Current and Past LIP Projects
Columbia County

Restore 60 Acres of Prairie at Goose Pond Sanctuary

Project and Site Description:
This project will restore 60 acres of dry-mesic and mesic prairie using local and southern Wisconsin genotypes to benefit prairie wildlife and plants, especially at risk species. Another goal of this project is to provide prairie habitat for research and educational purposes.

This project will increase prairie acreage at Madison Audubon's Goose Pond Sanctuary to provide a biologically significant area of primarily restored prairie habitat (mesic and dry-mesic) for prairie and wetland species. There are also grassland birds that require short grass prairie habitat for survival and this project provides that necessary habitat. Increasing habitat and native plants will help maintain viable populations of rare plant species and also to provide enough habitat for species to be introduced such as silphium borer moths. This site supports many plants of local genotype that can be harvested and replanted in other prairie restorations. Madison Audubon Society is working to restore a habitat area of 1,000+ acres with a core area of prairie restoration. Wisconsin's biodiversity as a management issue (DNR 1995), stresses the need for restoration and preservation of grassland areas. Goose Pond Sanctuary has also recognized this need. The focus of Goose Pond Sanctuary is to restore mesic tall grass prairie to what was once the part of the Empire Prairie. Only 100 acres of high quality mesic prairie remain in WI, so it is necessary to focus on restoring and maintaining these valuable areas. Goose Pond Sanctuary is also listed 16th as a priority area for grassland bird management.

Pasque Flower Farm

Project and Site Description:
The goal of this project is to increase the quality of dry prairie and savanna habitat by removing the invasive and / or nonnative species that are shading and displacing native species. LIP is funding removal of woody species (red cedar, buckthorn, autumn olive, black locust, and aspen) and control of spotted knapweed. This management will benefit species found on site, as well as expand habitat for populations located nearby. The landowner is matching LIP 30% with in-kind labor, including hand pulling of new populations of spotted knapweed and reseeding with native seeds collected onsite. The proposal has an emphasis on future maintenance and regular inspections to detect invasive species and follow prairie plant reestablishment.

This site is adjacent to a WDNR Fishery Area and State Natural Area. By managing this privately owned site, a larger ecological landscape is being created and a greater amount of habitat is being provided for very site specific species like the Slender Glass Lizard.