Chapters in Wisconsin

Wild Ones members and Rock County Conservationists will gather at a member’s home to tag Monarch Butterflies. A short talk on monarchs with instructions on how to tag monarchs will be followed by hands-on netting and banding of monarchs. The owners have created a Monarch Wayside Station and have landscaped their 30-acre property to attract wildlife of all types. Monarch banding has been helpful in determining monarch migration and winter sites. Children are welcome.

Brianna Kupsky along with Mandy Mellinger and Jessica Brandt from the DNR will be presenting their work to restore habitat along the upper Fox River and the Bay of Green Bay. They have 12 large scale projects along the along the last 7 miles of the lower Fox River and the lower Green Bay. This is funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative with an accelerated timeline to be completed by 2030. To accomplish this, they are looking for help from local conservation, recreation and interest groups to align with community priorities, identify co-benefits at project sites, and spark interest in long term stewardship efforts. We will learn about the opportunity to make a difference in our county for the future of our local ecosystem. 

Instructor: Dr. Paul Whitaker
Format: Blended, 3-part class
Dates/Times: Virtual Monday Sept 9 7-8 pm, virtual Monday Sept 16, 7-8 pm, and in person Saturday Sept 21 12-4 pm
Location: UWSP
Core Course (6 hours)

Description: A plant’s structure is intimately intertwined with its functions, including photosynthesis, water movement, absorption and cycling of nutrients, growth, and reproduction. The two virtual sessions will present an overview of the basic structure of roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds and the roles of these organs in essential plant functions. Our in-person session will consist entirely of hands-on study of plant structures, emphasizing that the diverse forms of each organ are just variations of a basic structure that has important jobs to do. Recommended resource: Botany Primer, Understanding Botany for Nature’s Notebook, USA-NPN.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the first day of the course.

Marian and Ben purchased their West Allis home around 10 years ago.  Since both are horticulturists and native plant lovers, they knew the lawn and basic foundation plantings would soon be a thing of the past.  The front yard is now bursting with color and the “back 40” (square feet) has been replanted with trees and woodland plants.   The rewilding of the property has resulted in a haven for native insects, birds and mammals that rely on native plants for their survival.  

Tour