snow is melting rather quickly.  Buds on trees are getting bigger, the cardinals are belting out their songs, and I’m constantly cleaning mud off of my dog’s paws.  All signs that spring is near!

While we’re still a ways out from the first official day of spring, let’s see what’s happening outside in late February!

Throughout the year we clear invasive brush from some of our favorite outdoor spaces like Westport Prairie and Patrick Marsh.  The brush piles tend to accumulate on the land until we get a little snow and then it’s time to light them up!

Every once in awhile I see a cottontail rabbit run out of one of the piles as we’re lighting it.  It’s a good reminder that while they just look like piles of sticks to us, they can actually provide habitat (or I suppose rabbitat if you’re a bunny) for various critters.  I always try to leave a few brush piles scattered here and there instead of burning them all for just that reason.

Abandoned bird nests are very easy to spot this time of year since branches are much more exposed without the foliage.  Just about every time I spot one within reach, I take peek inside to see if there is any evidence of it still being used.  A lot of times you’ll find a large pile of seeds that have been stockpiled by rodents over the winter.  It’s a nice little insulated place to eat a winter snack.

As you can probably tell, most of the photos I took for this monthly nature update were from earlier this week when we still had a decent amount of snow.  Now that a lot of the snow has melted and the ground is wet, keep an eye out for tracks in the mud.  Just this week I’ve seen deer, turkey, squirrel, and even some raccoon tracks.

Mouse tracks are a little harder to find in the mud because mice are so light.  Since they don’t weigh that much, it’s easier for them to walk around without leaving a trace.  In the snow, however, rodent tracks are almost impossible to miss (like the photo above).  While small (each individual track was <0.5″), it’s easy to find these little mouse highways on top of the snow.  If you’re lucky, you can sometimes follow these tracks and find a pair of wing prints in the snow where they end… a sign that an owl or hawk swooped down for the mouse (unlucky for the mouse).

Well that’s all for this month!  It’s easy to find cool things in nature, you just need to get outside!  I hope you make the time to do so yourself and I’ll see you next month for another nature update.

On Friday, February 21^st, Groundswell purchased 42 acres of wetlands at Lake Mills Wildlife Area in Jefferson County. Now this land will be protected forever. That means more wildlife habitat, better water quality, and increased public access.

Land protection can take a long time. It also takes commitment from a willing landowner to see it through. Marilyn Trieloff and her sons worked with Groundswell for many years to protect this land for future generations. But as David Trieloff, one of Marilyn’s sons, put it, “We knew this was the right thing to do.” We’re thrilled by their decision to leave a land legacy!

The Trieloff Addition to Lake Mills Wildlife Area offers habitat for waterfowl, amphibians, and other wildlife. This habitat is important for migratory species that depend on large, protected areas for feeding and resting during their long journeys.

Protecting this land is great for public access, too. Partnering with Groundswell, Jefferson County plans to redevelop a small part of the property. These plans include putting in better parking facilities and easier access for canoeing and kayaking. When that’s done, the property will be donated to Wisconsin DNR and opened for outdoor activities like paddling, hiking, hunting, and fishing.

As we gathered around the table at the closing last Friday, David Trieloff shared some memories about the property. For example, David’s grandmother used to spend countless hours fishing on the lake in their small boat. When it was time to go home, David’s grandfather called her in by ringing a large bell mounted on a pole along the shore. Now David is grateful that others will have the chance to create their own memories there.

Groundswell would like to thank the Jefferson County Parks Department, Lake Mills Area Community Foundation, Wisconsin DNR, Ducks Unlimited, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their important financial and practical help on this project.

This conservation success wouldn’t have happened without Groundswell’s supporters. Thank you for helping protect this special place forever!

Happy April!  Wait, that can’t be right.  If you head outside right now it certainly feels like the beginning of spring, but surprisingly we’re in the middle of winter.  While it’s a nice break from the cold snap that we recently had, I’m trying not to get too used to it.  Soon, the snow will (hopefully) arrive and just maybe it will start to feel like a true winter in Wisconsin.

As we prepare for winter to get back into gear, let’s get outside and see what’s happening right now!

The warmer weather makes ice fishing a whole lot more fun!  I took my son out on the ice the other day and we had a blast.  He caught the biggest bluegill of the evening and was very excited to show it off. It was fun just admiring the fish and seeing how beautiful they are when the sunlight hits their scales.   It’s hard to deny the beauty of a brown or rainbow trout, but take a second to look at our various species of panfish and you might be surprised at how colorful and intricate their patterning can be.

