"Prairies at their Peak" field trip

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 who may have seen the announcement on this web site.

Twenty people attended, mostly from the Dane-Iowa Counties area, although we had one couple who drove down all the way from Oshkosh. The photo above shows part of the group at the prairie/wetlands overlook. The weather was fine and the prairies (as well as the savannas) were indeed in peak condition.

The absence of weeds was notable, a result of the hard work of our 5 interns, three paid staff, and Kathie and I. Keeping such a large conservancy weed free is a real challenge, especially since we are a weed-free island completely surrounded by properties with heavy weed infestations.