Three Critical Traits of Trails
Get started with trail planning by thinking about these 3 things first! Purpose: How will the trail be used? Who will be using it? Is…
Get started with trail planning by thinking about these 3 things first! Purpose: How will the trail be used? Who will be using it? Is…
Of course you can! We walk you through it! Start at IDnature guides. First, select Wildflowers. Second, select Wisconsin. Third, check off what you know…
By Steve Swenson, Ecologist, Aldo Leopold Foundation I’ll be the first to admit, using plant ID keys isn’t what I do for fun. It’s like…
The Driftless region is full of diversity: a diversity of people, jobs, and landscapes. Hill and dale, wet and dry, wooded and open — the…
A typical shiitake log is 3- to 6-inches in diameter and 36- to 48-inches long. Each log reliably produces mushrooms 3 to 4 times a…
By Roger Krause, Shiitake Mushroom Enthusiast There are three options if you want a mushroom: drive to the grocery store, search the woods, or stroll to…
Usually, the most dominant tom turkeys (one or two) breed with most of the hens in an area. But what if they are shot early during…
The Phoenix, a bird of Greek mythology, was destroyed and reborn in fire: a symbol of rejuvenation and long life. It’s a tale for sure,…
Before you burn your property, make sure to follow the 1-2-3s. 1) Obtain a burn permit In Southwest Wisconsin, if a burn unit is inside…
By Laura Paine, Grazing Broker, Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development “Experience teaches you that the man who looks you straight in the eye, particularly…
“I don’t know about the guy renting my fields. That deep gully should be a grassy waterway. Look at the erosion into the woods. I…
Here’s the scenario: You own 40 acres of land, 20 acres of which is leased to a local farmer, and 20 acres in woodland. You…
By Nathan Stanford, Forest Safety Instruction, Wisconsin Dells, WI Standing dead trees are coveted by landowners for firewood. But they are also one of the…
Firewood does more for Doug and Laurie than heat their house all winter. “I’m not cutting firewood, just to cut firewood,” asserts Doug. “There is…
The chain on your saw moves at 70 mph! This speed makes the chainsaw one of the most efficient and effective hand tools that a landowner…
By Yoyi Steele, Former Important Bird Area WI Program Coordinator Red-headed woodpeckers are unmistakable with their deep red heads, black backs, and white wings. Alexander…
“If you build it, they will come,” said a voice in Ray’s head from the movie Field of Dreams. The voice led Ray to build…
Shortly after joining the Richland Center police force 30 years ago, John Annear and his wife Kim started looking for a place in the country…
“We wanted a piece of Wisconsin for our family to enjoy. We also intend to make it better.” Barry and Susan Ottmann live in McFarland,…
Do you know the differences between the acorns of red and white oak? Red oak acorns have more of everything: more hairs on the shell;…
By Bill Kiser, Wildlife Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program For plants, it’s all about sunlight: Where sunlight hits,…
Each spring during mating season, male grouse claim their territory by “drumming” to attract females and fend off other males. Males will frequent the same…
Like a canary in the coal mine, grouse tell us something about the habitat. Miners knew, if the canary stayed alive, there was enough fresh,…
If you picked stream banks lined with grasses you’re right! Grasses provide superior bank stabilization. A single grass plant has hundreds of fine, fibrous roots,…
The Weigandts learned, if you lead steers to water, they’ll drink. David and Susan Weigandt, Richland County landowners, annually pasture 20-30 head of black angus.…
By Paul Dietmann, Market Specialist, Badgerland Financial Investments deliver annual rates of return; trees do the same. Here’s an example: An S&P investment over the…
“Financial viability of our property, the cropland and woodland alike, is important to my siblings and me,” says Doug Duren, a Richland County landowner. His…
By Steve Swenson, Ecologist, Aldo Leopold Foundation A successful garlic mustard control program is both preventative (i.e., identifies new populations) and curative (i.e., controls known…
Every spring, hope and uncertainty unfurl their green leaves. After our stubborn winter, a spring wildflower’s resolve to emerge is hope. Landowners beware, though, uncertainty also…
Plant identification is generally easy when you know the combination of leaf shape and leaf edge, also called leaf margin. For example, the three species…
Air photos have been taken periodically of Wisconsin, starting in the late 1930s and continuing through today. You may be able to pull together a…
By Ralph Sheffer, Fire Operations Specialist, WI DNR Conducting a prescribed fire requires training and experience. Private contractors are available to conduct a burn on your…