After snapping a couple pics, we sent the fish back on its way and hoped it didn’t tell its friends so that we could catch another.

Despite the warmer temperatures and lack of snow, if you were to head outside early in the morning, you might get a chance to see some hoar frost.  While out at Westport Prairie one morning, I noticed that every once in a while there would be a tiny patch of frost hanging onto the grass.  If you get up close for a better look, you might notice that the frost looks a little different.  It seems spikier and has a unique look.

If you get even closer, you might notice that the frost leads to a tiny hole in the ground.  The hole is the den of a small rodent like a deer mouse or meadow vole.  The frost outside of the den is created when the water vapors from a rodent’s breath makes its way out of the den and comes in contact with the cold air.  This type of frost is called hoar frost and I encourage you to go find some!

Speaking of rodents in winter, I was out walking our newly planted 7.5-acre prairie planting when I came across a large clump of prairie seed.  This clump of seed was tossed by hand during our prairie planting.   Often, when you include the seed from plant species like thimbleweed in a planting, it can create large clumps that causes the seeds to stick together.  Thimbleweed feels similar to sheep’s wool and can be difficult to separate out.  It has always frustrated me just a little because I really like getting an even distribution of seed.

When I approached the clump of prairie seed, I reached down to grab a small handful so that I could spread it out.  To my surprise, someone had taken residence in this cozy, insulated blanket of seed!  It startled me more than I’d like to admit.  I took a picture because I knew no one would believe me, put the fluffy seed roof back onto the mouse house, and went on my way.

It’s easy to find cool things in nature, you just need to get outside!  I hope you make the time to do so yourself and I’ll see you next month for another nature update.

We’re excited to share another big conservation win! Thanks to the visionary efforts of Brian and Renee Bjugstad, last month we successfully secured a conservation easement on 189 acres of prime farmland near the Footville State Wildlife Area in Rock County.

This easement ensures the land will remain undeveloped, preserving it for farming while also allowing public access for hunting, hiking, and other nature-based outdoor activities.

For Brian and Renee Bjugstad, protecting the farmland is very personal. They said, “We want to continue to pass the love of farming down to future generations. This easement deal has brought back some fantastic memories…We want to continue telling these farming stories while adding ours in, too. Let’s keep this agricultural land preserved along with the history of stories embedded into the soil that’s being planted, cared for, and harvested year after year.”

Luke Roffler, Grant Manager for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, celebrated this success, sharing, “We are very excited to partner on this project. Groundswell, the Bjugstad family, and so many other partners have been stacking success to provide significant conservation and public access acreage across the Evansville area. Their combined efforts have built a legacy of public outdoor recreation opportunities that is beyond impressive.”

Andrew Baker, Director of Land Conservation in Rock County, added, “On behalf of the County of Rock, including the PACE Council and the Land Conservation Committee, we are very appreciative of the Bjugstads’ willingness to make a commitment to the preservation of farmland in Rock County.” The County’s Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements (PACE) program has been important in protecting farmland in the area. This partnership shows how working together can help save valuable farmland.

Brian Buenzow, from the Rock River Valley Chapter of Pheasants Forever, said, “Habitat development and permanent public access has been Pheasants Forever’s mission since it started in 1982. The Rock River Valley Chapter is thrilled to support this effort.” Their support highlights how many different organizations are coming together to make sure this land is protected for the long term.

Angie Doucette from American Farmland Trust shared, “The U.S. loses 2,000 acres of farmland daily, endangering food security, rural communities, and the environment. The Wisconsin Farmland Protection Partnership is working to save the land that sustains us. Thanks to Groundswell Conservancy and the Bjugstad family, 189 acres of Wisconsin farmland are now permanently protected, ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.”

Funding for this project came from the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) by way of American Farmland Trust, the state’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, and the Rock River Valley Chapter of Pheasants Forever. In addition, Groundswell’s generous supporters helped make this possible.

We would like to express a heartfelt thank you to our partners quoted above and a special shoutout to Mike Foy, Land Protection Volunteer at Groundswell. Mike led this land protection deal for Groundswell and played a key role in bringing these partners together. Thank you!

I’m not quite sure how, but 2024 is just about over but I’m very excited to see what 2025 has in store!  I can’t wait to search for animal tracks in the snow, watch pasque flowers bloom in the spring, and see fireflies light up the summer night sky.  As random as nature appears to be, it can also be predictable.  It’s nice knowing that we get to experience nature throughout the seasons all over again!

As we prepare for the new year, let’s get outside and see what’s happening right now!

