Prairie Beginnings

About 12,000 years ago, a glacier covered what is now the northeast corner of UW-Whitewater. It deposited two 60 foot glacial drumlins with a valley and wetland dividing them - creating a unique setting for our nature preserve.

European settlers put the land to plow. After many years of this land being farmed, the UW Board of Regents purchased it in the 1960s to provide space for planned university housing. When the projected 20,000 enrollment did not materialize, excess state lands were put up for sale. It was even considered a possible state prison site.
In 1970, 40 acres of woodland, Friar’s Woods, was purchased using half LAWCON (Land and Water Conservation Act ) funds and half state land acquisition funds for $203,000. The nature area then totaled 122 acres.

Due to the vision of several people, including campus planner Richard Ehrenberg, biology chair Galen Smith, and local prairie expert Robert Ahrenhoester, a plan was developed to create a nature preserve. In 1980, the biology department was assigned to collect prairie seeds and plants and under the direction of professor Galen Smith, two small prairie plots were planted.

Boardwalks were constructed in 1982 across central wetlands and northeast Friar’s Woods and in 1983 the 23 Vita Exercise course was built for recreation. A road was added along the edge of the land, reducing the area to 110 acres.
Along came a vision and a plan

The nature area began to be invaded by non-native species such as Asian honeysuckle, Queen Anne’s lace and European elm, to name a few. Their dense growth started to affect the walking trails to the point the paths were being used less and less. Richard James, a faculty member who often walked in the area, noticed the degradation of the site and decided to try and reverse the decline.

In 1998, with the help of Ron Kurowski of the DNR, the first volunteer work days were held for controlled burning, brush and tree removal. With vision and commitment, James submitted a “prairie reconstruction plan” to Assistant Chancellor James Freer in 1999. The first meeting of the Prairie Reconstruction Advisory Committee was held Sept. 22, 2000 with the members welcomed by Chancellor Jack Miller.

FUNDING HELPS THE PRAIRIE GROW
With the belief established that prairie reconstruction would be of value to UW-Whitewater and the community, external funding became a priority. Mike and Jan Hoffman, two of the original advisory board members, purchased seeds for the first planting in memory of their son, Jason, a 21-year-old

UW-Whitewater senior who died in a car accident Oct. 30, 1999.
Additional funds were received to allow the clearing and planting of 12 of the 50 acres of prairie land. All involved agree that the use of local genotype seeds and the inclusion of as many species as possible is necessary to avoid creating just a “prairie garden.” In 2000, two acres of seeds are purchased from Prairie Seed Source for $6,534 and planted by volunteers in early November.

THE FUTURE HOLDS GREAT PROMISE
Each year four work days are held to remove invasive non-native species and to prepare two to four acres per year for seeding. A kiosk, located at the south entrance to the prairie, is being built in 2003 to display relevant information.
With the invaluable help of volunteers who donate their time and money, the Prairie Reconstruction Project is on its way to reflecting the true Wisconsin prairie of thousands of years ago.

 

Boardwalks were constructed in 1982 across central wetlands.

In 1980, the biology department was assigned to collect
prairie seeds and plants and under the direction of professor
Galen Smith, two small prairie plots were planted.

Each year four work days are held to remove invasive non-native
species and to prepare two to four acres per year for seeding.