Driftless Area Land Conservancy

08/31/2026

Discover the story behind 20 years of prairie and savanna restoration at Taliesin’s Welsh Hills🌿

Join us for a moderately steep, one-mile hike from Unity Chapel to a scenic vista and back, where you’ll explore a new section of the Driftless Trail crossing the south hill and experience one of the highest-quality remnant prairies in the southern Driftless. Come for the hike, stay for the views, and connect with a landscape shaped by decades of conservation and care 🥾🌾

🔗Register Today: https://driftlessconservancy.org/event/eveningsafield-welsh-hills/

08/30/2026

Thank you to our conservation easment landowners who joined us for this year's gathering! We are so grateful for your continued commitment to protecting the Driftless and caring for the land in perpetuity.

As our landowners know, conservation is much more than just protecting land. It is the ongoing work of caring for it, learning from it, and working together to strengthen the landscape we call home. A HUGE thank you to all our landowners for engaging in discussions around land management, sharing your experiences, and continuting to find new ways to advance conservation on your lands.

We are beyond proud to work alongside such a dedicated community 💚

08/29/2026

Celebrate the places that get us outside🌎

Join REI Madison for an afternoon celebrating trails, parks, and wild places, and stop by the DALC table to learn more about local conservation, connect with community partners, and find ways to turn your love of the outdoors into action. Come explore, connect, and get inspired to care for the places we all love!

📅 Saturday, September 12th
🕛 12:00–4:00 pm
📍 REI Madison

08/27/2026

Join the BadgerLand Foundation team as a Land Stewardship & Restoration Ecologist 🌱🦡

This hands-on position will help lead restoration and stewardship at Wild Oaks Preserve, jointly managed by BadgerLand Foundation and DALC. If you’re passionate about ecological restoration and love working outdoors, we encourage you to apply. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning September 7th. Please share with someone who might be a great fit!

🔗Learn More & Apply Today:https://driftlessconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/BLF-Restoration-Ecologist.pdf

08/24/2026

Join us in Spring Green for a Dig Into Soil Health Field Day with American Farmland Trust American Farmland Trust - Midwest and the Savanna Institute!

Spend the morning out in the field learning about silvopasture grazing techniques, soil health, and the cross-cutting conservation partnerships helping create lasting change on Wisconsin’s working lands.

📍 Spring Green, WI
🗓️ Tuesday, September 1st | 9:00 am–12:00 pm

Learn more & register: https://bit.ly/4qw69op

Summer is for field-day learning! Join us at a farm near you:

-- August 12, West Salem, WI - https://forms.office.com/r/Ja5JfViEDW

-- September 1, Spring Green, WI - https://forms.office.com/r/KC5m2KHC5g
Mississippi Valley Conservancy
Savanna Institute

08/22/2026

Join DALC staff and fellow volunteers for a morning of hands-on stewardship at Erickson Conservation Area in Argyle every 1st Wednesday of each month.

DALC acquired Erickson in 2012 as our first nature preserve. Today, this 220-acre preserve is home to wetlands, prairie, and oak savanna, providing important habitat for a diverse array of plants and wildlife. Ongoing restoration and land management are essential to keeping these unique habitats healthy and resilient. During this workday, volunteers will help care for the preserve as part of DALC’s ongoing restoration efforts.

🔗Register for our September 2nd workday: https://bit.ly/4qfUKct

08/20/2026

Gather at Wintergreen and celebrate the Lower Wisconsin Riverway with your community🌿🌊

Join Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway for their annual meeting at DALC’s Wintergreen property. The afternoon will bring people together to learn more about the river, celebrate this special place, and recognize those who have helped care for the Lower Wisconsin.

Then, head to the river for an afternoon paddle on the Lower Wisconsin Riverway! Whether you’re a longtime river enthusiast or want to spend the day connecting with others who care about this incredible landscape, everyone is welcome.

Come for the gathering, stay for the paddle, and spend a day with your river community at Wintergreen. Learn more and RSVP: https://bit.ly/3SG69pv

Here's the plan for Saturday. See you there!

08/19/2026

What happens when a rare plant reveals just how special a landscape really is?

At Erickson, a permanently protected DALC property, a few unexpected discoveries sparked a deeper look at the land and a new chapter of restoration. From rare sedge meadow species to prescribed fire and brush removal, the journey has been years in the making. Learn more about the restoration spark at Erickson Wetlands, taken from our Winter/Spring newsletter, and follow the journey of caring for this special place.

🔗 Read More: https://driftlessconservancy.org/blog-restoration-spark/

08/15/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for DALC’s Legacy Society Picnic✨

Together, we shared a delicious lunch, welcomed new members to the Driftless Legacy Society, and talked about the importance of planning, both in conservation and in creating a lasting legacy.

Just as conservation planning can help protect special places for generations to come, thoughtful estate planning can help ensure the people, places, and causes you care about continue to thrive. August is Make a Will Month, a great reminder that creating or updating a will is an important part of planning for the future. A legacy gift to DALC is a flexible way to support the land you love while meeting your personal, family, or financial goals. By including DALC in your estate plans, you can help build trails, conserve open space, protect wildlife habitat, and more for generations to come.

We are so grateful to everyone who has chosen to make DALC part of their legacy, and to everyone who joined us at Wintergreen to celebrate the future of conservation in the Driftless!

To learn more about legacy planning, please visit: https://driftlessconservancy.org/planned-giving/

08/13/2026

This week, join DALC staff for our RESCHEDULED Land Trust Days event at Sardeson Forest Preserve in Mineral Point!

Come and go as you please for this open-house-style event. Hike the trails, explore Roland’s Rock, and learn more about this small but mighty 12-acre preserve and the ongoing work that keeps it thriving. From countless hours of land management and volunteer stewardship to invasive species removal and prescribed burns, there is a lot of care behind what you see on the landscape.

Sardeson’s trails wind through prairie remnants, sandstone bluffs, wildflower-filled forests, and along a stream that feeds the Pecatonica River. It’s a special place, and we’re excited to share it with you.

🔗 Register Today: https://driftlessconservancy.org/event/new-date-land-trust-days-explore-sardeson-forest-preserve/