A large portion of our birds in Wisconsin migrate south for the winter and I don’t blame them!  The birds that choose to stay despite the bitter cold, are my absolute favorite.  I can’t imagine going an entire winter without seeing blue jays, cardinals, chickadees, or owls.  When spring arrives and the flashy warblers and other songbirds return, it’s easy to lose sight of our year-long residents.  Sure enough, when winter rolls around I’m reminded just how resilient and wonderful our local birds are (like the downy woodpecker pictured above).

This time of year is also special because we get a chance to see birds that we wouldn’t normally see.  Tundra swans (pictured above with Canada geese) are migrating by the thousands across Wisconsin.  They stop here on their way from the tundra of Alaska and northern Canada to take a rest.  They’ll eventually make their way to the southern coasts of the US, but for now we get to enjoy their calls in the sky above.

While out with my family, we found a red-tailed hawk that swooped in above us and landed in a tree.  Red-tailed hawks look like they were built for the cold.  They’re fluffy, meat-eating predators with insanely good vision.  I love watching them dive down onto the snow and fly away with a small rodent that thought it was hidden.

I’m pretty proud when I can catch a bluegill through the ice, but it’s hard to imagine that a hawk can hear (and catch) a mouse that’s hiding up to 1′ below the snow.

While on the same hike, I saw some movement on the ground out of the corner of my eye.  Whatever it was, it had scurried into the brush and out of sight.  I told my 7-year-old I thought I just saw a house cat run into the brush and he replied with “actually, I think it was an opossum”.  I wasn’t sure that I had ever seen an alive opossum in the daylight so I was skeptical.  As we got closer, we saw the mysterious creature climbing a tree and sure enough, it was an opossum!  I may have my 7-year-old write the next ‘Nature Now’ email…

Unlike red-tailed hawks, Virginia opossums don’t look like they’re built for the winter.  In fact, they don’t really do so well being North America’s only marsupial.  Not having fur on their feet, ears, and tail exposes them to the cold and it’s not uncommon for them to get frostbite on these exposed extremities.

Well, I hope you had a wonderful year and here’s to new adventures in 2025!

Groundswell Conservancy is seeking a new Communications Coordinator. This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, organized, outgoing, innately curious individual who embodies empathy and enjoys developing and maintaining close relationships with supporters. Please share this announcement with anyone you think might be interested in this job.

The Director of Major & Planned Gifts, working closely with the Executive Director, Development Coordinator, and a Development Committee, will be responsible for planning, implementing, and overseeing Groundswell’s development plan to support its programs and operations.

They will create and build relationships with individuals, businesses, foundations, and partners to secure funding to meet our $1.2M operating budget.

They will directly solicit and secure major gifts with a portfolio of prospective and leadership donors. They will promote and solicit planned gifts and steward relationships with existing Legacy Circle members. They will involve and engage staff and board members in donor cultivation and stewardship, continuing a culture of philanthropy within Groundswell.

This is a full-time, salaried position with paid benefits including health and dental insurance, annual and sick leave, and retirement.

The hiring team will begin reviewing and interviewing candidates on a rolling basis as soon as January 1, 2025, with the goal of having the successful candidate in position by February.

The complete position description with salary range and benefits is available at groundswellconservancy.org/careers.

To Apply:

Please email a resume, cover letter, and three references to admin@groundswellconservancy.org. Please include “Communications Coordinator Application” in the subject line.

Photo credit: Ben Jones

The Prairie Partners summer internship returns in 2025!

For more than a decade, Prairie Partners interns have helped restore valuable wildlife habitat while gaining professional experience in conservation. Many interns have gone on to achieve great things at other land trusts, the DNR, local environmental contractors, and graduate school!

The internship was on hold this past year while partnering organizations focused on how to restructure the program to make it even better. In 2025, the internship will include new partnerships, a 4-day work week, a higher hourly pay rate, and new educational experiences.

This year, the partner groups involved in the program are:

– Groundswell Conservancy
– Ice Age Trail Alliance
– Riverland Conservancy
– Wisconsin DNR

If you know someone who might be a good candidate and loves working outside, send them on over to our Careers page for the job announcement.  We’re excited for what the future holds and cannot wait to get back in the field to conserve some of our favorite local green spaces!

The Groundswell community is connecting people with nature–and each other! Here’s some of what we’ve been up to recently…

Operation Fresh Start at Westport Prairie

Photo credit: Brandon Mann

It takes a lot of work to restore and maintain large natural areas like the one at Westport Prairie. So we’re very lucky to have friends like this group from Operation Fresh Start’s Conservation Academy come help when they can! These hardworking young folks removed a lot of invasive brush that otherwise might have spread into the native prairie nearby. Thanks so much, OFS crew!

Learn more about OFS here.

Seed Collecting at Westport Prairie

Photo credit: Amanda Dambrink

Speaking of prairie restoration, thank you to everyone who helped collects seed this fall! After gathering lots and lots of seeds by hand, Groundswell staff and volunteers sort and process the seeds to get them ready for planting. This winter we’ll be planting several acres along Bong Road, so check out our progress the next time you drive by Westport Prairie!

Stay tuned: In the next week or so we’ll be sending out information about how you can help spread seed with us at Westport with us this winter. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s pretty easy, too! If you’d like to get involved, let us know on our website.

CoolBot Workshop at Westport Farm

Photo credit: Sam Douglass

Did you know that you can build your own outdoor cooler using a trailer and a window AC unit?? CoolBot coolers offer an affordable cold storage option for many farmers. And having a cooler on site makes it possible to keep fruits and veggies fresh long enough to be able to sell them at local stores and farmers markets.

Farmers from across the state got to learn how to build these coolers at a recent workshop co-hosted by Groundswell at Westport Farm. Thank you to our partners, WI Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, Fair Share CSA, and Marbleseed, for making this event possible!

Black Hawk Ridge Trail Run

Photo credit: Roberta Herschleb

Each October, the trails at Black Hawk Ridge fill with runners who appreciate a good challenge and a great view. This year, the weather for the Trail Run was better than we could have hoped—as was the lunch of soup and grilled cheese sandwiches waiting at the finish line! A BIG thanks goes to Willi Van Haren, Sherren Clark, and Gail Van Haren for coordinating this event that so many of us look forward to every year!

Celebrating Conservation at Bjugstad Farms

Photo credit: Ben Lam

In late October we joined the Bjugstad family, friends, and partners to celebrate a 189-acre easement near Evansville, WI. This easement will protect farmland and wildlife habitat and provide access to outdoor recreation! Additional funds for this project come from the Bjugstad family, the Rock County PACE Program, the Rock River Valley Chapter of Pheasants Forever, the USDA NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program, and American Farmland Trust.

Hiring a New Director of Major & Planned Gifts

Photo credit: Ben Jones

We’re looking for a new Director of Major & Planned Gifts! This person will be responsible for planning, implementing, and overseeing Groundswell’s development plan to support its programs and operations. If you or anyone you know would like to learn about the position, please follow this link.

We’re very grateful for the support of our Groundswell community, and that includes you! Whether you attend or sponsor a field trip, rent farmland, volunteer your time, make a donation, or own a conservation easement, you’re helping to protect special places. Thank you!

We can’t thank you enough for making #GivingTuesday a success.

Together, we raised $14,898.68. Pat & Ron Paska and Sheila & Ron Endres matched your generosity with an additional $7,000, bringing the total to $21,898.68 to support conservation where you live!

We’re so grateful to everyone who supported Groundswell—whether online, over the phone, by mail, or while visiting the office! How lucky we are to be part of such an inspiring community committed to conservation.

We have some exciting projects to look forward to in 2025! And your support will help make them possible.

Thank you again for being part of this special day of giving and protecting special places.

Thanks to supporters like you, this year Groundswell protected special places in our community, restored important wildlife habitat, connected people to nature, and more! Read all about our latest projects in our 2023-2024 Annual Report. Here’s a preview of the stories inside.

This is our legacy…

I am honored to be the new Executive Director of Groundswell Conservancy! I want to thank those of you who sent thoughtful cards, emails, or called to share in the excitement with me. I’m deeply grateful for your support. To those of you I have yet to meet, I look forward to connecting in person. READ MORE HERE.

Good News for Ducks and Other Wildlife

Photo credit: Tony Abate

In January 2024, Groundswell purchased 20 acres of wetlands in southern Columbia County. This property adds land to the Anderson Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) and provides habitat for ducks, geese, and other wildlife. READ MORE HERE.

Improving Soil Health at Westport Farm

Photo credit: Ben Lam

Healthy soil creates healthy plants and thriving farming communities. At Westport Farm, I help to tend the soil for HMoob farmers who have collectively farmed there for decades. This year, we took 3 acres of land out of production to nourish the soil for incoming growers. READ MORE HERE.

Support the Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program Today!

We’re at risk of losing public funding for vital conservation and we need your help. READ MORE HERE.